Meandering Moments by Elsi

Oh, I’m in love! Vicki and I saw this magnet building toy at Grand Rabbits (surely the best toy store in the universe!). We played with it at the checkout counter—squares and triangles, with embedded magnets (therefore, safe). You can build things. Fun! So she bought one for her grandchildren and all, and I got one for Aidan for Christmas.

This evening, Aidan brought it with him to Chick-Fil-A. Yes, you can build with the shapes. But, more to the point, the object is to figure out how to lay the shapes out on the table in such a way that you can pick it up at a certain point and the finished product will snap itself together! What a delight!

The angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, who came that very night and saw the Baby in a stable. The wise men showed up later; when they arrived, they saw the Child in a house. This led to the European custom of going to church on December 25, and exchanging gifts on January 6—12th night, the 12th day of Christmas (as in “a partridge in a pear tree”).

I take my lights and decorations down on 12th night, but I celebrate many days of Christmas! Exchanging gifts with various friends, going to church, the Christmas Eve service, Christmas morning with other friends, singing Christmas carols, and so forth.

And, this year, the Lord gave me a special, post-Christmas treat: my friends from Mitchell, South Dakota (Lauretta and Clarence Larsen—Clarence writes young adult, Christian fantasy) came to visit this morning! They’ll stay till the beginning of the new year. This evening they participated in a gift exchange with Anna and Joel Noble’s family, and then we drove around to enjoy Christmas lights. Their presence is one of the best presents I could have!

I’ve been sitting on the sofa, listening to carols, reading Christmas stories, and watching cars pass on the street. It’s a lovely end to the day.

Vicki and I exchanged gifts this afternoon, then went to Jo and Paul’s for a buffet supper. I’ll be back there in the morning for Christmas; Vicki’s going to friends in Longmont.

Vicki then went to the Boulder Chinese Baptist Church combined service (with Reformed Baptist Church of Northern Colorado), because some of our youth are playing the violin in the service.

Jo and Paul and I went to the Christmas Eve service at Boulder Valley Christian, my church. It was inspiring and encouraging: the message of Christmas in four English words: God is with us.

Then I came home and watched the traffic outside. Many people go see Christmas lights on Christmas Eve, so cars drive down my street slowly, stopping in front of the house. Occasionally I see a camera flash. Then they move on, looking for the next house on the newspaper list.

All those people, enjoying the lights, seeing the story of Christmas in my yard, thinking, perhaps, of the meaning of the Creator of the universe choosing to be born as a baby, just to save us.

Emmanuel. God is with us. He is. He is with us. Always. God is with us. Merry Christmas!

This morning was the first official day of winter, the last Sunday of Advent, the Sunday before Christmas. Mark Scott, preaching at my church, spoke on this one line from the chorus of “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful” (which I learned as “Adeste, Fideles!” in high school choir).

Oh—a word designed to get your attention. Does God have my attention today?

Come—an invitation to be part of His family

Let—a command of sorts; am I willing to obey Him?

Us—community; think of the African word ubuntu, which means “I am what I am because of what we are.”

Adore—worship; we come alive for what we worship; we become what we worship.

Him—God is a person, and He wants to be in relationship with us.

Mark also said that we look up to heaven and wail, “Do you know how hard this is down here?”

And the Lord, through Christmas, says calmly, “Yes, I do.”

Wow!

This evening the youth group celebrated three birthdays. Alex turned 15 a couple of days ago. Today Chris turned 18 (now he’s an adult!). And Jesus’ birthday is remembered next Thursday.

Vicki baked a cake, and I brought soft drinks and chips. I also brought several games and activities, none of which we needed.

The kids had organized a Secret Santa gift exchange, in addition to birthday presents for Chris and Christmas gifts for us and each other. They (mostly Karen and HaiMei) brought decorations, more food, apple juice, and presents galore!

We even participated in the church’s evening worship service, singing “Silent Night” in our various languages. The pastor reminded us Who is the central figure in Christmas, and then gave thank-you gifts to the Anglo teachers who work with various groups in the church.

Then back to our party, where we laughed, and hugged, and took pictures … ate and giggled and enjoyed one another. And at 9, the kids sent Vicki and me away, promising to clean up the room (which badly needed it!) on their own.

