December 23rd- by: Cindy Moorman

R U Rdy? Well no I am not. It is very hard to be Ready!

I have had a routine for many years (since I have been called to the church) on getting ready for Christmas. It all begins with the weekend of Thanksgiving. I am either cutting wood or at my sewing machine, getting ready for the Advent Intergenerational Event at church; that is usually the first 3 weeks of Advent. Once that is done then there is the Youth Lock-in and shopping trip for our adopt-a-family. We shop and then we come back and wrap the presents and get them ready for the family who will be receiving them. Then while all this is going on there is the Children’s Christmas program that needs to be practiced. Getting the children ready for the program, you know nerves take over and there are costumes to be made and taken in and then the Sunday comes when the children are as ready as they can be and the program is done for the congregation. People ask me if I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders when the children’s program is done and I tell them I have just one more thing before I am ready for Christmas -- there is getting ready for Christmas Eve service. Three services, the first one designed around families with young children there is always something I need to do. Get the lights together (this year someone else did this for me—thank you!) The children’s message, the assembling of the Nativity set, and the lighting of the candles.

When all is said and done I feel exhausted but very blessed to have all these memories and ready to be at home with my family and enjoy the wonder of this time of year. So I guess you can say I am on my way to being ready. I wish you Readiness, for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Cindy Moorman

December 22th by: Jennifer Eberhard

There is so much that goes into Christmas preparation, that when someone asks me if I am ready? I want to laugh and cry at the same time. N-o-p-e! I am not ready! Most of the time even on Christmas Eve, I am not ready. And by then I am worn out, frazzled, tired and certifiably down right grumpy! My husband can attest to this and will!

This year has been very different from many previous. This year has been much more hectic and wild, mainly because this is my first year working in a church during Advent. And whew! What a rush it has been. This year, my only saving grace is that personally life has been different as well.

After all, this year was the first time (ever!) that I had my holiday budget ready and even wrapped the presents, that I had been hording in the closet for a year, on December 1st. Now, I don't know if any of you will understand what a task that was for me! :-) *smiley* Remember, this is coming from the girl who for years hasn't wrapped anything until I had to leave for that specific family's house. Wow, I just thought that if anyone was coming to my house, I would probably never get anything wrapped without that last minute pressure, popping on bows and name tags while walking out the door or even while driving.

But like I was saying, this year is different! :-) And after taking the time a few weeks ago, about an hour on the phone and about 15 emails, back and forth between our two families- trying to plan out David and my holiday schedule, I am almost there. Still not quite ready for anything, but I am preparing to try and make this year the best Christmas yet. :-)

I am also trying to prepare in order to really be ready in another way this year, which unfortunately I haven’t always done. If fact, I think the last two or three Christmas's have been the worst, because of this one forgotten item of preparation. This year, with the help of working here with you all at the church, I have again realized how important it is to prepare ourselves, our hearts for the Christmas message that "A Savior is Born" and in turn the Easter message that "Christ has Risen".


I have failed to see that these past few years, and I have personally missed it so much that it hurt physically. If you are there, if you have ever been there, my heart goes out to you, I understand.

I didn't even notice the first year, with everything going on, so busy with this and that- it was just pushed aside and forgotten. Trying to mix family traditions, go to a Christmas Eve service that fits in our schedule, get presents shopped for and wrapped & still be happy and joyful by the time we do actually get to see and visit with family has been a daunting and difficult process. The last few years have only gotten worse; even to the point that it made me want to skip Christmas this year. Now, don't get me wrong, not everything has been bad the last few years, but there have been attitudes thrown around and many harsh words, creating broken hearts and feelings hurt. Even while writing this, I realize how much I have held on & how much I still allow it to hurt me years later.

Now, you might think that I am just ranting and raving, rambling off into nothing, but I think you needed to know that piece of my story before you can come with me for the rest.

It hasn't been what I would call fun. It has been sad, awful, and painful, not what Christmas is supposed to be about. I remember drinking a glass too much of wine, I also remember David asking me what my problem was, I didn't have the right answer. Later that night driving home by myself, I was crying again. The third year in a row, I was crying after leaving family Christmas. It had been building in my head, that it was them. Everyone else was ruining MY Christmas. And how dare they, they don’t even celebrate the real meaning, they don’t get it like I do. It became true in my head, that they were the Christmas enemy. But I was wrong, I was so wrong! In the end, I was the enemy. It was me. I had completely taken MY Christ out of MY Christmas.

