Theology of the Hammer

This evening I went to the Dedication & Blessing of a Habitat for Humanity home. Our church was part of this Interfaith Build 2009 project. Lots of Christian churches as well as Baha'i Faith, 2 Jewish congregations, & the Islamic Center took part in building this home.

The spiritual differences of these faith communities were put aside and brought together under the "Theology of the Hammer" as a director from Habitat put it.

This was my first time to take part in a Habitat build & I am looking forward to being part of more. The new homeowner read a prepared thank you to the many people and groups that were a part of this. Her voice never wavered, but when she looked up, there were tears in her eyes.

God's work comes in many varieties.

Thank you to all who were part of this.

Christmas & The Decade

If you have let Christmas "sneak up" on you, it's right here. Ten days. Next week. Right around the corner. However you want to put it, it's upon us. If you haven't made plans for yourself, it's very likely plans have been made for you. You might want to check on those. Either people are coming your way or you are heading toward other people.
We've gotten into a pretty consistent routine in our family. Not that each year is the same as the last. I guess it's really less routine, actually more like traditions. From the way we put up the decorations at home, to which days we spend at which family. I like all that. Christmas lights in yards, Christmas music on the radio, Christmas concerts and pageants. Food, snacks and treats that we could make all the time, but only seem right at Christmas.
My hope is that this Christmas season brings you the best that you, your family, and your friends have to offer each other. When that happens it's easy to extend some extra care and giving to those who we aren't quite connected to as well.
We're also close to wrapping up the first decade of this century. That gives me a bit more pause than usual for the end of a year. Not that a ten year period of time in which the first three digits are the same are really more special than any other ten consecutive years. But people tend to categorize things, so there we are.
This decade took me from my early 30's to over 40. From the father of one teen to "kids" that are now both in their 20's and launching their adult lives. From a self-employed business owner with plans of wealth and fortune to a youth minister in which monetary income has become almost an afterthought. From a college drop out to plans for graduate school. From someone new to the reality of true faith to making faith a fundamental aspect of how I order my life. This has been an interesting and transformative decade for me. My priorities have changed over these years and I've clarified many values that lacked definition. Those priorities and values have become a driving force to the authenticity of my faith and the way I approach it.
So enjoy everyone in your life, give them all your best, and help them to be their best as well. Jesus appeared and shared that very outlook when came to us. The world will never be the same because of him, and it will never be the same because of you. Take this season of celebration and this time of transition to carve out the direction you want for your life and for those entrusted to your care. God has provided us with gifts beyond our worth. Love is the reason for it all. Accept it and share it.

Be Blessed!
Michael

Christmas Giving

Every family goes through some adjustments as they grow in size and Christmas can highlight those differences in unique ways. My older and younger sisters are ten years apart. My daughter, a niece, and a nephew are each ten years apart from them and each other. So we've always had at least one young child at my parents' house that seemed to help keep the Christmas spirit fun and playful. As our family grew in size we started getting more deliberate about who we bought presents for and we've tried some different exchanges. Generally we all give presents to the kids and then worked out some sort of list for us and our spouses. We tried out some different things; some smooth, some not so smooth. One year the talk about spending limits and the ease of gift cards made me think it would just be easier to all show up with a handful of cash, stand in a circle, hand the cash to the person at our left and call it done. That helped bring us back to a more personal exchange.
My Dad's answer to inquiries about what he wants are assurances that he doesn't need anything. I think that's a pretty accurate assessment for most of us. I've determined that I could probably never buy another article of clothing and be OK, but some of my family are a bit more fashion conscious. So I can pretty much count on a new shirt or two most years. We've started making donations as gifts for some. Not necessarily to charities that we are personally connected to, but something of interest to the person for whom we make the donation. That creates the sense of personal connection to go along with the stewardship of giving in response to needs.
In honor of my grandmother, there are some in my extended family that are making donations to the nursing home that cared for her or getting gifts for residents we got to know while visiting her. What giving should be about is caring enough to put some extra effort to connect in some deeper way. If you ask a young child (or someone older who is pretty materialistic) about Christmas you may get a list of stuff that can be bought. If you ask someone who has lost a person they love, whether through death, disagreement, or just distance, you are likely to hear about shared memories and the importance of spending time together.
The birth of Jesus began a new era. God could have easily gifted us with overt power or plenty of possessions. What we were given instead, was the unlimited power of relationship. Jesus modeled and taught what an incredible difference that can make in each of our lives. If we will simply put the needs of others before our own, we all end up taking care of each other and no one gets left behind. There is more than enough stuff to go around. Time and caring enough to make an effort is what it takes to make sure we are all blessed. This is right season to make a difference.

Be Blessed!
Michael