by Christine Sine
Today’s post is written with a little trepidation and struggle. Black Friday and CyberMonday are my least favorite days of the year and I hate watching the rampant consumerism that is at its heart. I also struggle because I know that Consumerism Plays a Huge Role in Climate Change and I hate to see the way that this consumer frenzy takes our focus away from the true meaning of the Thanksgiving and Advent seasons. Yet I realize too that people need jobs to support their families. And I must confess that like most of us it is easy for me too to be drawn in by bargain prices for things that are on my shopping list for Christmas. Though I have noticed that my main purchases at this season are never on sale!
Here at Godspace we need income too so that we can continue to create the resources you appreciate on a daily basis for your ongoing faith walk. And that income comes from your purchases either through the Godspace store or through our being an Amazon Associate through which we receive a small amount for each book you purchase through a link to Amazon.
So as we celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for the coming days of Advent I wanted to remind us of the resources that we have available through the Godspace store or on Amazon. I think that many of them make great Christmas gifts and resources.
And just a heads up – all our digital resources will be available at a discount price on Monday.
Obviously at the top of my list is:
The Gift of Wonder – both book and cards which several people have already told me they are giving to their friends and relatives this season. I hope you will consider joining them. I continue to be encouraged by feedback I get on the book. This week I heard from a pastor who has been using it in a small group study. One participant shared with her how much it has helped her notice the world around. It has also motivated her to paint rocks and leave them as encouragement for others
I also regularly use our prayer cards especially the Celtic cards (great stocking stuffers!!!)
Gifted Ana Lisa De Jong’s new book of poetry would be a great gift for those like me, who are fans of hers too.
Also we have some old, but still popular resources available:
To Garden With God continues to attract garden enthusiasts.
And Return to Our Senses the book that began my journey into creative spiritual practice still attracts attention from many of you
As does Rest in the Moment for those who are looking for a series of daily or weekly reflections for their devotional life. (This will be available last as a discounted pdf download on Monday too)
John Birch’s Advent Resources are also worth a look. Available through his store not Godspace. After reading about the power of music in our lives I am particularly attracted to his new book Singing the Story.
American Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I thought that it was time to update my list of Thanksgiving prayers.
I love the prayer above and the ones below but there are lots of others out there that are rich and powerful for this season
For more thanksgiving prayers and resources and for some great thanksgiving songs check out our Thanksgiving resource list.
Last year I posted My Favourite Thanksgiving Prayers with my favourite thanksgiving scriptures and prayers from Christian, Jewish and Native American heritages.
Earlier this year, I posted resources for thanksgiving and harvest with a rich array of prayers, litanies and links to other websites with yet more resources for harvest and thanksgiving.
You might also like to check out this Thanksgiving Litany (which I also posted yesterday but with some updated prayers and scriptures)
Not surprising I have found a whole new array this year. I love this prayer by Samuel Pugh:
O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.
-Samuel F. Pugh
Paul Neeley at Global Christian Worship is one of the best collectors of beautiful seasonal music and litanies that I know including:
Thanksgiving playlist from liturgy of life.
Recording of Songs for Thanksgiving
Litany with Responses from the Psalms
I also wanted to focus on songs that I think make a good reflective focus for the season.
Here is a wonderful thanksgiving prayer sung by Johnny Cash on an episode of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.
And another beautiful one by Karen Chapin Carpenter
A celebration of thankfulness in this lovely thanksgiving song by Brianna Haynes
by Christine Sine
Today’s litany is adapted from one I wrote in 2014 and looking back I felt that I could not improve on it (at least not much) so am reposting it. I have changed the translation used for the scriptures to The Passion Translation and the Lord’s Prayer to the prayer from the New Zealand Prayer book as I wanted to give it a sense of freshness in keeping with my call to read life differently not just as we approach Advent but in every part of our lives. Enjoy!