I have realized throughout this year, and I am sure I will have to continue to learn and realize this as my years go on, but I am not in control. God is in control; God does let things happen for different reasons, sometimes they don’t make sense for a while and some times they don’t make sense ever. But when things do or don’t happen- God is controlling them. The word “control”, also means manage, organize, in charge of, have power over and calculating. It doesn’t mean that things are forced and pushed into holes where they don’t belong- that is not control.

On the other hand, I need to be in control, of myself that is, my emotions and my actions. I need to manager, organize, be in charge of, and have power over my emotions and reactions to the parts of this world that don’t always seem to match up as I was expecting, and to be calculating on how my emotions and actions will transfer and spread with others. I have Jesus as my buffer, my Savior in life and my friend in this world, I get to decide how I will let things affect me, how and IF I choose to let events or words change my mood, my spirit. Scary, to think that I might be the only witness and only Jesus some people might know, especially when I am acting like I am in control and that I am what matters most. What other time of the year, is more important to show people Christ in our daily actions, and in our family interactions? Share your Christ, the real reason for the season, the only reason for the season, with everyone around you. Share by the actions that you take, the words that you say and sometimes most importantly the re-actions that you don’t take and the words that you don’t say.

The holiday tension has grown through the years, but this year is different, I am different this year! I have the birth of my Savior to celebrate, and I intend on doing just that! I am celebrating MY Christ this Christmas.

Yes, I am sure that things won’t go perfectly, shoot, I will even bet that I will be late for Christmas Eve dinner (again), but I will try to make it on time, maybe even early. I am also planning to come to the 10:30pm Christmas Eve service at First Pres, making sure it won't be skipped this year. Because, my presence is my gift to my God. My very small way of centering in him and saying thanks for sending Jesus, so that we can get ready; this time not for Christmas, but for an eternity spent in Heaven. When we take the opportunity to invite Jesus into our lives and into our hearts, we are getting ready. When we let God’s living word into us, to forever affect our lives, and to be in God’s presence with prayer, we are getting ready. When we share the Christ child’s story, when we share his resurrection, we are getting ready. So no matter what you do to get ready for Christmas, or whether you are ready yet or not- you can still get ready for Christ’s return, and just the same way Christmas comes every year, ready or not someday He will come.

R U RDY?

Jennifer Eberhard

December 19th: by Rev. Lynn Vahle

It started because I couldn’t face Thanksgiving and Christmas with the same set of people. So one year we simply announced to the family that we would be out of town for Thanksgiving. We rented a cabin at the Y-camp in Granby and took the boys and headed for the hills. Soon it became a tradition that we would use the four days of the Thanksgiving weekend to “get away”.

We always went to the mountains. We always rented a cabin or a condo with a fireplace, though it didn’t always have a TV. In the first years the boys always spent much of each day sledding, but before long they were off to the ski slopes. Jerry and I spent the day reading or napping by the fire, sometimes taking a walk, or poking through antique stores in town. I usually wrote our Christmas letter. Meals were simple - sloppy joes instead of a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings. And in the evening we played games, talked, and relaxed with one another. There was a lot of laughter and at least for me a lot of time for reflection.

It was a way to get away from “the maddening crowd” for a while, to escape all the hype and tension of the coming Christmas season, and to prepare myself for the month of December. And it worked. I could return refreshed and ready to plunge into all the decorating, cooking, gifting, and partying that are part of Christmas.

For a long time I thought it was getting away, getting into a new environment and a new routine that was refreshing. At other times I felt it was the lack of responsibility and the permission to read all day if I wanted to that was freeing. Some years I just needed the time to rest before all the activity of the holiday season began. But I now realize there was more going on than I realized. It truly was my preparation for Christmas.

It was an opportunity to spend four uninterrupted days and nights with the four men I love the most. All of our various schedules took a back seat to being together. It helped us define in new ways what it was to be a family. For four days we shut the world out and we rediscovered each other. And we had fun doing it. At the heart of the Christmas story is a family that traveled to a new place and drew on each other’s strength. A family that brought love into a crazy and preoccupied world.

Those Thanksgiving weekends provided us with many memories. And I believe they were important to all of us because that is still what we do to prepare for Christmas. Now we don’t rent a cabin- we gather in a mountain home that belongs to one of our sons. And there is no longer five of us but fourteen! We talk, we play games, we work on a puzzle, we read and nap, the kids go sledding, we watch a movie or a video, and we relax and laugh together. We remind ourselves what it means to be family and we go back to our busy lives ready to celebrate the birth of God’s son and our inclusion in God’s family.

