Willing to Dabble....Just a Smidge

Five days until Thanksgiving. Seems like the older I get, the quicker the holidays and the passing of time.   

Because this is my favorite time of year, I'm up to my eyeballs in lists, and loving it. I have lists for what to pack for our upcoming road trip, the menu, groceries I need to buy upon arrival, and of course, my year round daily list of gifts. This one never ends and serves to keep me from my natural tendency to complain or feel entitled.

 

The practice of gratitude is everywhere and quite fashionable these days. Of course we know to be thankful in November. All the cool kids are doing it. So I'm not going to talk about that today. 

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, we as consumers are constantly tempted to rush into Christmas. You know it's true. I find many people are quite passionate on both sides of the aisle about it too. There seem to be two camps of people. The die hard "No Christmas until after Thanksgiving" And those who dive right in, blending both with joy. I have two friends who describe each well. One insists "no co-mingling" the holidays and is a purist - no red and green until brown and orange have fulfilled their place on the calendar.

Another, who has known much pain and difficulty in life (connection, maybe?) is a true co-mingler. She insists that Thanksgiving and Christmas are the holidayS. Plural. She has no problem joining the two together. She says the Christmas season is too short and it brings so much joy. Why wait? 

I get this. I'm actually kind of jealous of yet another friend, born in Canada, who is free to launch into Christmas right after Halloween because they've already celebrated Thanksgiving in mid-October. Yes!

I usually land in the middle somewhere. Not one who cares too much about Halloween, I'm all for extending the Christmas season. Four weeks is simply not enough time! People are generally happier, mellower and eager to bless others during the season. We need more of that, don't you think? I think we should petition lawmakers to move Thanksgiving up. Why does it have to be so late in November? I mean, if it's meant to commemorate harvest time, the 4th Thursday is much too late.

Still, the truth is I don't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but I am willing to listen to a tiny smidge of Christmas music on the radio (when we lived in civilization where we actually had radio stations), saving my coveted and much loved CD collection until Black Friday. (You know how I feel about the practice of delayed gratification!)

I start out the family with both MercyMe albums (as loud as possible to wake them up), then move on to the Carpenters, Michael Buble and a new favorite if you can imagine, Rod Stewart. And so, so many more. 

My latest justification to become a co-mingler is that I work full-time. For 23 years, I was a stay-at-home mom and had as much time as I needed to search for new holiday dishes and dessert recipes, find crafty items to make with the kids, and create my own homemade gifts. I walk 4 minutes to work everyday, therefore, spending no time driving around listening to the familiar songs. Not to mention having plenty of hours to watch all the non-negotiable Christmas movies.

 

I am limited now. I don't have enough time! I'm tired at the end of the day. Waaaaa. Earlier this week I read that there's only 36 days until Christmas - what???

So here's my confession. I charged up my Christmas ipod a few days ago. And I listened to it. Yes, I have an ipod dedicated to the most wonderful time of year. In our family, Mommy gets all the kids' hand-me-down, outdated, cast aside electronics. Works for me. Now I don't have to change the songs out. The kids used to do this for me but now my faithful husband puts up with, I mean, lovingly appeases my wishes, making sure I'm fully stocked and ready to shuffle.

The thing about Christmas music is the deeply meaningful phrases. Sometimes in the familiarity we miss them.

A few that have captured my attention and affection the past few years:

The soul felt its worth

The thrill of hope; the weary soul rejoices

The wonders of His love 

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight

He's the savior we have been praying for
In our humble hearts he will dwell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel*

Here is our Promised One, Jesus our Hope has come

With the angels we sing Glory to God in the Highest

He has brought this great love unto us**

Typically, I can be resistant to new music. All genres. I have my faves and I stick with them. Did I mention how many Christmas songs I already have (615 on the ipod to date)? I don't really need any more. But I'll take that back in a New York minute if Carrie Underwood puts out a Christmas album.

Alone in the car last night an unfamiliar song started. I was aghast! What was this? I didn't authorize this addition. I recognized the voice but didn't immediately place it and definitely had not heard the song before.

It was amazing. I fell in love. I cried. I hit repeat about 17 times.

I burst into the house and told Scott of my discovery.

 He gave me the side grin. 

"Have you heard it?"

"Who do you think put it on there? I knew you wouldn't listen any other way."

Well, that makes me seem a little stubborn. I reject this. 

Faithful to my loves is more like it.

At any rate, I had to tell someone so I sent the song to my daughter-in-law because she is trying to become a co-mingler but is married to her father-in-law's clone. Certain other family members would not have shared my joy. Ben, I'm looking at you.

I played it 8 more times for Scott before turning in for the night. I heard him singing along. I think he is quite pleased with himself. He's so sneaky though.

Oh how I love a new favorite thing. Want to hear it?  Click here

Go ahead, I'll wait.

See what I mean? Amazing!

Talk about phrases that capture and delight...

pick any from this amazing song Christ With Us by Todd Fields:

God is with us

He has come to save us

Mercy lights the darkness

Christ is Here

God is with us

Healer of the broken

Word of Heaven spoken (!!!)

Christ is here 

All rise, in His presence we are free

His love has shown that we are not alone

And that's the best news of all, before Thanksgiving or after. We are not alone, God is with us. Receive it today without hesitation.

PS. If you must wait six days to listen to it, that's fine, but don't forget to come back and Click here 

*God is With Us by Casting Crowns

**Unto Us by Matthew West

Feast for the Eyes and a Feast for the Soul

 This is Utah from an airplane.  A few weeks ago we had a conversation. Do we save money or accept a long time standing offer to go visit friends we haven't been in the same room with for almost twenty years? 

I thought for sure I knew what Scott's answer would be. I was surprised and delighted when he said, "I think it's time we treat ourselves to reconnecting with an important friendship". So we booked our flights.

When you marry a person, you can get thrown into some of their relationships already in progress. Scott introduced them as two of his closest friends. I hoped I would measure up to their expectations for him. Sometimes you click and sometimes you don't. Turns out that together they would become one of the biggest blessings in my life.

Early in our marriage we spent a good amount of time in their home. We played cards, the women shopped while the husbands played video games, we ate terrible but delicious food and started raising our families together. Those were fun, good days that ended too soon.

I often say that he unofficially discipled this young wife and mother. He was the strong leader of our little group, often calling us who were a smidge younger to step up and grow up. I learned so much from him and quote those lessons often.

For years to come, he would be the go to phone call in time of crisis or need of advice. When my Dad died and I was asked to speak the eulogy, he proofread my first draft.

When we were in a dark season of wondering what God was doing with us, he skyped encouragement with Scott on a regular basis, which carried us through.

I'm a reader today because of his influence. I might possibly be a softer person because of what they've taught me about grace. My thinking is always expanded and usually corrected when we have time to go deep.

None of us had any doubt that even with two decades since our last face-to-face, there would be no awkwardness and we'd pick up where we left off. It was sweet. It was silly. It was refreshing. It was fun. We played cards, we talked about our kids, we reminisced about past memories, and we ate terrible but delicious food. We got to attend their church, participate in the service even, and meet their people.

The bonus glory was to feast on God's beautiful creation out west. Breathtaking everywhere you look. And snow in October on top of the biggest mountains I've ever been on.

These are the two men who have taught me more about God and life and ministry than any others. I'm forever grateful for their friendship with each other. I brought with me some questions I was wrestling with because I knew I would get answers and insight.

I came away with new book titles and homework.

Someone said, "There's something special about hanging with people who share your same worldview about most things. Biblical fellowship." It's certainly what this couple travelled 2,150 miles to enjoy.

Once home and reading one of my new books, I came across these words.

"...we all need some people in our lives that really want to know how we are - and who we can trust with the truth. People who know us well enough that when they speak into our life, it fits our reality, not our image...where the upside of positive peer pressure spurs us on to greater heights, and where we're positioned to receive the help we need the moment we need it."

"...be open to the help and insight of other believers. The Bible calls this seeking wise counsel.  By checking in with others, I have the ability to pick up what I missed on my own and to discover and correct what I might have misunderstood...It's amazing what another set of ears can do. Each of us picks up something different...The same power of collaboration can bring clarity when God's leading seems unclear or hard to decipher...seeking the help of others can bring to light things I miss - or even more importantly, things I thought I heard quite clearly but in reality missed quite badly."

Yes. This is why I'm grateful for a longtime, honest friendship where there is no need to put on a facade or rearrange or hide what is in my heart to project a better image of self.

I'll take this kind of sharpening over that any day of the week.

Saying goodbye wasn't easy. Before we returned home to our very different, but equally beautiful mountains, a pledge was made to not wait another twenty years for the next visit.

Here at CAMP-of-the-WOODS where we live and serve, we use the phrase 'a vacation with a purpose' quite often. That's what our trip to Utah was. Feast for the eyes and feast for the soul.

It's not even Thanksgiving yet and we are stuffed with gratitude.  


Quotes from A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God: Spirituality For the Rest of Us by Larry Osborne