THE GIFT OF GIVING

When our children Alex and Ann were young, we wanted so much to pass on various values that would become a part of who they were. Christmas from the world's point of view seemed to emphasize it as a time to “shop until you dropped” to get just the right gift for everyone on your list. More and more I felt all this consumerism was trying to crowd out the real message of the season, God's gift to the world of His Son Jesus! Each year we diligently worked to give less and less tangible gifts and stressed participating in more family activities as part of our "gifts". Being a part of our church's special programs, attending a local Christmas concert or play, serving in a soup kitchen or helping at the Feast of Love were all a part of stressing those values of family fun and giving outside of ourselves.

As parents, we always wonder if the things we say and do really "take root" in our children, or are just nice activities to enjoy at the time. One Christmas when Ann and her new husband Josh were visiting us from Virginia, we began talking about Christmas memories. She brought up how very special it was when one Christmas she and brother Alex found an envelope on the Christmas tree which contained a check. Of course each was excited about all the possibilities of purchasing something they wanted. However, when they saw the "made payable to" area was blank, I explained that this check was to be made payable to the charity of their choice and then sent to that charity from them. I'm not sure at the time I can recall a resounding "Yahoo, what a great idea" response but they did follow through and two charities received a special gift from them that year. It's nice to know even many years later that act of giving to others has taken root in both our children who continue to give in so many ways to us, their families and many others in their church and community.

Judy Dirksen

THE PAINS OF CHRISTMAS

It’s that time of year, when we begin to prepare for Christmas and what inevitably turns into the busiest time of year. On the home front it becomes the time to decorate the house (both inside and out), to bake our favorite holiday treats, to write the annual Christmas letter, to send greeting cards to our dear friends and relatives, and to shop for and wrap Christmas gifts. It’s also the time of year when we spend extra hours in practice preparing for the Christmas cantata. We also make sure to get together with friends to celebrate the holiday. Then there are the obligatory office parties so we can celebrate with our coworkers. Of course, this is all done while putting in extra hours at work in order to cover for those taking time off. I’m starting to feel exhausted already, even though not one light is up.

I am reminded of the song the “Twelve Pains of Christmas”, a parody on “The Twelve Days of Christmas” that takes a cynical look at the Christmas season. The lyrics mention many of the things I’ve already written about plus more - “Finding a Christmas tree”, “Rigging up the lights”, “Sending Christmas cards”, “Five months of bills”, “Finding parking spaces”, etc. Most of us can relate to the humor in this song, because much of it has some basis in truth. But it also saddens me to realize that it illustrates the bad attitudes that develop around the frenzy of activity that surrounds Christmas. We’re as likely to say “bah, humbug” as to say “Merry Christmas”.

Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying - many of the activities we engage in are important. What I do want you to notice is that, to this point, I have not even mentioned the reason for the season, the incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus! At Christmas, the primary thing we need to keep in mind is that “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 ESV) The reason for the season is not candles, trees, cookies, gifts or gatherings. It is in fact, Jesus!

Perhaps we can guard our hearts by looking at the actions of the shepherds in Luke 2:15-20

“¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (ESV)

Listen to the message. Stop your normal activities. Take time to worship Jesus. Share the good news!

Harvey Landholm

KEEPING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS

I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home with parents who knew how to celebrate Jesus’ birthday in a meaningful way. I’d like to share some of those traditions, and how they translated to the Salzbrun family after Tom and I married. (In reading this, please picture a family of 14 children, not just our 4.)

Advent was observed with the lighting of the wreath each night at dinner. More importantly, we each drew the name of a family member to be our Kris Krindle for the season. We all worked to do secret kind deeds for our Kris Krindle, and in doing so, would put a piece of straw in a crib, hoping there would be enough to make it soft for baby Jesus on Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve day would mean house work, preparing our home as well as our hearts for Jesus’ birth. When we finally finished, we would all clamor to help dad decorate the tree, hoping we were old enough to handle the most fragile ornaments.

After dinner, we would gather in the living room. Dad would bless the tree, turn on the lights, and bless the nativity crèche, (although baby Jesus hadn’t arrived yet), followed by singing a few Christmas hymns. For many years, we would dress up in robes and homemade halos and re-enact the Christmas Story. There were always plenty of cast members available. Next we would reveal our Kris Krindle, and tell some of the things we had done for them. As my dad often traveled, he would hem and haw trying to think of things he had been able to do in his short time at home during Advent. It became a tradition to follow his lead and say “and I prayed for them”, since he was always able to do that, even from out of town. It was customary to give a small gift to your Kris Krindle. I think the budget limit was 50 cents!

