A Christmas Thought

 Twenty years ago, I was in the final days of my tenure as the CEO at the Logan County Hospital in Oakley, Kansas.  The hospital board decided to not renew my contract for another year, and we would soon be on our way to Topeka, where we had found work.

 During our time in Oakley, I was invited by John Montgomery, editor of the Hays Daily News, which at that time was circulating throughout northwest Kansas, to write a twice-monthly opinion column for the News on life in that part of the state.  The specific topics were mine to choose, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.

 One of my last columns came during the Christmas holidays.  In it, I bent into the realm of faith and the Christmas season.  The column is as pertinent today as it was twenty years ago.  The rest of this thought is that column which was published in The News.

 “Tis the season to be jolly!  Fa la la la la la la la la”.  I suppose these words are very familiar to you, as they’re from the Christmas tune, Deck the Halls.  But if your take on the season is the same as that of Lucy Van Pelt in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, you’ll relate very well to her as she says, “I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that.”

 The unfortunate thing is that many in our society feel the same way.  Instead of a time for joy, it’s a time for depression.  Instead of a time of contentment, it’s a time of greed.  Instead of a time fulfillment, it’s a time of unfulfilled (and unfulfillable) expectations.  We go through the motions, succumb to the commercial temptations, break our necks to have the perfect holiday celebration, and put on the best show we know how, only to find that something is terribly wrong.  We have not found what we’re looking for.  We’re not even close.  And instead of sitting back and taking stock, we pedal even faster, so to speak, in the futile hope that somehow things will be different this time.

 In the TV program “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Charlie Brown, exasperated, tired, and harried because of the antics of the others at a Christmas play practice, shouts out to anyone who will listen,  “Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?”

And Linus Van Pelt, Lucy’s little brother, takes center stage and says,  “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you.  Lights, please. (A spotlight shines on Linus.)”  Linus goes on…

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'. That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

 It is interesting to note that Linus, forever dependent on his security blanket, lets go of it when he quotes  “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.”  There’s great meaning in that action that Charles Schultz wrote into the script of the show.  Because Immanuel was born on that night so long ago, we no longer need to fear, and we no longer need our security blankets, whatever they may be for us.  And you well know what they are…getting lots of presents, having the approval of others, shopping and spending money (yes, that’s a huge security blanket for many), having the latest and greatest gadgets, and putting on the Ritz in front of others, pretending we’re all together when we’re really falling apart.  We no longer need our security blankets if we truly understand what St. Luke (and Linus) was trying to tell us.

 You know, maybe it’s time for a little less “Deck the Halls” and a little less “tis the season to be jolly”, and a little more quiet reflection and understanding on just what this time of year really means to us.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re Christian or not.  Even atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Jews and others believe that Jesus of Nazareth is a historical figure; that he did roam the earth 2,000 years ago; that he was the greatest of teachers, and that he did die by crucifixion at the hands of the Romans.

 The question is, what are you going to do with Jesus?  And what are you going to do with the time the world has set aside to honor him?  You can choose to ignore Jesus, do nothing and go merrily on your way.  You can choose to honor Jesus as a good man and great teacher.  Or you can choose to worship Jesus as God Incarnate.  But you have to do something.  You have to choose something.

 If Christmas isn’t what you want it to be, maybe you need to choose something different than what you’ve chosen in the past.  Maybe you need to take another look at this man Jesus.  Maybe you need to get a new perspective on him and what he has to offer to you.  Maybe you need to truly understand, as did Charles Schultz and Linus, what Christmas is all about.

Open Your Eyes...

 Sometimes, when one is rocking along in life with things seeming to be pretty well coming together, God decides to give a wake-up call.  For me, that call was this week.  No, it wasn’t anything tragic or disastrous.  It was just a round of gastritis that put me down for a couple of days.

If you’ve ever had the “24 hour bug,” as many call it, you know what I’m talking about.  For a time you’re pretty much out of circulation, except for trips to the bathroom.  You sleep a lot and at times wonder if you’d be better off just going ahead and croaking right then and there.  It doesn’t last long, and recovery is usually rather quick.  But during the time of disability, it’s a whole ‘nuther thing.

