Christmas Highlights

[editor's warning: skip this paragraph if you aren't intersted in reading about my meidcal conditions] If you haven't heard yet, I had surgery on Tuesday. To make a long story short, the doctor wanted to do a laparoscopy to explore possible causes of pain I've been having. They've treated it and scanned it and come up empty, so on Tuesday he went in with his lighted scope to look around. He cut out a bunch of scar tissue that had bonded to muscle tissue and probably organs. He also discovered that I have endometriosis, which you can google if you're super interested in knowing more about. Basically it means that my pelvic organs have the potential to experience a lot of pain and other annoying side effects. Fortunately, there is treatment for it (part of which he did by cutting them away and cautarizing the areas).

I didn't want this to be a post complaining about my ailments, though. The surgery spout was to tell you that, because of it, I have been forced to slow down and rest a lot the last fwe days. It's been nice for me to have a little time to think about Christmas. So, let me share a few highlights from my thought life and real life as well.

Kids make Christmas fun. It's sweet to give gifts to your spouse. Giving gifts to your kids is a whole new level of happiness and joy. Looking at Christmas lights is so exciting. The eagerness over cookies and candy, the excitement of their waiting and opening new presents. This year Arlene is old enough to express her thoughts and feelings, and it's been great. It's so cute.

I like my new computer. Daniel found me a good deal on a net book and gave it to me the day of my surgery. It is portable and easier to lug around, therefore allowing me more opportunities to write and play games. :) Technology is fantastic.

Word of the Father now in flesh appearing. Every year some old carol hits me in a new way. Since Christmas is all about the incarnation, God coming to earth as a man to live among us, the lyrics usually have something to do with that truth penetrating my heart yet again.
This year, two songs found new meaning in my heart. Joy to the World and Hark the Harold Angels Sing. "God and Sinners reconciled" Wow. Jesus' coming rearranged the entire God concept. He didn't change, but our ability to know Him did. He came and made His blessings flow "far as the curse is found". I love what that means. His being here gave us a way to overcome the curse of man. One day, every nation will "prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love." And, I will be among those singing with the angels "Joyful, all you nations rise! Join the triumph of the skies!" (Insidently, that song is actually about Christ's second coming, but that's part of advent, isn't it!)

Advent Conspiracy This year our church participated in advent conspiracy (see previous post). The presentation of this idea got me in the mood to give more than I wanted to, to give not only out of abundance but also out of what I would normally reserve for myself. I stretched myself a lot. My favorite chance to give came as a surprise when friends of ours who were visiting invited us to go and "bless a family". This family has been unemployed for a year and have TEN kids. We went to the store and picked up two cart loads of food. Their family had adopted this family and instead of giving gifts to each other, bought gifts for the ten kids and the mom and dad. I didn't meet the family. We sneaked into their house and dropped the food off in the kitchen and the gifts under the tree. It was great. One of the girls in the family asked her mom who did it, and her mom said, "Jesus did. He answered our prayers for food". Then the little girl spun around with a box of cereal and said, "Jesus loves me enough to give me Fruit Loops!" That's what it's all about, man.

Glory to God in the Highest! We listened to a sermon by JOhn Piper given to evangelical pastors. He preached about the Glory of God, and how we as humans can revel in it. How it is intregal to knowing Him and experiencing Him. How it is God's ultimate goal to glorify Himself. I was hit hard with that truth, becasue frankly, I'd rather think about God and His relationship with me and what He does for me and for man. But the more we think about what He does to glorify Himself, naturally we see what He has done for man through the course of history. I listened to Todd Agnew's Christmas CD (see previous post) and heard the angels song right after hearing John Piper's sermon. I couldn't keep from dancing and singing GLORY, GLORY IN THE HIGHEST! Of all the ways God chose to glorify Himself, sending Christ here to die for us and give us real and abundant life was the HIGHEST. Nothing would top it. Nothing ever will.

Peace on Earth and good will to men. Peace fills my heart in these times as I reflect on God and His power and ultimate plan for the world. While everything looks like it is spinning out of control and getting worse and worse, He reigns. We don't understand all of His purposes, but because of Jesus, He lives in our hearts. We can commune with Him now, and for eternity.

So. That's what's been on my mind these last few weeks. Hoepfully my words explained things well enough that you could understand and nothing came across as bad theology. I wish peace to all of you also--the peace Jesus left us. "Not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." He will return for us and heaven and nature will sing!