Make this the Year of Doing It!

Years ago someone gave me a round piece of wood the size of a coin.  These words were written on it, "This is a "roundtoit".  Spend this coin doing the important things!"  

You know the things you are going to get around to doing.  One day I will travel.  Some day I am going to learn how to play the piano.  When this happens, then I am going to make this happen.  All of us have these fleeting thoughts.   We live with the idea that time will never run out and things will get done.  Life remains busy.  We stay in the rat race of life.  We walk the treadmill at a great pace going no where only to find that tomorrow we must get back on it.

So as this year ends and a new one begins what will you do?   In the year ahead, will you get "aroundtoit"?  Or will this year be the same as last year?

O. Dean Martin was a preacher I heard when I was in my late teens.  I still remember some of his sermons.  I guess it was a time when I was searching.  Maybe it was the time when I was allowing God to imprint my heart with certain messages that would get me through the rest of life.  One of the lines that Dean gave to me still rings in my ears.  "Bring the matter to a crisis!"  

Crisis usually finds us.  Rarely do we seek to make them.   However a crisis demands us to respond.  Most of the time a crisis brings a reaction.  However a planned crisis can be a time of responding.  It is the day that you decide to make it happen.  You are going to take action.  Planned crisis involved a strategy with some level of accountability.  Avoidance is no longer an option.  

As the year begins what are you willing to make happen?  Maybe you should think about some areas where planned crisis would be a good thing.  Prayer life?  Stewardship of all resources?  A change in the direction of your life?  A different allocation of time--family over work, self care over indulgence, rest over busyness, or forgiveness rather than bitterness?  Instead of a critical tongue an encouraging word?

Maybe you have heard this before.  To translate certain words into another language it sometimes requires more words.  The word, "crisis" in the Chinese language is translated "dangerous opportunity". 

We like to think that time will never run out.  There are endless days and hours to get things done.  This is an illusion.  We all have a limited amount of time on this earth.  None of us know when our time will end.   This is why the important things in life must get done today--this year.

Make this the year of doing it.  Whatever "it" is for you--make sure it gets done.

Pray for me as I pray for you.  Happy New Year!

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.stlukesimpson.org

www.midweekmanna.com

   

Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve.

What memories do you have of Christmas Eve?

As a little boy, I remembered getting everything ready.  The milk and cookies were set out.  Was there just the right amount?  Chocolate milk or white milk?    How many cookies?  Having to be made to go to bed!  Family and extended family sometimes were in the house.   How hard it was to finally fall asleep.  What was that noise I heard?  Can I get up yet?  

The biggest memories of Christmas Eve for me was church.  The church was always full.  My job was to hand out the bulletins and candles.   Then at a particular time in the service, I was one of the lucky ones that got to walk down the aisle and offer light to each person sitting on the end of the pew.  It was amazing to see all the light fill the darkness.  While the candles were being lit, the words and tune of Jesu Bambino filled the air.  All of a sudden a bright light would come on and in the corner of the front of the church a woman dressed as Mary would appear holding a child.   I remember the blue on blue garment that Mary would wear.   Sometimes the baby would cry.  

O Come Let Us Adore Him!    Through the eyes of a child it just seemed as though it was the only option that was there!  To be in the presence of Jesus brought this sense of awe and wonder.  

The worship service would conclude with Silent Night.  As we sang "sleep in heavenly peace" the candles were lifted to the sky.  It seemed as though the light and warmth of our holy place connected to heaven.    The world in my childish eyes was safe and secure.  Now I know that it IS safe and secure because Christ is born.

Tonight I will again experience the wonder of Christmas Eve.  I will sing Jesu Bambino.  I will hold the candle and sing Silent Night.  I will raise the candle and join the heavens as I sing "sleep in heavenly peace."  As you celebrate the birth of Christ, it is my prayer that you place in the memories of your children and family more than a bearded man, milk, and cookies.  May you experience the heavenly peace of Christ be born.

