THINKING ABOUT CHRISTMAS

When we moved to Florida one of the things I asked myself is, “How would we enjoy the anticipation of Christmas when it just doesn’t look or feel like the Christmas I’ve celebrated in New Jersey for 67 of my 68 years?”  

 The gloomy days I love that feel like snow is in the air are absent.  No snow at all is predicted in the Florida forecast, not a flake!  Christmas decorations are turning up on businesses and at the mall but my brain just can’t handle it.  It’s sunny and warm and everything is still so green!  Instead of sweaters, socks and closed shoes, I’m still wearing sandals and capris and short sleeve shirts, and using the AC in my car.  It can’t be nearly December!

My daughter Becky and I have talked about this quite a bit because we just love the weeks leading up to Christmas and the weather – it’s chilliness, it’s gloom, the threat of snow – all of it contributes to the sense of excitement and anticipation.  There’s a feeling in the air in December that generates joy.  She and I are happy in our baking and shopping and wrapping and thinking of what to give neighbors and friends and family for Christmas.  But here in Florida it doesn’t FEEL like Christmas at all!

I had determined that when we came here I was going to take this change in traditional Christmas weather in stride.  I decided that I was going to remember that first Christmas.  We celebrate Christmas in December but many say that Jesus was probably born in the spring.  Why do they say that?  In that part of the world in winter, it would be unlikely that shepherds would be out in the field keeping watch over their flocks.  It’s too cold.  

And of course, Jesus wasn’t born in a climate like that of New Jersey.  It was desert like, dry, and warm.  I picture green shrubs and trees, maybe some palm trees too.  Kind of like Florida (only it rains a lot more here).  

But then the reality of the incarnation of Jesus gripped me as I listened to Christmas carols on my Christian radio station.  Christmas isn’t about the anticipation of snow.  It isn’t about a chill in the air.  It isn’t about presents, or baking cookies, or Christmas trees, or wreaths.  It doesn’t matter if chestnuts are roasting on an open fire.  Christmas is about the coming of Jesus!  

There is nothing more wonderful, nothing more highly anticipated than the celebration of the coming of my Savior.  

If it never snows another flake.  If I never get another present.  If I never bake another cookie.  Whether it’s cold or hot, gloomy or sunny, nothing changes this awesome FACT:  Jesus came on that night more than 2000 years ago and nothing will ever be the same.  EVER.

AH, TO BE CONTENT

It has been about six weeks now since we made the biggest leap of our 45 years of married life and moved half the country away, relocating from New Jersey to Florida.  

When we arrived in mid-September it still felt like August.  It was very hot and humid.  Since I carry my own post-menopausal heat source with me at all times, I spent most of my days indoors, while Jim, somehow, sat outside all day in the sweltering heat, seemingly without breaking a sweat.  

Now however, just a few days from the start of November, the days begin in the high 60’s, so we have our coffee outside on the lanai.  Some days are a bit humid, others are gorgeously dry.  In the afternoon, the sun can still get pretty hot, but several days recently when I went out to the pool to cool off, I have had the gorgeously warm water all to myself, what pleasure!  And then every evening, when the breezes are blowing and the temperatures have dropped to the mid-70s, we eat our dinner outside. Sometimes I have to ask Jim to pinch me because it’s hard to believe we actually get to live like this!

After suffering from a very uncomfortable jaw and terrible nights of sleep for weeks after we got here, I went to a dentist and was prescribed a night guard, protection from grinding my teeth at night and putting stress on my jaw.  By the time the guard was ready (3 weeks later) my jaw no longer hurt!  The stress of selling a house, and moving out, and then in, to a new place in a new state was finally behind me.

We’ve been attending a wonderful church down here, which is a bit of a distance away.  It has so many ministry activities that sound great to us – Bible studies, tutoring in a local school, ministering to the shut in, mission trips to the Dominican Republic – but we have decided not to get involved in any of those kinds of activities in this time of transition.  We filled our Samaritan Purse Christmas Child boxes, donated things to a school outreach, and I’ve volunteered to bake for another fund raiser – but otherwise we’re keeping a low profile.

Having seen the movie, War Room, back when we first arrived, I find I’m content to spend more time in Bible study and prayer, asking the Lord to do in the lives of those for whom I pray the things only HE can!  These times are very sweet and uninterrupted by other activity.  

Before we left New Jersey Amazon had a good sale on Rosetta Stone so I bought level 1 Spanish and have been spending delightful time refreshing those lessons I had all those years ago in high school Spanish.  Only Rosetta Stone makes it way more fun!

Our house in Davenport finally has walls and a roof and it’s exciting to think of moving in.  But for now, Jim and I are really content – and after months of fixing up the NJ house, then wondering what it would sell for, how long it would take, when the closing would happen, etc. – feeling content is wonderful.