Rev. Lynn Vahle

December 18th- by: Nancy Henry

Am I ready for Christmas?

How do you get ready when you cannot do all of the things you are used to doing, want to do, and enjoyed doing that you thought made Christmas?

Going to the mountains to cut down a tree, making a swag or two out of the evergreen, making sure that the older kids made presents for the grandparents, etc. When you have seven children there are lots of school programs to enjoy and attend, shopping was minor. I usually had some help with that. The older kids were treated to the lights and windows on 16th Street in Denver. In later years this mother was treated to dinner at the Brown Palace after a day of shopping a number of times. There were always the cards that had to have a note or letter, and probably the thing I miss and enjoyed the most came out of my kitchen—coffee cakes, cookies, candy and many times dinner.

So how do I get ready for Christmas?
First of all I won’t cry because I cannot do all of these things. Then I sit down to count my blessings. Number 1, LaMar did not grow up celebrating anything, but I had 64 years of teaching him all of these goodies. Number 2, I have seven children who enjoy one another, while they all are not healthy, they are healing and working, and looking after me. Number 3, My sister-in-law is healing and will be home by Christmas. This list could go on and on, but Number 4, and maybe this should be Number 1, I sit at my quiet time and think of all of the things we could have done spiritually and didn’t. It was left up to the church and Sunday School which we attended regularly. My blessing is that we all know that it is God who has watched over us and taken care of us and no one knows the love of God like I do. And I have time for prayer and my Bible.

Yes, I am ready for Christmas.
Nancy Henry

December 17th- by: Betty Stephenson

R-U-READY for Christmas ?

When does one begin to get ready for Christmas? Just what are we getting ready for? Is it planning for parties, entertain co-workers, friends, and family members, a trip or participating in Christmas activities at school or church? Church activities can be as varied as you want, decorations for the sanctuary, music, caroling to the elderly and/or shut-ins or caring friends, making goodies for church activities, supporting the giving tree, ushering and what-ever else needs to be done.

As a child getting ready for Christmas was quite different compared to today with all the glitter, songs, TV, commercials, flyers encouraging you to buy this and that to make your Christmas the best ever.

I’m ready when I have met the challenge of finding a suitable Christmas tree ornament to give to my 88 family members and a few friends. Christmas is the only time of year and occasion when we share gifts unless it is a wedding in the family.

Am I Ready for Christmas in today’s world? I try to keep it simple, as I knew Christmas as a child. Even though each year we prepare for the same event, it seems to take on new meanings as we share in activities with new friends and family members. The highlight of the Christmas season for me is being involved in church activities with friends and my church families. May the real meaning and spirit of Christmas be with each of you this year in whatever manner is fitting for you, your family and friends.

Betty Stephenson, Christmas 2008

December 16th - by: Sheryl Johnson

R*U*RDY?

With all the things the Holidays bring, it seems like you will never get it all done.
The best way to start is to prioritize the “TO DO LIST”. There are the decorations to get up, the baking to be done, the presents to buy and get wrapped, and on. We get so wrapped up in all the things “TO DO” that we sometimes forget the true meaning of the Holidays.

We try to accomplish all of the Holiday things along with our regular activities. Sometimes you just wonder how you are going to have time to get it all accomplished. But in the end, it always seems to come together. The closer we get to Christmas the more we get in the spirit and the adrenalin gets us going to accomplish what we have to get done to get us ready for the Holidays.

May your Holidays be blessed, you lives enriched and the Spirit of Christmas be with you each and every day!

J-TRFTS - Jesus, the Reason for the Season!

Sheryl Johnson

December 15th- by: Mark Weinstein

Are You Ready?

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory? For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” (Rev 19:7)

Are you ready? No doubt this is a question that Christians have been asking themselves and others for centuries. Now I know that the scope of this question as it pertains to our church’s advent season was certainly a bit smaller than that which I have already alluded to, but I have a difficult time contemplating any given question without looking beyond the here and now. My personality dictates that I must overanalyze almost all ponderings (just ask my wife). So in saying that, I wish to take that question just a little beyond the obvious.

Each year people the world over ready themselves for the coming Christmas season. The myriad of tasks that are commonplace in preparation include: gift lists are made, financial considerations are taken into account, trees trimmed, cookies baked, houses decorated, invitations and cards mailed, family pictures taken, and of course church services and programs are thought out and rehearsed. While these are all wonderful and necessary (hmm) activities, we must think beyond Christ’s birthday and begin to think of Christmas as the “so much more” that it deserves. Let me explain.

