Who Was That Masked Man?

Who was that masked man? This question was on my mind recently when our son and his family visited with us to celebrate our Christmas gifting with them. We have five grands, three of them foster children, and two of the "fosters" were unsure about a big, jolly man with smiling eyes and a mask covering half of his face, dressed in casual attire and not a Santa suit. They walked around and gave me a few sideways glances. However, once I spoke to them, they recognized my voice and decided it was okay to come to me even if I was not dressed as Santa.

Our Christmas celebration was a little different this year, as I am sure was the same for your families. We are usually all bunched up at our son's in-laws on Christmas eve afternoon to visit all our daughters-in-law's side of the family. We share a meal, a little dirty Santa gift exchange, then we all nestle down, snug in our beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads for a long winter's nap. Christmas morning, we rise to see what Santa left for everyone. It is always a wonderful time. However, we sorely missed the warmth of being with all our family and sharing the gift of wide-eyed, surprised, excitement children have on Christmas morning. 

But, no matter, it was the correct decision for all our families because it is virtually impossible to control something you cannot see or touch, and it is up to us as leaders in our families, communities, and organizations, to follow the guidelines and do our level best to keep everyone as safe as possible. 

As I am writing this letter, I am reminded of the importance of having spiritual leadership in our homes and lives. Spiritual leaders assume the responsibility for the health of their relationships. This means they set the tone. They must initiate what they want others to do. Because no home can thrive without functioning according to sound leadership principles. In 1 Peter, the author challenges us to live with each other in an understanding way. We should honor one another and model submission and service. As spiritual leaders, we should initiate blessing rather than retaliate when things do not go our way.

In these unprecedented times, spiritual leadership is a "must-have" and a "must-do" in our families, communities, and organizations. We must be willing to step up and show patience, kindness, humbleness, faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for others. When Spiritual leaders lead, they remember the example of Christ's sufferings. When they shepherd, they do it out of a sense of privilege rather than obligation. When they serve, they are motivated by the will of God rather than man. When they minister, they are driven by a Godly passion, not personal gain. When they are influencing, they make sure their life example speaks clearly. And when sacrificing, they have the patience to wait for the ultimate reward and do not expect immediate pay.

In this role, a leader is called to be a minister to the people. We should serve before being served, you know, be the hands and feet of Christ. We should be a mentor to the people. We should eagerly invest our time and talents when serving the people. In other words, we must set an example for others to follow. We should be a manager of the people. We have a responsibility and should exercise oversight over those who have been entrusted in our care, not just family but all those who surround us. Finally, spiritual leaders should/must be a model for the people. We should set an example for others to follow by demonstrating how to live our lives. You know by making a difference and adding value to all those surrounding us.

I want to encourage each of us to be the example of spiritual leadership for others to follow. It has been a tough year for all of us with the uncertainties of the pandemic plaguing our lives, and each day I pray for each of us to experience good health and the unconditional love of Jesus Christ in our lives. Remember, "A leader is to humble himself or herself by casting all his/her cares on God," 1 Peter 5:7. What better way to make a difference and add value than to follow His example for our lives, just saying… 1 Peter 5:1-4

Have a wonderful day.

James Dodwell

A Follower's Thoughts - Making Memories

We all love to make memories with our children. I have so many fond memories of my children when they were little. The trips to the beach were some of my fondest. Wendy and I would spend time with them on the beach making sandcastles, putting them on a float for the first time, and letting the waves carry them to shore; all the time, they were crying and screaming, hold me, hold me. I guess the ocean can be a little intimidating when you are a child. I also remember lying on the beach and letting my kids cover me in the sand until all you could see was my head. Oh, and another time my daughter climbed on a bar stool in the condo and fell off, breaking her wrist. Now, that was a memory, not so great when you spend one of your vacation days in the ER!

Some of my favorite memories are the times at church with our children: Wednesday night suppers in the Fellowship Hall, helping teach them in Sunday School, carrying them to Bible School, making Advent wreaths, watching them in Christmas plays, coaching them in Micro-Soccer, and yes, trying to keep my daughter from rolling around on the floor at the Arbor Service on Sunday mornings. You know, there is a saying, "it takes a village to raise a child." I wish to thank each one in my church village that helped build a foundation under my family, a foundation centered around Jesus.

