Let's hear it for the boys!!

My Three Kings!!
The cousins ushered on Christmas Eve, and their stair step smiles brightened every one's afternoon. In the Christmas Story, these three could have played the Kings pretty easily, and they do consider themselves "Wise Guys!" But his week's texts of the day put them in another story, one that is touched off by the first Wise Men.

The Magi from the East come to pay homage to a new King, an infant King. In their innocence they inquire at Jerusalem, perhaps thinking that the present King has had a son. This would have been a easy visit. Come in, give gifts, and head home. But no, this was no known Son, this was the Son of God, come to rule on Earth, and in the land of Israel, where secular power was not to be taken for granted. Since Herod had not just celebrated the birth of his own son, this news was disturbing, and he began the plot that would end some thirty years, ( and how many Herods) later. He feigns interest in the child, and sends the Magi on their way.

HA! Like God is going to be fooled by one man's lies. Jesus is visited, and whisked away. The part that twists at my heart is the next lesson. Herod, outfoxed by God, and avoided by the Magi, sends out his own hit squad, and rather than worry about which child Jesus might actually be, he has all the infant boys killed in one small town. That story always makes me hug my boys even tighter.

The lesson of the day for January 7th is from Exodus 1, where boys were again targeted for destruction:

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every boy that is born to the Hebrews
you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live."

Again, one gets away, but many others are killed. Why do so many have to die, and the savior is saved? Why can't the God of all creation stay the hands of the soldiers and soften the hearts of the kings who order these executions? Does it make it any easier for us to hear the news of ethnic cleansing today, to know that somehow God didn't have the ability to stop the violence thousands of years ago, and God can't stop it now? Where is the savior out of Africa, or Bosnia, or South/Central America? Who will put an end to the fear and violence in the world?

Will it be you?

Waiting for Jesus

Jonah is so disappointed that he can't hear God's voice these days. "Why doesn't God talk so we can hear him better?" he asks me over his breakfast toast. My only answer is that I don't really know. Explanations about listening to God's word through the words and actions of God's people don't quite cut it in the 5 year old brain.

What are you wanting to hear from God? Jonah wants a full tank of gas for the van, Miriam wants to see baby Jesus, I'm waiting for the traditional "Well done, good and faithful servant." Wait, wait, wait, maybe that's why Black Friday can be so spiritual; we all hurry up with great anticipation of savings and then we wait....

Today's Psalm 79 includes:

"Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and forgive our sins,
for your name's sake.
Why should the nations say,
"Where is their God?"

Why should the nations ask where God is? Why do children long for the voice of their friend and comforter? Why do we look for God in malls and online, and forget to look in the manger?

The deliverer is coming. We will be saved, not from high prices, but from our sins. We will be delivered, not out of rising mortgages and health insurance premiums, but out of the despair and hopelessness of and God-empty life. We will receive help, from a baby in a manger, who dies on a cross with arms outstreched: "I love you."

Give Thanks, With a Greatful Heart

This year I give thanks for

Life, love, and a warm house
one husband, three kids, and two cars
big families, church families, and foster kids
warm snuggles, sweet apples and dirty toes

purple beans, red tomatoes and fresh strawberries
muddy jeans, backyard swings and bathtub rings
old farms, license plates, and grandpa's arms
lawn mowers, snow throwers, and gas that's lower

a letter from an old teacher
a call from a new school
non-stop flights from Vancouver
Facebook, blogger, flickr and Yahoo!

black dog, new shoes, warm coats
new babies, wet clay, lakes
grey cats, typewriter keys, camera screens
life, love, and good food

Amen

Teaching!

It's what I do in my spare time! Pretend to be a tree for Kindergarten classes! OK, it's not my spare time, it's my day job at the moment, and I love it! Sometimes I do the Resource Teacher thing, and sometimes I am a "regular" sub. This photo was taken in Jonah's class, but he's not in the picture. (sorry grandma!) Click on the post title to see the story in the paper or here.