...a word from Kathy

Cross-posted from Adventagain.blogspot.com F or many years, I've had the privilege to work with visiting scholars from other countries.  When these students visit our country, we try to give them a taste of our culture and traditions.  This certainly included Christmas festivities, decorations and gifting.  I've been asked many, many questions about our traditions, here is a sampling: "Ms. Kathy, why do people hang round circles of tree branches on their walls and doors?" "Why do most people bring trees into their home?  What does this mean?" "I have a question, Ms. Kathy.  How does Santa Claus fit into Jesus being born"? Needless to say, I've had to relearn why we do indeed place wreaths on our doors and decorate Christmas trees!!  Do you know the heritage of those traditions?  And the Santa/Jesus question...imagine a foreigner's confusion as they see both in our advertising and festivals.  Can you explain the commonality or the li...

Cross-post from Adventagain.blogspot.com F irst Responders are an amazing group of people. They are those who run toward the danger instead of away from the danger.  They are the ones risking their lives to save or help total strangers.  They are the ones problem-solving as they run into unknown situations.  They are the ones willing to go in and survey the situation, to help start the rescue.  This group is highly trained certainly but most of all, they are first,  willing . And so were the shepherds.  Think about this group of individuals, this occupation.  Luke 2 states that they were, "living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night".  This had to be a most difficult existence as they were away from family, uncomfortable, lonely and each night was oh, so dark.  We all know danger comes at night as does fear. Then, one night after years and years of predictable darkness, there came a bright light in the...

Cross-posted from Adventagain.blogspot.com Ok , let's get honest...yes, the holidays are advertised as wonderful, magical, full of song, laughter and love.  We imagine seeing people singing in the streets, dancing and oh, so joyful...the 'Hallmark' Christmas in our minds.  However, honestly, our holiday season is probably not like that at all!!  We're stressed, the commercialism is overdone, the money is running out, the kids wish lists keep growing and changing, we have to be with family that we really don't even like!  On top of that we are burdened by wildfires out of control, a world in crisis, politics, family loss and grief.  This Christmas season may not be at all what we expected or wanted.  And it's scary. And so, it was true for Joseph, Mary's fiancé.  The news Mary delivered to him was in no way what he expected, needed or wanted.  Certainly, the news leveled him, how could it not have?  Many of us may have received similar ne...

A hhh, the season of Christmas has arrived.  The gift buying is in full swing as well as decorations galore.  I actually spent 10 minutes on the gift wrap aisle trying to find the perfect gift wrap paper....seriously!  Note: this will be paper disposed of in 3 weeks!  The machine of Christmas has begun its march into my mind and actions. I've asked and been asked, "What do you want for Christmas".  We all want to purchase the perfect gifts for each other.  We want to avoid those awkward Christmas morning moments of nervousness when we are secretly thinking, "Oh, I hope I like this gift or at least, act like I love this present from my mother-in-law!  Can I fake my joy"? What do you want for Christmas?  I've been asked this question so often that I hear myself lamely reply, "Oh, I just don't know.  I don't NEED anything!"  But that's a lie, for sure!  I need.  So, maybe the question is, "What do you need for Christmas"? ...

M y world is so full of words.  Words of action, words of responsibility, words of news, words of pain and suffering, words of encouragement and teaching.  A few of these words are harmful to my heart, many are difficult to hear, some are beautiful, alive and uplifting...yet, I'm tired of the words.  It reminds me of days long ago when I couldn't wait for my babies to say their first words...then months later would wonder if they would ever quit talking!! It's confusing that inasmuch as I treasure the gift of words, I've realized that they pull me away, they distract me, they lead me to rely on intellect and reason and problem-solving.  I get caught up in the cycle of words and they bind me and prevent me from finding my one source of hope and love.  Think about it, we wake up, we listen to radio and TV, we read email, we Tweet, we go to work, school, weekends are filled with activities and words, evening events, even church services where we're instructed a...

" T he Greatest Commandment: One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions." Mark 1...

I t is official, summer is over.  I've seen school buses in full operation and that means we're on to September, school days, football and all things Fall.  My summer ended after a long vacation with our family and honestly, it felt really great to step away from the merry-go-round of obligations, mission statements and to-do lists.  And more honestly, it felt less than great to return to busy, busy life.  But we are back, all of us, back to real life today.  So, what do we do now?  What is there for us? In answering that question in my own mind, I was prompted to look back at the Summer Series. You and I took these summer months to study Matthew; we called it the Summer Series.  What did this series teach and has it somehow prepared us for the busy fall months? •Follow Me and I will fulfill all that you've been searching for, all the questions you've asked, all the emptiness that never gets filled. •Just a pinch of salt goes a long way.  ...

O n campus this week, the streets are filled and parking lots are overflowing.  Pillows, shoe racks, plastic containers, luggage, lamps, headboards and every other imaginable item are being moved into resident halls and apartments.  Parents follow their children around like professional movers.  It's a grueling task and as a mom who is past this stage in life it makes me joyful (that I'm done with this phase) and reflective. I too, loaded up a car this week.  We're loaded with beach gear, baby gear, homemade pies, salsa and every other type of food one could imagine.  We are so full that we can barely fit ourselves in the car to drive!  We are beach-bound and on the way to spend a week with our kids.  It's a bit like the resident hall move-in.  For I have prepared every imaginable item we could possibly need.  I want my family to know I love them.  I want to prepare and over-prepare for all their favorite things.  It's my hear...

Years ago , when we had small children bath time and bedtime became a ritual.  We would bathe our children and bundle them in towels to dry them off.  I can still remember that fresh, sweet child-scent and feel those soft, soft pajamas.  Often, bedtime included a last snack and reading a book together...or two.  For our Sarah, those moments also included a stuffed animal we creatively named 'puppy'.   So, after long days at work, Ray and I would each pair off with a child and go through this routine.  We then, after the reading would tuck them in and creep out of their rooms in great hope that there would not be one last request.  It seemed to me that just  as I would get to my room to relax and do other mom things I would hear one last, sing-song voice... Hall light!   Ahh, yes, my little girl needed the hall light.  Even after the moments of snuggle, the tuck-in, the sweet prayers, the reassurance of love, the kiss..... Hall light ...

T oday, I sit and stare at this computer screen.  I've made a commitment to write every two weeks this summer; however, the words seem to have stopped but I've been going and going.  A twelve-hour car ride, hotels, flights, new life starting, old life ending, going and going.  I have a really bad feeling that the God I say I love, serve and follow has been running to catch-up to me...I remind myself, He's leading...remember?  Invite Him on this summer journey...and sit back and follow.  I get so wrapped up in my next to-do that I often run ahead and run all day and then collapse into a heap of weariness.  That's where I've been the last few days. But even so...there He stands waiting, urging, listening.  How can the God of the universe be so available? "When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him , asking for help. “ Lord ,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I com...

A s a little girl, I remember many games of Hide-and-Seek.   The goal was to hide well and not be found...at least not be the first one found!   I had a friend who hid SO well that there were times that she literally could not be found!   For most of us, we hid but we all were eventually found...that's what made it fun! We WANTED to be found.   But, you know the person who is IT in Hide-and-Seek?  The person who has to find everyone?  I never liked being IT.  There was too much pressure to find everyone!    The IT must be tenacious when the seeking gets tough.   Weren't you always annoyed with the kid that gave up while you were in your hiding place? And somehow, after we'd hidden so well and the seeker couldn't find us we'd then blame the seeker.   ' You didn't look hard enough!    You gave up on me!    You got tired and quit!    I wasn't important enough for you to keep looking!' R...