A Halloween Manifesto

I have a confession to make.  

I'm nervous about Halloween.

Not tonight, or even October 31 next year.

I'm nervous about having to answer my son's questions about Halloween a few years from now. 

Right now he's tiny and cute and innocent and literally knows nothing about the world. But as he grows up, he's going to be faced with a lot of things - good and bad. And it will be my responsibility, as his mom, to help shape his worldview and form his faith. To teach him which category this day fits into, or if it is maybe not as black and white as that.

Which is why I'm writing this post.

I have no idea where I'm going with it but I decided to start it anyways, mostly for my own good. Like a good piece of Jazz music, it will likely be left unresolved, but I decided it's the process that counts.

I have friends and family all over the spectrum - those who, every year on October 31st, carve pumpkins, dress up their kids and go door to door asking for candy; others who dim the lights, lock their doors, and remain silent; and still others who choose 'alternative celebrations.'

But this post isn't for them.

Nor is it for you. Well, perhaps you can get something out of it or contribute to the discussion...but this time it's for me. I have titled this ''A Halloween Manifesto'', which basically means a declaration, a formulation, of my own thoughts and beliefs. I'm writing as a Christian, a believer, a Jesus-follower. I can't say what other people should or should not do, nor can I judge unbelieving friends and neighbors (like I once heard, why should I expect people who do not know God to act like those who do?). I do, though, welcome your input and would love to hear your experiences and perspectives.

Okay, here it goes...

Here in Germany, Halloween isn't quite as big of a deal as it is in North America, but it's becoming more of a 'thing.' In our small village we don't get trick or treaters, but I met a girl today from our neighborhood who is planning on going to a Halloween party tonight and is dressing up as a zombie.

Personally, I have different Halloween memories from my childhood. There are pictures of me dressed up as a nurse, preparing to go trick or treating with other neighborhood kids. Another time I remember going to a church-hosted party with costumes, candy and games. (Actually it isn't so much the party that I remember, but the fact that on the way there, we ran out of gas and my dad had to hitch hike back to town to fill up a container while my brother and I waited in the car with my mom. Must have left more of an impression on me than the church event!)

And tonight, what will I be doing? Either going to bed early after I put my baby down to sleep, or maybe watching a movie with my hubby (and arguing over whether the popcorn should be sweet or salty =D)

Trying to find out the origins of Halloween is nearly impossible. There are those who claim that it is a pagan, dark celebration, other sources that say in olden times it was celebrated as the transition from summer/harvest to winter, and still others who assert that the roots are actually Christian, having something to do with ''All Saints Day'' on November 1st.

Personally, the origins aren't what make or break it for me, since the same questions and debates could and do surround Christmas and Easter. What matters to me isn't how it started, but how I respond to it NOW. 

I must admit, there are aspects of Halloween that are an obvious ''no-no'' for me since I cannot reconcile them with what I know of Jesus and His word:

• Black and darkness - when Jesus said that He, and we as well, are the LIGHT of the world
• Death and tombstones - when Jesus once and for all defeated death by His own sacrifice and offers abundant LIFE instead
• Scariness and evil - when Jesus offers His Shalom PEACE and God is intrinsically GOOD
• Witches and ghost - when the Bible clearly says to not have anything to do with witchcraft, and the only Ghost we should be filled with is the HOLY Ghost
• Pranks and ''trick or treat'' - when the Bible teaches HONESTY and condemns fools
   

Now, I have nothing against dressing up. I myself dressed up as princess on my wedding day (that's at least how I felt =D )

And I don't think it's a problem to knock on your neighbor's door. (Maybe we should do that more often.)

Candy and chocolates tastes yummy.

Pumpkins are fun and cute.

So what's the big deal?

There's a passage in Ephesians 5 that has helped form my perspective on Halloween. It says:

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

 
Certain facets of Halloween are, I believe, ''fruitless'' (or even destructive) and dark. I don't think they are worth celebrating, and I want to live as a child of light.

But in this same chapter, a couple verses later, it states:

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Understanding what the Lord's will is - that's what it comes down to, doesn't it? But I have to admit that's not so simple. 

Does ''making the most of every opportunity'' also mean making the most of Halloween? Of course! 

But the question is - HOW?

Should I decorate my porch and give out sweets wrapped in Bible verses to eager children as a way to share my faith?

