Christmas in September?

Pin It It was a year ago that I did this...

I asked the question, and got the right answer...

Now, I'm going to do it again.

Would you like to come? I'd love it if you would.




So, just how do you get invited? Oh…it’s easier than you think. If you're reading this blog, you already are; if you live nearby, I’d love for you to come celebrate it with me.

When would it be? September 19th from 7:00 p.m. until around late-thirty; come and leave when you want.

Here’s how it works...

Send me an email and let me know if you need directions OR would like to RSVP by means otherwise than commenting (teachinfourth@yahoo.com). Be sure to put “Christmas in September” in the subject line. Bring a present you wouldn’t mind getting for your birthday, and then come to the party with your favorite Christmas desert.

We will be having a “gift exchange” where, if you bring a gift, you pick one from under the Christmas tree when it’s time for you to go. Take it home, and enjoy the present…after all, everyone should get presents on my birthday, shouldn’t they?

We’ll be having hot chocolate, Christmas tunes, and projected holiday films in the ‘underground cinema.’

I do ask one thing though…if you have kids in my class (or who will be in the near future) I humbly ask that they do not attend with you…they’ll think they’re getting special treatment and we just can’t have that now, can we?

See this weekend...

I was too lazy to change the date on the GIF, it really IS on the 19th...

The Christmas without a tree

Pin It I was reminded the other day of a Christmas I celebrated while I was a missionary in Litchfield, Illinois a decade ago. I remember this particular Christmas because it was the first year I’d ever celebrated the holiday without a tree. My missionary companion wanted to get one, but I told him about a family I knew back in Washington, the Dixons, who’d celebrated the season without one.

I told him about how they’d instead gathered branches, and with pieces of twine, had constructed a manger they’d filled with straw. I told him how they’d placed their presents to each other underneath the manger—a visual reminder of the greatest gift, the one which was given to us all on this holy night we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

That year, I wanted to do the same thing. So my companion and I collected branches from the neighborhood and constructed a manger for our little flat, garnishing it with white lights to help us remember the true ‘light’ of the world. In the manger we’d placed a careworn blanket and the gifts from our families were positioned below it.


That was the year that I really started to understand the true meaning of Christmas…after all, it’s far too easy to lose oneself in all of the goodies, the beautifully decorated tree, and friends who come a-calling. Sometimes we forget the reason we really give gifts when we’re skirmishing crowds at busy shopping malls and department stores.

The true meaning—and reason—for Christmas I think it is summed up wonderfully by Linus van Pelt, from Charles Schultz’ cartoon, Peanuts.



Let us not forget.

What does one ask for on their birthday?

Pin It One could only begin to wonder what the best item might be.

World peace? It probably wouldn’t last…

Happiness? Nope, you have to find that for yourself…

Money? I’d just end up spending it…

More time? I’d probably just use it to get older…

A birthday party with Jesus?

Now you’re talking!

We celebrate Jesus’ birthday in December. I was born in September. What better way is there to celebrate both birthdays together than to have “Christmas in September?”

How do I get invited? Oh…it’s easier than you think. To all who read this blog, you are already invited. If you live nearby, I’d love for you to come celebrate it live with me, for those who live elsewhere, take a photo of your ‘vicarious event’ and email it…I’ll post it after the festivities.

When would it be? September 13th from 6:00 p.m. - ?

Here’s how it works…

Send me an email and let me know if you need directions OR would like to RSVP by means otherwise than commenting (teachinfourth@yahoo.com). Be sure to put “Christmas in September” in the subject line. Bring a present you wouldn’t mind getting for your birthday. Come to the party with your favorite Christmas desert and be prepared for a fun time.

We will be having a “gift exchange” where, if you bring a gift, you pick one from under the Christmas tree when it’s time for you to go. Take it home, and enjoy the present…after all, everyone should get presents on my birthday, shouldn’t they?

We’ll be having hot chocolate, Christmas tunes, and projected holiday films in the ‘underground cinema.’

I do ask one thing though…if you have kids in my class (or who will be in the near future) I humbly ask that they do not attend with you…they’ll think they’re getting special treatment and we just can’t have that now, can we?

