A New Twist on the List

By Hally Franz –

I made a bold move during the Christmas season of 2012. After years of considering, even threatening this particular change, I made the move. I did not send cards, letters or pictures out for the holiday – no festive stamped correspondence at all. It was a tough thing to give up. I like the tradition and enjoy receiving greetings from friends and family, but this season I felt I could spend my time better in other ways.

So, as we begin 2013, I am going to expand this mindset of reducing. Typically, my resolutions are in the form of tasks I hope to accomplish in the New Year. I resolve to: cook healthier meals for my family, maintain a regular routine of exercise, complete scrapbooks for our family’s last ten years of vacations, read more, write more, clean out my basement and so on. The list is pretty much the same each year, because the same tasks usually remain undone from year to year.

This year, I am staging a revolt against the standard resolution list that I make annually. Perhaps, “revolt” is too strong a word. I am not really a revolt kind of girl. Given the fact that I just used the word “girl” to describe myself, I may be delusional, but revolutionary I am not. Let’s call it a simple rebellion.

My 2013 resolution is to cut back. For many of us, those working both outside and in the home, our lists of obligations and duties tend to accumulate over time. When I left my school counseling position a few years ago I had an open slate for a time. Soon, though, I had taken on a variety of activities connected with school, church, my kids’ extra-curricular activities and more. Now, I often find myself overwhelmed with tasks and no closer to accomplishing those resolution items that linger.

It’s time to eliminate stuff from my life, both literally and figuratively. I think I will start by examining what I do and why I do it, by really asking if this is something in which I need to continue investing my time and talent.

Maybe you’ll want to give it a try. It’s daring to be sure. I’m committed, though, and when asked what my New Year’s Resolution is for 2013, I’ll proudly announce that I am not taking on anything new; I’m just going to do a lot less!

PRAYER: Lord, guide me to make good choices in my life. Give me wisdom to select the activities and goals that You deem worthy and in accordance with Your plan for me.

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42 NIV).

“Emergency, Emergency”

By Jarrod Spencer –

“What are you going to be when you grow up?” If you ask my son this question, his answer will be “a fireman.” Over his short forty-seven month life, he has told us that he is going to be a Chinese-food worker, a Pizza Hut worker, and a few other occupations when he grows up. The latest, a fireman, has come after being introduced to the movie “Fireproof.”

Wanting to be a fireman has invoked a wide range of imaginative play. He takes the plug-in side of a cell phone charger to be the walkie-talkie that a fireman uses. He has used his bicycle helmet to be fireman’s helmet. He uses a small oatmeal container with a bungee cord through it as an oxygen container. It is rarely a dull moment when his imagination is in full swing and “Fireman Caleb” comes out to save the day.

Recently, I picked up a play fireman’s hat for him. The other night my son was going through his pre-bedtime ritual when I heard him exclaim, “Uh oh, Dad, your razor is in the toilet.” I ventured into the bathroom to find that one of the attachments to my mustache trimmer was located at the bottom of the toilet. My fourteen-month old daughter decided to exercise her new talent. As I reached into the water my son exclaims, “Emergency, emergency!” He had gone into his room to put on his newly acquired fireman’s hat. Now he came into the bathroom with only a t-shirt, underwear, and his toy fireman’s helmet. As I pulled the attachment out of the toilet, I couldn’t help but laugh.

As I thought about this situation, I think that God must have his moments where He watches us scurry around in our “emergency” situations and is thinking, “Relax, I have this all under control.” Do you go through situations like that? However, in the grand scheme of things they are pretty little? Maybe it is losing your keys, missing a turn, forgetting an assignment at home, or a host of other issues we face.

Does God become worked up over those types of examples? I seriously doubt it. So why do we?

Are you in the middle of an emergency? Remember that God has these things all under control.

PRAYER: Father, may I rest in You. May your Spirit prompt me to rely on You and not me in matters I deem as an emergency.

BIBLE VERSE: “’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42 NIV).

The Christmas Plan

By Carin LeRoy –

Last Christmas season I set aside a day to do my holiday baking. Homemade treats for family and friends would make nice gifts. I baked several mini cakes and then started making candy. Everything was going well. The cakes were in the oven, and the candy neared completion. Then a distraction caused me to burn the candy. When removing the mini cakes from their pans, they fell out in crumbles and chunks. Frustrated, I made a second batch of candy, only to have it fall out of the refrigerator and cover the floor.

It wasn’t a good day. All my time, effort and money accomplished nothing. About that time, my hubby walked in and looked at the mess in the kitchen.  Hearing my complaints and seeing my frustration, he suggested we go out to eat. I walked out the door with him and left my baking disasters behind. My plans to have homemade treats as gifts were unsuccessful.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there were those who wanted to destroy God’s plan to send a Savior to earth.  Hearing from the Magi that the King of the Jews was born, King Herod thought his throne was threatened. He searched to find baby Jesus to kill him. Angels appeared to the Magi and to Joseph in dreams to warn them, and they were able to avoid King Herod and escape his evil plan (Read Matthew 1-2). God was able to accomplish His plan and purpose to send a Savior to the world for the forgiveness of sins.

