Too Perfect?

The month of December has had a theme of Christmas posts this year. I think that might be a first for me on this blog. I get frustrated with the endless Christmas "stuff" you see everywhere you go in December and so I tend to avoid it on my blog. But for some reason, this year the Christmas posts is what came. Since it's Christmas Eve (almost Christmas day) as I write this, it will (probably) be the last until next December.

Right now I'm sitting in my living room after a busy, but really good day. Just the lights from my tree on. And one of my favourite Christmas CDs playing. It's one of those moments where I find myself reflecting on the events of the day.

Lot of different things happening. Work. Time with extended family. Laughter and puzzles with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law. Christmas Eve service at church. A good day.

At the service tonight, the kids acted out the story of Jesus' birth, and another kid read the story as they did. It wasn't perfect, but that didn't matter. They were definitely cute as they acted it out.

Honestly, the birth of Jesus wasn't perfect either.

A stable. Surrounded by donkeys and sheep. Greeted by shepherds.

A scandalous story of how his mother became pregnant with Him.

Two people who trusted God when given a challenging task.

I wonder if sometimes we get so caught up in trying to make things perfect that we miss the point. We work so hard at trying to make sure everything about Christmas goes exactly as we want it to.

The right gifts for every person and lots of them under the tree.

The perfect meal prepared and everyone gathered around the table.

A house decorated just right. Nothing out of place. Everything clean.

But, in our pursuit of perfection we miss it. We miss that Jesus didn't come for the perfect. He didn't come for those who have it all together.

Jesus was born in the furthest from perfect scenario you could imagine. To the "wrong" people. His birth was not the birth of a King.

But it was exactly the way He needed to come into the world. He came in humbly. He came to save everyone, no matter the circumstances of their life.

Maybe we don't need to be so focused on everything being perfect this time of year. Maybe what's important is to remember the birth of our Savior - a birth that changed the world.

There's nothing wrong with the rest. But it can't be all we focus on. We have to be careful no to get so caught up in trying to make things perfect that we miss the point.

We All Have a Story

A few nights ago at my staff Christmas party, I was looking around the bowling alley where we were gathered. People talking . . . laughing . . . enjoying time together outside of work. The same was true of dinner afterwards.

As I drove home later that evening, I started reflecting on the quality people I get to work with. They have roles at work that can be very challenging at times, but they keep showing up to do the same thing. And I hear the stories of the ways they help people - the way they show people someone does care.

It makes me grateful to have the job that I do. I can't imagine doing anything else. I'm behind the scenes in what I do, but I get to call some great people who are on the front lines co-workers. And to me, that's pretty amazing.

I still remember the first time my heart was stirred to be a part of something that helped people. At the time I had no idea how it would play out in my life. I didn't know if it would be volunteering. Or if it would be a job.

I was in grade twelve and was on a missions trip working in Seattle. One evening we were on a street where a lot of homeless in the city, talking to them and getting to know what their experience was like. It was more than I little bit out of my comfort zone, but I was with the rest of the people from my youth group I'd come with so I figured I wouldn't have to say anything, I could just listen.

There was one guy we started talking to and he started sharing about his life story. I don't remember the details of his story, but I remember walking away thinking that he really wasn't much different from us.

Sure he lived on the street. Sure he had made some choices that had resulted in him being where he was. Sure he had a lot less material possessions than any one of us who had been talking to him had.

But, he had a story that brought him to where he was. And it was a story full of choices he had made and others in his life had made that affected him.

I have a story too. A story full of choices I have made and that others in my life have made that affected where I am now.

The same is true of you as well. It's true of every person who had ever lived.

And so I know that people taking time to show someone they care makes a difference. And that is what I see when I look at my co-workers. People who are giving their time to show people someone cares. It's not always easy. And the difference it makes may not always be obvious or even know. But they keep doing the job and I want to acknowledge them for that. The work they do is important, and I'm grateful to play an unseen role.

So, if any of my co-workers are reading this, I just want to say thank you for all you do. I feel privileged to work with you. You do great things in all the things you do.

Why Advent?

Walking into church one early December weekend, I saw the familiar Advent candles set up on the stage. It was the first weekend of Advent.

Would it be a bad thing to say I kind of dreaded the next four weeks?

The truth was, I'd lost sight of why we lit the same four candles during Advent year after year after year. It had become nothing other than something we had to do. I'd lost sight of what it was all about.

The expectation of the coming Messiah.

The waiting for Jesus' birth as prophesied long ago.

I'd heard it all before. I could recite it for you.

Four candles. Hope. Love. Joy. Peace.

We light a new one each week.

Then on Christmas Eve, you light the fifth candle - the one that represents Christ come as the Light of the World.

But that Advent, God decided to remind me of why we take that time each year. I was being reminded of the purpose of Advent - at least, the purpose God had for it in my life.

Those four short weeks represent a very small season of waiting. The Israelites had waited hundreds of years for Jesus to come to earth. And then when He did come, most of the missed it because it wasn't what they expected.

Taking four weeks to focus on waiting for Christ to come is s good practice in our lives. It makes us focus on Who Christ really is and why it's important to celebrate that He came.

Hope . . .

Who couldn't use some hope in their lives? Jesus came to bring hope.

Love . . .

Who couldn't use more love in their lives? Jesus came because of His great love for us.

Joy . . .

Who couldn't use more joy in their lives? Jesus came to bring us joy that isn't dependent on our circumstances.

Peace . . .

Who couldn't use more peace in their lives? Jesus came to bring us peace in the midst of our worries and the hard things in life.

And taking the time to focus on this makes the celebration of Jesus' birth that much more important. It reminds us why He came.