Happy New Year: Ready to Ride? January 1, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentHappy New Year to all of you, whoever you are (let me know with a comment). As I get ready to think about the new year, I noticed that cyclists are already geting a jump on the new year with the annual New Year’s eve mountain bike snow race, where cyclists ride bikes on the ski slopes in the alpine resort of Villars, Switzerland. This year, nearly 100 cyclists rode the 5 km track on snow. Seems a little crazy and over the top to me — what do you think?
Merry Christmas and “Mele Kalikimaka” December 25, 2006
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a commentI am wishing you all a merry Christmas and Mele Kalikimaka from the warm climate of Maui, where, due the extreme generosity of my parents, we find ourselves this Christmas day (I guess someone has to be here, right?). With all of the buildup this holiday season (I noticed this year that all of the holiday decorations came into the stores on Nov 1, just after Halloween – can you believe it?), we finally reach the day — Christmas Day — that allows us to slow down, and reflect on what Christmas really is. As we saw again this year, in the debate over the propriety of Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays in the stores, the real meaning of Christmas seems to have been lost. The Christmas story is at its heart a revolutionary one for all Christians — that the God of the universe became part of human history through His Son in the person of Jesus, born to Mary and Joseph in an animal manger in Bethlehem in a world in upheaval.
The message that Jesus brought is also revolutionary at heart — a message of forgiveness, of healing and of hope. The Christmas miracle and its message is one that has unfolded for the past two millennia and will continue to unfold throughout the history of the human race. Today as we find ourselves knee-deep in torn Christmas wrappings, new toys and new gifts, the sumptuous feasts, and the warmth of the joy we share with family and friends, we should take time to reflect on the story of Jesus coming down to earth and its meaning for our world, still in upheaval. As we move towards the New Year, are you willing to invest a couple of hours to learn more about who this Jesus really is? If you do, you will receive the real gift of this season.
From all of our family, have a blessed and Merry Christmas.
The Sears Wish Book & Merry Christmas to All December 23, 2006
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a commentThe other night, we got a chance to have an all-church Candlelight Service in the beautiful St. Paul’s on Orchard Street. The worship was magnificent, led by Jim Dougherty, the decorations were stunning and more than 650 folks took part in the annual Christmas favorite. At the service, Lead Pastor Jackson Crum told of God’s plan as our Father to give us what we needed — we need forgiveness and He provided that through Jesus Christ. He used the example of the Sear’s Wish Book, which brought back so many happy memories as a child. So here I go reminiscing…..
When I was growing up, one of the major Christmas traditions was for my brother and sisters and I to get out the then- current edition of the Sears Wish Book and begin to put together our lists of what we wanted for Christmas. I remember putting 100 things on my list as my first step, then I would begin an arduous process of sorting and reprioritizing items, hoping to arrive at a list of 20 items to present on a sheet of ruled paper to my parents, including all of the retail costs and the page numbers in the Wish Book for ease of their review (I figured it would be helpful to guide them through the process and give them some direction as to what I NEEDED for Christmas). Next I would sit down with them, and let them know that I did not expect to get all 20 times selected…but rather they should start with the highest rated then move down the list in sequential order. I used to get all consumed about what I needed to have for Christmas.
You know what is interesting about this youthful exercise? As I get older, I get better clarity of all the noise and static in my own life that accompanies Christmas…getting to stores, racing around, looking for specials, seeing Christmas decorations already up on Nov 1….all of it pales in comparison to the times of reflection on what Christmas is all about. Reflecting on the idea that the God of the universe loved us so much to send His son to the earth to die for our sins is really a story of giving, a story of love defined. I love to stay up late, when Chicago has had a snow, and look out the window of my home office with the lights off, and contemplate this truth while humming Silent Night to myself. Now that is the memory of Christmas that I want to keep for a long time.
With that thought, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a blessed time with your family and friends.