Or should I intentionally avoid the whole thing, using the opportunity to explain to neighbors why I don't participate in such activities?

Or maybe a few years from now I will invite my son's friends to an alternative event - fun without the dark side, if you want to think of it that way.

I don't know.

Maybe this is one issue that, as the Apostle Paul wrote, is ''possible but not beneficial'' (1 Corinthians 10:23). 

Maybe there is no right or wrong.

But either way, it requires a decision. If I say yes, it shouldn't be because I simply go with the flow and do what everybody else is doing. And if I say no, it shouldn't be because I'm afraid of the ''dark'' side of it affecting me (greater is He who is in me!).

Today, many people are wishing one another a ''Happy Halloween.'' Do you find it a day worth  celebrating? Why or why not?

Easter Treats and Truths

Our little one isn't even born yet, but I did something today that I think I want to turn into a tradition and do every year with my kids at Easter: baking with a purpose! (What can I say...I'm a teacher at heart and if I can combine a meaningful lesson with fun and food, why not? :) )

These 'Resurrection Rolls' are yummy, fun to make, and a great symbol of the true meaning of Easter. You simply wrap a marshmellow in dough, and when the rolls are finished cooking, the inside is hollow and empty - just like the tomb was!

He is not here: for he is arisen! (Matthew 28:6)

You can make these sweet treats using pre-made crescent roll or Pilsbury dough, but since we don't have that here in Germany and I like to make things from scratch anyway, I've included the instructions for everything (adapted from Love From Scratch.) Below are some snapshots of my afternoon...

To begin with, the ingredients (this makes about 48 rolls):

1 1/2 cups scalded milk 

2 eggs

6 cups flour 

2 teaspoons salt 

4 Tablespoons sugar 

3/4 cup butter 

3 teaspoons yeast 

1 cup butter 

1 cup sugar 

2 Tablespoons cinnamon 

48 marshmallows

And now, the directions (simple but time consuming):

Combine first 8 ingredients. Let rise until doubled. (I let mine rise for about an hour, and though it hadn't doubled it worked out fine)

Divide into 48 balls and flatten. 

Mix sugar and cinnamon together. 

Dip marshmallows in melted margarine, then into sugar mixture. 

This represents the oils and spices that the body was prepared with after the Savior's death. 

Wrap roll around a marshmallow, sealing completely.

This represents his body being laid in the tomb.

Sprinkle the top of the rolls with the sugar mixture. Place them in a large greased pan and allow to rise till double (approx. 35 min). Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

And enjoy!

(A few tips from my experience...the pans really should be greased, even if using parchment paper like I did, since the marshmellow 'bursts' and leaks, leaving a sticky mess. Also, next time I think I would use only half a marshmellow per roll - you get the same effect, without the roll popping open during the baking process.)

HAPPY EASTER! He is risen!

Don't Forget Where You Came From...

1:30am, downtown Toronto City, Canada. August 2013.

We had come in two vehicles, excited to celebrate our friend's upcoming wedding and have fun at a Bachelorette party. And fun it was! A dinner cruise on the harbor, dancing, Starbucks espresso shots, night view from the CN Tower. Good times!

Then it came time to part ways and hop back into the cars to head home. Five of us headed toward the Parkade. We walked the downtown streets in our skirts and high heels, passing pizza shops that were closing down for the night, and construction workers who were just starting their shifts, taking advantage of slower traffic after midnight to finish bridge repairs.

So we walked...and we walked...and we walked...and we walked. Somehow, in the midst of our girly giggling and picture-taking and time together, we could not remember where we parked. I had driven into the city with the other 5 girls, so unfortunately I couldn't be of any help as we tried retracing our steps, even asking a security guard for help at one point after we'd been walking around lost for over an hour and a half.

[Side Note: never get lost in Toronto!]

Not only are there a bunch of parkades in the city, but after awhile, they all start looking the same. Did we drive up, or down? Was the signage black, green, or red? Were we on level 3 or 4? Did we enter from this corner, or a block further down? We passed hundreds and hundreds of cars, but none of them were ours. 

Photo Credit: Led Lighting Toronto

Long story short, we were getting worried (especially since all of our cellphone batteries were slowly dying), tired, and frustrated. We decided to go back one more time to the very first parkade we started in before calling someone for help.