On Christmas morning we weren’t allowed to go downstairs and see the Christmas tree before being herded into the car for church. Once we arrived home, dad would finally put Jesus in the crib, safe and sound. Only after truly celebrating the gift of Jesus to the world did the external gift giving begin.

As the Salzbrun family grew, along with lighting our Advent wreath, we initiated the Road to Bethlehem instead of filling a crib with straw. We decorate butcher paper with last year’s Christmas cards and draw squares marking the winding path that Joseph and Mary traveled by donkey to get to the inn. As we do secret things for our Kris Krindle, we color in a square, hoping to have the road traveled in time to reach Bethlehem by Christmas Day.

After our Christmas Eve service we come back home and assemble our Nativity scene. Each person unwraps a figure from the box and gives their explanation of the gift that figure gave to Jesus. Next we move to the living room and share the good deeds done for our Kris Krindle, giving them a “small” gift with a budget limit of $10. (Times have changed.) We have also carried on the tradition of praying for our Kris Krindle. Christmas morning Jesus is put in the manger while we sing “Happy Birthday”.

I share my story in the hope that you may be able to draw ideas and inspiration from the Pearson/Salzbrun families’ traditions of keeping Christ at the center of Christmas

Ann Salzbrun

GOD’S GIFT OF FAITHFULNESS

So it all began when I was four years old and unloading the dishwasher. That’s where I, a tow-headed little midget, made the decision. Being four years old, I couldn’t comprehend the full weight of the decision nor could I foresee the immense impact it would have on my life in the years to come. It was a simple, child-like faith – the kind you hear pastors continually calling their congregations to embrace. It was enough for me then, and in reality it was all it could be for a four-tear-old mind.

As time passed that faith was compartmentalized to a moral code. It was good to go to church; it was good to have a Bible study with Mom. It was bad to lie; it was bad to complain about Bible study taking too long. All true, yet completely insufficient as the essence of my relationship with God. Yet God was faithful to me. He never abandoned that little boy and his simple decision.

As I grew up. I made decision after decision that would alienate me from God. Yet God, in His perfect timing, saw fit to bring me back to Him. He took my moralistic code and transformed it once again into that child-like faith in the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross. But this time it did not become compartmentalized. This time the Holy Spirit did a work in me that made my faith an all-pervading presence in my life, something I could no longer turn on and off. God was faithful, even in my blatant love affair with the world.

God is faithful. More than anything over these past 20 years, I have learned that. He had been faithful to my family as I have seen him preserve Opa (Dutch for Grandpa) while battling cancer and my Dad while he too battled cancer. This came to a culmination last year when I received my family ring from Opa and took a picture of three generations of hands bearing the Verhagen crest. As I look at that ring, I realize that it represents a physical heritage which I love and celebrate, but more importantly it represents a spiritual heritage. It represents God’s faithfulness to our family through the generations.

As I look back on my life, I realize that there is not one memory in which I cannot see some sort of blessing of God. Yes, there have been hard times – really hard times – but even in those, God was at work. I have been incredibly blessed with an amazing family, amazing friends, an amazing church ( both in Cincinnati and at Taylor) and a house that is much more home than house, just to mention a few. None of this is a testament to me or what a good person I am (because I am not; I am a blatant sinner). It is a testament to God, to His faithfulness and love, that He saw fit to send His Son, to be born a baby, to live a sinless life and to die a painful, bloody death on the cross, so that I might be reconciled to Him.

“The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” (Psalm 136:8 ESV)

Koert Verhagen

SHEPHERDS

The readings for Advent are from the Reformed Worship Magazine and written by George H. Vander Weit .

The Third Sunday of Advent’s reading is found at:
http://www.reformedworship.org/magazine/article.cfm?article_id=733

FILL IN THE BLANK: _ _ _ _ _ _ MAS

It was mid-October, with the beauty of autumn all around, when I ventured out to the hardware store to choose just the right products for a fall home-improvement project. As I walked through the lawn and garden entrance to the store, my heart sank. There before me was an enormous display of “holiday” decorations, blinking, winking, twirling, waving, and “ho, ho, ho-ing.” Would you believe they even had an animated flying pig? Sadly, I left the store with questions running through my mind… What happened to the season we call autumn? What does all that stuff have to do with Christmas? And what happened to the Christ in Christmas?

When I arrived at home, curiosity took me to this store’s website where I found a total of 677 search results for “holiday decorations.” However, when I typed in “religious decorations” the search result was zero. I tried typing “Jesus” in the search box, but again the result was zero. Zero religion, zero Jesus. I noticed the store’s website offered an advent calendar, but it was merely a countdown to party time, with no symbolic references to the birth of our Savior.

