8 Suggestions for a Simple, Meaningful Christmas - Janet Schaeffler, OP

A few years ago there was a two-paneled cartoon. The first panel showed a gentlemen sitting in front of a Christmas tree piled high with gifts. The second panel had a few gifts and a Nativity set and his question as he could now see the crèche, “Hey! Where did that come from?” A voice from the other room replied: “It’s always been there.”

Help your families and the people in your congregation enjoy a simpler Christmas by suggesting these practices to them:   

1. Spend some time each day in silence. The Prince of Peace came in the stillness of the night. The call of Scripture to us in the Psalms is “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Spending a few minutes each day roots us in our relationship to God, bringing us closer to the Spirit of Christ.

2. Remember those who help. Be especially kind and grateful to sales personnel during this season. Often they are tired and stressed because of working long hours and impatient customers. You can make a difference in their day by your words, your patience, your thank you.

3. Go vegetarian for one meal.  In many countries around the world it is customary to have a meatless Christmas Eve dinner. This is done in remembrance and honor of the animals present at Jesus’ birth. They too shared in the joy of Christ’s coming.

4. Play “one for me, one for you.”  Start this tradition: Whenever your child adds something to his own wish list, have him think also of a gift for someone less fortunate. Then help him find it, make it, give it.

5. Christmas Questions. Take time at dinner (or before bedtime) to share some thoughts with your spouse or family on these questions: a) What is your happiest Christmas memory? b) If you could start a new Christmas tradition what would it be? c) Do any of our Christmas plans include reaching out to people in need? d) Think of all the “characters” in the Scripture story. What presents did they give to Jesus? Are our presents anything like the presents that were given at the first Christmas?

6. Blessings. Pray a simple prayer of blessing when you put out your Nativity set, turn on the tree for the first time, before you open your family presents.

7.  The Magi’s Gifts. To help combat consumerism at Christmas, some families limit the number of gifts to three in honor of the gifts of the Magi. Consider giving children one gift that is their heart’s desire, a piece of clothing that is not just sensible, and one gift that will help them grow (a book or sports accessory, etc.).

Twelve Days of Giving. On each of the twelve days of Christmas, beginning December 25 and ending on January 5, pick an activity you/your family can do for someone else. Bring groceries to the food bank, serve at a soup kitchen, donate toys to a local drive, call someone who is grieving, collect coats for the homeless – there are endless ways to give.

http://www.faithformationlearningexchange.net/1/post/2013/12/8-suggestions-for-a-simple-meaningful-christmas-janet-schaeffler-op.html

Om godhet og en reklamefilm

Ikke ofte jeg liker reklamer.. heller snarere det motsatte. Men denne likte jeg ;)
Og grunnen er fordi det her settes fokus på godhet, noe jeg har tenkt mye på de siste dagene;
at det er vekst i egoisme, grådighet, hardhet, selvstendighet, selvsentrering,
mens det er vanskeligere og vanskeligere å få øye på godhet, varme, raushet, gavmildhet og vennlighet.

Denne reklamefilmen setter i alle fall fokus på godhet, og bekrefter de tanker jeg har om dagen:
tenk om folk kunne snudd utviklingen - og begynt å fokusere litt mer på andre, vise godhet og raushet.

For jeg er sikker på at alle ser denne reklamefilmen og ikke kan la være å bli varm om hjertet eller smile litt på smilebåndet. Og tenk om vi alle kunne ha flyttet fokuset fra:"jeg trenger godhet" (som ikke funker helt..) til "hvordan kan jeg gi godhet?" - for da vil jo folk få oppleve godhet, og så er det jo dette da; at det man sår, det høster man ;) og at det er bedre å gi enn å motta. (En kunst som ser ut til stort sett å ha forsvunnet)

Hadde det ikke vært fint om vi alle kunne ha vært med på å snu den vonde sirkelen, denne trenden vi er dypt inne i, som ikke er godt for verken oss eller vår neste..?

Håper reklamenfilmen kan inspirere til godhet (og ikke bare til å drikke Biola;)

 

enda en bra sang av Skillet

My favorite song nowadays

FATHERS AND DAUGHTER

Bilde hentet fra nettsiden (se nederst) 

There’s no way around it, ladies: our experience with our earthly father has a tremendous affect on how we view our heavenly Father. These days, sadly, many carry deep father wounds. Not everyone has suffered wounds as deep as abuse, but whether your dad was a bad man, or a flawed-but-good dad, we all could use assurance and truth from our heavenly Father.

