Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone.

We had a fairly decent Christmas Eve worship last night (positive critiques aside – you’re helping to plan next year Mel!), after that we came home and crashed.  We get a lot of invites from the various open houses that people host each Christmas eve, but we never go.  Mostly because by the time worship is over the kids are wiped and I’m ready to fall asleep, but also because if we went to one we’d feel that we were under obligation to pop in at the others as well.  I’m not very politically astute, but even I know that.

This morning the kids got us up early and we just enjoyed a comfortable day at home with our immediate family, and my wife’s folks and brother.  A large part of me wishes that our congregation gathered for worship on Christmas.  A smaller part of me is glad because if we gather for worship I expend a ton of energy by forcing myself to be in front of the crowd – which would kinda wipe me for the rest of the day.  So, a quiet day at home isn’t so bad despite my liturgical impulses.  There’s something to be said for sabbath.

Yes, I did get lots of “stuff” (folks who follow me on Twitter already know some), some of it was even useful for my work with Central and ABCNJ – and this makes for some fun.  This year, especially, I felt extremely humbled by the fact that so many folks from the Central Baptist community go out of their way to give gifts to me and mine.  People’s thoughtfulness to me, for all of my inner-fears that I’m an abject failure, helps me sense that there actually is some good things going on around here.  Thanks a lot.

Some of my most favoite gifts this year (from family and from the congregation) were:

• Photoshop Elements.  I love the GIMP, but I hate X11 on OS X
• A new bluetooth headset – I can’t wait to try a call in the car with the windows down
• Wii Music – people say it’s lame, I say it’s dang fun and the family will be playing much music!
• Various Star Wars Ornaments – we actually have a tree from my wife’s college dorm-room that has nothing but Star Wars ornaments on it now, keep ‘em coming guys!
• The two best “big” movies to come out in 2008 – you figure it out.
• Much coffee – yum!
• My son got a killer Star Wars Lego Set – on of the Republic Walkers from the Clone Wars.
• An actual, real-like, “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree, I kid you not.  I will have to make try hard not to kill this.  We’ve killed members of the cactus family though, so don’t hold your breath.  Still, its cute.

Now, I’m blogging and uploading photos while other people put shelves together.  There are days where the stress just melts away from me, this was one of them.

I Pastor People Who are Nuts

Believe me, I mean that as a compliment!

I got this drawing for Christmas from one of our members.  She like drawing little ants in all sorts of odd places and having interesting conversations.  In this particular drawing the ants are raiding a Christmas tree for supplies.  It takes a strange sort of mind to come up with something like this – and I’m sorry it never occured to me.

So, thank you my nutso congregants, you make life so interesting!

By the way, click the link to see this image at full resolution on Flickr.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful, and relaxing, day yesterday – capped off by sharing a Thanksgiving feast with 16 people seated around our table (well, and three at the kiddie table).  It actually felt like a day of rest, and for an introvert like me that’s a statement when you’re surrounded by people all day.

It also helped that the Eagles finally showed up and won a game.

So, now we’re on to Advent.  In the coming weeks, don’t let yourself be fooled by the news reports about “holiday spending,” the 24/7 “Christmas music” (folks, “Chestnuts roasting on an Open Fire” and “Let is Snow” are not Christmas carols), and the festive lights fool you.  This isn’t the Christmas Season.  Why not be truly counter-cultural this year and spend some time in reflection, or add a spiritual discipline to your routine, during these four weeks.  In doing so, let the presence of the Holy Spirit alleviate the de-humanizing stress that so many people feel during this season so you might be able to experience the Lord’s peace.

For my readers who are still in school, or are teachers, my deepest apologies at how our secular calendar undermines the wisdom of the Church’s rhythm.  Please know that I feel it as well – this is one of the busiest, and stressful, times of the year for pastors.

If you’re planning on practicing a discipline especially during this season, why not post it below so that others might get some ideas?  I might be doing my Lenten discipline of turning off the computer from lunch until after the kids go to bed – though I’m not sure it there’s something else I might end up practicing.