Why Do We Fight?

Our priest starts off each Sunday's talk with a joke.  One Sunday it went something like this:  An older couple had followed a healthy diet all their life, low fat, low calorie, etc.  When they died and went to Heaven and saw the great banquet feast prepared to welcome them with all its fattening, rich foods they said, If only we hadn't been so healthy down on earth we could have been here enjoying this so much sooner!

Which could beg the question, if our ultimate goal is to get to Heaven, why do we do so much to preserve our life on earth?

Author William Paul Young in "Cross Roads" explains it this way, "life is the normal and death the anomaly...[we] were never designed or created for death, so by nature [we] fight it".

That idea makes me feel a little better.  We were designed for relationship with God.  I recognize that my personality does not seek change for changes sake.  I'm not the type that always seeks the next adventure or the latest-greatest tech gadget; I'm more the "if it ain't broke - don't fix it" type.

I can certainly recognize that my relationship with God could be immensely better, but it's not in my nature to want to take it to the next level (as in Creed's "Higher" song).

How I'm Spending the Holidays

After this year I may have only two Christmases left on earth.   In truth that statement could apply to anyone since nobody really knows.  I wanted to be intentional in how I spent my time this season. 

I feel like these are the years and especially the Christmases my nine year old will remember.  It is still a magical time to him. Three Christmases from now he may be saying, "I remember how mom always .... at Christmas".

So instead of rushing around and doing all the society things (except for the pageant - we had to do that one) I'm not baking cookies or going overboard with decorations or present buying.  It's not too late for a new tradition - we picked out a Christmas themed puzzle at Wal-mart and are working it in the living room.  I remember working puzzles with my relatives when we would get together for the holidays and I wanted to pass that on to him (even though no relatives are visiting.)  Also, a friend gave me a hot beverage maker so we are enjoying lots of hot cocoa (the kid) and tea (me).  Every day at 2 p.m. we make hot beverages and read while we drink them curled up on the sofa.  After that we work on the puzzle together until 4 p.m.

"Christmas traditions aren't trivial, they brighten the darkest months of the year."  (Nancy Atherton, Aunt Dimity's Christmas)

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Poo Pooing the Pageants

First I would like to clearly state that I am a faithful Christian.  I am in church every Sunday and I try to live my Christian values in my daily life.

That said - I'm really starting to loathe Christmas pageants.  I think the biggest clue is that they are called a "pageant".  Pageants are a parading of people - and that's how I always feel about Christmas pageants.  Let's just parade everyone's child up and down so pictures can be taken.  Sometimes the performance attempts to recount the Christmas story.  But it is so dis-contiguous that it looses all meaning.  Why can't we have a St. Patrick's Day pageant?

And at this time of year people commonly say they don't need one more event to go to.  Yet every place seems to think they have to cram in their event.  Why don't work places have a spring barbecue instead of a Christmas party?  I would be just as happy with a door prize in April as I would in December.

I asked my daughter, the psychology student, why we need pageants.  She said it is for the joy for the children.  And while it is true that my nine year old was very proud of his recent participation in his school pageant, I think he would have been equally as proud if he had played the part of St. Valentine in February.

Surely we should be spending the holiday season on family traditions and time with loved ones.  Besides - when have you ever heard anyone say, "I'm a successful [doctor/lawyer/nobel prize winner] because I was in a Christmas pageant!"?

Getting Picked for the Team

A lot of times when someone dies humans comfort themselves or others by reasoning that God needed another angel.  So, in a sense, it's like God chose the deceased for His team - He called them up from the minor leagues.

When I was a kid, in playground games or PE class, I was always one of the last to be called.  And it made me sad.  So why is it that now, when God might choose me for his 2017 line up, I feel sad.  Now that I might be picked for the team - suddenly I don't want to be on the team.  I'd be happy staying in the minor league.

If I am envious of anything it is Paul's ability to see life and death as equally good:

Philippians 1:21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

Two Schools of Thought

In 1988 my dad had a heart attack.  A man who was not overweight by even a pound, ran three miles every day and never even had so much as a cold.  He was so health conscious that he was actually at the clinic to get his blood pressure checked and when they took it they told him he was having a heart attack right at that moment.

He had surgery, and went on a strict diet.  He lost a lot of weight but he wasn't enjoying food anymore. Gradually he went back to his old eating habits.  He told me he'd rather enjoy the days he has left than prolong his days with an unenjoyable life style.

26 years later he's still going.

I've often contemplated the dilemma of prolonging vs. enjoying and I expect I'll be contemplating it much more often in the next few years.