Pastors Ponderings

Feliz Navidad! May we all feel the Joy, the Peace, the Hope and the Love of the coming Christ child, Emmanuel!

As I write to you, there are only eight days until Christmas Eve. May we all say, Wow! Are we prepared? Are we excited? Are we listening?

The greatest gift ever is on the way. We re-enact the story each year to remind us of what God’s gift to all of us means. Our season of Advent has brought to our hearts the reminder of all that we have been given. Those gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love are more than enough for all of us. But those gifts need to be shared with everyone in God’s kingdom.

It took many years for this man to learn that by sharing those gifts, he would be showered with more than he could imagine. This past week I had the pleasure of donning the Santa Claus suit for the fourth time. About sixty children and a few adults sat with me to have their pictures taken. Many brought me written notes for Santa, letting me know what they would like for Christmas. What a joy!

Although the small babies were not real keen on sitting with an old man in a red suit, crying for mom, I was overwhelmed by the joy of all those kids getting to go and pick out their own presents that Donna and all of our elves had for them.

Of course, most of the older kids wanted E-bikes or Play Stations but there were some requests that we all should pay attention to. One young lady asked if I could bring her a small refrigerator so her family could store food. Of course, another asked for a puppy. But another wasn’t sure how to answer my question. She thought for a moment and asked me for world peace. Mike drop moment you might say!

Now as we head toward our Christmas Eve service on the 24th, I am asking all of you to do your part to make that young lady’s Christmas wish come true. Armed with those Advent gifts we have been talking about, why don’t we start using them. You see Peace on Earth starts with each one of us. The simple act of giving Joy to someone is a good place to start. Let’s follow that up by giving Hope to those less fortunate than ourselves. But to put Hope in someone who has given up Hope, we must share our Love with one another. Love is the binding power that brings us together as people, God’s people. So, let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.

Merry Christmas to all people around this gift from God. And may all the blessings from the smallest child to an old man in a red suit come true and we find that Peace we all seek.

God is with us!

                              Pastor John