Christmas is the day chosen by society on which we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I say “chosen” because that is just what it is. Along about the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. Romans Catholics, in an effort to convert pagans of the time to Christianity, introduced (Christ’s birthday was never honored before this) a holiday to fall concurrently with an already established week of pagan celebration (biblically we know that December 25 is not the actual day of birth of Christ, but that is entirely a different subject). Given this, Christmas was born and has grown to what it is today. But what does Christmas really signify?

I propose this thought: What if we come to celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ (His 1st coming) in conjunction with His impending 2nd coming? Think about it. Each year we will set aside the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas to celebrate the birth of our Shepherd, and even more, as a time to contemplate and prepare for His glorious return. No longer do we simply celebrate the life that Christ lived, but we look forward to the life we will live with Christ when he returns to bring all believers to His kingdom. Given those statements, we see that this holiday becomes so much richer in rewards, expectations, and responsibilities.

What rewards are we to expect? Right from the lips of Christ we are told “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). No more are we to worry about what is to come. For life, a new life will continue forever. How joyous that occasion will be when the Lamb comes to reclaim His own and with Him brings the promise of life everlasting. But that is not all. We are also promised that this infinite life will be spent in the unrelenting presence of God Almighty Himself. All things old will be made new and clean. Sin will forever be gone from the world. An eternity of worshipping the Lord our God without pain, tears, death, and sorrow, will ensue (Rev 21:3-5). No gift on earth can equal that which the great I Am will impart upon us as we ascend into His bosom.

I mentioned expectations though; so what of them? As with any great reward there is work to be done before the reaping can begin. Our Lord speaks many times of the work we are to do while in this carnal world, yet constantly He reminds us of the rewards that lie in wait as a result. God, through the words of Isaiah says “…my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands” (65:22). Let us now and hence forth do God’s work. We know our tasks; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37), “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39), and finally “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38). These are all things that we have committed our life as Christians to and so the work is easy. Each day brings us a promise for tomorrow and with it a knowledge that we must live as Christ would live. To be loved one must love, and to love one must give of themselves. These simple words work in our lives to ensure our entry into a time of never-ending bliss, and an assurance of salvation through the grace of God.

Making these transitions to a God centered Christmas isn’t easy though. Society puts so much pressure on us to be consumer minded. Stimulate the economy, they tell us. Christmas is slowly becoming the holiday season and no more. Many know nothing of the true nature of the promises that are spoken to during this time of year. But we do. The glory that awaits is an occasion for us to celebrate each and every day. Once a year though, we are lucky enough to share with the world the atoning quality of the 1st coming of our Lord, and eagerly anticipate life eternal through His return. All that we do points towards our inevitable future in an unimaginable place. “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light” (Rev 21:21).

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev 22:21)
Are you ready? I am!

Blessed be those in Christ,

Mark A. Weinstein

December 12th: by Anonymous

When it comes to Christmas cards, I have three strategies from which I choose every year: Proactive, Reactive, and inactive.

Proactive means I take the initative. I make a list, check it twice and then get cards into the mail. Reactive means I tear off the return address shoot off a card to the person who has sent it to me. Inactive means I open the card and think fondly of the sender, but the only greeting she or he gets is the telepathic kind.

This year I find myself thinking about the whole concept of proactive, reactive and inactive. I'd like to make new friends at the church. Which strategy will I use? And what about everyday acts of kindness? Are they only reciprocal? How will I handle our community's new emphasis on recycling and "living green"?

God, of course, has only one strategy. You might say that He's the most proactive of all. In fact, that is what Christmas is all about: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and nothing would ever be the same again."

Kind of makes you want to share the good news. I think I'll send a few Christmas cards, but before I do I am going to thank the Lord that he reached down to us by sending us his Son.

Author Unknown

December 11th: by Jody Phillips

AN ADVENT AWAKENING

Have you ever experienced several seemingly disconnected events that finally come together to open your mind and heart to a new understanding, and you won’t ever be quite the same? Tonight I’ve had just such an experience. Through it I realized that I had been looking at something so familiar that some of the joy had been overlooked.

It began with John the Baptizer speaking through Pastor Lynn’s heart on Sunday; talking about playing with his cousin, Jesus, and staying for a time with Aunt Mary and Uncle Joseph. I never considered that John and Jesus may have had a relationship before that fateful day at the Jordan River. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t, and it doesn’t matter. It just helps me see them as more human.