As Christmas approaches, let us all continue to make memories with family, friends, and church family. Let us not forget what this season is about, Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 says, "For a child has been born, a son given to us, authority rest upon his shoulders: and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." May Jesus be included in our memories this Christmas, as well as every day moving forward. God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Correll Pritchard

I Saw Santa Claus

It was always my Dad's favorite Christmas story and, almost every year, he would ask me to share with others my experience on Christmas Eve, 1955. It was a long time ago, but the memory is as clear today as the experience was that night.

We were living in Goodwater and had been to Ashland for dinner with several family members. We had stayed fairly late, and I was concerned about getting home before Santa came and getting into bed like a good little boy. I was full of anxious and hopeful anticipation.

 As we pulled into the driveway, the lights of the car shined directly into the window of the living room. There he was, Santa Claus, looking directly into the lights of the car. I shouted, "There's Santa Claus next to the tree." The car had barely stopped as I jumped out and dashed to the door. I opened the door, turned on the light, and dashed through the small house looking for Santa only to realize he was gone.

I ran quickly back into the living room and realized Santa had been there and he must have gotten my letter because under the tree was a "Coonskin Davy Crockett hat" and a "Smoke-gun." My Mom and Dad asked me what I had seen that made me jump out and run in as I had. I explained that Santa was standing in the window. He turned and looked with surprise when he was caught in the headlights, and he had scampered toward the back door. When I came into the house, he was nowhere to be found.

That was sixty-five years ago. Until the day they died, our family always liked to talk about that experience, and none of us could ever explain it. But, I know this, "On that night, a long time ago, I saw Santa Claus." And, that vision is as real today as it was that night.

Perhaps, if we allow our hearts to be filled with faith, hope, joy, and love this Christmas, we could catch a glimpse of Emmanuel, "God With Us," this Christmas.

Get Ready! Look and listen! "Some will dream dreams; others will see visions." May it happen for you this Christ-Mass season.

Blessings, Bro. Mike 

What Do You Want For Christmas?

As I was thinking about Advent this morning, my mind wandered to presents for those we love and how to delight them in the midst of a pandemic where we are advised not to gather or travel; what a bummer. My mind went through online purchase with shipping, sending gift cards, making some honorary gifts to good causes, or a combination of these.

As often happens, I quit thinking and started listening. I was reminded the best gifts are usually not wrapped or under a tree. The best gifts are gifts of the heart that we remember and treasure throughout our lives. These are the gifts that define our experiences and add value to our lives. Words from Galatians 5:22-23 came to my mind, “The fruit of the Spirit is joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” Immediately, my heart cried out, “Lord, give me a double helping of that fruit. I need it bad.”

I do not know about you, but I am a little strung out with the pandemic. I am concerned about the conflicting and competing directions of some leaders, and I am pretty much fed up with less than truthful reporting and positioning from parties protecting their own self-interest. I found myself identifying with some of the characters in the scriptures; “My soul cries out, O Lord, how long will you allow this to continue.” My answer came quickly: “Until it is over. Until then, watch yourself, and get ready.”

So, I have decided the best presents are not under the tree. The best presents are those that live in the heart and guide our relationships with God and others. I have decided I really do want a double dose of joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A double dose might be enough to inoculate me from the brokenness of the world. So, let it be.

By the way, What Do You Want for Christmas?    Blessings, Mike. 

Yes, You Have A Choice

Let’s all sing - “It’s the most wonderful time of the year, There’ll be much mistletoeing, And hearts will be glowing; When loved ones are near; It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Yes, the most wonderful time of the year!” Now that this classic, Andy Williams, Christmas tune is now an earwig and stuck in your head, I wanted to remind you, there are only a few days remaining until Christmas. We are looking forward to Christmas with the wonderful blessing of being with our family and friends and our grandchildren are so excited it makes us feel like children, again. So, it is also the “Hap-happiest time of the year!”

A friend and I were discussing happiness, recently when he said he wished this holiday feeling was year-round not just a short few weeks. I was a little surprised because I believe happiness and the feeling within or without is a choice that each of us make. It reminded me of a quote by John Stuart Mill, “I have learned to seek happiness by limiting my desires rather than in attempting to satisfy them.” In other words, it is our choice to simplify our lives and be happy where we are. At least, that is my take on it.

Our whole life is nothing more than a canvas of choices. What choice could you make right now to change your life in a significant and lasting way? We are different from everyone else on planet earth. There has never been anyone like us, and there never will, again. Our spirit, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to reason – all of these things exist collectively only in us. Our eyes are incomparable; they are windows to a soul that is also uniquely ours. A single strand of our hair contains DNA that can only be traced to us. Of the multitudes that have come before us and the multitudes that follow, not one of them duplicates the formula by which we are made.

