Hello Everyone and Merry Christmas!

Like many of you, these days have been filled with busy-ness. Preparing for Christmas and getting ready to travel at the same time is wearisome.

I went shopping the other day and spent nearly $300. Of course, I’m not talking about shopping for Christmas gifts. I was at the local Sam’s Club stocking up on the essentials that will be needed at the church while I am gone. It is not easy to avoid the curious stares one can get standing in the check-out line where everyone else has candy, toys, clothes, food, or holiday decorations. There I was—six boxes of paper towels, three cases of toilet tissue, toilet bowl cleaner, a gallon of liquid hand soap, enough seat covers to last a year, and plastic trash liners in two sizes, naturally. No one dared ask, but I think I saw some trying to cover their giggling faces. I can just imagine what they were thinking, “Wow! That family is sure going to clean up this Christmas!”

As I mentioned, in addition to Christmas preparation, I am also preparing to leave December 28th with the Rigsbys and the Talbot Bible Lands students. We are headed to Turkey, Greece, and Rome. In these countries we will loosely follow Paul’s journeys as well as explore the seven churches John wrote to in the book of Revelation. It has been 6 years since we have been able to return to Turkey. We came close in 2004, but our plans were altered at the very last minute, and our trip was confined to Greece alone, and 3 days in Rome. We return from this trip Monday, January 22, 2007.

What does this mean for you? Those who receive the paper bulletin, this will be the last one until either January 28 or February 4. For those who receive the internet bulletin, you may receive an occasional email from “there,” but no official bulletin until the paper bulletin resumes.

In our absence, the church will be blessed with the music ministry of David and Carolyn Stewart. Byron Siemsen will preach both Sunday services (as well as squeeze in his regular afternoon commitment at an English speaking Korean congregation. Shirley Fryer will help with preparing a bulletin for the folks who are here. I can’t tell you how thankful I am that each one can help us during this month!

I did not want this Season to pass without sharing one thought about Jesus Christ’s incarnation. For many of us, the Christmas account is so well known, we can become bored with hearing it yet again. At times it is good for us to hear favorite verses in a fresh way. And that is just what I found in reading John 1:14 from Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the Bible called “The Message.”

We read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us….” Peterson paraphrases, “The Word became flesh and blood…and moved into the neighborhood.”

That turn of the phrase has helped me to better visualize God becoming human and how he so completely identified with us in “flesh and blood.”

Many know the hassle of moving. The longer you live the more difficult it becomes to also move your accumulated wealth. Some of you hope to never move again.

Picture this: God, owner of everything, is getting ready to move for the very first time—ever. What heaven must have been like as he and the angels prepared for this move! Maybe the heavens were stacked with boxes and crates to infinity (I can’t help it…and beyond). There could have been cosmic traffic jams (of astronomical proportions?) in an attempt to move his possessions in the U-Haul trailers from one end of the universe to the other. Angels may have flit hither and yon looking where they could possibly stow his things on earth. Yet, he wasn’t concerned about all his stuff. Instead he was occupied with what others would need in the place where He was moving. He had already selected the perfect gift. It was beautifully and uniquely wrapped.

“This is crazy,” the angels may have thought, “all that he owns and he is only taking with him something to clean with, not for himself, but, get this—to give as a gift to his new neighbors? They will be appalled!” I imagine Jesus endured more than a few curious stares at his check-out, too.

“But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God (the Son, Jesus Christ)…moved into the neighborhood.”

We’ve read about the stares he got when he checked in to earth. Yet he so completely became one of us, later some refused to believe him when he reminded them he is God. In fact, that he says he is God is such a bizarre turn of events in his story many today also snub his claim.

A lot has changed since the day he moved in, it’s all been for the better. And the neighborhood hasn’t been the same.

I’m looking for a really good excuse as to why I have not sent you this bulletin. I hear some of you read just to see what creative reason I have crafted in my mind this time.

I could say Saturday was not a typical day. Wait a minute. Maybe it was. But I had to stop early and finished everything but the internet version of the bulletin. That may be sufficient reason for Saturday, but what about Sunday?

I could say Sunday was not a usual day. We did not have an evening service at the church house, but met at the Rigsby’s home instead. And everything started two hours earlier. That may account for Sunday, but what about Monday?

I could say Monday was not a regular day. I had a graveside funeral at Park Lawn. I needed the time in the morning to finish preparing. After the service, I had to get ready for the last class at Talbot in preparation for going to Turkey, Greece and Rome in January. This time of year Monday’s are always a short day. That is the best I can do for Monday, but what about Tuesday?

I could say Tuesday was not an ordinary day. On second thought, Tuesday was more ordinary than the others. I read a little, studied a little, scanned a few photos, went to the post office, worked on a video, searched the internet for Bibles, downloaded and printed a few articles. But, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why I didn’t remember to send the bulletin. I know this is a rather lame excuse, but what about Wednesday?

I could say Wednesday was not a normal day. Why? It’s not because I de-structive and con-structive at home before coming to work. Nor is it because I single-handedly removed the three (very small) palm trees (with my channel-lock pliers, no less) growing in the drain line at the curb (before the next rain creates Lake Bell Gardens, again).

Then why cold I say Wednesday was not a normal day? Because it is the middle of the week and I sent this bulletin to you! (Does this mean I am supposed to have the next one ready this Saturday? We’ll see…).