The photo is of my friend Kim who just celebrated the one year anniversary of a heart transplant. She has made incredible progress but is still very restricted in her activity. I first posted this just after she was able to raise her arms for the first time – what a gift. So as you read through this liturgy this morning lift your arms and praise God for the gift of muscles, and nerves and strength.
(This litany was updated in 2020 with special suggestions for an at home celebration)
A Thanksgiving Liturgy
God eternal and righteous One,
Who created the heavens and the earth,
we gather to give you thanks.
For breath that fills us with your life,
For love that softens our hearts,
For beauty revealed at every turn.
Christ redeeming and forgiving One,
Who is always faithful and merciful.
We gather to give you thanks,
For renewal, transforming our lives,
For peace calming the chaos of our souls,
For hope restoring our faith.
Spirit sustaining, and compassionate One,
Who calls us into relationship with the living God,
We give you thanks,
For caring when our hearts are aching,
For friends supportive in times of need,
For generosity lavish and overflowing.
God who created the earth and the heavens,
Eternal, Redeeming and Sustaining One,
We gather to give you thanks,
We come with hearts full of gratitude,
For all things good,
We give you thanks for You.
(Pause to express gratitude for your own areas of thanksgiving)
For the universe immense and unknown,
For the earth on which we live,
For humankind made in your image.
Thanks and praise to God our creator.
For the way you entered human history as one of us
For the sacrifice you made for all of us,
For dying that we might live.
Thanks and praise to Christ our redeemer,
For the wonder of your indwelling presence,
For the comfort of your guidance and direction,
For drawing us together as one body.
Thanks and praise to the Holy Spirit our sustainer.
Through your will we are made whole,
Through your love we are renewed.
Through your abiding presence we become one community.
Thanks and praise to God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer through all eternity.
Psalm 105 1-8 (TPT) (Evidently this was sung as the Ark of the Covenant was brought up to Jerusalem)
Go ahead and give God thanks
for all the glorious things he has done!
Go ahead and worship him!
Tell everyone about his wonders!
2 Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music!
3 Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God.
Let’s be happy and keep rejoicing no matter what.
4 Seek more of his strength! Seek more of him!
Let’s always be seeking the light of his face.
5 Don’t you ever forget his miracles and marvels.
Hold to your heart every judgment he has decreed.
6 For you are his servants, the true seed of Abraham,
and you are the chosen ones, Jacob’s sons.
7 For he is the Lord our God,
and his wise authority[b] can be seen in all he does.
8–9 For though a thousand generations may pass away,
he is still true to his word.
He has kept every promise[c] he made to Abraham and to Isaac.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Let your heart be always guided[a] by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises,[c] and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts!
17 Let every activity of your lives and every word[e] that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Then he raised a cup and gave thanks to God and said to them, “Take this and pass it on to one another and drink. 18 I promise you that the next time we drink this wine, we will be together in the feast of God’s kingdom realm.”
19 Then he lifted up a loaf, and after praying a prayer of thanksgiving to God, he gave each of his apostles a piece of bread, saying, “This loaf is my body,[b] which is now being offered to you. Always eat it to remember me.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us pray together now in the words Jesus taught us.
Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is Heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your Heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on Earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever.
Amen. (From New Zealand Prayer Book)
Gracious and generous God we give you thanks,
For the gift of life for we are made in your image,
We think of all those in whom your divine image is still distorted.
We pray for your mercy and love to rest upon them.
God in your mercy be with them.
Caring and providing God we give you thanks,
For our homes that shelter and protect us,
We think of those without shelter and water and protection today.
We pray for your generous provision to be poured out upon them.
God in your mercy be with them.
Abundant and giving God we give you thanks,
For our food that nourishes and strengthens us,
We think of those without adequate food and nourishment today.
We pray that you will feed them with the bread of life.
God in your mercy be with them.
Loving and compassionate God we give you thanks,
For our friends and family who love and comfort us in times of need,
We think of those who are alone and feel abandoned.
God comfort and surround them that they may sense your presence.
God in your mercy be with them.
