December 15 – “Oh, Little Town of Bethle … what?”

Grandbaby number ten watch … still waiting.  Yesterday Christina had a doctor’s appointment and we watched the kids.  Upfront, all was well with her.  Blood pressure perfect.  Baby sounds great, growing well.  they even made her an appointment for next Wednesday.  She doesn’t really think she’ll be keeping that appointment.  That will be fine as long as that little whippersnapper can hold off until after our church party tonight.  It is, after all, happening at our house. 

I had staff meeting yesterday morning at the church, and when I got back the kids were playing at an unusual game.  All four of them, from 13 year-old Jachin to 3 year-old Noa, were on the floor in the study with the Fisher-Price manger scene paraphernalia.  They had each claimed a portion of the characters and structures and were constructing the little town of Bethlehem.  They were also quite shrewd developers.  Josiah was obviously a merchant.  And the seat of town government.  They were calling his place “City Hall.”  He had a market right near the town well.  He was also apparently in the process of quietly taking over said well for his own economic purposes.  He had a wall of sorts built around his establishment.  Micah on the other hand, had a quaint little home just outside of town.  I heard him say at one point, “Welcome to our village, Mary and Joseph.”  Hmm.  And at one point Micah’s character, who happened to be riding a camel that spent its days lolling around on two of his house’s beds (As I was informed, part of the reason why there was no room anywhere in town was that all the camels required two beds), approached for a drink.  Josiah attempted to extract an illegal fee for said access, but Micah, with an especially adept negotiation skill, held his ground.  “That is a public well and I’m gonna use it,” he insisted.  And as is the case with most governmental bureaucratic bullies, the well-keeper backed down. 

Somewhere before compromise prevailed, amidst the tense moments of conflict, as the arguing grew louder and louder and the marketplace threatened to become the site of a Bethlehem debacle of epic proportions, Noa stood up with a single character in her hand.  One tiny little personality held in her – in another world - equally tiny little hand.  And holding that wee plastic one out in front of her, Noa suddenly, and loudly, and in a commanding voice that would make any army general proud, screamed at the top of her lungs, “Hey everybody!  Get ready, ‘cause Baby Jesus is coming!”  Best angelic host announcement I have ever heard.

Apparently the baby was indeed born, because a while later Jachin’s characters decided to come for a visit.  They lived quite far away, kind of to the East of Josiah’s establishment.  His place looked more like a sheikdom than anything else.  There were obviously wealthy people in his camp, and it was those gentlemen of substance who made the decision to travel over to Josiah’s City Hall and present the little baby everyone was talking about with some gifts.  The gifts?  Why, gold, Frankenstein and myrrh, of course.  However, I think the city fathers must have objected to the importation of the Frankenstein monster.  They absolutely refused admittance to the City Hall.  Wouldn’t even negotiate.  So Jachin did what any self-respecting first-born would do.  He forced his way through the make-shift wall, destroying any opposition in his wake.  “Our intentions were good,” he insisted.  “It was just so we could deliver the gifts to the little baby.” 

And there you have it.  The entire story of the first Christmas as acted out by four siblings while they waited for a tiny baby of their own to arrive.  And as of now, their wait continues …

Micah 5:2 says, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.”

Father, be with us all as we wait patiently for this next little one.  Amen.

December 14 – “A Light Trip”

We were invited out for supper last night.  Off the Island, too.  Big deal, you know.  And the best part of the whole trip-into-Texas scenario was?  We went to the home of four grandchildren (and their parents, of course).  Kel and Christina invited us over for supper and a night on the town.  Of course the “Town” was Dickinson, so don’t think there was any big-city shenanigans going on. 

Actually it was the famous (well, in this area famous) Dickinson Festival of Lights that we went to after we ate.  The town decorates a city park with lights and opens it up free to the public.  Last time we went to this thing they had an entire parking lot just off the freeway that they had commandeered.  Parking and a free bus shuttle became part of the experience.  I guess last night we were ahead of the season rush.  The parking lot was there and seemed ready for riders, but there were no buses and only a few cars anywhere around.  We decided to chance a drive directly to the site to see if it was even open. 