In Proverbs 19:21 we read, “Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Isn’t it great to know that God’s plans and purposes always succeed? Even though we have days that don’t meet our expectations, we have a God whose power accomplishes all that He has intended. Our lives are in His hands, and he is able to accomplish His every purpose.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, that Your purpose and plans always succeed. Thank You for the gift of Your son, Jesus, who came to earth to provide us with forgiveness of sin.

BIBLE VERSE: “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matthew 2: 13-15 NIV).

Black and Blue

By Hally Franz –

There are two types of people—those who shop on Black Friday and those who do not. I love Black-Friday-shopper types. Typically, they are outgoing and adventurous folks, fun-loving with just a pinch of crazy that I appreciate in people.

I am not a Black Friday shopper. On the day after Thanksgiving, I’m on the floor surrounded by boxes and bows, and my daughter and I wrap Christmas gifts that I have purchased weeks earlier. We watch holiday movies and work at ease. I deliver doses of cocoa to my husband and son as they work on the “exterior illumination”, and we founder on snacks and chili. I am nowhere near a crowded parking lot or cash register.

Consequently, I’ve had nearly all my shopping done since early November. And, while I avoided Black Friday, my annual weekend shopping excursion did leave me with a case of the blues.

After spending almost an hour in one of my favorite stores, I emerged with two bags of pampering products. The lighter and lesser bag included lotions and hand washes. The other was a great deal heavier, full of oil burners and candles. Its value was $84.26.

Shopping with my mom and sister, I evidently set the bag down and it didn’t make it to the van. I didn’t realize I’d lost one until we arrived home the next day.

I called several stores and the mall office, but the bag hadn’t been turned in. I then began going through the process of grieving the lost bag. First, there was guilt. How could I have been so careless? I imagined my frugal father wincing and shaking his head in Heaven. I chastised myself for drinking too much diet soda; we all know it kills brain cells!

Next, I entered the anger phase. Why had no one returned my bag? I would have. I wondered how someone could just take the gifts painstakingly selected and purchased, especially at the holiday season. I was indignant over the situation!

Finally, there was acceptance. I thanked God our family would be fine without the wasted $84.26. My husband works hard for each dollar, and they all have a place to go, but we are blessed, and it’s okay.

So, what’s the $85 lesson?

We make mistakes, and the world is full of sin, but His birth gives us hope. And, that’s what makes it all okay.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, while our lives are complicated with problems, errors and sin, You are eternally perfect, righteous and holy. Thank You for Your Son and the eternal gift of hope.

BIBLE VERSE: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21 NIV).

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbomb

By Hally Franz –

Red wire ribbon and cardinals—that might be my first choice. Given recent events, and the fact that I am geographically a member of “Cardinal Nation”, I need to clarify that I am referring to  the beautiful winter bird rather than the team. Although, I know of one family who may very likely have a tree dedicated to this year’s World Series Champions.

If not the red tree, I’d like a gold and silver one with lots of shiny balls and bling. And, it would be fun to have a miniature tree in my kitchen, all decked out with tiny copper cooking utensils. Truthfully, each year as I visit Christmas stores, I admire the fabulous, themed trees. They are color-coordinated works of art. Some of them are so stunning they look good even hung upside down. Imagine that! So, each year I lament that one day I will have a themed tree in addition to our humble Franz Family tree.

What our tree lacks in design, it makes up for in variety. There are airplanes and apples, reflective of the careers my husband and I have had in aerospace and education. There are a few pickles, symbolic of an old German tradition, which I can’t accurately remember now. Some ornaments are souvenirs from summer vacations, a pair of kopeli from Arizona and twin pirate ships from the Outer Banks.

Though it is not fashionable, it could be functional. If there were an accident nearby, it would double as a first-aid kit. There are countless cotton balls and tongue depressors available by simply cannibalizing a few of my children’s handmade crafts. Of course, I would hate to do that, but what choice would I have in an emergency situation?

Our tree is not coordinated, but maybe that makes sense. Perhaps there is symmetry in the fact that this secular symbol of Christmas is humble and simple. After all, our holy symbols reflect the humble and simple scene of Christmas. Each year, as we place our nativities around our home, we are reminded of the birth of Jesus, which was anything but fancy. It was, however, beautiful and designed to perfection.

Does humble equal stunning, simple equal fabulous, and lowly equal grand? It may not when we are talking Christmas trees, but, where God is involved, you bet it does!

PRAYER: Father God, remind Your children during this holiday season of the eternal beauty in the lowly birth of Your Son, and in all the wonders of Your hand.

BIBLE VERSE: “And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them” (Luke 2:7 NIV).

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