The Nature of the Nativity: Day 8 - The Stable

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, when we finish this post, we will be past the halfway mark. Its hard to believe that one week from today is Christmas. I guess I should figure out what to get my wife as a present. Just kidding, I now what I'm getting her; I just have to actually go get it. Anyway, enough about me for now, let's continue setting up our nativity. Today we're having a good ole fashioned barn raisin'! Get it? A stable holds animals, and a barn holds...never mind. Let's get a roof over Mary and Joseph's head.

Jif Peanut Butter and God's Love

 As I've mentioned in previous posts, I can be a little picky when it comes to food. Aside from textures and food mixtures, recipes are very important. Some dishes have specific ways they should be made. Cornbread should be made with bacon grease, not sugar. Muffins are made with sugar. Brand names also fall under this category. JIF peanut butter is the best there is (the first spoonful is the best!). Regardless of what my wife (or my secretary) says, Bryan wieners are the only appropriate choice for a hot dog. And if your going to eat American cheese slices...it has to be Kraft. There are more, but you get the idea. Before you start rolling your eyes, stop and think about your own peculiarities. All joking aside, what things do you not like to compromise on? It may not be food related, but there are things in your life that you consider unalterable. If object x is missing characteristic y, then it couldn't conceivably be object x. The last six weeks we've been looking at God's personal attributes piece by piece. Today I want to look at them as a whole. I want to show you how God's love is one of those things that has no substitute.First let's review the main verse we've been using, Exodus 34:6-7.

You're GROUNDED!!

Has anyone else ever had to suspend a punishment? Come on parents, be honest. I've discovered that when I punish in the heat of the moment, I often go too far. However, when I send my wife to her room to think about what she's done...just kidding sweetheart! When I send my child to his or her room, most of the time it gives me a second to put it all into perspective. I'll remember that they are only four. I acknowledge that they had no clue that what they were doing was wrong. At the very least, the punishment will better fit the crime and the "criminal" and hopefully they'll know that their Dad loves them and only punishes to help them learn. God says that He is just. The guilty are punished, with no excuses or loop holes available.

What's Your Golden Calf?

Because of my job working with our church's Preschool/Kindergarten and the age of my children I have a lot of interaction with kids, especially preschoolers. In my professional opinion, kids are hysterical! There always seems to be something going on at home or at school. I find myself chuckling and rolling my eyes at children on a daily basis.  For instance, my three year old son has discovered super heroes and has decided that he is "hooper hero" himself ("s" is not an important consonant to a three year old). For his birthday we had a cape made for him and now he runs around the yard singing, "Da da DAH!" while killing scary monsters. My other three are just as funny... and just as weird.

Besides being humorous, my children have taught me a lot. This especially goes for spiritual stuff. How do you explain crucifixion to a three year old? I realized something hadn't translated right when he exclaimed, "They killed baby Jesus!?!" Most importantly, they've taught me about forgiveness.  Punishment comes easy for most parents, but forgiveness can be a little harder. I know my kids are still young, but I've never refused to forgive them. My problem with forgiveness was in letting my kids know I forgave them. Let's be honest, adults often have problems rationalizing that people still like us when we hurt them. It's hard to look someone in the eye when you've caused them pain. Sometimes the friendship ends because we can't bear to be reminded of our failures. A preschooler in trouble deserves to be there. An elementary age kid ought to be brought up short and punished. A teenager needs to have their life flipped upside down. They need this so they will learn. However, the most important thing they need to learn is that they are loved and can be forgiven...no matter what.

"I Do!"

I remember the day I got married. There are probably nicer ways to phrase it, but that seems the most accurate. Once you say the words, "I do", and then sign that paper...you've got it. I'm not saying marriage is a bad thing (I happen to think it's wonderful). I am saying that it is something that is not casual or insignificant. When you get married, you really do get "hitched". You are attached to this person for the rest of your life. Not only that, but there were promises that you agreed to that must be fulfilled.  "I promise to love and cherish you. I promise to support you and care for you no matter what. Even if you get burned to a crisp, lose all of your limbs, and develop chronic intestinal issues I will stay with you." Here's an aside that can be rather dangerous, but will serve the illustration well later. My wife and I have had the conversation that I think every couple has had, "Would you still love me if...?". Now guys get tired of this line of questioning. We probably feel it is a slight against our character or that our promise at the wedding wasn't good enough. The problem is we don't understand what she is really asking. If we had a translator it would sound something like this, "I've met a lot of bad guys. I've met guys that were only interested in my physical attributes. I've dated guys that loved me as long as I pleased them. I've known guys who only cared about what they could get out of a relationship...they used me and then threw me away when they were done. Are you like those guys? Do you really love me?"

God Is Not the Orkin Man

I absolutely refuse to throw-up! I know that's an odd and slightly disgusting way to start a blog post, but it is the truth. My wife has actually used the phrase, "If you throw up you'll probably feel better." My normal response is to pick up my fever soaked brow, glare at her and say between clenched teeth, "I refuse to throw up!" By my recollection, I was in second grade the last time I did. My mom had taken me to the doctor, and I had to go to the restroom. To put it politely, it took a while for me to eat pepperoni pizza again. My mom probably doesn't remember this, but for some reason it sticks in my mind. The reason I bring this up is because of the misconception I had as a child that somehow the pizza caused the sickness. There are any number of things that could have caused me to become sick, but the meal I had two hours before was most likely not the culprit. Our perception of reality is often just as important as what actually happened. If any of you have kids then I'm sure you've heard the "They did it on purpose!" cry. To a four year old, or a thirteen year old for that matter, the accidental bump of a sibling was not only on purpose, but done with the evil intention to maim them and/or possibly kill them. My four year old twins are quite often proof of this. Adults may chuckle at this picture, but we're not much different. How often have we been offended by the casual remark of a family member, friend, or acquaintance and then fumed at home for days about it. Sometimes we go so far as to let misunderstandings change life long friendships, our career, even our families.

"Get Off the Road!"

Have you ever been caught in traffic? Have you ever been driving along, minding your own business, and gotten cut off by some maniac? What was your response in either of these situations? I'm sure you were just simply grateful that you weren't hurt and prayed for the individual that was driving so recklessly. Or maybe you sat on the interstate thankful that you weren't the one that was in the wreck causing this pile up. One of my favorite road rage phrases often uttered by a family member of mine is, "It's the long skinny one on the right!" To be perfectly honest, road rage is a common problem in our day and age. I would dare say most people do not empathize with anyone else on the road unless we happen upon a bad wreck. Something about being behind the wheel of car distances us from other people. Maybe it's because we only see that big SUV, or that speedy convertible. Maybe the insulation from the noise and the feel of the outside world erases everything from our perception but our own timetables. Whatever the reason it seems that the prevailing attitude on the road is, "No one is more important than me."