Phyllis' Christmas Story

I have a beautiful nativity scene that I inherited from my mother-in-law. She won it in a 25 cent raffle. The ceramic figurines are all antique white and I have a blue light shining through the back of the stable.

In December 2001 as I was setting it up, I was praying that I would focus on the real meaning of Christmas rather than all the 'to do' things that I so easily get caught up in. As I was standing there looking at Jesus in the manger, words started coming, so I wrote them down:

He's the reason for the season. Jesus is the reason for the season.

The Magi came from the east following the star. The shepherds came from the fields tending their flocks by night. They came to behold the King born to all the world that night in Bethlemen.
He was a babe in a manger, but He was a King, mighty in power and awesome in wonderful deeds to men. He lives forever, this King of ours. Earthly nobility can't touch Him. For He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And His Kingdom will have no end. It endures forever and ever.

Holy is this King and mighty is His glory. It shines forth from the Heavens to all who would but see it. It will one day fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Oh, that all men could see and understand He's coming back again to claim His chosen ones that they may be with Him always and forever established with Him in His glorious Kingdom.

How bright and beautiful that night when He was born to a virgin to be worshiped and adored by all who would come to see Him bringing their gifts of love.

Thank you, Father, for your wonderful gift to the world in our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.

-Phyllis Pesch

10 Questions: Yutaka Kawase

Q: Where were you born?
A: Tokyo, Japan

Q: What is your middle name?
A: Do not have one

Q: What is your favorite chip flavor?
A: Plain

Q: Favorite season?
A: Spring

Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Neither

Q: Your childhood dream job?
A: Chemist

Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Gloves

Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: Steak

Q: Breakfast Food?
A: Oatmeal with Fruit

Q: Dream vacation spot?
A: Spacious Mountaintop Retreat

An Edwards Christmas Memory

My dad had a Christmas family tradition that drove me, my sisters and brother crazy. He would make us wait to come down on Christmas morning.. we could only come downstairs when we heard the music playing.. sometimes it would be Rudolph.. sometimes it would be a Christmas Carol.. sometimes I think that it would be Hawaiian music.. my dad loved Hawaiian music.. we just couldn't come down until it played. I remember waiting at the top of the stairs thinking that he would never play the music.

Fast forward about 20 or so years later and yes.. you guessed it.. I continued that tradition with my children.. of course the music was better.. but my kids still moaned and groaned as they waited. Some of my sweetest memories are espying them as they excitedly sat waiting at the top of the stairs for the music to start.

-Bob Edwards

A Sanchez Hawaiian Christmas Memory

We were invited to spend Christmas in Hawaii with older friends, who were devout Catholics. Tony and I were not Christians yet. We were young parents with two young children in tow.

Even though it was Hawaii I expected that we would have a tree with my special ornaments at Christmas. When we arrived in Lanai we were told that there were no Christmas trees on the island because of a strike. I had packed bread dough ornaments to decorate our Hawaiian Christmas tree. However, because of the tropical weather I unpacked long stretched out pieces of dough, dolls from around the world with no heads and arms. We had no Christmas tree and no ornaments. The only tree we saw all week belonged to a young woman at the local fabric store. We developed a friendship over a few days as Tony ordered some custom Hawaiian shirts. She had a small scraggily dry “Charlie Brown” tree.

On Christmas eve we went to midnight mass at a beautiful little white church with our friends. It was an amazing island service. A conch shell was blown and men, woman and children dressed in Hawaiian clothing and flowers walked in a processional to the front of the little church. A man dressed like a Hawaiian king carried the “Christ child” to the altar where he raised the child to God before placing him in a manger. It was one of the most moving Christmas eve services I have ever been too.

After church we went to the little fabric store, the young woman gave us her tree on Christmas Eve. We went to our condo decorated it with shells and homemade ornaments. It was a very special time with our family and friends. I always remember the memories of this long-ago Christmas.

-Livie Sanchez

Kelli's Funny Christmas Memory

One year after our traditional midnight mass, I was putting my youngest sister to bed. I told her we had to hurry because Santa was already on his way and we couldn't be up when he arrived.

She said, "Oh, Kelli, I don't believe in Santa. But, don't tell Mom cuz she still believes in him!"

-Kelli Dennis

10 Questions: Tammy McDonald

Q: Where were you born?
A: Kansas City, MO

Q: What is your middle name?
A: Lea

Q: What is your favorite chip flavor?
A: Plain Ruffles

Q: Favorite season?
A: Summer

Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Sweet Tea

Q: Your childhood dream job?
A: Professional Barrel Racer

Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Jeans and flip flops

Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato

Q: Breakfast Food?
A: Coffee & Granola Bar

Q: Dream vacation spot:
A: Any NT site or hot sunny beach

How Can We Find God's Will?

Pastor Michael Sullivant recently posted some great thoughts about finding God's will on his blog. Here is the way that his post (that bears the same name as this one) starts:

1 Thes 5:16 Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

As a spiritual director and teacher, I often have the experience of people asking me about how they can come to discover God's will for their lives. Actually, it is the most commonly asked question that I encounter among God's people. There is much to say about divine guidance. However, I believe the place to begin to get our bearings is not to fret about discerning the details, but to create the kind of atmosphere around our souls, our lives and our inter-personal relationships in which the Holy Spirit is free to express Himself--His "natural habitat" if you will.

Read more on Michael's blog.