Then on Saturday evening, George and I went to granddaughter, Jenny’s, 16th B.D. party. My great-grandson, Dennis, was there, all blonde haired, blue eyed, 19 months of him. He found Grandma Carol’s Christmas ornament balls and was carrying them around until his mom caught him. As she approached him to get the ornaments out of harms way, he threw them across the room, one going to the left and one to the right. A moment I, and probably most parents, remember having experienced with their own children.

Later that night I was looking on-line for something to put in our Christmas cards rather than the usual Christmas letter. I came across the following poem:

Wonder
There is faint music in the night, And pale wings fanned by silver flight; A frosty hill with tender glow Of countless stars that shine on snow. A shelter from the winter storm, A straw-lined manger, safe and warm, And Mary crooning lullabies, To hush her Baby's sleepy sighs. Her eyes are rapt upon His face, Unheeded here is time and space; Her heart filled with blinding joy, For God's own Son--her little Boy!
Author unknown

And finally, my grandson, Logan’s, 14 B.D. celebration tonight. Another blonde who is a sensitive, happy, loved young man – just as I’m sure Jesus was at 14.

Mary’s little boy….. Now I know Jesus wasn’t a little blonde, blue eyed bundle of fun, but he was 19 months old at some point. He was probably caught with something he shouldn’t have, perhaps one of Joseph’s carpenter tools, and I bet he threw it just like Dennis threw those Christmas ornaments. For his 14th birthday, he probably didn’t get a tool box full of tools, at least not ones with green and black rubber handles, and I’m sure he did not get a video game, but he was without a doubt a sensitive, caring, happy, much loved boy.

So, all of this came together for me this Advent evening. Mary’s little boy at 19 months, checking things out, doing mischief, challenging the boundaries; Jesus at 14 years, interested in many things, sensitive to the people and world around him; Jesus as cousin, teen, young adult, and finally teacher, friend, Savior, God.

Thank God for new insight and people who can help me open my eyes to the mystery and glory that I sometimes miss because it is so familiar.

Jody Phillips

December 10th by: Larry Baker

The R-U-RDY theme helps me remember that as innovation and technology continue to boggle my understanding, the centuries old message of Advent is never out of date. The world has changed in so many ways, just since this century began. It is hard to even imagine how much it has changed in the last 2,000 plus years.

I once met a woman who had moved from Kansas to California in a Conestoga wagon. She said the children walked alongside the wagons so in reality she walked. In days before roads and with limited trails, families made the trek from one coast to the other searching for a new and better life. As they moved from one area to another, they brought their faith traditions with them. Some of the activities we observe this season were introduced to us by those ancestors. They in turn learned them from their ancestors. So as we observe Advent, we continue the traditions that began centuries ago.

An advent devotional that I have often used during my ministry centers on the Christmas tree. There are many opinions about whether a Christmas tree is a valid Christian symbol or just a worldly marker of the season. I personally appreciate those who introduced the Christmas tree to our celebrations as the tree reminds me of many things which point me to Christ.

• The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen which reminds me of the eternal life Jesus promises.
• The tree is most often triangular in shape reminding me of the Holy Trinity.
  The branches represent the safe haven God provides as we rest in God’s presence and promises.
• The lights on the tree are reminders of Christ being the light of the world.
  The colors of the lights have meaning in that red represents the blood Christ shed for us; blue represents the night he was born; green is for the earth God created and came to save; and yellow represents the sun and stars, evidence of God’s greatness and provision.
• The tinsel and ornaments reflect the lights on the tree and remind us that we are to be reflections of Christ’s light to the world around us.
• An angel on top of the tree again reminds us of that glorious Bethlehem night when angels sang and shepherds came to worship their new king. Or if there is a star on top, it reminds us not only of the night but also of the Wise Men who followed the star.
• The gifts under the tree remind me of the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh brought to the infant Jesus by the Magi. These gifts were appropriate for a king, a prophet and a priest.
  

I don’t know your family traditions of Advent and Christmas trees, but as you reflect on this season I hope you will look at Christmas trees wherever you encounter them and remember their beauty is best enjoyed when it points you to the birth of the Messiah.

Merry Christmas,

Larry Baker

December 9th by: Linda Nudd

All right, I will admit it, I am old. I just don't understand the text messaging craze, it seems like talking to each other would be so much easier. I have seen people messaging the person they are sitting next to--what is that all about? Plus the short cut "code" gets really annoying. Some of them are easy to figure out such as:

BFF Best Friends Forever

LOL Laugh Out Loud

WTG Way To Go

GJ Good Job

SWAK ( I remember this one) Sealed with a Kiss

Some are a little harder such as:

GRATZ Congratulations

FTBOMH From the bottom of my heart

DKDC Don't know , Don't care

Some are almost impossible without help such as:

SHID Slapping head in disgust

SMHID Scratching my head in DIsbelief

LSHMBH Laugh so hard my belly hurts

And my new favorite: SNERT Snot nosed egotistical rude teenager

I have tried to text message but I am so slow. I have to have everything spelled correctly and have proper punctuation and grammar. Meanwhile the SNERT I am messaging keeps coming back with W RU? Or ADN any day now!