Merry Christmas!  Christ is Born.  The world IS secure and safe in God's love.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.stlukesimpson.org

www.midweekmanna.com

Peace and Good Will

Do you find yourself longing for peace on earth?

The news of the massacre of children in school in Pakistan overwhelms me.  There is a part of me that becomes so angry.  Such senseless killings.  Coward is a word that comes to my mind.    The people in the world that are so powerless that they must strike out at the most vulnerable and powerless--children.  Education has long been the greatest threat to primitive structures of society.   The educated have long been the target of oppressors in world history.  Education cuts to the core of prejudice and injustice.  

The children of the world deserve peace

We are confronted with our own unrest.  The unrest of our culture in pursuit of justice while balancing order in our world.  One wrong does not justify another wrong.  Thugs--yes I said thugs--should not become martyrs of justice.   Yes there is an obligation of peacekeepers to a just process.  However, if one is being assaulted and in pursuit of a person committing a crime the situation is not innocent. A person's actions do have consequences.   Since riding with law enforcement  lately, I have become aware of their struggle and bravery to keep order in our world.

I still long for peace in my country.

What about the unrest in your own soul?  We all have it at one time or another.  It is with job.   It could be with family.  Sometimes it is just within us.   The seeds of discontentment are planted and begin to uproot our contentment.  Or contentment has always been a struggle for our individual life.  Surely there are moments of peace but we find ourselves back in the panic of life faster than we imagined.  Some of the unrest is a product of allowing others to "should" all over us.  We infuse other's expectations into our being.   "You should...."   

How I long for peace in my own soul more often.

Maybe we confuse what peace means.  We search for peace meaning the absence of struggle.  We define peace as a world where there are no differences.  Sometimes we want to define peace as when the world is like me.  I am not sure that would be as peaceful as my mind imagines.  

We sentimentalize the birth of Christ too much.  We will sing "sleep in heavenly peace" on Christmas eve.  Our sanctuaries will be so clean and proper.  Did Mary and Joseph experience peace?  Joseph was an older man who would be seen by his peers as marrying one of those young women that was undesirable.  His friends would think he had lost his mind.  Mary was a frightened young woman with far more questions than answers.  She must have felt very much alone.  They were homeless travelers relying upon the generosity of the world around them. Their first born son was born in a stable.   What sense of peace would they have experienced?

The peace is knowing that whatever life is happening around you cannot keep God away.  God has burst through the world to love you. God has insisted that God's presence and power be born.  The Word has become flesh.  Peace is the presence of  God.  During this season peace is the present of God through Jesus.  It is this present and presence that answers the unrest of our world both near and far.  It is this present and presence that offers our soul the peace that passes understanding.

Give peace and good will to those you meet.  Give it to yourself as often as possible.  Do not let anything rob you of the joy of this season.  

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.stlukesimpson.org

www.midweekmanna.com

Believeable!

Think of Mary for a moment.  

She is a teenage girl with the dreams like any young woman of her day.  Mary dreamed of getting married and having a family.  She probably played wedding like little girls do.  Mary would dream of having a family one day.  She thought of what it would be like to care for her children.  Mary had found someone whom she was ready to spend her life with--Joseph. 

Then God stepped in.

Mary feels her body changing.  It is the change of pregnancy.  She must have been confused in experiencing this.  Then the angel appears with even more disrupting news.  Mary probably thought, "Why would God do such a thing to me?  Why me?"  What will she do?  Who will ever believe such a story?  How would she tell Joseph?  What would be his reaction?  Where would she go if those around her did not believe this unbelievable story?

Sure enough she tells Joseph.  Initially it did not go well.  The Scriptures tell us that Joseph created an "escape" plan from Mary--to put her away privately.   He was not going to endure the shame and disgrace.  But then something happened.  Joseph had a visit from an angel as well.    His experience of the unbelievable made it all believable. And then he too had to decide if he was going to live in this unbelievable belief. 

When does the unbelievable become believable?  