Happy birthday, big Chris! Happy birthday, Alex! And, a week early, happy birthday, Lord Jesus!

Your suggestion—that Mama write up my exploits—was offered in a light-hearted manner, I’m sure. I can’t imagine you expected the silly woman to take action on it.

But that is precisely what she’s doing. She now follows Dolphin and me around, carrying a pad of paper, asking silly questions such as, “How do you decide what to bark at?” “Do the two of you coordinate your protective efforts?” and “What do you do when I’m not home?”

This distraction is seriously impacting our ability to keep home and hearth safe. Please retract your idea!

your friend,
Sallie

A friend is having serious health problems, and she has a family who needs her. Another has lost his job, with children who depend on him. Another is grieving the poor choices of a son. Does God know? Does He care? Why does He allow this, then?

We had a wonderful service at Little Church in the Pines this evening—singing, and the Christmas story, and candle-lighting to “Silent Night.” Only one family from the community came … doesn’t God know there are people who needed to be there? Doesn’t He care? Why didn’t He get them there?

At Lamb’s Lunch (outreach to the homeless) this afternoon, a man asked, “Does God know it’s going to be zero degrees tonight? And that I’ll have frostbitten toes? And that I’ll probably get a ticket, too?”

Does God know … Does God care … Why doesn’t He do something?

We know God knows. And He tells us He cares … He cares so much He came to die for us! But … we can’t answer the why questions. Maybe we wouldn’t be capable of understanding the answers. Nonetheless, no matter how much I think I’d like Him to sit down and explain His plan to me, I just have to trust that He knows what He’s doing. He is, after all, God. And I’m definitely not! That’s enough.

Sallie writes: I realize that humans are a lower form of life, and that we canines are on this earth to care for them. And I am perfectly happy to do just that—take care of my Elsi (and even her silly cat).

But she seems to have no grasp of how hard I’m working to protect her! For example, I go into the backyard to participate in the evening barking. I’m chatting with my neighbors: the large hound through the back fence, the half-pit bull across the side fence, the lab and little yapper across the street. We are busily discussing the news of the day, what outsiders are headed to the neighborhood, and other crucial bits of information. Is Elsi grateful? HA! “No barking!” she yells. “It bothers the neighbors! Leave it!” And in I come, with gaps in my knowledge of portending danger.

Or, consider Monday evening. There was a new predator on the block, slowly casing out the house. I chased it away, of course, with thunderous threats and warnings. But … it came back! Again I drove it away. And again it returned! The gall of it! This happened several times, until it finally decided to leave this well-defended home alone.

Elsi’s reaction? The silly woman (and I don’t expect her to truly understand the danger) merely said, “Sallie, leave it! It’s a snow plow, and we’re glad it’s here.”

Glad? She’s glad? Oh, I weep for her naivete! And I redouble my efforts to protect the poor, foolish woman.

Walking carefully
On this snowy day,
O’er the drifts I go,
Praying all the way!
Bells on beagle ring …
Christmas on my mind …
But we aren’t walking in this snow:
I’d fall on my behind!

Oh! Beagle bells, beagle bells,
Bounding through the drifts!
Sallie tosses snow around
And makes my spirits lift!
Beagle bells, beagle bells,
Energy galore!
I am hoping for dry roads;
She wants more snow! More!

This morning was the choir Christmas program. Oh, we sang our hearts out, praising our Lord! What fun … what a privilege to be able to sing and participate in worship for Him!

Before Communion, Pastor Cathy Howe spoke about growing up on a farm in Illinois, using a rotary-crank, party-line phone, and watching a TV the size of the bed of a pickup. She said they watched “Days of Our Lives” and “I Love Lucy,” but mostly they watched westerns (she had five brothers).

You could tell the bad guys, she reminded us, because of their dark clothes and black hats, which were pulled down low on their heads. The good guys, on the other hand, were handsome, dressed in light-colored clothing and white hats. Just looking at them, even a small child could tell who were good and who were evil.

Cathy asked what God sees when He looks at us—does He judge us by our hats? Of course not! And I was thinking, He does judge us by our clothing, however. When God looks at us, either He sees the depths of our souls … or He sees us clothed in Christ.

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).

Thank You, Lord, for covering me with your righteousness, for coming down to our level in order to take us Home to You.