As I continued to ponder how far removed our society has become from the true meaning of Christmas, I recalled how most of my Christmases past have been rather worldly and materialistic. Only in more recent years has my heart become heavy with the loss of Christ in Christmas. So the question is: what will I do to put Christ back in Christmas?

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14 ESV)

The answer is simple. I’ll follow the example of the shepherds:

¹⁵…the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:15, 17, 20)

Linda Doughman

THE CROSS AT CHRISTMAS

As someone who was raised in a Christian home, I remember always having Christ as part of my Christmas. I certainly wandered into the whole Santa Claus diversion that many of us experience but it was never the main focus of my celebration. I enjoyed and thrilled at the retelling of the Christmas story each year and knew in my heart that I had the right perspective.

It was many years later as an adult that I first encountered the meaning behind Christmas. A pastor shared that the scene of the babe in the manger is actually the beginning of the salvation story that points toward the cross. I must admit that the warm and tender thoughts I held for the nativity were difficult to balance with the harsh reality of the cross. And yet I knew intellectually that this is the reality of Jesus’ journey on earth.

I am by nature a visual person so I understand matters better when I can see a picture or images that help me understand a concept. I love movies and theatre because of their visual impact. I was having trouble visualizing the manger pointing to the cross.

God understood how I best understand and he provided a stunning image for this concept. Several years ago, as a part of the Christmas cantata at ECC, there was a dance scene where Mary places the baby Jesus in the manager at the foot of a cross. Suddenly the tears streamed down my face. That which I had understood intellectually now become real visually. The whole reality of Christ’s birth and the awesome nature of God’s gift was there in front of me as the manger and the cross told the story.

Perhaps this is the first time you have had both of those images in your mind as you prepare for Christmas. Perhaps this is a reminder of something you already knew. I pray that God will use this illustration to focus your preparation this year. I also pray that you realize that the story does not end at the cross but instead ends in GLORY!

John Wood

HYMNS AND CAROL AND MORE

The seasons of advent and Christmas are some of the most joy-filled times of the year and the hymns and carols from this time reflect that joy. At some point during the Christmas season I find myself either seated at the piano or standing with others gleefully singing the traditional carols; I often storm through the first verse (along with everyone else) from memory. However, by the second line of the second verse I usually falter and stumble (along the way, coming up with some very jumbled combinations of verses that make heavy use of sentence “something-something-something”). Finally, I decide I have embarrassed myself long enough and begin frantically looking for a provided lyrics-sheet. I always chide myself for this: I simply don’t know the words of the remaining 2, 3 or 4 verses of most carols. And that’s not good because it is often in those remaining verses where one finds the strongest theology or, at the very least, the completion of the theology begun in the opening verse. Sometimes I think we approach Christmas like that: we like the opening verses that express the joy but neglect the later ones that typically concentrate on the need for redemption.

I am always struck by the succinct statement of doctrine and immense musical variety contained in the hymns of the Christmas season; carols are in both minor keys (e.g. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, O Come, O Come Emmanuel) and major keys; highly rhythmic (Joy To The Word) as well as asymmetrical (Of The Father’s Love Begotten). It is also one of the few times of the year when we understand that we can sing joyfully in minor keys (God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, How Great Our Joy). I must admit that among my all-time favorites is Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. The description of creation’s hushed awe as God’s plan of redemption comes to pass is powerful and the musical setting depicts this awe wonderfully. Like a great many of our favorite Christmas carols, Let All Mortal Flesh has its roots in medieval times when hymns and carols didn’t shy away from frank discussions of the purpose of the nativity: the shed blood of Christ and sinful man’s need for redemption.

As we move into this joyous season and express our excitement in uplifting hymns and carols such as Joy To The World and O Come All Ye Faithful, let’s not forget or ignore the theology often found in those later verses of the carols. Through our singing, let’s always remember that it is the cross which completes our joy and that it is the empty tomb which gives meaning to the occupied manger.

Steve Aldredge

CHRISTMAS HOPE

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (NIV®)

As I write this looking at the beauty of a snow covered world here in Littleton, Colorado, I am awed at a God who looks after me in every facet of my life.

This past Sunday, the pastor had his children’s lesson on “wish” vs. “hope” and asked the children “do you wish or hope for a Christmas present” or “do you wish or hope that Jesus loves and cares for you”, etc. How often do we have our words “hope” and “wish” mixed up?

