A Christmas Carol...thought

Gonzo and Rizzo

Christmas conjures up more traditions than any season and/or event within our American culture. Decorations and presents likely lead the list of traditions that emerge, but others include, caroling and plays, feast and family, trees and mistletoe, stockings and Santa, cards and candy canes and hopefully even the remembrance of the Christ child. Movies for the season perhaps are close to the top. You can always find numerous ‘Hallmark’ expressions of Christmas or the infamous ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’. Still others live and die by ‘Christmas Vacation’ or ‘A Christmas Story’. And of course Charles Dickens provides perhaps one of the most enduring reflections in His ‘Christmas Carol’. Written in a mere six weeks with the belief that he could reach greater masses regarding his concerns about poverty and social injustice through story than any other means. 

'Christmas Present'

Two adaptations of the ‘Christmas Carol’ are regulars in our home, a 1970 version called ‘Scrooge’ with Albert Finney and the 1992 movie with Michael Caine in ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’. Yes, the ‘Muppets’. It provides plenty of humor along with a few thought provoking lines. My favorite characters ‘Gonzo the Great’ and ‘Rizzo the Rat’ with their, "Light the lamp, not the rat". And of all the quotes I think none are greater than Scrooge during his time

with ‘Christmas Yet to Come’ when he says:

“Ebenezer Scrooge: [in the graveyard] Must we return to this place? There is something else that I must know, is that not true? Spirit, I know what I must ask. I fear to, but I must. Who was the wretched man whose death brought so much glee and happiness to others? 

[the spirit points to a headstone, Scrooge begins moving toward it, then turns back, frightened]

Ebenezer Scrooge: Answer me one more question. Are these the shadows of things that *will* be, or are they the shadows of things that *may* be only?

Scrooge with 'Christmas Yet to Come'

[the spirit points again at the gravestone, Scrooge slowly approaches it]

Ebenezer Scrooge: These events can be changed! A life can be made right.

[he clears the snow from the stone and reads]

Ebenezer Scrooge: [in tears] Ebenezer Scrooge! Oh please Spirit, no! Hear me, I, I am not the man I was! Why would you show me this if I am past all hope?...

[sobbing]

Ebenezer Scrooge: I, I *will* honor Christmas, and try to keep it all the year! I will live my life in the past, the present and the future. I will not shut out the lessons the spirits have taught me! Tell me that I may sponge out the writing on this stone!

[kneeling, clutching at the spirit's robe]

Ebenezer Scrooge: Oh Spirit, please speak to me!”

Perhaps the essence of the story found in this simple sentence, “Are these the shadows of things that 'will' be, or are they the shadows of things that 'may' be only?” Is it not as well the purpose of the Christ child. The changes that are possible in each of our lives, the changes that can affect those who are placed in our path. Plus the realization that we are not “past all hope”.

As the year 2016 begins I like to remember that they are “shadows that may only be”. And that mine is a “A life that can be made right”, a life that can be a present and presence of hope to a world that is often without.

I give thanks to my Savior Jesus Christ for the provision of that hope. And I look forward to next year when once again we'll sit together to watch this version of 'A Christmas Carol'.

 

Plus "It Feels Like Christmas"

Christmas Decoration Joy...

Searching...What to Place Next

The sounds of "ohhhhh…you have so many stuffed snowmen…this is soooo cute…Tirza, look…another, this is soooo cute…you have a lot of candles…and another, ohhh that is sooo cute! This one is so soft…did you feel him?"  

Miko...watching the singing Penquins

Just a few of her Stuffed Animals

These are the sounds of Karen’s ‘Craft Girls’ as they decorate our home with the panorama of Christmas. I would never have thought that people…that kids could have so much fun decorating, then again, I was never a girl. Their joy and pleasure along with Karen’s is pretty amazing. I just get to sit in the adjacent room while doing some work on the computer and simply listen and watch their joy. The music of John Denver and the Muppets then Ron Diller on guitar provides the perfect background sound to this fun scene.

As wonderful that the decorations are during this time of year, I would hope that the deeper meaning of the Christ child born of the virgin Mary, the Savior of the world...might decorate your life this day and always.

God Made the Colors...For You & Me

It was the 1970's and a duo who called themselves 'Gospel Seed' wrote the following lines. A song that I have likely quoted more than any other. Thank you Gary and Mike.

Golden Chain

"God made the colors for you and me, beautifully for us to see, glad He didn't it black and white, much to our delight. God put the colors in the red red rose and in the green of the grass that grows, and all the colors of the butterfly as they go fluttering by.

But the colors I love best is when I lay my head to rest, is watching while clouds go floating by on the blue color of the sky. La la la la la la la la la la la...la la la la la la la la la la la...la la la la la la la la la la la...Colors are yours and mine.

Orange is the color of the fruit on the tree, pick it and eat it so naturally, purple is the color of the grape on the vine, colors are yours and mine.

But the colors I love best is when I lay my head to rest, is watching white clouds go floating by on the blue color of the sky. La la la la la la la la la la la...la la la la la la la la la la la...la la la la la la la la la la la...Colors are yours and mine."

Song by Gary Luttrell and Mike Moore 1977

In our busy, chaotic life where circumstance and routine can rule, we lose the wonder of all that is around us...Like the flavor of food, the laughter of a baby, the smile of a grandmother, the sound of the waves crashing or the trickle of a creek. They are all wonders that are ever around us. Such is the case for color. These colors are just around my own yard here in Oregon. Distance is not required in order to appreciate wonder. Blessings!

Veteran Gordon Menveg, I Salute You Sir!

PVT US Army Air Corps

Gordon Menveg...He was my Grandfather, the husband of my Nana. Though married less than 20 years and dying on my birthday in 1990, nearly 20 years before she would breathe her last...he always remained her sweetheart. On this 'Veterans Day' 2015, I leave this blog in his remembrance. 

Gordon's plot South of Las Vegas

Over the last 12 years of Nana's life I would have the honor to travel one to three times a year to visit and assist with needs around her house. Most of those days would include some sharing of her many years of life, including those with Gordon. One fact that always remained quiet was in regards to Gordon's time in the Army. The reason...he never would speak of those days to her. All she knew is that they affected him greatly. What I know...is that his limp and seizures were a result of his tour with the Army. And yet, I never heard him complain.

Grandkids ponder Gordon's and Nana's graves

All of us know of hero's who stood in distressing times for our freedom. One such hero was Gordon Menveg!

 

Note: Though I agree greatly with Lee Greenwood and his beautiful song, I do pray for God's blessing on all of His creation.

Love Your what? Neighbor, Not the Church Program...

Just a great picture!

Today started pretty terrible. I won't bore you with the details. But now at days end, the reality of Christ presence and His emphasis on "Love your neighbor as yourself" has woven a much needed refreshing into this soul.

I find at least five times the phrase, "Love your neighbor as yourself" filtered through the hands of the writers of scripture. Then if you were to add the multiple times in which we are simply encouraged to love one another...well suffice it to say...the concept just seems to hold much weight. 

Inhibitions lacking in children...Priceless!

Neighbors, who have been such for over 20 years are in the slow and enduring process of moving. A stroke just days after Christmas 2014 has left a mighty struggle in its path. Ten months later, a new one-story house completed, the packing, downsizing, cleaning and moving becomes just one more chore in a laundry list of such. Stopping by today to check to see if they were ready to move anything else, they looked at me and said "no, but do I know of anyone who might be able to clean the gutters from the Fall leaves". A smile on my face and my head tilted, I looked at them and said, "I think I know someone". Two hours later, with the job done, the refreshing of His Spirit was more strength than I had experienced in days. 

Charley, Miko and ole neighbors...

We, the church, have gobs of 'programs' for even more gobs of needs. And yeah, guess there are a purpose for programs, but sometimes I think we fill our lives with 'programs' when perhaps we should be filling it with 'relationship'. I never want to sit as 'the example', but rather it is my hope to be just another voice to encourage us to simply look around, perhaps even as close as our neighbor only couple doors down, to find the 'relationship' that He is calling us to.

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10 ESV

Mass Shootings...Perhaps the Greatest Answer - Compassion

Oregon…my home for three and half decades. It is a place that I love dearly. Its beauty and variety is simply astounding! Then…

How do I write without bringing attention to ‘the event’ that has brought such incredible pain to the Roseburg earlier this month? My eyes welled up with tears upon hearing of yet another incident. I want to be there to just hold a friend or a loved one who has been so affected. Much has been written about the ‘why this is occurring so much’. I’m not a psychologist. I’m not even a rocket scientist. But I am an observer.

My first observation is that many want to place blame on the guns. Not saying that there may not be room for further appropriate legislation regarding guns...My second observation is that our media goes ballistic (no pun intended) with coverage over these incidents. My third observation is that perhaps the heart of the matter deals more with our treatment to each other. With that...

I observe that perhaps our greatest need is compassion, something that we lack often to one another…Compassion toward our parents, our spouse, our child…Compassion toward our teacher, our fellow student…the bus driver. We need to have compassion toward our neighbor, and his neighbor and his neighbor. We need to have compassion to those we work with, to our subordinates and to those who lead. We need to have compassion on those who look different, those who act different and those that are just different. 

I observe that Jesus Christ did just this. Whether it was Nicodemus or the leper…Whether it was the blind man or his own disciples…Whether it was the Samaritan or the Jew…Whether it was the young or the old…displaying compassion was His priority.

 I observe that those who are producing violent media (in multiple forms) cannot truly have ‘compassion’ as their priority. I observe that way too often how we treat, or are treated by family or friends does not have compassion as its priority. I observe that even the stranger can be so very uncompassionate to another stranger…occurring to old and young alike. 

Remember the old bumper sticker that reads, “Visualize World Peace”. I’m sorry, we can’t just ‘visualize’ it; it has to be lived out. Living out peace and compassion to each one we come in contact with…perhaps this will move us toward the change that we so desperately need. That’s just what I observe.

 Note: What I'm not saying is compassion without justice. No, people bringing this harm to others require justice.

Grandfather...

Richard Lloyd Barnes

Grandfather...A title used since the 1500's to describe the father of your own father or mother. Their pictures are of those with gray, white or receding hair; most smiling, but some stoic and distant; many approachable and encouraging, yet some only a name of a relative seldom encountered; often a teacher, a friend and your number one fan, but others conjure up fear or perhaps no memory at all; there are those who relish their first and every moment, and those so disconnected that not even a photo is part of their possession; many who are the very fabric of the family, yet others, though trying, could only wish they were; those given honor, respect and the head of the table, while some lack honor, are disrespected and even absent from the table; few are mentors never forgotten, while others are simply...sadly forgotten. 

From our multi-connected family I have six such men in my life...Kenneth, the truck driver, whom I would hop aboard his semi four different summers as a child; Ivan, who upon his last days would ask for me; Harold, the namesake of my baby brother; Gordon, one who cherished my maternal grandmother; Robert, my dad's father and Norman my dad's dad. Grandfather’s all, yet the relationship as I heard on October 11th, they were not.

Grandpa Albright

Grandpa Williams

I write this blog today because if ever there was a man who I might choose to emulate as a 'Grandfather', Richard Lloyd Barnes may just be that person. Inspired by his celebration of life service (and it was), we were blessed to hear stories from his twelve grandchildren. And what better source might we have than the children of a man's children to expound upon a grandfather's character?

Grandpa Carter

Grandpa Barnes was many things, but most of all he was there. There to sit with them, to fish and eat with them; to camp and hunt and talk with them; to be at their every party, game or special event; to hold, to love and laugh with them. Yet above all these, Grandpa Barnes was the image of Christ to them. The testimony of the resurrected Christ was foremost in all of their encounters. What greater gift can a grandfather leave upon this earth than these.

Might we...grandfathers...all choose and have similar opportunity to be such for our grandchildren.