Every day we have something for which to feel so grateful to the Lord – green all around, swimming in October, eating outdoors (which we loved in NJ!), uninterrupted quiet times, the friendliness of the people here, a bigger kitchen to prepare meals in, two great churches to attend (here in Ft. Myers, and also in Davenport), and many opportunities to seek the well-being of this place where the Lord has us.  

And lo and behold, I now have a dishwasher!  I never dreamed having one could be such bliss!

A TALE OF TWO MEN

BIBLE QUIZ!!!!  Are you ready? Who are Diotrephes and Demetrius and where in the New Testament do you read about them?  

 

Sound of Jeopardy theme. . . . . . . . . . . Time’s up!!

They are two men of whom the Apostle John refers in 3rd John, verses 9-14.

Of Diotrephes the Apostle says:

•  He loves to have the preeminence in the church
• He refused hospitality to John and those he sent

• (Instead) he “pratted” against them with malicious words (pratted: to talk foolishly)

• He wasn’t content just to refuse to offer hospitality himself, he also forbid others from offering hospitality, even putting them out of the church for wishing to do so.

 

John said that when he came to visit, he would call Diotrephes on his deeds.  And then he had some harsh words to say:

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.  He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.”

Pretty strong words coming right after John's description of Diotrephes!  

John sees the fruit of this man’s life – both words and deeds – and says, don’t imitate this guy.  His deeds demonstrate that he does not know God.

Have you ever met anyone like Diotrephes at your church?

• Maybe he’s bossy, or proud, always drawing attention to himself?   
• Maybe she avoids hospitality – not because she’s shy, or has a small house – but so as not to let anyone get close enough to see the REAL, HYPOCRITICAL her.

What kind of testimony does that person have in the church, do you think?  

I would think not many would want to be friends with someone like that, or serve together in ministry, or feel free and safe to express a true opinion.

I’m thinking people would be afraid to cross her for fear of getting snubbed, thrown off a committee, or facing her disapproval and possible censure, or of having their head bitten off!

Okay, now the hard question, “Have you ever BEEN that kind of person?”  

John’s opinion of Diotrephes is that his deeds indicate the condition of his heart – he doesn’t know God.  

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty confident I belong to Jesus, and so I do know God – and yet. . . . . sometimes I am capable of actions like that of Diotrephes.

• Far too many times pride wells up in me.  I may not tell anyone about it because it shames me, and I might just avoid hospitality so no one knows that about me.
• Sad to say, I’m also capable of malicious words – maybe not always vocalized – but often thought.  
• Sometimes when I don’t agree with something someone did or said, I’m sure they can read the disapproval on my face.

All of these Diotrephes’ like qualities shame me.

How grateful I am for grace, because when I confess my sins, I know I have received the forgiveness Jesus died to purchase for me.  

I don’t think Diotrephes knew about grace. I take it, given John’s words about him, that he cherished his sin, he did not ask forgiveness, he did not think that his words and behavior were wrong.  He didn’t KNOW the grace of God, and so he was incapable of giving it.  “Do not imitate what is evil, but imitate what is good,” John says.

Then there was Demetrius.  John has just one sentence to say about him:

“Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself.”

And then he says:

“And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.”

Contrast Diotrephes with Demetrius. John’s testimony about the former is that he wants to be first, he is inhospitable to John and other believers, he lords it over those who want to practice hospitality, he speaks malicious words against John.

Demetrius, on the other hand, has a good testimony, not only from John and the other apostles, but from ALL.  

Demetrius is a kind of “what you see is what you get” person.  No falsehood, no wanting to be the center of attention.  The things that describe Diotrephes are not true of Demetrius. His is undoubtedly the person John is thinking of when he says, “Do not imitate what is evil, IMITATE WHAT IS GOOD.”

Here's the rub, both of these men were in the church. 

Which do you think was a blessing to his pastor and church family?  Which had the better Christian testimony before his co-workers and neighbors?  Which made the greater impact for the kingdom of Jesus?  My money is on Demetrius.

Let's make it personal.  Which are you more like: Diotrephes or Demetrius?

What is your testimony among your: brethren, family, neighbors, co-workers, ministry partners?

Would you be one of whom God would say, “Imitate what is good”, or “Do not imitate what is evil!”

John said that when he saw Diotrephes he would, “call to mind his deeds”.  John had every intention of confronting Diotrephes face to face.  

If someone in authority were to call you out for your Diotrephes’ like deeds, how would you react?  

Would you proudly defend yourself, turning your anger on the one who called you out, or would you, in humility, confess and repent?  I asking myself the same questions.

I don’t want to be a Diotrephes, do you?  But when I occasionally commit a Diotrephes like deed, I know what to do - I practice those other words John spoke in 1 John 1:9:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."