I had just finished reading the book written by Mike Evans with the title “The Final Move Beyond Iraq”. In his last chapter “The battle for the soul of America”, he lists some of what we are facing today: the destruction of human life by terrorists; the natural disasters we have experienced lately by the tsunami that devastated parts of South Asia; the hurricane Katrina; the movies, television, magazines, etc. that depict so much immorality; the internet pornography being a $57 billion industry; efforts to take God out of every facet of public life, etc., etc.

America has fought many wars but none like we face today as detailed above but also with the terrorist regime in Iran headed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomaini who solidified a group of extremist muslims and Iranian president Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who vowed to destroy “the little satan”(Israel) and “the great satan” (U.S.A.) who have no regard for human life and especially target innocent civilians – men, women and children – to create havoc. Frankly, I was thoroughly shaken by these detailed descriptions of what we are facing today.

This children’s sermon followed by the pastor’s sermon on “Christmas HOPE” was such a gift from God to me. Christ came to bring us “hope” and do away with “wish” to overcome our fear and uncertainty. It is only through Christ that I can have the solid hope expressed in this song –

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

Chorus:
On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the ‘whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
(The Solid Rock - Public Domain)

Francis Lieuwien

PEACE, PRAISE, JOY

Luke 2:13-14: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (NIV®)

Christmas lists, shopping, wrapping packages, cooking, cleaning, sending cards, going to Illinois, decorating, scheduling, scheduling, scheduling! Peace and praise with time to reflect should be at the beginning of this list. With the help of my husband, I have made some changes in our Christmas season over the past few years.

In Illinois where all my family gathered, Christ was not at the center of the celebration. Too much Santa Claus and too loud. I tried to make suggestions to change the focal point and the atmosphere, but nothing changed. When my parents passed away, I made the decision not to go to Illinois for Christmas. I had always returned to Cincinnati with a heavy heart. Peace.

Our tree now is decorated with many manger scene ornaments, angels, candles, and a few little animal ornaments as a constant reminder that Christ is the “reason for the season,” A manger scene is the focal point of the living room. The only Santa Claus is a little figurine with Santa kneeling at the manager. Reflection on the birth each time I look at the tree.

For some time I had desired a quiet unhurried period at Christmastime with a nice meal, the reading of the Christmas message, the singing of Christmas carols, and the love and warmth of good fellowship. This too has been realized. Each Christmas we celebrate Christmas at our home with some dear friends from ECC. We enjoy a meal, read the Christmas story, sing Christmas carols and enjoy the warmth of Christian fellowship. Praise and joy!

Keeping Christ in Christmas means to me the gathering at our home with our ECC friends, the ECC Christmas Cantata, our Christmas Eve meal with friends, the Christmas Eve service and the gathering of our immediate family. Bill and I love being with our children, grandchildren and, this year, a great grandchild at Christmas and we endeavor to remind all the true meaning of Christmas. We are blessed! Peace! Praise! Joy!

Merry Christmas!~

Rita Wainscott

THE GIFT

I was about two years old and too young to recollect, but that Christmas long ago was memorable to my family. My father had a lot of eye problems most of his life which first started with an eye accident when he was a young boy. A boyhood injury caused enough tear to damage the sight in the one eye and combined with cataracts in the other eye, making my father legally blind in my early years. That Christmas he was going through a series of costly operations to try to restore enough sight to function.

Mother informed my older brothers and me that, with my father’s lack of work and costly surgeries, this Christmas would be particularly bleak. It was a tough pill to swallow for three young boys. On Christmas morn, we opened our meager presents and afterward we all got bundled up to go out and sled in the snow. We lived in the second floor of a two family and so we had an entrance hall that was open to the outside all the time. Much to our surprise, we found a package in the hall that said “To the Dirksen Boys, From Santa Claus”

We opened the gift to find a very elaborate and expensive train set. My mother, being of proud German ancestry, tried for years to find out who might have given this gift and thank or repay them. To this day, we only know the source as a signed card from “Santa”. Many who have had tough times in their life probably have stories that recall a good hand reaching out for someone in need or a timely gift particularly at Christmas.

Christians believe the greatest gift of all was the Christ child given to man. The three wise men brought prophetic gifts to honor a new-born King. This tradition of gifts at Christmas time has been capitalized on by many religions and nationalities around the world and the tradition has spread - but unfortunately without its real meaning attached.

All of us were brought up giving material gifts at Christmas time. It is expected in family circles and certainly outrageously marketed by retailers to keep the economy flowing. These gifts are nice to receive but often forgotten, broken, or replaced with the next trend.

Maybe this Christmas we can demonstrate love for others in need as God demonstrated his love for us which could have a more lasting impact.

Howard Dirksen