The whole point of text messaging is to save time. So, what is time? Webster defines it as; the measured or measurable period during which an action, process or condition exists or continues. Why would an infinite God give us the gift of time? God knew our minds could not fathom the thought of eternity so he gave us a lifetime so that we could bracket this process of learning about God and making our own choice to believe. We are limited to our life span and like they say, life is short.


What does all this have to do with Advent? As we make preparations for Christmas we need to keep our thoughts focused on the birth of the Christ child not the preparations themselves. We need to remember to keep our relationship with God healthy too. I am studying the Bible with the help of Chuck Colson's book, ‘The Faith’ in it Colson asks, “Do you know what you believe and why you believe and does it matter”?

I do; and I also believe we are here to show others how to have the same faith. In fact, I believe it is my responsibility to share it with others. Salvation is a gift, but you have to choose to accept it.

The Bible says:

1. Romans 3:23 For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

2. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. John 3: 16 For God so loved the world He gave His one and only son that whosoever believes on Jesus should not perish but have everlasting life.

4. John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life...no one comes to the God the Father except through me."

5. Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Does that include you? If not, do you want to accept the gift of eternal life?

The reason for the season is just the simple fact that humans can't reach God, so God had to come down to man. The babe in the manger, Jesus, Is GOD. Now U R RDY!

In closing, RYB (read your Bible), ask yourself WWJD (what would Jesus do) and MGB (may God Bless) you. Merry Christmas!


YSIC (Your sister in Christ),
Linda Nudd

December 8th by: Joann Briggs

His name is Benson Nyaga. And when I was in Nairobi, Kenya he was the equivalent of a physician assistant in a clinic operating out of the Marthe Worship Centre on the edge of the Marthe Valley slums. He worked tirelessly to bring health care to those who otherwise would not have had it. He seldom received a paycheck and went without until he reluctantly had to leave the clinic to take a job with a regular salary. We recently received word that Benson was in a terrible car accident in October and was badly injured. Surgery was necessary and the bills mounted up. His employer decided not to hold his job for him and Benson didn’t know where to turn, so he contacted our family.

Over the last few years instead of receiving a gift under the tree several adults in our family have requested a donation to a favorite cause or charity. On Thanksgiving Day we had a family meeting to re-think how we will celebrate Christmas this year. Scaling back the cost and number of presents was a given, but we wanted more. We were longing to leave the secular trappings behind and focus on the heart of the real meaning of Christmas and what that would look like for our family. Benson’s unfortunate circumstances made the decision easy, at least for the adults. We pooled all the money we would have spent on each other and agreed to wire it to Benson for his medical bills.

With a desire to further instill the true meaning of Christmas in the kids, we decided to follow a pattern that David and Colleen have used in their family for some time. On Christmas Eve, when we are all together, the kids will receive three gifts known as gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The grandparents will give the gift of gold. Gold stands for something special that you would like to have; myrrh stands for the gift of clothing and will be the gift from the great aunt and uncle. All other aunts and uncles will give frankincense, which will stand for charity. The six grandchildren have all had exposure to people less fortunate than they are and are sensitive to their needs so they will choose the charity.

A voice cries out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Isaiah 40:3
As soon as we had made our decision I felt an immediate sense of relief. No fighting the crowds, endless nights of wrapping presents, stress filled times trying to figure out what to buy for those who really don’t need anything. Yes, choosing to give to those who have needs feels good! It feels right! It feels Christian! And it frees me up to read the Christmas story in the beautiful language of King James, spend time in prayer for Benson and others who are hurting, sing the beautiful Christmas carols and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11. What a heritage we Christians have. Let the verses soak into my soul and fill me with thy love, Oh Father. Prepare my heart for the wonder of the babe born in a manager who grew to become a man, and anyone who is willing to believe in him will have eternal life. “Joy to the world the Lord has come, let earth receive her king.”