I hear stories over and over from women who have deep wounds from their fathers. Yet we are often so accustomed to the pain and frustration that we don’t realize the extent to which our earthly father’s character distorts or even overshadows that of our heavenly Father. We write them off as “daddy issues” and accept things as they are, which is unhelpful and dismissive to some real and deep pain.

Maybe it’s just easier to act like they don’t affect you. Maybe you want to appear strong. Maybe you don’t want to be labeled as “the girl with daddy issues.” Maybe you’re grown, or married, or have children of your own and feel like you’re past it all. Let me tell you from personal experience, if you haven’t addressed your issues with your father, you’re probably not past them. If you still carry a father-wound that doesn’t seem to go away, you might not fully know God as your heavenly Father.

Ladies, God wants you to believe who he says he is and who he says you are. (I’ve found it can even be helpful to read this list out loud and deliberately):

My earthly father may have abandoned me.
My heavenly Father adopts me (Rom. 8:15).

My earthly father may see me as a situation to manage.
My heavenly Father sees me as his daughter to redeem (Isa. 43:1).

My earthly father may lie.
My heavenly Father speaks the truth (Isa. 45:19).

My earthly father may be deceptive and dark.
My heavenly Father is light (1 John 1:5).

My earthly father may believe he’s perfect.
My heavenly Father is perfect (2 Sam. 22:31).

My earthly father may demand perfection from me.
My heavenly Father gifts Jesus’ perfection to me (2 Cor. 5:21).

My earthly father may be selfish.
My heavenly Father selflessly gives me his Son (Rom. 6:23).

My earthly father may want glory for himself.
My heavenly Father deserves all glory (Rev. 5:13).

My earthly father may judge me.
My heavenly Father is the only judge (Isa. 33:22).

My earthly father may want to be king.
My heavenly Father is the King of kings (Rev. 19:16).

My earthly father may want me to pay for my sin.
My heavenly Father provides Jesus as payment for my sin (1 John 4:10).

My earthly father may accept separation.
My heavenly Father brings me near (Eph. 2:13).

My earthly father may place a burden on me.
My heavenly Father put my burden on Jesus (Col. 2:14).

My earthly father may ignore me.
My heavenly Father hears me (Ps. 10:17).

My earthly father may not truly know me.
My heavenly Father not only knows me, but he designed me (Ps. 139:13–16).

My earthly father may have mistreated or abused me.
My heavenly Father is my refuge (Ps. 18:2).

My earthly father may scare me.
My heavenly Father’s love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

My earthly father may be unpredictable.
My heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).

My earthly father’s love may be based on my performance.
My heavenly Father loves me despite my performance (Eph. 2:4–5, 8).

My earthly father may not value me.
My heavenly father sees me clothed in the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29).

You are the loved daughter of the perfect Father, and nothing will ever change that. So then, it is safe to look the wounds from your earthly father in the face.Psalm 30:2 declares, “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” Tell him your hurts, your fears, your pain. Though he already knows them, there is healing in bringing to light those deep places of your heart (Eph. 5:11–14).

You might, by God’s grace, have a chance for repentance and reconciliation with your earthly father through the work of Jesus. Or, your earthly father may never change or apologize or reconcile with you. He may even continue to hurt you. But you are not alone in your pain. God the Father gave you the greatest gift that has ever been given, his one and only Son. Yes, he sent Jesus to forgive and cleanse your sin. He also sent Jesus to heal your pain (Isa. 53:5) and to lead you to himself (Heb. 1:3). The work has already been done. The way has already been made.

 So cry out to your Father. Run to him—run quickly. He delights to embrace you.

Lanna Andersen is a deacon and Redemption Group leader at the Everett church.

http://marshill.com/2013/06/28/fathers-and-daughters?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pastormark&utm_campaign=Pastor+Mark+Facebook

Suffering

Suffering is just as important as well-being.

Like a tree accepts all seasons, accept your suffering with grace. 

Good days, like sunshine, will help you bloom and prosper. 

Hard days, like storms, will make you strong and resilient.

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