Lo and behold, we walk in and go up a level, clicking the remote for the car alarm, and HALLELUJAH we hear it beeping! Found. Never had we been so relieved, and never had we been so happy to arrive safely back at home and catch a couple hours of sleep before the rehearsal the next day.

We all knew we'd look back on that situation and laugh about it some day. Some day. But you know what the most embarrassing part was? Driving out of the parkade, we noticed BIG signs written in BOLD letters posted all over the beams of the parking garage - "Please make note of where you park!" Oooooops. 

If there's one thing I learned from that adventure, it was this:

Don't forget where you came from.

Canadian Thanksgiving is coming up in a week, and it's a perfect opportunity to REMEMBER where we came from. Like the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 77:11-12 - 

"I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 

 I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds."

Our past doesn't define us, but it is a part of our story and we need to remember where we came from. Frustrated with your spiritual growth because nothing seems to be changing? Consider where you were a year ago. Under financial pressure? Remind yourself of how the Lord always came through up in the past. Tempted by pride? Consider Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 - "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

Don't forget where you came from. It will help you get to where you need to go.

(Coming next week...pictures from our Canadian Thanksgiving Celebration as some German friends of ours are introduced to this feast for the first time!)

Ebenezer (no, not Scrooge...)

There is an old hymn that I love, but unfortunately, like many familiar songs, I often go over the words without understanding what they really mean. Verse two of "Come Thou Fount" is one of those parts that I often sing without really worshiping.

"Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I've come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood"

What exactly is an Ebenezer, and why does the person who wrote this song want to raise one? They were for sure not talking about Charles Dickens or A Christmas Carol. And definitely not referring to cold hearts, traditions, or even Christmas at all.

Instead, the reference is to Samuel, the Israelites, and the Philistines. Yes, from the Bible...

The story is recorded in 1 Samuel 7. The Israelites were in the hands of the Philistines (their enemies) because of their own mistake, and the Lord had raised up a prophet - Samuel - to deliver them. The people of God repented of their idolatry, determined to serve the Lord only, and Samuel offered a sacrifice to Yahweh.

"He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car."

The Lord always responds to the worship of His people. One of His names in the Bible is DEFENDER (but that's a topic for a different post!) and He responded in this instance by wiping out Israel's enemies. 

So what did Samuel do? "¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the Lord helped us.' ¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again."

There it is - Ebenezer. And it's meaning is the second line of that verse in "Come Thou Fount" - Hither by Thy help I've come. Or, as Samuel said, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

The Ebenezer stone was to serve as a reminder of the works of the Lord and His faithfulness. Abraham did something similar throughout his life; every time he had a significant experience with God, he built an altar in that place and worshiped there. Or it's like the story in Joshua 4 where, after crossing the Jordan, the people were told to take 12 stones (1 for each tribe of Israel) from the river, and build an altar on the other side. The reason? "In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

There should be times in our lives where we "raise our Ebenezer" and remember with gratefulness what God has done for us. And those times should happen often! Times like Christmas and Easter are natural seasons to reflect on the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, but we need more than that in our everyday, personal lives. We need to develop a culture in our own spiritual lives and families where we celebrate how the Lord has provided, protected, guided, spoken, comforted, equipped, encouraged. 

So...what is your Ebenezer? What do you use as a reminder for yourself, a testimony for others, or as a symbol for the next generation, of what God has done in your life? Are you building "altars" in your life - places of remembrance, places of celebration, places of significance?

It's not about "spiritual photography" and trying to preserve memories, emotions, or experiences. The Christian life isn't about trying to live from one high to the next! But we are going from "strength to strength" and are called to keep our gaze focused straight ahead; and at the same time there are moments where we need to look back, to remember where we came from and what God has taken us through. 

For me, one practical way of celebrating and remembering is by journaling. Each week, I try to read through my journal of that point in time the year before, and it is always amazing to be reminded of what the Lord taught me, the decisions I was faced with, how God provided, etc. It's often easy to forget that it's "by Thy help I've come."

Another idea my husband and I are beginning (inspired by Pinterest) is this "Remembrance Jar":

We have an empty jar that we will fill throughout the year with notes about good things that happen, funny moments, etc., and on New Year's Eve we'll empty it and look back on 2013, praising God! 

