It’s Beginning to Lean a Lot Like Christmas

We have a beautiful Christmas tree. It is a Frazier Fir, ten feet tall and full all around. In keeping with tradition we purchased the tree a few days after Thanksgiving and soon filled it with endless strands of lights and Christmas ornaments that are kooky but special. We have enjoyed the tree ever since. There is just one small problem: the tree is leaning. I have tried everything to remedy the problem. I have readjusted the stand; trimmed limbs; prayed over it and now I am just trying to ignore the tilt altogether. Our evening dialogue goes something like this: “Honey, the tree is leaning.” “I know, I know,” I snap back. At this point I start brooding. I cannot blame it on the tree and the stand seems to be working fine. Our house is not leaning. I guess it is just part of the unexpected and unplanned. Is your Christmas perfect? I am sure it is not. Not only do trees lean and strands of light fizzle out, but people disappoint, illness sets in, and the unexpected and unplanned lands at the doorstep. When we try to pretend that we can pull off the “perfect” Christmas, watch out – not only will the Christmas tree lean, but disappointment and depression can enter as unwelcome guests. Peace and joy? Forget about it! Maybe a leaning tree is as good a reminder as any that this is what Christmas is not about. Amidst a surging crowd, inns too full for company and while a new tax was about to be levied, a Child was born in a trough....

Home Improvement

For the last few weeks Amy and I have been at a little home improvement project. We have built a rather rustic stone patio and fire pit in the back yard. Amy and I know how to build a fire but we have never designed and constructed a stone patio for a fire (did I mention it was rustic?) You will be happy to know that so far our marriage has survived our efforts. True, Amy did hurl a twenty pound slab of flagstone at me, but fortunately her aim was off. Last Saturday evening we warmed ourselves before a fire and watched the stars sail by and the earth spin on. This week I was warmed by another welcome fire. At the Fall Georgia Cooperative Baptist Fellowship meeting Chuck Bugg was the keynote speaker. Spending time with Chuck and Diane was an occasion to warm by the fires of our shared home. Years ago the Buggs came to Augusta and shared their ministry with First Baptist during the 80s. He went on to teach at Southern Seminary and I happened to be one of his students. The Buggs placed stones and kindled fires that I am blessed – we are blessed – to enjoy today. And so it has been down through the ages – ministers, laity, members and strangers have offered voices and shoulders; tears and laughter that have strengthened our home. You and I are laying stones for those who will follow us. As the nights grow longer and the air colder may the fires that warm you be kindled out of love for others. Who...

Huh?

Pardon me if I sound sexist, but I believe there is something about a man that loves to smell gasoline and fire up gas combustion motors. Sometime ago my “wild man” sensibilities were awakened when a neighbor asked to borrow my wood chipper (this wood chipper, by the way, was purchased used from a church member. I have no idea why anyone would want to part from such a fine piece of mechanical testosterone). My heart was pounding at the opportunity to fire up the chipper. I had already chipped up all the stray limbs on our property and shredded every leaf that has fallen on our yard. I told my neighbor that not only could he borrow the chipper, but I would be happy to help – who would want to miss out on a chance to reduce a fallen Bradford Pear tree to a pile of sawdust? After viewing the tree and her limbs I surmised that this job would be an hour or so. Four hours later our task was complete. Limb by limb we completely mulched the tree and sectioned the trunk for firewood. The chipper did just fine, but the controller did not. I was deaf. Well, not deaf, but several days later I still had a persistent ringing in my ears. I found myself getting confused when more than one person was talking in a room and it sounded as if all the voices were under water. Perhaps the worst of it all was that I was overcompensating from my hearing loss by raising my voice. Now folks, you already know that I...

Are You a Believer or Follower?

Have you ever thought about how you describe your faith journey? Are you a believer or a follower? I would like to say I am both but somehow that response seems too easy. There are many things I believe to be true in life yet I am hesitant to follow. I will not sky dive, for example even though I believe a parachute will work to preserve me life. I also believe that if I sky dive, Amy will throttle me (but I digress!). I have met many inside and outside the community of faith who either cannot reconcile beliefs with actions or are too tangled up in one in order to do the other much good. Alas, for me there are too many days when my beliefs are all I have going for me but I am too weak to follow and then there are those moments when all I can do is follow but I cannot get my head around what I ascent to believe. Two years ago I had tentative “beliefs” in coming to this church (let’s be honest, I really did not know you as a congregation) so I was left to simply trust and follow. Perhaps the best we can do is to simply surrender over into a relationship that transcends both our beliefs and our actions. I find it interesting that in many of the world religions there is that common thread of surrendering oneself before a higher power. The Buddhists call this emptying; the Hindus refer to this as abandonment; the Sufi mystics speak of releasing; in Judaism it is called submission;...