"What does Jesus have to do with Christmas?"

Penn of Denn
Last week I was talking to a friend of mine who is a music teacher in the elementary school system. He was telling me that in one of his grade five classes they were discussing Christmas songs that weren't really about Christmas. Jingle Bells was mentioned, as was Frosty the Snowman. When pressed for more some of the songs suggested were what we would think of as traditional Christmas Carols, Away in a Manger, O Little Town of Bethlehem and the like. At least one student asked the question "What does Jesus have to do with Christmas?" Interesting. In response, another child suggested that we celebrated Christmas because that was when Jesus died. Interesting.
Which made me wonder how many people don't make the connection and are simply confused over the number of religious songs that they hear being played this time of year. I wonder how many questions have been asked about the Nativity scene on our front lawn?
On the other hand it does provide a wide open door to talk about our faith and the reason we celebrate. My friend talked about the limitations that are placed on him as a teacher, aren't you glad those limitations aren't placed on you as a friend? Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

By Chance and by Choice

December 6th was the anniversary of the Halifax Explosion, but I'm sure most of you knew that. And you probably knew that it was the largest man made explosion until the explosion of the atomic bomb. The Halifax explosion has defined our city for the past 90 plus years. And I knew all those things but what I didn't know, until just recently, was that my great grand-father was here when it happened. My mother's grandfather was a young sailor from Estonia who jumped ship in Halifax to start a new life, but he wasn't counting on being a part of history. Family folklore says that he was behind Citadel Hill when the two ships collided and escaped the force of the blast.

More than 1900 people died that day, but Pritu Rahnell did not, and because of that, I'm writing this today.


It was by choice that Pritu jumped ship in Halifax and it was by chance he was protected from the blast of the explosion. Each of our lives will be shaped by choice and by chance. We really can't do much about the chance but we are the author of our choices. So instead of complaining about chance, we need to do our best with our choices. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

Oops

It was supposed to be a prank that everybody would talk and laugh about for years. Instead it turned into a tragedy that cost one friend his life and another friend his freedom. All because someone didn't stop to think.
On Thanksgiving Day, in Manchester Vermont, a 23 year old man decided to wake his visiting friend by shooting him in the chest with an air rifle. Except the air rifle was a real rifle and instead of surprising his friend he killed him. Which was probably a surprise but not the kind he was thinking of.
So Jeffrey Charbonneau is dead and his friend will be charged with his death because as the State Attorney said, "It was reckless behaviour and he meant to shoot the gun. This was not like they were hunting together or they were cleaning a gun."
How often in our lives do things not turn out the way we had anticipated because we didn't stop and think. We thought it would be funny or fun but never really thought it through and it ended in a much different way than we had anticipated.
God gave us a brain for a reason and if we take the time to use it we will probably have fewer regrets. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

 

Dreamer

You every have weird dreams? I mean really weird dreams? I normally don't remember my dreams when I wake up, but this past Sunday night, three of them were in the forefront of my mind when I awoke. I dreamt that I gave flowers to our General Superintendent and she ate them. I dreamt that I sailed my little red car in the Bay of Fundy and then I dreamt that Jason and I found a brown striped rabbit in the basement of the church (think skunk stripes but in ginger brown!). And what really doesn't make sense is, the church doesn't have a basement. Must have been the Moroccan food I had Sunday evening.

16 years ago, I had a dream of starting a church that would have an impact on the community and would reach out to the pre-churched, the unchurched and the de-churched in a relevant manner and to some folks that seemed a little weird. But here we are 16 years later impacting the community and reaching those who are pre-churched, de-churched and un-churched, so I guess that wasn't so weird after all. Now, if I can just figure out what to do with that silly rabbit. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

Taking time to Remember

It was quite the crowd. They were all there from the very young to the very old. From babies in strollers to veterans in wheelchairs and they had all come for the same reason; to remember.
I marvel each year at the number of people who show up to the Remembrance Day service at the cenotaph in Bedford.  Literally hundreds of people come out each year, take an hour out of their day to pay their respects.  And they don't come for the service, which stumbles along and is relayed over a screechy public address system, nor for the music, such as it is.  They come and stand for an hour out of respect and to give thanks for the freedom they have. Freedom to come or not to come to the event.  
And really, isn't that why we should come to church? To remember that sacrifice that was made for us and not because of how good the service is done for us?  In theory that works, but in practice it is a little different.  And I suppose if we only did church for an hour once a year it would be different and maybe that explains all the strangers on Christmas Eve.   Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

What about the Ponies?

I saw a headline the other day that said, "The Global eradication of Polio" and my first thought was, "I didn't know there was a movement to eradiation Polo. Maybe it has something to do with the way they treat the ponies."  Seriously, I am not making this up. And then I realized the article was about polio, the disease and not polo, the sport.
If we are honest we have all heard and read things the wrong way, and in most cases it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference. And sometimes it's good for a laugh. 
Unfortunately I have met people through the years who have based their theology and are wagering their eternity on something they read or heard and didn't take the time to verify that thought.
Just because you read in a book, saw it on Oprah or Dr. Phil or heard it on the platform at Cornerstone, doesn't make it the irrefutable. If you are willing to trust your eternity to a concept, you'd better be sure of the veracity of that concept.  Which is why God gave us common sense and brains.  My concern is: what they will do with the ponies when they have eradicated the sport? Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

That’s Not News

Do you ever wonder about things that end up in the news that just aren't news? Last week a headline caught my attention that said, "Charlie Sheen found drunk and naked in a New York hotel." And that isn't news in so many ways. Events are supposed to be news if they are of importance to a large number of people and I'm not sure that many people care about Charlie's antics . And "news" is supposed to be about things that are different, not the normal state of affairs and that just doesn't hold true for Sheen's misbehaviour. Perhaps if it had read, "Charlie Sheen found sober and responsible", that would have been worth reporting.

Seriously, Charlie has some problems. My biggest issue with Charlie's behaviour is that he professes to have had a life changing relationship with Jesus, but nothing seems to have changed.

And I know some of you are thinking, "It's not right to judge people Denn." True enough, however Paul does remind us in 1 Corinthians 5:12 that we have an obligation to the church to judge the actions of believers. After all, as a Christ follower, Charlie's actions are a reflection not only on Charlie but also on Jesus. And so are ours. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.