Another simple way to honor God for what He's done in your life is by telling others about it! The power of giving testimony is often underestimated in Christian circles, but do you realize that it's one of the ways we overcome the enemy (Rev. 12:11)?! We proclaim God's acts before a "cloud of witnesses" (Heb. 12) and that confirms to us what took place, and at the same time asks God to do it again in the lives of others. If He can provide for me, He can provide for you. If He healed me, He can heal you!

And one more practical way that my husband and I try to be intentional in is the discipline of giving. When we are generous with our money (whether it be tithing to our church, helping out a friend in need, or sponsoring a child through Compassion),we are reminding ourselves that God has blessed us so richly, and as an act of faith that He will continue to provide, we raise the "Ebenezer" of our wallets and say "Thus far has the Lord helped us."


So where has the Lord helped you? What markings can you set up, what traditions can you develop or have you developed that help you celebrate and remember the help of the Lord?

I'd love if you shared your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below!

 

Easter Tree

Somehow, year after year, Easter always creeps up on me. But it surprises me differently than Christmas does. Usually when I realize it's Easter time, I don't think "Oh man! Where did that come from? I'm running out of time to do everything I've planned to do!" Instead, I think, "Umm...what do we do now?"

I don't know why I'm more into Christmas than Easter. To be honest I don't think it's about being "into" either of them! Christmas seems to be much more commercialized, and maybe that's why I plan for and anticipate it a month ahead of time. Easter, on the other hand, sort of just happens, and our family never really made a big deal out of it. We used to meet up with extended relatives and share a meal together, but over the years it's become less significant, and unfortunately in my mind now it is often just a nice long weekend.

But I want it to be different. 

If I am intentional about trying to put the right focus on Christmas (namely, celebrating the birth of Christ), then why am I not as intentional with celebrating the true meaning of Easter? They go hand in hand - the birth of Jesus, and his death and resurrection.

So I'm in the same frame of mind right now as I was back in December. What traditions can my husband and I initiate in our family that can make Easter deep, meaningful, and celebratory? I don't actually care too much if December and April are the "real" dates of Christ's birth, and the Passion. I think it's great that there's a time carved out in the year anyways where Christians can gather together and celebrate with intentionality. And hey, these are the two times of the year where the most people go to church, even those who don't normally attend! If we don't share the true message of the Gospel now, when will we?

Anyways, being here in Germany, I'm discovering one cultural tradition: Easter Trees! People take "Frühling" (Spring) branches and hang little decorated eggs on them. It was definitely different to see all different sorts of these on neighbors' lawns, kitchen tables, etc., but I liked the idea enough to make one of my own...
  

Ta-da!

I made the 3-D paper eggs by myself using this online tutorial  (click here).






















Maybe one reason I don't decorate as much in the spring is because I'm not a huge fan of light pastel colors - pink, yellow, etc. Usually I go more for dark, rich colors (notice our brown wall!) But it's still fun to have a little brightness in the house. 

I made 7 eggs for my tree, so I thought I'd blog about 7 promises/reasons for hope. Mogi's parents have chickens out back, and it's nice to be able to get fresh eggs all the time. It's amazing how you can feed chickens all your leftovers, and basically anything, and in turn they produce food for you! A genius system! But it's a cool picture of what God does - he takes all our crap, our pain, our sin, and turns it into something useful. Eggs also symbolize new life...which is what Easter is all about!


So, with Easter weekend coming up, here's my reflection on 7 things that Christ's death and resurrection accomplished:


1) Forgiveness and Freedom from the punishment of sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Christ died so that we wouldn't have to! Our debt is paid! This is the most basic principle of Christianity, and I know I overlook it too easily. It is a powerful truth!

2) Freedom from sin. Not only are we saved from the wages of sin...we are saved from sin. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...." (Galatians 5:1). Instead of being a "slave to sin" as the Bible puts us, we are now slaves to righteousness. And ironically, that is the most freeing thing ever! Christ gives us grace upon grace, but that doesn't mean we can use it as a license to do whatever we want. (Don't even get me started on that - my favorite topic! I'll save it for another post.) Suffice it to say, sin doesn't rule our life anymore. We aren't bound by its temptations and the destruction it brings.

3) Eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Not only is the punishment that we deserved dealt with, but we have the promise of a life forever with God. When I was young I tried to think about how long "eternity" is. My brain hurt after awhile!

