| Use the Christmas celebration season to work on strained relationships. Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year for some, while for others, it might feel the most challenging. The holiday season offers a perfect opportunity to extend friendly greetings or gifts to those with whom we have strained relationships. To make your gesture even more meaningful, include a cherished memory of a good time you once shared. Cosmic Significance? Tim Mackie of the Bible Project thinks our relationships have cosmic significance. And that’s totally how the biblical story works…. It’s a story that’s trying to train us to see that our daily relationships and experiences have cosmic significance. The word cosmos refers to the vastness of everything. Tim Mackie believes that how we get along with our people has eternal consequences. He continues with an example of one of his children. “How I respond to my son when he is having a tantrum… is like, here I am, I’m at the tree [in the Garden of Eden]. What am what am I gonna do?… It [the Bible stories] becomes a lens through which to see your own life experience.” Click here to listen to the half-hour discussion. To hear the quote, fast-forward to the 4-minute mark. Or go to Bible Project / Classroom / Jacob / Session 3 Tim’s belief stems from a thorough study of the book of Genesis, which meticulously details numerous stories about God’s people, fractured family relationships, and the repercussions of those stories. Consider the tales of Cain and Abel, Noah’s sons, Abraham and Lot, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, among others. This theme of the long-term consequences of how we treat others is woven throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Forgiveness I find it helpful to distinguish between forgiveness and reconciliation. Genuine forgiveness from the heart is something we can achieve with God’s help. However, reconciliation requires both parties to want to make amends and rebuild trust. We can initiate this process with a kind gesture, such as sending a card or gift at Christmas, and see where it takes us. The Christmas Idea 1. Seek God’s guidance through prayer for ideas that honor Him. Notice if you sense you are taking a risk of obedience. 2. Avoid seeking attention or praise; perform these acts quietly to receive God’s full reward. 3. Refrain from adopting a superior attitude; lead with humility and a servant’s heart. 4. Remember, your actions are like a birthday gift to Jesus. The other person’s response is not your responsibility. Give the gift, and let it go. 5. Notice how God fills your heart with indescribable joy afterward. Your thoughts? |
Emotional Programming
| Some people believe that we are all emotionally programmed by our family of origin. Consider the following examples. Syncing Up With Mom  Lucy and Paul both want to sync up with their mom at the same time. When babies are young, they try to “get inside their parent’s heads” to understand how life on earth works. As they mature, Christians become less dependent on their family of origin and more on their relationship with God. Two Scenarios Imagine a baby born into an anxious family where the parents react with fear to many situations. They pass their anxiety on to their child.Now, consider another child raised by parents who ooze love, confidence, and faith in God that everything will turn out well.These two children will approach life differently when they leave home at 18 to find their paths. Which one would you rather have for a boss?Which one would you rather have for an employee?Which one would you rather be? We cannot change our past,But we can work on our issues,And we can positively influence everyone God puts in our lives. Understanding this fundamental concept helps us show empathy when others behave erratically.They are battling unseen struggles.Our duty is clear: Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself—all of our hearts and all our neighbors. How Does This Work? What is Happening?  Ezra (Rachelle’s baby, Ross and Karin’s grandson) and Lucy and Paul This photo reminds me of how we are born into bodies and how our tasks in life are: a) To learn how to treat ourselves and b) To learn how to treat those around us. The apostle Paul struggled with these challenges well into adulthood. He found that connecting to God with all his heart was the crucial first step. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25). These two ideas are critically critical biblical themes, and our choices have eternal significance. Thoughts? |
Favorite Photos
 The Chief of the Small Lizards in our front yard in Brazil lost his prestigious brown and striped suit. Now he is a vulnerable blue for awhile, easily visible to the Peregrine falcons that also share his space.  The trees in our yard in Brazil are full of songbirds.   God created melodic songbirds and cool lizards partly so that we could learn more about His creative, lavish nature. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).  We arrived back in Abbotsford, BC, Canada a few hours ago, a) to welcome our third grandchild to the family, b) to spend time with the twins, c) to spend Christmas with family, and d) to have as many coffees and meals with our support team as possible. We’re here until mid-January 2025. |
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