Sure enough, we managed a parking spot right near the venue.  We gathered up all those little ones (Well, and Jachin.  He’s not so little.  Oh, and Micah got his hair cut off.  Looks like a dapper young gentleman.  Josiah got a haircut, too, but he still looks like a six-year-old ready to take on the world.  And Noa is simply … perfectly … gorgeous) and headed through the maze of lights.  Honestly I was disappointed this year.  A lot of the lights were not lit up.  I don’t mean the displays were not on line.  I mean in random places the lights were suddenly out, like on a Christmas tree after you have worked hard to get it all decorated.  And it was not just in one spot, either.  All over the park there were intermittent glitches in the spectacle.  Hopefully they’ll get that taken care of before the rush begins.  Noa did notice the Baby Jesus display.  She commented, “Oh, so THERE’S the Baby Jesus.” 

We did manage a stop at the cookie making booth, however.  Micah had his done and eaten in minutes.  Josiah took a little more time.  He had to make sure there wasn’t a particle of icing or a stray sprinkle left in his container.  Noa was just as careful with her decorative particles.  Well, unless you count the parts that made it onto her face and hands.  She did do some careful spreading of icing, though.  Took her forever.  I loved watching the concentration on her face, though.  Serious business.  She only ate half of her cookie.  But that icing she had so carefully spread only moments before?  Scraped off and deposited where it needed to go. 

Next came hot chocolate and a stop at the park’s playground.  The kids played some chase and did some climbing while Kel and Jachin and I did some talking about curve balls and change-ups and whether kids should begin pitching before they turn eleven.  And that was pretty much the end of the tour.  Kel and his crew headed home and Chris and I headed to Hobby Lobby to pick up some bells and bobbins.  Why?  I’ll save that for another story …

Ephesians 5:21 says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Father, thank you for our excursion into Texas to see the lights.  Thanks more for the company we got to keep.  Amen.

December 13 – “A day in Paradise”

Ah, for yet another Monday of work. I’m not sure why I have made Monday the day that I spend feverishly typing at my computer and wading through papers on my desk.  For some reason I feel compelled to wrap up the past and step into the future all at the same time, on the same day.  Sometimes it’s a great thing.  I get lots done and the rest of the week I can concentrate on polishing the Sunday teaching and meeting with people and following up with other, more long-term projects.  Sometimes not so much.  Those are the days when something else comes up.  The tyranny of the urgent.  Someone is in the hospital, or a pipe starts leaking at the church some other emergency presents itself.  Fortunately yesterday was one of the former variety.  I did get a lot done.  Good thing, too.  This Thursday is our annual church party here at the house, so I know Chris will kick into cleaning mode here in a day or two.  I also have to plan some raucously fun games to go along with the white elephant exchange.  Oh, but I have some ideas …

And speaking of preparations, guess what I did on that fine December Monday afternoon?  I mowed the grass.  Yep.  Balmy, 70-plus degree weather makes it necessary to do really strange things when you live on a tropical island paradise.  Gotta love Galveston.  On the other hand, Nathan tackled quite a different task.  He and some neighbors and a fire fighter buddy have joined forces to chop down a tree in his back yard.  Now, I don’t mean just a tree.  I mean a TREE.  A really big tree.  He has several very mature oaks in his yard, and he decided one of them just had to go.  It towered over the roof and well beyond, so it had been there a while.  When I drove up there were tree limbs all over the curb in front of at least three houses.  It’s going to take a special call to that claw truck to pick up some of those trunk slices.  But they got it done.  I was especially impressed with the makeshift sled they improvised to haul the heavier pieces to the street.  I tried to get them to pull the last huge trunk piece with me sitting on it saying “Ho, ho, ho.”  It would have been a great picture.  But no one wanted to play the part of the reindeer.  My other idea didn’t fly either.  I suggested he save the trunks and turn them into chain saw sculptures and sell them at our craft fair next year.  He didn’t seem to want any part of that.  Guess my Christmas spirit was just getting a little out of hand.  Sigh.  Too many Hallmark movies, I guess.