We are different from everyone else! We are special! And we are chosen, loved unconditionally and offered a life of salvation, free to all who ask. The qualities, many of them rare, that make us one of a kind are no accident.

Why have we been created different and unique from everyone else? We have been made different so that we may make a difference and add value to each other. That’s right, because in some way, form or fashion, we are changing the world – you are changing the world for someone around you, right now. Every choice we make and action we take matters to someone. Every choice we do not make and every action we do not take, matters just as much. Millions of lives are being altered, caught up in a chain of events initiated by us this very day. We choose what chain of events we will initiate; whether we realize it or not.

We need to understand that we have been given everything we need to act, and the choice is ours alone. Beginning this very moment, we will choose wisely. We should never feel inadequate, again. We will not dwell in thoughts of insignificance or be content with wandering aimlessly. We are powerful. We matter. We have the choice, and we are the choice. We have been chosen to make a difference and add value to all those who surround us.

In the words of the infamous Dr. Suess, “Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky!” And we are. We have the freedom to share our faith, hope, joy and unconditional love with others, unimpeded and without fear of retaliation. Yes, I am giddy with emotions as we anticipate Christmas morning watching our grands surprised faces as they open their gifts, but it is more than that – We are giddy knowing we are free to worship a powerful God who loves us unconditionally and so much that He sent His only Son to earth to teach us how to Love one another.

I want to encourage each of us as leaders in our homes, communities and organizations that leaders assume the responsibility for the health of their relationships with those around us. This means they set the tone – we set the tone. They must initiate what they want others to do. It is my prayer that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and come to understand you are the difference maker! Luke 2:11

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

What I Want For Christmas

 I remember the night well. I was in the third grade and our family had gone to Montgomery for a night of “window shopping.” Window shopping was a ploy during which people walked the sidewalks in front of all the big stores and looked at all the potential gifts displayed in the window to assess other’s attraction to the various toys, etc. on display. And there was a surprisingly good correlation between the emotions one displayed for the various gifts and what ended up under the Christmas tree from Santa.

     I had always loved window shopping but, on this night, I just could not get excited about anything. Just that week, a wiser classmate than I had told me the “truth” about Santa Claus. He told me that my parents had to pay Santa for everything he left at our house. Well, that was a bummer. My Mom and Dad were great people and fun to be around, but we did not have a lot of extra money and the way we got extra money was for one or both to work overtime. That meant less family time together. I had calculated in my eight-year-old mind the way to keep that from happening was not want anything for Christmas. So, I acted as if nothing in any of the windows was of any interest to me at all.

     It did not take my mother long to realize something was wrong and, as only she could do with a couple of questions, she unveiled the truth. I broke down crying and blubbered out, “Ole ______ had told me about Santa.” After Mother recovered from her anger with _______ (who she never forgave) for having broken my innocence, she sat down on a bench with me and explained Christmas Clubs and savings that enabled extra spending at Christmas and we would not miss out on any of the “good times” because we would all be together. It was amazing how quickly that assurance enabled my attention to return to the many attractions in the windows.

     Now, as I process that experience almost sixty-five years later, I realize how very precious presence is when compared to presents. A truth in our lives is all the presents in the world can not make up for the presence of those we love and there is no better time to celebrate this than during the Christmas season. So, I encourage you to find a way this Christmas season to be truly present with those you love. I know there is a pandemic going on and I think it could really be used in a wonderful way to give some quality presence to those you may wish to see and cannot. Here are a few thoughts:

1. For those from whom you are not distancing, invite them into your presence and give them the gift of undivided attention for thirty minutes. Make their interest and concerns the center of your world. Encourage them and assure them of the importance of their role in your life and tell them you love them.

2. For those you can not see in person, schedule some FaceTime or Zoom and follow the routine in number one above. I have been amazed how effective gatherings can be when you are present in these formats with others.

3. Send cards and flowers with personal notes.

4. Carve out some time to be truly present with Jesus. After all, Jesus is the reason we “live and move and have our being.” “Without Jesus, the Word of God, not one thing came into being.”

5. ….. Do whatever other things you hear God tell you to do…. If you are present, God will speak….

     Do not ever forget, we live “in the Communion of the Saints.” I plan to spend a little time there in their presence (those past and present) and encourage you to do so too. To paraphrase Paul, “No pandemic nor anything else in all creation, can separate our hearts from those we love.” May we make this the best Christmas ever by being presents in new and authentic ways. And that is what I want for Christmas.               

With much love, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Mike & Patsy Coe