Tag Archives: celebration

The Thanksgiving Storymatic

Posted on by under For Family & Fun

Thanksgiving Light

Life has changed much in the last few years. Kids going to college, moving to my mother’s home, my sister moving to The Netherlands, the addition of new family members have meant nearly constant change to 25 years of family tradition.

I have learned that celebration is a state of mind and not a set of circumstances. I think that too often when it comes to holidays we center our joy in traditions  instead of on the actual purpose of the holiday itself. When the traditions change as all traditions must in time we experience a sense of loss and many times instead of reinventing the day we just give up on it.

I have determined not to do that. I am sold on the idea that as I am in a new place in life I must make new traditions and rejoice in the making.

For instance I have discovered that I really enjoy cooking the meals myself. The size of the meal or the number of guests doesn’t matter. It is the joy of cooking. I also love cleaning in preparation of the arrival of guests.

This year my daughter asked if we could play a game after dinner. We played a pick up game of Pictionary on the Thanksgiving table cloth (not to worry it was disposable). And then we played this game I got for Pastor’s Appreciation Day called Storymatic.  Four of us took turns writing a line of a story at a time. It was great fun. The results are found in my next post called Thanksgiving  Storymatic II.

I guess my point in writing here is that holidays are about celebration first and then tradition. Traditions come and go but do not let their passing steal the joy that the holiday is meant to communicate. I rediscovered one of my holidays in a game called Storymatic. What new tradition is your holiday hiding in?

Pastor Wrinkles: The Lenten Journey Pt. 16

Posted on by under Pastor Wrinkles

100_0220

My meditation today is the same as yesterday:

 What do you want God to help you learn in life?

Again this question comes from :

http://cyndilumoon.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/survey-says/.

Yesterday I mentioned that one of the things I needed God to teach me was how to be celebratory in life and ministry.  This fast was birthed out of the Vision Quest/ Fast I took at the beginning of the year. The Lord showed me early on that If I was going to fulfill the visions He gave me during that 21 day period then I was going to require some healing change through this season of Lent.

Growing up we didn’t really celebrate much of anything. Birthdays ended when we reached the double digits (and I mean ended… age was barely acknowledged after 10). I didn’t even know what day my parents were married until I was almost twenty. I was unaware people anywhere celebrated things like anniversaries.  Christmas was an obligatory holiday observed with some malice. I can remember my sister and I would open our stockings alone and then watch television until Mom and Dad got up. As I grew I understood it was because Mom worked the holiday shift 11-7. It was logical that she would want to catch a few hours of shut-eye. It was also one of two days a year my dad took off from work.  Sleeping in made sense from an adult perspective.

I am realizing, though, that these events gave rise to a particular mindset that work is important and celebration is not only unimportant, it is frivolous. That is a stronghold  inside of me and over the last week I have felt God breaking down its doors. Celebration is not frivolous. It is a necessary part of the balanced Christian life. Richard Foster goes so far as to list it as one of the classic Christian disciplines.

I am beginning to see that my inability to celebrate will hold back the God vision for ministry and life. Reaching goals is about milestones and people need to celebrate milestones to stay motivated. I need to learn to celebrate the milestones so I can stay motivated. It is in celebration that we are affirmed. It is in celebration that we give thanks to the Lord for the miracles along the road.

This change must be intentional. God is showing me that I must schedule celebration just like I schedule work and rest and it must have a purpose.

Here’s a question for you: Do you think there is a difference  between celebration and entertainment? If so what is that difference?