New Life'n

How to use the 12 Days of Christmas with the kids

Whether it was originally intended for instruction, or just as a nonsense song for kids, here's how to get a whole new appreciation of the calling birds, gold rings and geese a-laying.

First woman to drive

on Mars!

(it wasn't quite like this)

Behind the familiar story

CT looks at How certain details of the nativity became tradition, and helps us have a fresh appreciation:

The "inn" of most English translations need not be a hotel--it could refer to a relative's home, for instance...It is likely that Jesus was born not in a wooden barn but in a cave or a shelter built into a hillside. The hills around Bethlehem were dotted with small caves for feeding and boarding livestock. Joseph probably had to lead the donkey bearing Mary down a rocky, jagged path into the mouth of one of these caves as she was experiencing labor contractions.

The birth of the Messiah was heralded by two unlikely groups. Shepherds were often feared as a dangerous migrant group on the margins of society. The Magi were probably eastern astrologers who had followed their pagan calculations to the birthplace of the Jewish Messiah.

"I have that legacy to live up to"

 

is what her daughter said.  Her mom was on that seaplane that crashed Monday. 

Carolyn Burke, 58, was returning to the Bahamas from her annual Christmas vacation with family in the Charlotte area. Her husband, David, died years ago, before they could fulfill their dream of retiring together to Bimini to do mission work. Without him, teaching art and talking about Christ to children, she believed she was doing God's work when she moved five years ago to Bimini.

"Carolyn Burke was a dreamer with guts and passion," said Brad Clarkson, worship pastor of Steele Creek Church of Charlotte.

Christmas is generally the only time the family would see her mother, when she'd fly in to Charlotte for a visit with her two children, Kim Wilson and Chris Burke, 34, and four grandchildren. This past week, they shopped, went to the movies to see "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," and looked through old family photos.

When you're living a selfless life and helping others and you belong to Jesus, you're not supposed to die like that, are you?  Where's God's love when that happens?

Churches as businesses

How The Economist magazine sees mega-churches;

Growth in religious organisations is proving just as addictive as it is in corporate ones, and successful churches are reaching deep into business theory to feed their habit. They use strategic planning and strategic “visions” to make sure they know where they are headed.

But it also says

these churches are much less Disneyfied than they appear. They may be soft on the surface, but they are hard on the inside. The people at Lakewood believe that “the entire Bible is inspired by God, without error”. Cuddly old Rick Warren believes that “heaven and hell are real places” and that “Jesus is coming again”. You may start out in the figurative hell of a Disney theme-park, but you end up with the real thing.

No other name

The one on the right wore me out.  'Course it only takes about a half hour to wear me out, but being his grandpa, I've got an excuse.  So he goes and gets a friend who can keep up with him (or better than keep up?; looks like he's a little winded himself, eh?).  And I watch from inside where it's warm.  He wants a #89 Panther jersey for Christmas.  Ohhh, so you like Steve Smith?  Uhh, no, Poppy, it has my name on the back (Smith).  Oh...of course! 

If your name is on your jersey, you're not just a player--you're a player distinct from all the others, and everybody knows who you are.  It's good to learn young that names can be important.  His name is Landis.

"It means being part of something bigger than I am"

From flabby reporter to Marine--how and why...

We often talk about how our policies are radicalizing young men in the Middle East to become our enemies, but rarely do we talk about how their actions are radicalizing us. In a brief moment of revulsion, sitting there in that living room, I became their blowback.

(thx Betsy's Page)

To think about Christmas

Christianity Today has collected some quotes to help...

DESPITE OUR EFFORTS to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin's womb and an empty tomb...

And..

THE HEAVENS cannot contain him; a woman carried him in her bosom.

More here.

A real 'culture war'

Imagine you're the pastor of a small church that meets at your house.  You live in an area where a lot of people got AIDS because of a contaminated blood center. 

You and 100 other church leaders are meeting in a home to talk about how to help the AIDS victims.  Outside, 8 police vehicles with 40 policemen pull up, and you and 28 of your friends are arrested, and your personal property confiscated.  You're charged with holding an "illegal religious gathering." 

Twenty-four hours later you are all released (they keep your stuff), but warned against having any more "illegal gatherings."

Question: Do you go to church on Sunday, even though it's Christmas Day?

Mom brushes teeth, kids take vitamins

A mom nominates herself for worst mother ever:

It all began this morning when I left the children unsupervised while I brushed my teeth. Sticky note to self: You are a mother now; you are not allowed to spend copious amounts of time on personal hygiene! Get over it, lady...