4) Strength for this life. Life as a believer in Christ isn't just about the future - it concerns today, too. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) Because Christ didn't stay dead, but rose from the grave, his life-sustaining power is available for us today. He knows what we're walking through and wants to help!

5) Purpose. "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10) Being created "in Christ" means that our lives are  also now resurrected...restored. We have a purpose to fulfill! Our lives are not meaningless; they were intentionally designed by our Maker.

6) Healing. Christ's death brought about spiritual healing, yes, but he also died so that we don't have to deal with sickness and death and weapons of the enemy like depression, bitterness, generational curses, etc. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

7) Victory.  "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work." (1 John 3:8) The "Résumé" of Satan is to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But Jesus came so that we could have life, and life abundantly (John 10:10). Putting our faith in Christ means He has authority over our lives. We are his children, and no one can snatch us out of His hand. Through Christ we are "more than conquerors" because we know His love for us is unchanging (Romans 8:37).

{So, my friends...Happy Easter! May you rejoice in the reality of the forgiveness, hope, freedom, life, purpose, victory, strength and healing that is available in Christ!}

Questions for discussion:

- What are meaningful Easter traditions in your family?

- What does Easter mean to you?

- Who is Jesus to you?

- Are you living in the abundance that Christ died to offer you? (If you think you're not, leave a comment, or write me an email - I would love to pray for you!)

A New Year...

What do birthdays, funerals, weddings, anniversaries, Communion, Easter, Christmas, and New Years all have in common?

{Celebration & Remembrance}

On every birthday, we're remembering, in some way, the coming of that person into the world, and celebrating their life. At funerals, we may be mourning, but we are remembering the person who has died and celebrating the life they lived. At weddings and anniversaries we celebrate love and relationship. Communion, or the Lord's Supper, was instituted by Christ, and he said to drink the cup and eat the bread together in remembrance of Him. Paul explained the ritual this way: "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). It's a continual reminder of the New Covenant - freedom, hope, and grace in Jesus. At Easter we remember Christ's death, and Christmas is a time to celebrate His coming into the world as a human baby. And New Years...

New Years is a big deal in Germany, I discovered! When we got home at 2:00 in the morning on Saturday night there were still people with their children out on the streets, lighting fireworks and visiting. It's crazy how one event can unite a village! We got together with some friends and ended up walking to a bridge nearby, where we stood in the pitch black and pouring rain, watching colorful fireworks flying up from the surrounding villages in all directions. Kind of a cool sight, I have to say!

And as I lay falling asleep, I wondered, "what is the point of all this?" Good food, good drinks, good company...all for what? And I realized that New Years, also, comes back down to celebration and remembrance. Not everybody had a good year in 2011, but it's still a celebration - either of the good things that happened, or celebrating that it's over. It's remembering what we journeyed through in the past year and celebrating what's coming in the new year.

Celebration and remembrance is very biblical, and I think it's an important discipline that we, as Christ's followers, need to cultivate. Isaiah 46:9-11 says,

"Remember the former things, those of long ago;
   I am God, and there is no other;
   I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
   from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
   and I will do all that I please....
What I have said, that will I bring about;
   what I have planned, that will I do."

What a promise! God's purposes remain the same, no matter what happens. He will be faithful to finish what He has started in each of our lives. This chapter also says, in verses 3-4, "Listen to me....you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

Faith means remembering who God is and taking Him at His word - choosing to believe that He will do what He says He will do. His purposes will stand and He will bring about what He has planned. And it is in remembering His faithfulness in the past that we are sustained in the present.

A couple weeks ago during a church service we were singing the song, "You are great...You do miracles so great..." I knew in my head that God is a Great God and capable of doing wonders, but the words from Habbakkuk 3:2 became my prayer: "Lord I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known..." My prayer is that God would reveal Himself in a new way this year as the MIGHTY God, able to "do more than we could ever ask or imagine," in my life, in the life of my family and my husband's family, in the ministries we're connected with, etc. And I felt Him answer me this way:

"If you want to see Me work, to stand in awe of My deeds once again, you need to learn how to worship. I inhabit the praises of My people. I come down as you lift Me up....when you give Me the glory I deserve, I prove Myself. And as you thank Me for the past, I will reveal new things to you. As you celebrate My works and remember Me, you will experience more."

