Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of you're predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival; although, I am to be remembered at ALL times.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching that explains who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgot that one, look at John 15:1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local mission: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day with me and home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love and obey Me. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I LOVE YOU.

Sincerely,

God

Did you know that Christmas is actually a dangerous season?

If we read the Christmas story as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke (Chapters 1-2) and Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapters 1-2), we will be struck by some very interesting and challenging stories. I propose that if we take these stories seriously, they will radically change our lives. So I would advise all of us that reading this series of blogs may be dangerous to our minds, lifestyles and behaviors.

Do you remember the story? An angel visits a young, Jewish teenage girl and shares with her that she has been chosen to bear the Christ-child into the world.

Now it was the hope of every little Jewish girl that someday the Messiah would come into the world. It was also her hope that maybe, just maybe, she would be the privileged woman to bear this gift to the world.

Now have you ever hoped for something with all your heart, and then one day your dream comes true? If this has happened, do you remember how nervous you were? How you could hardly catch your breath? Words just escaped you? Your mind went blank? So you can imagine the breathtaking experience this was for Mary.

So the angel tells Mary what is about to happen - and Mary responds with these words, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."

We have a saying that many of us say, rather, easily, "Let go and let God." This is what Mary says to the angel, "I am going to let go and let God do what God wants to do!"

This week we will be faced with challenges which will test our faith. Will we say as quickly and sincerely as Mary, "God, I am yours; whatever you say, let it happen!"?

Be careful how you answer.

2006 (c) Ronald Friesen

One of the most well-known indictments of Jesus was that he ate with the social rejects of this day: "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."" (Matthew 11:19)

Even to this day, many people are offended by this Jesus!

One day Jesus told a story about a man who threw a big banquet and the invited guests didn't show up. So the man sent his servants out to highways and alleys to bring the poor, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the oppressed to the banquet. Jesus said that his way was like this banquet giver! (Luke 14) More significant - those who followed the Jesus' way would be like this man who threw this banquet.

Many people want to put a limit on God's welcoming love - either for themselves or others.

If Timothy McVeigh had been alive in the first century, would Jesus have eaten with him? What about Hani Hanjour? Adolf Hitler?

Here is the problem, if you say, "Jesus would never have sat down and broken bread with a McVeigh or an Hanjor or a Hilter!" then what guarantee do you have that Jesus would sit down with anyone who is imperfect.

The scandal of Jesus is that he would sit with any of these men and eat a meal with them.

And because he would have - he would also sit down with you and me on our worst day!

So if the welcoming love of Jesus would welcome the worst of the worst among us - then here is the Good News - then he would welcome you and me!

And if Jesus is going to welcome you and me to the banquet table, who should we be to decide who else is welcome?

So whatever your state of life - come and receive the banquet invitation!

2006 (C) Ronald Friesen

One day Jesus encountered a blind man. He asked the man if he wanted to be well. The man said, 'Of course!' Jesus touched the man's eyes and asked him what he saw. "I see people walking around looking like trees." So Jesus touched his eyes again. "Now I see people!"

Many of us are like this half-healed blind man. Some of us are happy with a little bit of healing. I just want to get 'a little bit better.' Being half blind is better than being totally blind. We settle for half the loaf when we can really have the full loaf.

Part of the problem is impatience. I have met people who don't have the patience to do the full range of physical therapy treatments. Then they complain about the therapist!

Remember, no pain, no gain. The discipline required to get the healing - to stick around and receive all the benefit - is too trying, to arduous, too taxing. So we settle for a little bit of healing

A bigger problem is that we think we are only worthy of a little bit of healing. Lost in our self-pity, we talk ourselves into being open to a reduced portion of the healing available to us.

So today, remember - Don't settle for just a little of healing to get a little bit of comfort - go for all that God has for you!

Rejection is hard to take!

Have you ever gone into a store, wanted some help, not found any and gone home empty-handed?

I was about 80 miles from my home when a hose broke on my car. It was a Saturday. I was in a small town with one garage and one auto parts store. The garage did not have the part I needed. I was directed to the auto parts store. It was 11:55 AM when I walked into the auto parts store. I had hardly started explaining to the man behind the desk my predicament when he said, "I am closing in 3 minutes. I am going hunting. Goodbye!" With that he turned and walked away. I stood there with my mouth open. He could have charged me $100 for a $15 hose - I was completely at his mercy. He decided that his own personal plans were more important than serving me - his customer!

Sadly, I must say that I have met churches and followers of Jesus who act like this storekeeper.

How different the life of Jesus! First, he decided to leave the comfort of a heavenly palace and take up residence in a smelly stable as an infant. Then he lived in a non-descript town called Nazareth. When he walked the landscape of Palestine he did so with little assurance of being welcomed or accepted in any home. In fact, he spend nights sleeping in the hills of Galillee.

His simple life was marked by welcoming the seeking soul. It could be a filthy rich, crooked tax collector like Zaccheus or a woman of unknown repute who shared with him some water from Jacob's well. Or it was a woman of known ill-repute who broke into a party who poured perfume worth several days' wages on his feet. Or it was another woman who apparently was caught in the act of adultery who was told, "Your sins are forgiven you. Go and sin no more." Or it was a rich young ruler who sincerely wanted to know the secret of getting into heaven, who was challenged by Jesus' words to sell what he had and come follow Jesus.

You will notice Jesus didn't invite people to attend the local synagogue (Jewish place of worship in Jesus' day) when they were looking for hope, faith and forgiveness. He simply invited them to come and be with him.

And so it is today. Followers of Jesus invite seekers to come to follow Jesus with them. This may be over a cup of latte at Starbucks, in helping building a home for Habitat for Humanity, to provide a meal to some homeless people.

If you are reading this and wondering how come your experience of followers of Jesus has been a lot like my experience at the auto parts store in a little town in the middle of Arizona, I want to ask you to forgive my sloppy friends who say they are followers of Jesus who didn't heed your heartfelt cry for help. On behalf of them, I ask you forgive us.

I invite you to again reach out to Jesus. Even a simple, "Help me, Jesus" is a prayer that he welcomes and wants to answer.

And if you are a follower of Jesus, I urge you - for the sake of Jesus and his name - welcome the seeking who come into your sphere of influence!