See you in two weeks.

It just slipped out...

Pin It I stood between the two boys on the playground. It was obvious that they were still upset with each other, and that’s when it slipped out.

I didn’t mean for it to…it just did.

“Would Jesus do that?” I couldn’t believe it, the second the words left my mouth, something inside of my brain seemed to register what I’d just said.

Goodbye separation of church and state.

Well, it wasn’t as if I’d planned on saying it, right? I had been almost tricked into saying it, really. As I’d listened to the two boys complain about each other, and why they’d each done what they did, the conversation kept coming back to: “Well, during Scouts at the church…” and “At church he said this when we were in Scouts…” There was so much talk about church going on that I couldn’t help saying what I did, right?

Well, now that I’d said it I thought, “Holy cow! What do I do now?” Well, there was nothing which could be done at this point other than to run with it…

“Well, Joey?” I asked again. “If Jesus were here would he have been making fun of Sam when he couldn’t throw the ball? Could you see him yelling, ‘Hey, Sam! You’re a loser head! You can’t do anything right!’?”

Joey looked at me with wide eyes. “Well, no. Jesus wouldn’t do that.”

I turned to Sam. “And Sam,” I said slowly. “If Jesus were here would he start pushing people around and hitting them?”

How could you argue with that? Who can argue with Jesus? That’s right…nobody. Nobody can mess with the Big J!

Sam also looked to the ground, as if wishing it would swallow him up. “No, Jesus wouldn’t do that to anybody.”

“Well,” I said, feeling like I were once-again a primary, instead of school teacher. “If Jesus wouldn’t do that stuff, why do you two do it to each other?”

Both boys looked at me, each other, and then back at the ground.

“I wonder what I should do,” I said, eyeing them both. “It would be easy for me to just give you both an action slip and then be done with it. However, I don’t know if that would solve the problem. After all, you two would still go on secretly hating each other, wouldn’t you?”

The boys stared blankly at me as if into an oncoming headlights of a Mack Truck.

“So you tell me what to do. Do you want to work it out, or should I just give you each an action slip?”

More silence.

“Well, it looks like I get to choose.” I said. “I guess it’s action slips for both of you.”

Sam looked devastated, but Joey replied, “But Jesus wouldn’t do that either.”

Touché

Okay, I have to admit, I made up the last three lines; mostly because it was a lot funnier than what really happened. As it turns out the boys decided to work it out, and then be “sort of” friends after that. However they did promise not to be mean to each other anymore…this was fine with me because I really didn’t want to be dealing with this problem in the first place.

We ended the peace talks with vows to be better toward each other. At this point I gave the ole’ “you-guys-can-do-better” pep-talk. We ended with a group hug, and then went back to our classes all feeling a little more loved and understood.

After all, that’s what Jesus would have done.

For you...

Pin It Sometimes life can turn on a dime. We feel that we know what the future will bring and yet, sometimes we are given little surprises...some good and some not so good.

You know who, this one is for you. Never forget that He who calmed the waters and winds is mindful of each one of us.

Storms...and He that Calms Them

Pin It

Remember when I said that I had a soundtrack to my life?

I do.

I remember when I compiled the varied songs that there were far too many to simply have a one, or even a two-disk compilation. There are just too many songs which have become interwoven into the threads of my experiences. Their words, as well as the emotions they invoke, would also need to be included in that simple “soundtrack” to my life.

I needed more.

I went for a walk tonight, enjoying the crisp, evening air and the empty streets a Sunday night always seems to provide. It was nice to be outside and away from the things in a week which, at times, has been hectic and draining for me. As I was walking on a road overlooking the city, I stopped to gaze at the lights spread out below me…

In this vast panorama which lay before me, I could imagine a veritable trove of people, all with their individual lives and problems, struggles and challenges, joys and accomplishments. As I stood looking out over the city, it seemed so calm, so quiet. Into my mind came the words from a song I’d first heard many years before, as I drank in the calmness all around me, I felt at peace.

The calmer of the storm does look down and He sees us all, and is mindful of everything we experience in our lives. All of our pains, trials, and everything which bombard us each day; I need to remember to take the time to raise my eyes and not concentrate on the waves crashing around me.