Celebrating and remembering are acts of worship. They fix our eyes on Christ and open us up to the new things God wants to show us. Read through the Psalms and see how much of the songs and writings there are based on God's actions in the past toward His people Israel. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! 

So I compiled a list of some of my own celebrations and remembrances of 2011 - ways the Lord proved Himself faithful and mighty. Here it is:

• blessing us with good community and friendships
• leading us to Germany and confirming that this is His will
• providing for us over and over, specifically financially, and with free furniture for our new apartment
• bringing people into our lives to encourage us in our marriage at the right time when we needed it, and using us to encourage other couples at the right time as well
• continually patiently teaching and refining me
• stirring up my gifts and passions

This is the Great God I serve. Acknowledging everything He's done over the last year gives me great anticipation for 2012. That's a bit of my list of celebration and remembrance...what's yours?

Traditions

Sunday lunch at Oma's after church: roast beef with homemade noodles and salad. That has become a tradition for us since moving to Germany. It is great to spend time with family on Sunday afternoons (and not need to cook!) Of course it isn't complete without coffee and cake too, and maybe a game of Uno or singing together. We've already built such great memories!

With the Christmas season coming up, other traditions come to mind too. Placing everyone's Christmas stockings out on the couch on Christmas Eve. Family coming in from out of town. Helping my mom set the table with our fancy dishware. Going to a church service. A girls' sock exchange. Playing with my nieces and nephews...and their new toys.

Now that I'm married and we're spending Christmas in our own house, we've been considering what type of traditions we want to establish. It's kind of odd to think about. How do you make traditions? They seem to be one of those things that just "are." One of those things that has always been, and will continue carrying on. But I know how easy it is for traditions to become meaningless. Often churches get criticized for being "too traditional" and not open to anything new, or stuck in their old ways. But I know the same thing can happen in families, or in the lives of any of us personally.

I heard a quote once: "Tradition is the living faith of the dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living." And I think this makes a powerful point! Traditions in themselves aren't a bad thing––at one point, someone started them and it was a meaningful, symbolic expression of their faith (not just in a spiritual sense, but an outworking of what they believed to be important). The problem is when we adopt these traditions and they are not alive to us anymore. Maybe like going to church, or reading your Bible. Activities that once had a deep importance can easily be swallowed up by routine.

In the Bible, especially the Old Testament, God asked his people to establish some important traditions.  Actually, he commanded them to celebrate. Exodus 12 describes how the Israelites were to celebrate Passover, in order to commemorate the day the Lord freed them from the Egyptians. Very specific instructions were given, and God clearly said, "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance." Exodus 23 talks about three annual festivals that were to be celebrated: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering.  These festivals were to carry on through the generations in order to honor the Lord and remember what he had done. Exodus 12:26-27 says, "And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”

Symbols and traditions are powerful, but they can be misunderstood or not used to their full potential if we don't understand the meaning of them. Thus the Lord instructed his people on how to teach their children and pass down traditions. Two years ago Mogi and I visited a Messianic Jewish synagogue for a church service, and it happened to be over the weekend of Purim (corresponding to the story of Esther and how the Lord delivered the Jews from the evil plot of Haman).  This was one of the most alive churches we've ever been to! The meaning of what they were celebrating seemed just as real to this congregation as it would have in Esther's day. It was powerful to witness, and we couldn't help but be drawn into the celebration as well. This is what I call living faith! Yes, it's a routine, and yes, it's been going on for ages, but those who participate in the traditions today understand the significance and it still impacts their lives personally.

So I want to be intentional in what we do around Christmas time. I don't want unhealthy things to become traditions, nor do I want the season to pass by without significance, or memories. One thing we did this last week that we would like to carry on in the coming years is the celebration of Advent––the four weeks leading up to Christmas, symbolizing the anticipation that was in the air before the birth of Christ, and now anticipation for his Second Coming.

We gathered together as family, and Mogi read some Scripture as we lit the first Advent Candle:

A German *tradition* is to make your own Advent wreath (Adventskranz), so last Friday a few friends invited me to join them, and they taught me how to do this homemade craft. It was fun! It caught the creative spark in me, and so this week I've been doing other decorating.