Joann Briggs

December 5 - by: our very own Michael Mastronicola

When my godson Dawson Ditta was baptized as a newborn in 1998, the pastor held him up after pouring water upon his forehead and proclaimed, with her arms extended outward, “Dawson Ditta—child of God!” Child of God. What a beautiful phrase, I thought. In the film, Dead Man Walking, the main character is based upon a real-life nun, Sister Helen Prajean, who counsels a convicted murderer on death row. Just before he is to be lethally injected as punishment for his crime, Sister Prajean desperately counsels him in an effort to have him take responsibility for his awful crimes and realize the agony he has caused so many others. “You are a son of God,” she tells him. He responds, visibly moved, that no one ever called him that before. Child of God. I like that phrase. I am a child of God. We are all “children of God.”
Jesus mentions children in the Gospels: “Let the children come to me,” he says. (Mt: 19) And also: “Become like children and you will enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mt: 18) I imagine it wasn’t easy being a child in the time of Jesus. Throughout our world, so many children today still suffer terribly. It all seems so needless and awful. During a friendly discussion I had with friends awhile ago, one person remarked, “The Old Testament always seems to be about such an angry, vengeful God. It’s hard for me to read it and understand what it’s all about.” Another friend responded, “Look at it this way: the New Testament happened when the world of the Old Testament became so foul, so messed up. Things weren’t working any more. So God’s son was sent to be among us, to show us another way: a way not of vengeance and anger, but of justice and peace.”

Jesus was also a child of God. Like us, but of course very different. And Jesus came to us with little fanfare. Take away the angel Gabriel that heralded Jesus’ birth to Mary in the Gospel of Luke, and you basically have one very surprised and very young woman. No earthquakes or parties. No Christmas lights and endlessly repeating carols. There was no earthly crown or feast that celebrated Jesus’ arrival. No trumpet fanfare. The Son of God born in a stable? Born among the animals? Whatever the details may be, Jesus was not born amidst wealth and power.

During this time of year, I realize how lucky I am to be a musician. There is so much wonderful music I get to play year after year—in worship and concerts throughout the month of December. One of my favorite Christmas texts often set to music is “O Greatest of Mysteries.”* The text, in Latin, has been sung by choirs for centuries in churches and on stages throughout the world. The choir sings, “O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the newborn Lord, lying in a manger.” Animals glimpse the newborn Christ! Ox and ass. I imagine them bowing their heads to sniff the newborn. Composers have set these words not to loud and triumphant harmonies, but to hushed whispers that draw the listener in. I wonder about this sometimes to myself on cold, clear December nights as I drive home from work and look up at a starry sky. Animals get to see this child of God? Animals?! In a manger?! What an extraordinary mystery that we get to ponder year after year after year. God sends His son to be born among the animals. A child of God. Born to us. Born for all people.

Michael Mastronicola, Director of Music

“God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” –Luke 1: 52-53, “Mary’s Song”


*To hear a choir sing one composer’s setting of this ancient text, “O Magnum Mysterium,” visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iss5a8BqYw0&feature=related.

December 4- by: Judy Wallace

I remember one particular Christmas. My brothers were in college which would have made me about 10 yrs old. Christmas was my favorite time of year. The birth of Jesus, Christmas carols, special goodies to eat and family. My mom and I were decorating the house. We were putting our snow stencils on the bottom window and the lights around the top window. How I loved all the sparkling colors, just the right touch. Of course, living in North Dakota in December it was about zero degrees or so outside and lots of snow so the lights danced off the mantle of white. The last thing we decorated was our Christmas tree, the smell of fresh pine was the best. The finishing touch was standing back and throwing the tinsel on-oh the joy of simple things. I had been asking my mom when my brothers would be home for Christmas and she said the day after we finished decorating so I knew they would be home soon and then shortly after that Christmas Eve would arrive.

A friend of my mom’s came over so I decided it was time to get my portable phonograph out and I began playing Christmas records. I was lying on the floor listening to the carols and thinking about Christmas when I heard my mom’s friend say to her in German; Judy misses her brothers but my mom said no, she is just READY for Christmas. What I was feeling was that Christmas was a time for family and as soon as my brothers arrived ours would be complete.

Today my parents are gone and my brothers and I live in different parts of the country so it is hard for us to be together every year, but no matter where we are we are still READY to celebrate Christmas and rejoice in the birth of our Savior.

R U RDY?
Judy Wallace

December 3- by: George Munro

Is Christ still with us? I was struck this past week by the generosity of a Weld County farmer who opened his fields to what turned out to be 40,000 people who were in need of the farmer’s potatoes, onions, and carrots. The overwhelming level of the turnout really spoke to the extremely serious level of our economic predicament. Like most serious setbacks, the current economy provides an impetus for spiritual growth.