As a little boy the tale of Santa coming down the chimney never made sense to me. No one had ever been up or down our chimney.   I can remember looking up the chimney and wondering.   And what about all those homes with no chimneys?    But then as a little boy, it didn't matter any more after I experienced Christmas morning.  All the wonderful gifts and toys outweighed any question or rational thought I might have wanted to ask. 

This has led me to believe that most of the wonderful gifts of God are to be accepted and experienced more than understood.  Our understanding is shaped not by our knowledge but by our experience.  Forgiveness makes no sense in our world.  It is seen as a weakness and vulnerability.  In God's world it is the only way that makes sense.  And when you experienced forgiveness, then it becomes believable. 

An old man admitted to becoming a Christmas scrooge.  Then a great grandson was born.  The whole experience of a new birth opened his life to the wonder of God.   His life regained God momentum! 

 The Advent message is about preparing yourself for the experience of Christ to be born again in our world. To many it makes no sense what so ever.  To those of us who have experienced it, it is the longing of our heart to experience it again and again. 

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.midweekmanna.com

www.stlukesimpson.org

Are You Making a List?

Are you a list person?

A list person is one of those folks that either has a  really bad memory, is overwhelmed, or needs to feel a sense of accomplishment.  Some list people are just easily distracted.  Or maybe you are a combination of all these!?!   

I never liked the image of Santa Claus.  He did not seem to me to be someone who I would want to chum up to.  It seemed to me as though he is painted as the critical parent.  Now if you are nice, I will reward you.  If you are naughty, I will call up my friend who some know as the God of the Old Testament and he will deal with you.  I always thought the God of the Old Testament label gave God a bad rap as well.  Neither one of these made me want to crawl up in their lap and say anything.  I guess I always knew how naughty I had been!

I have been on many lists.  I am afraid I may have been or still remain on lists that may not be a  good ones.  I am the preacher who ________ (you fill in the blank!)   I have always thought the role of the Gospel is to comfort those who need comfort and to make uncomfortable those who have become too comfortable in their living.  There is an unrestfulness about life when Jesus comes in fully.   Now do not confuse unrestfulness with the lack of assurance.  It is the assurance (Blessed!) that allows us to live in the unrestfulness.

So who or what is on your list?

Maybe your list should have some people or events that you need to forgive?  There is a much pain in the season because of our inability to forgive.  The memory gets in our way.  Or I called it "the Old Brain" (thank you Harvel Hendrix).  The "old brain" remembers every time and every person who ever hurt you.  It has no time mechanism so that the hurt seems to be in the now.    But it is not.  Without forgiveness you find it difficult to buy someone a present or sing "Joy to the World" to them.  You inwardly (and maybe outwardly) wish them little or no joy.  Certainly they deserve no peace.   What dead dog do you keep walking?  Dragging it along the sidewalk.  Probably stopping at every fire hydrant too!  

Make a list of those whom you need to forgive.  Wish them well.  Let go of it!  Close the open wound.

Maybe you need to make a list of people who need simple gifts.

Simple gifts are gifts of time.  It is a letter of encouragement.  It is a phone call  It is a "let's go out and eat!"  Simple gifts are kind words to a family member who has had a rough day.  Simple gifts are like the ornaments that you put on your tree that children and grandchildren made.    Rarely are they bought.  Simple gifts are made.  Simple gifts are even random acts of kindness.  Random words of kindness that overflow in your day.  

Maybe your list should be about you?

Sounds selfish but it is not.  Maybe you should create a list of things you want to change in your life.  Maybe it is a "bucket list" not of extravagance but of meaningful things that need to be done.  Do you realize that life is short?  Begin a daily conversation with God about this list.  Ask for God to help you with this list.   Change your calendar and thoughts about this list.  You may find Christ will be born anew in ways you never dreamed if you take this list seriously.

Make a list.  Check it twice.  Nah, don't buy into the naughty and nice.  Life is hard enough.  Grace is so much better than Santa ever dreamed.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

www.midweekmanna.com

www.stlukesimpson.org