I wanted to share a few of the ideas I've been working with, and I'd love to hear yours as well! Please feel free to post pictures or links or leave comments about what your traditions are, or ideas for affordable crafts. Unfortunately it is so easy to get caught up in consumerism during the Christmas season, so we've decided to spend less and be creative with what we already have. Here are a few of my creations (and again, please feel free to share with others you think would be interested in this topic by hitting one of the buttons below for Facebook, Twitter, or Email).

A simple display on top of our bookshelf: made from twigs from the forest, pine cones found outside, berries from our tree, cinnamon sticks, and a candle I already had.

I used cardboard from a cereal box, scissors, glue, a pen, and a stamp to make these stars.

The only thing I had to buy was a roll of wrapping paper for 99 cents.

And I used these to fill this vase! Sand from the back yard, again twigs, pine cones and berries, with my little cardboard creations. Oh, and ribbon.



This is sitting on the corner of our stairway, and hopefully provides a bit of a festive feel when you enter the house.

And then for another shelf I purchased mini lights and the little white decorative balls, again using twigs and ribbon.









My husband has even been grateful for these little things...apparently he always wanted to marry someone who was creative (which I didn't know until yesterday!) So I'm thankful for his encouragement :-) I think making homemade decorations will also become one of our Christmas traditions that our children can participate in one day.

So these give a bit of an idea of how we're starting off the season (even though fall is just ending and we don't have the snow that Alberta has right now!) But I'd love to know your thoughts! How does your family celebrate Christmas? Or even beyond the "Christmas season", what are meaningful traditions that you've experienced?

Praying that by paying attention to our traditions we can come to know Christ in a deeper way,
Kristyn

He does all things well...

{It was a relatively normal, sunny afternoon as a group of friends were out strolling. But suddenly they heard a commotion down by the water. Eager to find out what was going on, they ran toward the crowd, wanting to be part of the action. And what did they see? A celebrity! In their village! Who knew that he would be visiting them?

Giving a knowing glance to one another, they were ready with a plan. One in their group didn't understand what was going on, since he was deaf and could hardly speak. But his friends took him by the hand, and gently led him down the bank to the sea. They pushed their way through the crowd, their hearts burning inside of them as they got closer to the man they had heard so much about. Would today be the day?

As they inched closer, they noticed that the famous man was looking their way. He had noticed them! Suddenly he came walking in their direction, and when he reached them he took their deaf friend by the hand and led him aside, away from the crowd.

Jesus then put his fingers in the man's ears and, looking up to heaven and breathing a deep sigh, said to him, “Ephphatha!” which means, “Be opened!” At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly!

Jesus didn't want this man and his friends to tell everyone. But they couldn't hold it in! They celebrated with excitement, and soon the whole vicinity had heard about the miracle. All those who heard "were overwhelmed with amazement. 'He has done everything well,' they said. 'He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!' " (Mark 7:37) }

 Chris Tomlin wrote a song, "You Do All Things Well." The chorus goes,

"You made it all
Said, 'let there be'
And there was
All that we see
The sound of Your voice
The works of Your hands
You do all things well"

In my own life this past week I've been reminded that I serve a God who does all things well. I was at a seminar where I witnessed the Holy Spirit do an amazing work in the life of each person who was there. People were healed from physical sickness, they found freedom from their past by choosing to forgive those who had hurt them, they came to know God as a Loving Father, they were delivered from lies that they had been believing that had kept them bound, and they experienced the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of them––being their Counselor and Teacher. In my own life, God spoke very clearly and affirmed the calling he has placed on my life.

The sound of God's voice, the works of His hands...He does all things well! I saw a quote on Facebook yesterday by an evangelist named Reinhard Bonnke. It said, "I don’t play the piano to prove that I have fingers. Yes, of course, I have fingers, but I play the piano because I love music. Jesus doesn’t set the captives free and heal the sick to prove anything. HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE LOVES US."

What has Jesus done well in your life lately? I'm learning that as Christians we need to celebrate more (there will be another post on that coming soon). Let's start now! God is our Creator, our King, our Redeemer, our Father, our Healer, our Counselor, our Shepherd, our Leader, our Bridegroom. How has he demonstrated his love to you?


I've been loving the autumn season here in Germany and thought I'd share some pictures of how I've seen him do all things well in creation lately: