My "Uber-Private Open Diary"

There's a comedian with a blog entitled, My Secret Public Journal.

It got me thinking that's really what a blog is...well, at least what it can be for me.

In the interest of copyright infringement (or something along those lines...) I think I'll refer to this blog as my "Uber-Private Open Diary."  It's a place for me to share my most private thoughts...with the world wide web.

I'm glad that's out of the way and we can jump into today's blog post and all my openly private thoughts. 

This week I'm continuing to post on what I'm lovingly referring to as "The Christmas Crazies," and how we remember to keep the message simple and focused on Jesus throughout this season.

This morning I heard a story about a home group containing a few brand new Christians.  I was told that only weeks ago, the wife was dragging her husband to home group, now I understand the husband looks forward to group with eager anticipation, taking diligent notes and digging into God's word with excitement and joy- and the home group leaders are truly enjoying the Christmas season with this new couple.

It's a refreshing perspective, watching someone discover the truth of the gospel for the first time.  So many times the newest Christians are the most animated in their sharing, hungry to learn and ready for new experiences.  Every day is like Christmas morning for them!

I thought of that as I read Luke 1, following my own home group last night. Thinking through the moment when Mary, newly pregnant, comes to visit her cousin Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is beside herself, saying, "Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.  You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."

I love the imagery of Elizabeth's words, of leaping for joy, simply because of the presence of Jesus.  

That's kind of how I picture so many Christians young in their faith, ones like the young couple mentioned above.  I can't help but wonder how many of us more mature ones are remembering what it's like to simply leap in in the joy of His presence.

I don't know about you, but since this is my "Uber-Private Open Diary," I have to confess I'm pretty wiped out right now.  I'm doing my best to not be stressed with everything on my plate this time of year, and remember "the reason for the season," but seriously...I'm tired.  Just thinking of "leaping for joy" seems to take extra energy I'm not sure I have.

Processing all of this now, I'm thinking that must be why God's put all of this in my path this week.  

He's repeatedly placed excited new Christians smack in the middle of my mundane stride, they are like happy, sweet puppies and I'm tripping all over their excitement to be a part of what God's doing.  I need to remember where they are...and join in with the blessing of joy and excitement just to be in His presence more often.  The idea seems sweet, warm and humble; to be honored by the companionship of our Savior.

It seems more pleasurable to abide in Him, relish in His company, and yes even muster the energy to do a little leaping.

So, in conclusion I'm taking a lesson from Mary and Elizabeth - enjoy the moment, be honored in His presence, puppies, and more...well....leapage.  Who couldn't use more of that?

See you next week, with another post from my "Uber-Private Open Diary."

H =D

"Lights, Please?"

I'm updating this week's blog post as Nat King Cole sings "Good tidings of comfort and joy" to me.  

Do you love Christmas time?  

Some of us can't wait for it to get here (slide me into that camp)...but I've met others who are hurting, and can't wait to turn the page on the calendar and ring in the next year, glad to see the month of December in the rear view mirror.

However you're feeling this time of year, we, here at RLM, all desire to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and to rejoice in the humble birth of our Lord... it's with this reminder I bring you this week's blog, written with heart and sincerity from my bloggin' buddy Kent.  

I'm thinking I'd love to carry Nat's crooning tune with me for a while, feels good to sit in it, and soak up the message of this beloved Christmas carol,  "Remember Christ our Savior, was born on Christmas day, to save us from Satan's power when we were gone astray.  O tidings of comfort and joy..."  

There is joy to be found this Christmas, and I pray each of you finds it through Jesus ...and if a little help from Charlie Brown helps get you there, so be it.  

And with that, I give you Kent's post:

"Lights, Please?"

Normally, Shaping Your Spirit is my forum for writing about all things home group-ish.  However, on reading Heidi’s post last week, and more importantly, seeing the attached Charlie Brown video, these were the thoughts that came to mind...

When I was a kid, and even up to this day, there’s no Christmas special I look forward to quite like A Charlie Brown Christmas.  You can have your “Silent Night’s”, your “Holly Jolly’s” and your “fa la la la la’s”; there’s nothing like the rolling piano beat of Vince Guaraldi’s Linus and Lucy to get me in the mood of the holidays.  

There’s also something about when Linus steps out on that stage and says, “Lights, please?” that just makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

It wasn’t until years after I first began watching it, when the story that Linus tells, (Luke 2:8-14), really began to resonate with me.  I slowly began to realize, hey… they’re talking about Jesus here!

Charles Schulz put God smack dab not only into a kid’s holiday special, but smack dab into the middle of Christmas!  Again!  Where He should have been all along!  And the theme of rampant commercialism over the true meaning of Christmas resonates just as loudly today as it did when Mr. Schulz wrote it almost 50 years ago.  (Black Friday slowly becoming Black Thursday?  Not even waiting for the turkey to settle before tempting us with cheap cell phones and 50 inch TV’s??!  Really!!??)

One of the things today that strikes me most about “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is how easily the story of Jesus’ birth fits into the narrative of Schulz’ story.  It seems neither forced nor contrived.  It’s just one kid talking to another kid about what the holiday season has become, and it doesn’t seem like it should really be this way, and it just feels like there should be more to Christmas.   And the other kid simply saying, I can answer that…

“Lights, please?”

It also speaks to me about the whole idea of legacy over legend.  Legends can be as contrived as you want them to be.  Striking! Outlandish!  That’s kind of the point.  The mo’ grand, the mo’ eye-popping, the mo’ betta.

Not so with a legacy.  A legacy never seems forced.  A legacy never seems surprising.  It should have a natural flow, resonating from a place of intimate knowledge to a place of receptive learning; from year to year, age to age, and from generation to generation.  This is why, despite even the controversy surrounding it when it first aired back in 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is even more popular today; becoming one of if not the most anticipated holiday specials of the season.  It’s a simple little story about a boy and his friends, and the search for the true meaning of Christmas.  A story that Linus and Mr. Schulz weren’t afraid to share.

How about you?

If you’re familiar with the story of the birth of Christ, how about making Christ’s story a part of your own family tradition and family legacy?  If you’ve come to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, how about sharing your story, your testimony—with family, with friends—over this holiday season. 

Don’t force it: Being bold doesn’t mean being in-your-face.

Don’t fumble your way around it: Being meek doesn’t mean hemming and hawing. 

Just make it a natural part of who you are.  Let it flow out of you; by action and deeds to start with, if by no other means.  Nothing shows the world Jesus like enacting a little love, a little kindness, and a little grace in an engaging, personal relationship with those in your life.  Especially, most especially, during this rushed, hurried, hectic holiday season. 

Somebody may just ask you why you’re able to keep so calm, be so joyful, so . . . nice.  Then maybe, just maybe, you’ll have the opportunity to step forward, clear your throat a little, blanket firmly in hand and say…

“Lights, please?”