Pastor Jay //

It is traditional at the Raines’ home to set up our Christmas decorations around Thanksgiving time so that we will have time to enjoy them through the holiday season. Everyone seems to have their own traditions about when to set up the tree. I have often heard people tell of their own family traditions regarding the “setting up” of Christmas. However, I don’t recall as many people telling about how they “pack up” Christmas. There is nothing really very exciting about packing it away. After the house is canvassed for all the Christmas paraphernalia, and all of the red, green and gold items are placed safely in their respective storage tubs and boxes, the house looks so bare. Inevitably, there will be that one item of Christmas decorations that was missed from being packed away. At our house it is usually the Christmas welcome mat or the door knob hanger at the back door - another reminder of how quickly Christmas comes and goes each year.

The difficulty for many after Christmas is that there is so little left after the holidays are over. We were in such a hurry to get there that we let it pass right by us like a train that left before we could board. Take your cues from the mother of Christmas. Mary, the mother of Christ, had a remedy for the “packing up blues.” Luke 2:19 says, “But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.? (NKJV) What was it that she kept? She probably didn’t keep the gifts, since the wise men were two years away from coming (Matthew 2:16) and those gifts probably financed their Egypt tour anyway. So, what did she keep? The memories: the angel Gabriel, the story the shepherds told, Joseph’s dream, the unforgettable moment of first holding Creator God in her arms? The events that happened in those moments, have changed our lives forever. We cannot pack up Christmas. How could anyone fit it in a box? We can only pack up the wrappings and trappings of Christmas. The birth of Jesus effects us every day. So, go ahead and pack up the decorations with joy. Joy because while packing it away you can celebrate that Christmas cannot be packed away. Christmas for us simply means a beginning instead of an end. Christ entered the world and brought hope that can never be removed, stored away or hidden from us. Merry Christmas!

Joe and Becca Dowdy (and children) are preparing to leave for Krakow, Poland. Please pray for them that they will have a smooth transition and find the work that God has for them. Keep up with their lated news at their blog. See their intro video…

Video

Don’t worry, I won’t give away the story (assuming you’ve never heard it), but I did go and see the “Chronicles of Narnia” today with my family. First, I was concerned that it might be difficult for my children (8 and 6) to see, but in the end I trusted the ratings and read as many reviews as possible. I was not dissapointed and neither were they. The critics have little to criticize in this first installment of the Chronicles. I have noticed some out there who are criticizing Lewis’ allegory of the Gospel, but they obviously don’t realize Lewis’ own disclaimer that it was not intended to be allegorical. It is a fantasy of how God might interact with another world (ie. Narnia) if there was such. This film is a great discussion starter for families. Try leaving the movie with these discussion questions:

This story has strong moral/ethical content. Consequences for good and evil actions are clearly shown and true redemption is shown as the greatest hope. As you leave the theater you are thrust out of the wardrobe with a new insight into what it means to be mature and giving to others. It teaches leadership, compassion, justice, love, faith, courage, allegience, and friendship. In a day where Harry Potter leads the box office with its darkness and magic, we should rally to the theater to support family friendly and moral films such as this with its brighter and more redeeming “deeper magic”.

Aslan is on the move.

In honor of the upcoming release of Chronicles of Naria: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, I have updated the look and feel of the site. I would encourage you to look into the writings of C.S. Lewis. He was a tremedous Christian. Many have come to know Christ because of his writings and influence. I have enjoyed listening to the radio drama version of the Chronicles for the last couple of months anticipating the release of this movie.

While Lewis admits that these stories are not an allegory of the Christian life, you will notice many parallels with our world and our faith in Christ and this “other world” called Narnia. Even though there are many parallels, you will have to be careful not to make too many connections between Narnia and our world. Enjoy.