Ephesians 5:19-20 says, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Father, thank you for the weather here in Galveston.  I really do love it.  Amen.

December 12 – “Return of The Beast”

We were able to have a spur-of-the-moment celebration Sunday.  Because we had so much soup prepared for the Bethlehem Market, we had a lot of soup left over.  And what better way to avoid wasting perfectly good soup than to have a Soup Sunday?  After worship we all went upstairs to the retreat center kitchen and shared in an impromptu Soup Sunday lunch.  You just can’t beat the fellowship when the Seaside Family gets together.

During the meal we were able to discuss tow things related to church business.  One was the metal handrails leading up to the retreat center.  It is rusting badly and has even rusted through in several spots.  A contractor has told us it would cost over $8,000 to completely replace the rails.  Several of our guys checked it out, and before we commit to that much money, they think with a workday we could get the job done ourselves.  Go for it, guys.

We also discussed the pastor health assistance program.  Health insurance for Chris and I is going over $2,500 per month starting in January, so we have been looking into viable alternatives.  We settled on a medical share program called Samaritan Ministries.  The church will also provide enough each month for us to open a Health Savings Account for prescriptions and other uncovered costs.  They were pleased to help in any way possible.  I think that more than a few of them have experienced the health insurance woes themselves.  Now we have to get all the paperwork done before January 1^st.  Put it on the list.

After almost everyone had packed up and gone home, we were doing the last-minute walk-through to make sure nothing had been forgotten.  As Chris passed in front of the refrigerators, she stopped dead in her tracks and blurted out, “Oh, no.”  Not what I like to hear on the best of days.  I asked what happened and she said, simply, “It’s wet over here.”  I knew right away what that meant.  Sure enough when I pulled the refrigerators out, there was a leak – another leak – right at the t-connector of the water line.  I turned off the water under the sink and called out … The Beast.  Yep.  Once again it was time for that Massive Mound of Renown to do its thing.  For those of you who don’t remember, The Beast is what we affectionately call the church’s very large wet/dry vacuum cleaner.  It has suctioning power like nothing I have ever seen.  Fortunately the leak hadn’t had time to spread very far, so it didn’t take all that long to slowly drag The Beast’s head across the affected area.  We had it done in about an hour or so, and with the fans going, the floor was as good as … well, as good as the last time we did this.  One of our handymen has agreed to come take a look at it and try to stop this thing for good.

About an hour or so after we finally made it home Chris received a call.  No, it wasn’t from Christina telling her the baby was on his way.  This one was from Lauren.  She was excited and had to share a story.  Seems that she posted the availability of some of our jars of honey on who met her at the church.  Nice job there, Lauren.

Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

Father, thank you for a church that cares about Chris and me.  Bless them.  Amen.

December 11 – “Bethlehem Street Market Report”

One more Bethlehem Street Market is in the books.  After long months of planning and preparing (I know because I live with the event coordinator for this particular extravaganza), everything seemed to come together and make for a success on all levels. 

A large team of Seasiders in our signature blue t-shirts (with long sleeves or sweatshirts underneath – it was really cold) gathered to make this day happen.  How?  Directing traffic, handing out gift bags (with a New Testament inside, among other things), setting up tables, posting signs, helping vendors, working booths. The Sweet Shoppe and Food Court - run by a team of Seaside’s own, of course - did especially well.  We ran out of Ed’s Awesome Brisket and also the chicken noodle soup.  In fact we had so much participation in terms of people providing soups that we are able to have a Soup Sunday today and invite people to join us after church for lunch.  We sold a lot of the honey from the used-to-be on-site bee hive, and we still have numerous jars of honeycomb left for sale.  We’re hoping to recoup some of the cost of the removal.  The vendors seemed to be selling stuff throughout the day.  We didn’t get to set up the bounce house for the kids due to the high winds, but, being kids, they found a way to enjoy themselves out on the playground. 

On an entirely different level, several local families expressed a plan to attend Seaside.  We’ll be looking for them this morning.  One attender said they were “impressed by how all the blue shirts seem to really care for each other and get along.  This must be a good church.”  I talked to one of the vendors who had recently had open heart surgery.  I shared the gospel with him, and his response was, “Oh, I’ve given myself to him.”  And he proceeded to share with me a beautiful tale of his near death experience.  He remembers a lot of light, and a door, “like that light fixture up there.  As I got closer to it, I felt like light.  Then suddenly, the door closed and I was back here.”  It was a special moment for me to hear that.  I like to think that I would give myself to Him after an experience like that as well.   I was also able to share the gospel with another guy who approached me because he saw the fire department hat I was wearing.  He had been a fire fighter at one point and was hoping to find a comrade in arms.  He told me he found the Lord at his absolute lowest point.  Sadly, that’s how it often happens.  We have to get so far down that the only possible way to look is up.  And there He is.  Waiting with open arms.

You know, I don’t know how much money we made for local missions.  Kind of beside the point.  There was a great community response.  The vendors want to come back next year.  People saw Seasiders loving each other and they made The Jump.  They attributed it to us being God’s disciples.  Sounds awfully familiar …

John 13:35 says, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Father, thank you for all the Seasiders who worked so hard to put this event together.  Thank you for the chance to meet and hear from those guys who have met you in drastically different ways.  Amen.

December 10 – “On the run”

We spent the entire day up at the church yesterday.  There was a lot to do to get everything ready for the big Bethlehem Street Market Craft Fair that starts today at 10.  With Chris being the point person on this one, she is seeing to it that everything goes perfectly.  Or as perfectly as she can possibly make it.  We hung a big sign, mopped floors, vacuumed carpet, cleaned bathrooms, stuffed gift bags, moved boxes, made signs, and who knows what all else.  I’m sure there are some more things that need to happen, and even more will come up when we get there in a few minutes.  But the chili and taco soup is all made.  Cookies and muffins are baked.  We have to be on site at 6:30 a.m.  So that’s all for this morning.  Gotta run …

Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.”

Father, thank you for all the help with preparations for the event today.  Use this thing to draw people to yourself.  Amen.

December 9 – “My Morning Girl”

We have had Cailyn for two nights in a row.  That’s a highlight in anybody’s book.  Today I think I’ll just share a few of her tidbits of wisdom and entertainment.  Besides we have to be at the church at 8 to set up for the Bethlehem Market Craft Fair tomorrow.

Night before last she followed her usual procedure at bedtime and Facetimed her Daddy.  Here’s a snippet of that conversation:

Nathan: “What have you been doing?”

Cailyn: “Watching a movie.”

Nathan: “What movie?”

Cailyn: “I don’t know.  It started good and then it was bad in the middle for a while and then it got really good at the end.”

Me (loud enough for Nathan to hear): “She just described every Hallmark Christmas movie ever made.”

The next morning Cailyn rolled over in bed, and coming out of a dead sleep said, “Nani, What did the cow say to the dog?” 

Chris: “What?” 

Cailyn: “Where’s DadDad?”

Chris: “He’s in the bathroom.”

Cailyn: “Oh.  Nani, What did the cow say to the dog?”

Chris:  “I don’t know.  What did the cow say to the dog?”

Cailyn: “Cock-a-doodle-doo!  It’s six o’clock.  It’s time to wake up.”

That’s my Morning Girl.

Ephesians 5:8-10 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”

Father, thank you for mornings and exuberance and prospects of a new day.  Even when it’s 42 degrees outside with a wind chill of 32.  Amen.