A summary of parts 2-6

Hitchiker said he would love to see parts 2-6. I don't have the time or ambition to flesh those out retrospectively, but I can give you the outline:
1 be grateful see How to celebrate Christmas *properly* pt 1
2 be content. This flows naturally out of the first and sets you up for the rest. Contentment is not complacency. Contentment says 'God is good all the time and all the time God is good'. It is a wilful choice to accept what is yours. If you've ever been around a person that's content, you know what I mean. They're like a big comfy couch: welcoming, comforting, refreshing and encouraging all at the same time
3 be generous. If you haven't done 1 and 2, you're stuck. Go back. Like our words are the overflow of the content of our heart, so generosity is the overflow of our stuff... our material blessings. This is easy for a few of us whose love language is giving and receiving gifts, but for the rest of us it falls somewhere between almost like work and downright impossible.
4 be creative as a way of being generous with who you are instead of just what you have. These are the gifts you really remember. Like the time your kids gave you coupons for them to do things for you.
5 be thoughtful - the gift that is most desired or needed may be a couple hours of your time, your listening ear, a hug or the like
6 be patient and don't overschedule - it helps you savor the joys and gives you time to do the others without exhausting yourself
and 7 be extensive... don't stop celebrating just because the calendar says to. see How to Celebrate Christmas *properly* part 7

A reason, a season, a lifetime

You've gotten that e mail, I'm sure stating that friends come for:
- a reason: either you have a need they can meet or they have one you can meet
- a season: a period of time which seems to start and end at the Lord's discretion
- a lifetime: obvious

We'll I've just had a ministry that left me. It seems it's season was over... at least for now. This ending has been bitter-sweet to me. Bitter in the sense that I hate to stop doing something I enjoy which also helps men and women get to know my Lord or get to know Him better. But sweet in the way it happened.

I have been asking for wisdom in the use of my time for a long time and a month or so ago, a friend said, "Maybe it's time to let something go..."

I talked to my wife Karen at length and she said "Maybe you should let it go..." Then there were my two accountability partners, Brent and Craig. Each of them counselled the same. Then there was my Thursday morning mens group: Dave, Rusty and Joe who said the same kinds of things.

Seems like sometimes the best thing I can "do" is to stop doing something that's season is past.

PS You know it's been too long since your last post when you forget your blogger password. my apologies.

How to celebrate Christmas *properly* - Part 7

No, part 7 has nothing to do with Independence Day... There was a well planned series intended to occupy the space between part 1 and 7. None the less here is part 7: Extend your moderated celebrations (part 2) as long as possible.

You see I have the good fortune of having a January birthday. If you
don't, fret not as there is yet much hope for you. See, on average, one in twelve people has a January birthday. Therefore collect friends and acquaintences until you find one.

Here are photos of a birthday fondue celebration at the Melting Pot Restaurant in Independence Mall in Wilmington DE. with (clockwise from left) my wife Karen Kohler, Betsy Burton, Anita Rafetto, Rod Rafetto, Kevin Kohler and our host, Steven Kohler It just so happens that Rod's wife Anita's birthday and mine fall on the same day.

The point of Part 7 is plainly this: The most important thing about Christmas is that we celebrate Jesus Christ's birth. But we could do no worse dis-service to His mission and legacy than to end our celebrations there. His mission was most broadly seen as He walked among common folk and met needs. The coup d'etat of His mission is celebrated the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox, which a few of us call only Resurrection Day. Therefore, in my opinion, the more our celebrations focus on meeting the needs of people around us and remembering His death and resurrection, the more deeply satisfying they will be.

On the above pictured day, we met our own needs (and a whole lot more) and I suppose no one elses... but we did relish the Resurrection and what it meant to each of us and at least in part because of that, I really enjoyed myself.