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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
We Will Get Something
For Christmas
December 20, 2007
Gilda Radner always made me laugh. When she was waging a courageous
battle with the cancer that eventually took her life, she wrote a book
entitled, "It's Always Something." It was a serious look at the dark side of
life that we often try to sweep under the carpet. Yet, with humor and
grace she talks about getting the most out of life. One quote that stands
out in my mind is this: "I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned the
hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a
clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to
change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing
what's going to happen next."
I thought of this the other day when our Christmas tree came crashing
down in our living room. Several precious keepsake ornaments were
smashed and pine needles were everywhere. As Lori, Rachel and I looked
at it, all the energy to set it back up and redecorate it seemed to fly right
out the window. With a week to go before Christmas, the unexpected
threatened to put a damper on our holiday spirits.
Now I know you are probably thinking, "It's only a tree. What's the big
deal and how can you compare that to Radner's cancer?" The point is that
there is always something that sneaks up on us and tries to rob us of our
joy. Most of the time it doesn't rise to the level of the tragic. It could be
the disappointment of a family member not coming home for the holidays.
It may be a smaller Christmas bonus than you had expected. Or perhaps
your spouse says something that sounds critical and you take it to heart.
These kind of things happen every day. Too many of us let them knock us
off balance and send us spiraling downward. Instead of getting right back
up, we stay down and let the world pass us by.
Radner thought life was too precious to let that happen. She says, "The
goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity. No matter
what happens, whether the cancer never flares up again or whether you
die, the important thing is that the days that you have had, you will have
lived." She understood there was always going to be something. But with
friends and loved ones and the grace of God you could overcome it and
live life victoriously.
That is our Christian hope at this time of the year. On a dark and quiet
night in the city of Bethlehem, the skies lit up as the angels declared the
glory of God to a group of shepherds. A few hundred yards away God
broke through the stillness and a baby was born who carried the fullness
of the divine within him. The message was simple. Life is precious. I love
you and I'm here to walk with you. That's good news!
The Christmas message reminds us that God will be with us no matter
what happens in life. Like the good shepherd he will walk with us through
the verdant pastures (the good times) and the dark valleys (the not so
good times). He will supply our every need and restore our souls when our
spirits are weak. Through his efforts goodness and mercy will follow us
all our days. The best news of all is that when our days are over, we will
have a home in heaven above, in the house of the Lord. Praise God for that
something, that some One whose birth we celebrate on Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas! See you in Church. Cal.
For Christmas
December 20, 2007
Gilda Radner always made me laugh. When she was waging a courageous
battle with the cancer that eventually took her life, she wrote a book
entitled, "It's Always Something." It was a serious look at the dark side of
life that we often try to sweep under the carpet. Yet, with humor and
grace she talks about getting the most out of life. One quote that stands
out in my mind is this: "I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned the
hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a
clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to
change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing
what's going to happen next."
I thought of this the other day when our Christmas tree came crashing
down in our living room. Several precious keepsake ornaments were
smashed and pine needles were everywhere. As Lori, Rachel and I looked
at it, all the energy to set it back up and redecorate it seemed to fly right
out the window. With a week to go before Christmas, the unexpected
threatened to put a damper on our holiday spirits.
Now I know you are probably thinking, "It's only a tree. What's the big
deal and how can you compare that to Radner's cancer?" The point is that
there is always something that sneaks up on us and tries to rob us of our
joy. Most of the time it doesn't rise to the level of the tragic. It could be
the disappointment of a family member not coming home for the holidays.
It may be a smaller Christmas bonus than you had expected. Or perhaps
your spouse says something that sounds critical and you take it to heart.
These kind of things happen every day. Too many of us let them knock us
off balance and send us spiraling downward. Instead of getting right back
up, we stay down and let the world pass us by.
Radner thought life was too precious to let that happen. She says, "The
goal is to live a full, productive life even with all that ambiguity. No matter
what happens, whether the cancer never flares up again or whether you
die, the important thing is that the days that you have had, you will have
lived." She understood there was always going to be something. But with
friends and loved ones and the grace of God you could overcome it and
live life victoriously.
That is our Christian hope at this time of the year. On a dark and quiet
night in the city of Bethlehem, the skies lit up as the angels declared the
glory of God to a group of shepherds. A few hundred yards away God
broke through the stillness and a baby was born who carried the fullness
of the divine within him. The message was simple. Life is precious. I love
you and I'm here to walk with you. That's good news!
The Christmas message reminds us that God will be with us no matter
what happens in life. Like the good shepherd he will walk with us through
the verdant pastures (the good times) and the dark valleys (the not so
good times). He will supply our every need and restore our souls when our
spirits are weak. Through his efforts goodness and mercy will follow us
all our days. The best news of all is that when our days are over, we will
have a home in heaven above, in the house of the Lord. Praise God for that
something, that some One whose birth we celebrate on Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas! See you in Church. Cal.
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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