As I was in both the disability and recovery from “the bug,” I noticed some of the things that Pat did for me as I was down.  She did everything from turning down the bed for me to replacing the toilet paper roll.  She kept the house going and checked in on me from time to time.  She fixed chicken and noodles for me when I was able to eat again, and bought some 7-up, which I like to have on hand for times like this.  In short, I was well cared for.

I had to wonder what it would have been like had no one been around to help with those things and the many other things she did to keep things going.  It’s been a long time since I had been ill with no one else in the house to look after me.  Oh, I would surely have survived with no one else there.  But it was so much better having someone who cared…someone who knew what to do…someone who was willing, able, and ready to help in whatever way she could.

And it was even better that the someone who was there was someone I had known for decades…someone who knew me inside and out…someone who I truly enjoy being with in times of health as well as times of illness.  I’m truly appreciative of this good woman who looks after me…and not only me, but many others in both of our families as well as our church family.

Just today she’s going to Hays to pick up grand Rachel from school.  She’s doing this to save Rachel’s mom from taking an afternoon to do that, and also to have some Grandma/Grandkid time with her.  She’s purchased Christmas for who knows who in the family, decorated our live tree, and always seems to quietly be able to do the right thing in varied situations.  Maybe it’s the nurse in her that gives her that ability…I don’t know.

I don’t know what your situation in life is right now.  But I do know this.  People need other people.  All you have to do is look around for a minute or two and you’ll find someone…family member…friend…next door neighbor…church member…who may well need something you have.  And I’m not talking about money.  I’m speaking of your time, your energy, your compassion, and your love.  All you may have to do is take a few minutes and listen.  Or you may need to help out in some tangible way with some difficulty that person is facing.  You may be asked for advice.  Or you might just need to be there, quietly, being present.

This Christmas season, open your eyes to the possibility…no, the probability…that your services are needed by someone within your view.  Helping someone else without expectation of something in return is one of the most gratifying things you will ever do.  And it will be a great demonstration of the first and greatest commandment, which is actually two put together.  Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

 Blessings,

Our Future

 Good afternoon, and welcome.

 Today, the wife and I attended the final chapel of the semester at Friends University here in Wichita.  We normally don’t attend those chapel services, which are held weekly.  We aren’t alumni, nor do we have any other connection to the university.  However, the final chapel service of the fall semester is an advent devotional, with the music provided by the Singing Quakers.  In the event you aren’t familiar with the Singing Quakers, they are a first class choir with a rich history.  They are truly a “class act,” if you’ll excuse that expression.

 Today was no exception.  With a mix of Bible reading, songs by the choir, and traditional carols sung by the audience, the thirty five or so minutes we were there was uplifting and fulfilling for me.  As I said, we have no other connections to the university, but truly enjoy this last chapel of the fall semester, as the choir and others put a lot of thought and work into this service.  We are grateful they open it to the public.

 But, there’s another reason why I like to go to events such as this.  As these young adults are singing and conducting the chapel service, I like to look at their faces and imagine something about their daily lives.  I think back to when I was about that age…what I was thinking and doing about then.

 I also think about the fact that some of these people may live to see the turn of the next century, or at the last live to see the final decades of this century.  These are also the people who will…and already are…helping shape society, government, education, and in fact the state of the world today.  These are the people who will be the decision-makers and movers of society.  These are the people who will bring humanity into the next decades.

 I don’t know any of these young adults.  However, as I look out on them, I am comforted to know that there are people of faith, of good will, and of good moral character in the world.  These are people of intelligence, drive and ambition, but also people who know what it means to love one’s neighbor.

 Now, I don’t pretend to believe that every last young adult I see in these chapel services are like who I just described.  Some will fail.  Some will be law breakers.  Some suffer from an intractable mental illness.  Others will somehow go off the deep end…so to speak…in later years.  I know that.  But I also know that there are plenty of these people who are just like I described…intelligent, driven, humane, humble, and loving.  And it brings me comfort as an older adult to know that the world may well NOT go to hell in a handbasket because of many of these ordinary individuals who come together in common cause and yes, in love for one-another…to do the right thing in the right way at the right time for the right reason.

 These people are our future.  And from the looks of it, what a bright future it appears to be.