My favorite stanza from the song is the following:

“There on the storm I am learning to let go.
The white wave’s high, it’s crashing o’er the deck
And I don’t know where I go.
Where are You Lord? Is my ship going down?
The mast is gone so throw the anchor…
Should I jump and try to swim to land?”

Thank you, Calmer of the Storm.

Calmer of the Storm
Down Here

When everything is wrong
The day has passed and nothing’s done
And the whole world seems against me
When I’m rolling in my bed, there’s a storm in my head
I’m afraid of sinking in despair.

Teach me, Lord to have faith
In what You’re bringing me will
Change my life and bring You glory

There on the storm I am learning to let go
Of the will that I so long to control
There may I be in Your arms eternally
I thank you, Lord, You are the calmer of the storm.

You rebuke the wind and the waves
Once again I find I’m amazed by the power of Your will
‘Cause I’m a child of little faith
I feel the wind and forget Your grace
And You say, “Peace, be still.”

Teach me, Lord to have faith
In what You’re bringing me will
Change my life and bring You glory

There on the storm I am learning to let go
Of the will that I so long to control
There may I be in Your arms eternally
I thank you, Lord, You are the calmer of the storm.

Oh when the torment blows
The middle of the sea.
May I never trust, never trust in me.
‘Cause there in Your arms I find
No tragedy.

There on the storm I am learning to let go
The white wave’s high, it’s crashing o’er the deck
And I don’t know where I go
Where are You Lord, is my ship going down?
The mast is gone so throw the anchor
Should I jump and try to swim to land?

There on the storm, teach me God to understand
Of Your will that I just cannot control.
There may I see all Your love protecting me
I thank you Lord, You are the calmer of the storm.

Hinckley Viewing

Pin It I drove up to Salt Lake City on Friday the 1st of January. As I did, I felt an overwhelming urge to attend President Gordon B. Hinckley’s viewing at the Conference Center. I drove around Salt Lake until I found a spot to park my car...five blocks or so from my destination. I began to walk, pulling my jacket up around my neck as I greeted the bitter cold gusts of wind. I was alone as I walked and thought of this great man, this prophet of God.

As I neared the Conference Center I found myself in the midst thousands of people who were also there to bid their final farewells to the man who’d made such a great difference in their lives. As I began to walk past the lines circling the building in order to find myself a place in it, I overheard one of the men on duty explaining to the line, “From here, you’re looking at two hours outside and then two more once you get in the building.”

I stood, watching my breath drifting in the air before me and talked on my cell phone to my dad. As I told him about the four hour wait and needing to get up to the Tremonton area, he responded with this:

“You know...if President Hinckley were permitted to speak from beyond, he’d tell you to go, saying something to the effect of: ‘My brothers and sisters, I appreciate and am flattered by your diligence and resolve, standing here in lines around the conference center for my viewing, however, it is much too cold. Please go home. The best way in which you could honor me is to live lives which reflect the life of our Savior, even Jesus Christ. Be the best person you can possibly be.’ ”

It was after this thought that I walked to the nearly-deserted grounds of Temple Square. It was strangely quiet and there were no crowds. I did an awful lot of thinking about the Prophet as I passed the granite walls of the temple. I thought of his words…those he’d given on numerous occasions.:

“You are good. But it is not enough just to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others.”

“Let us all try to stand a little taller, rise a little higher, be a little better. Make the extra effort. You will be happier. You will know new satisfaction, a new gladness in your heart.”

I hope that we can all incorporate these words into our lives.

Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy

Pin It

There are those things in life which really make you think and bring your perspective back to where it should be.

I was recently given a link by a friend of mine, Summer, to a clip on YouTube. The clip is of a phone conversation between Logan, a 13 year-old boy who lives on a Nebraska ranch, and a radio DJ for 89.3 FM KSBJ. This is a Christian radio station which broadcasts from Houston, TX.

Logan made a phone call to the radio station very upset because he had to put down a calf that he loved. The message he shared made me think of what is truly important this time of year, and that no matter what challenges we are called to face in our lives, Somebody knows and understands what it is that we are going through.