Children

Christ Our Life

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 
Colossians 3:2-4 ESV

It was so early that the sun was not even thinking of rising and I was snuggling deep under warm covers when I felt a little hand on my shoulder. As I pried open one eye, I saw the smiling face of our 5-year-old son Ben. “Can we get up Dad?” He asked. “It’s already 6 o’clock and it’s Christmas!” Hearing the eagerness and joy in his voice, any thoughts of being annoyed evaporated. Ben just couldn’t sleep even one more minute, because he was thinking of all the fun of opening presents. That is one of my sweetest memories, but every morning as we wake up, a far less endearing list of questions gets thrown at us. “What will we do first? What will we eat? What will we wear?” Now it’s normal for a five-year-old to be anxious on Christmas, but if we allow anxious thoughts to drag us out of bed every morning, they will change our choices, manipulate our moods, and govern the words that come out of our mouths. They are hoping to hurry us on, without stopping to pray. Their plan is for us to open packages of impatience, selfish thoughts, and nasty words. But today’s verse has wonderful news for those of us who are Christians. It reminds us that we have the ability to say, “No!” to those dastardly door knockers, and “Yes” to the Christ, who is already living inside of us. We may not be able to see Jesus, but by faith we can turn to Him. He is far more than just a part of our day’s agenda. He loved us and died so we could freely receive eternal life. Since Jesus is our life, let’s get up and open the gifts that He has waiting for us today!

A Christmas Gift For David

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:40 NLT

This morning as I was planning this year’s nursing home Christmas outreach, I remembered how long ago a group of our 7-8-year-old Sunday School children came to sing carols. Their sweet voices as they sang in the dining room was amazing. They sang every song that we could think of, from Away in a Manger to Jingle Bells. The residents loved it and as we finished, the parents crowded in, snapping photos of their dear ones. Maybe the best part was the cookies made by one of the teenage girls. No one cared that they were just a shade overbaked, and as they passed them out the younger children tagged behind handing out Christmas cards and introducing themselves.

Just as our program was winding down, I remembered that, with no extra staff available to help, the residents of the respiratory unit on the second floor had been unable to come. So, I rounded up a small troupe of kids along with two parents and their Sunday School teacher, and then we headed to the elevator. The respiratory ward was populated with some of the youngest of those in the facility. Some had been in a car accident, others a stroke and one or two in the late stages of multiple sclerosis. After bringing our little flock to sing a couple of carols for a few people who I had met before, we headed down the hall. Suddenly, I heard a stranger’s voice calling. “Oh, if you have time, can they please come sing for David?”

“Absolutely!” I said, hoping that their parents didn’t mind that it was getting late. As we started into the room we saw there was a young man, lying in bed, with a breathing tube hooked up to his trach, and sitting nearby was his mother. The children timidly filed in around his bed and then with a little help from my guitar, started to sing. I don’t remember all the songs, but I vividly recall everyone’s tears flowing as the children finished the evening by singing Silent Night.

As they sang, sleep in heavenly peace” the sense of God’s peace was so amazing, that I was reminded of the first Christmas. On that night another child lay helpless, and he shivered, until Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in the hay. Only at Allied Skilled Nursing, there were no wise men with gold, frankincense and myrrh. Instead, our children left a Christmas gift of hope, and their little smiles and timid waves as they said their good-byes reminded us that, no matter where we are, God remembers. And this Christmas, Jesus still waits for both wise men, and children to come and worship on their Silent Nights as well as in the middle of their busy days. I never told our children, but their newly made friend David lived only a few more weeks, and the gift they gave had been far more precious than they could have ever known!