So what can we as Christians do in these troubled times? First, at a personal level, we can reduce our expectations and consumption. The author, Tony Hillerman, formulated this as a Beatitude: “Blessed are those who expect little….For they are seldom disappointed.” We can pray and dream of a simpler life, with a focus on the essentials: personal attachment and devotion to family and to God. See if you can live with less. If you want to know about your lifestyle, look at your trash. It’s all there!

At a community level we should make it a point to give generously to others, both to organizations and to the people we contact daily. For example, perhaps we could tip the waiter a little bit more, not expecting anything in return. Gifts can also be in the form of time spent listening to the problems of others and showing simple respect for them. Truly now more than ever, we need to be our brother’s keeper.

On a national level we can resolve never again to condone torturing our enemies. (Isn’t that what is supposed to separate us from them in the first place?) We need to demand business and government leaders who put society before themselves.

Lastly, and most importantly, we can rededicate ourselves to Christ who should be our guide in all that we do. Christ was present in ancient Israel and is with us now in our time of need. Perhaps, good can come from the difficult times in which we live by helping us to get back to the love, clarity, strength, and peace offered by Christ.

Merry Christmas!
George Munro

December 2- by: Jan Herrera

R*U*RDY?

R*U*KIDN? I never seem to be ready for Christmas ahead of time. I use the last few hours of preparation as an aerobic workout. I have worked late into the night trying to finish just one more thing. I have always thought that those people who proudly boast that they are all ready, (actually have been since Thanksgiving), just don’t have much of an imagination. Why, I can always think of something else that I could/should do!

So, how do we balance what is on the list with who is in our presence? How do we prepare for the night of “peace on earth” by running around like crazy? OK, so now it’s not enough that I need to tend to all of the activities and tasks to be ready, I am supposed to be ready in my heart?

Have your ever looked at a harried young mother, with a list that is too long, a budget that is too tight, whose time is too short, and whose patience is too thin, and asked, are you ready in your heart? She looks at you and thinks “R*U*CRZY?” But, here’s the thing. It seems to me that God works in us whether we are ready or not. The feeling of Christmas, the sentimental, awe-striking spirit of love and grace, the gift of Jesus’ life, this feeling comes in its own time and its own way.

So, yeah, let’s be ready to hear it, see it, feel it, and reflect it whenever we can, where ever we are, with whoever we are with. Perhaps the joy of Christmas is in the preparation, as much as it the magic moments. Maybe it’s like life, the joy is in the journey, not just the destination. Isn’t it great to know that RDY*O*NOT, Here He Comes!

Jan Herrera

December 1 - by: Gladys Eckman

Am I Ready?
On this first Sunday of Advent, no I am not ready, but I recognize that I want to be. I want to feel the rush of the Christmas season, the story of Christ's birth, the celebration of Jesus coming to us so many years ago so I went to church this morning looking for my own comfort and solace.

And I did recieve the comfort I needed, in the concert of my church family, the love of each of them for me in my unease. I have always liked to enter our church, a building of brick and wood, but above and beyond that there is a peace in this building, a peace made up of the people who have been there- the pastor, workers who have given of thier time and energy to make this building God's home for us, and the many people who just care about each other every day.

On this day, I begin my journey to celebrate with the many others in my family, my church family and those that I do not know but who are still part of my life and who will be part of my preparation. Yes, I want to celebrate Advent, but I want my celebration to continue on beyone the great day of Jesus' birth, on to the rest of the days of the coming year. On this Sunday and the next and the next I will try to prepare myself so that I can answer, am I ready? I want to be able to say, to shout! YEs! I am ready!!! Come be with me during this Advent season so we can celebrate Christmas with a special joy in our hearts while we await the coming of our Lord.

Gladys Eckman

2009 Advent Devotionals

Greetings from First Presbyterian Church,

Christmas is in 23 days. Yeah, I know that wasn't nice, but I felt you needed to know. :)

So are YOU ready? or are you still wondering how the Advent & Christmas season snuck up on us? :)

Let's get ready together! Come back each day to check out the daily posting of our Advent Devotional. We hope to help keep you focused, efficient & calm as we all get ready for this Christmas season. The Advent Devotionals are written/submitted by the members and staff of First Pres. We are still accepting submissions! In fact, we don't have enough to get through the full Advent season. If you'd like to participate email your submission to jennifer@brightonfirstpres.org. Thank you!

In Christ,
Jennifer - Office Administrator