(Pause to offer your own prayers)
Gracious and generous God,
We remember all the gifts you have given us,
We remember how lavishly you have provided.
We remember how lovingly you have cared,
We remember especially that greatest gift of all,
Jesus Christ our Saviour,
And we give you thanks.
Amen
If you are looking for Thanksgiving prayers here are some of my favorites – prayers from all traditions including beautiful Jewish and Native American prayers.
And for more Thanksgiving resources check out our resource page on Thanksgiving and Harvest.
Feature photo (c) Tom Balke
by June Friesen
Oasis for the Nations Ministry 3822 West Ocotillo Road Phoenix, AZ. 85027
CALL TO WORSHIP
PSALM 100
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
OPENING THANKSGIVING PRAISE
COME YE THANKFUL PEOPLE COME
PRAISE HIM, PRAISE HIM, ALL YE LITTLE CHILDREN
WE ARE SO BLESSED
LITANTY OF PRAISE
LEADER: God Almighty: we enter Your presence with humble hearts and spirits
today. We come today with hearts of gratefulness for the abundance
we have enjoyed over the past year especially and we say ‘thank you,
God.’
PEOPLE: THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR GIFTS THIS YEAR, 2019.
LEADER: We come today with thankful hearts for your bounty and variety of
food and harvests that have gifted us with a variety of flavors,
textures, nutrition, and color over this year and our lifetime.
PEOPLE: THANK YOU GOD FOR OUR FOOD AND THE ABILITY TO PREPARE AND
TASTE IT AS WE EAT IT.
LEADER: We come today with thankful hearts for our abilities to work to make
the world a better place for ourselves and others. We thank you for
providing jobs for us and monetary reimbursements to enable us to
care for ourselves as well as provide for our families and also some
others from time to time.
PEOPLE: THANK YOU GOD FOR THE STRENGTH TO WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN
WE FIND OURSELVES HAVING TOO MUCH ON OUR SCHEDULES AND
WE ARE TIRED.
LEADER: Thank you God for our homes where we can be protected from the
elements of nature such as severe weather, bugs, animals that may
choose to harm us, as well as people who may not have our best
interests at heart.
PEOPLE: THANK YOU GOD FOR A WARM PLACE IN WINTER, A COOL PLACE IN
SUMMER, A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP, A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BE A
FAMILY THAT BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS OF LOVE AND CARE.
LEADER: Thank you God for our church family and for You being our One and
only Father. Thank you for giving us love and care for each other here
on this earth. Thank you for helping us appreciate each other in our
uniquenesses, our special abilities, our favorite foods, our brokenness,
in our pain and in our joy.
PEOPLE: THANK YOU GOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY OF OASIS FOR THE NATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR CHALLENGING US TO LEARN HOW TO BE BETTER
REPRESENTATIVES FOR YOU HERE ON THIS EARTH BY LEARNING
HOW TO LOVE, CARE, HELP, SHARE AND MOST OF ALL TO FORGIVE
EACH OTHER. HELP US TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME AND JOIN
YOUR FAMILY THROUGH OUR FAMILY INVITING THEM TO KNOW YOU.
WORSHIP IN SONG
GETTING USED TO THE FAMILY OF GOD
I’M SO GLAD I’M A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD
PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE FAMILY
Psalm 1:2-4
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
GOD’S HUMAN TREES
How can one be like a tree?
How can one imagine having leaves?
And if one imagines that they have leaves –
What kind of leaves would they be –
Exactly what color of green, or maybe another color would these leaves be –
How efficiently would these leaves serve their purpose –
Just what would life really be like – if I were a tree?
If I were a tree, I would choose to stand tall and strong,
I would do my best to grow strong roots down to the deep waters
To keep my branches and all of my leaves in good health.
If I were a tree I would embrace the painful growth of buds –
Buds that will provide more and new branches to reach even greater heights,
Buds that will provide more leaves to enable my feeding process for good health,
And hopefully some buds that will provide flowers to nourish and attract others
So seeds will be formed, scattered and sprouted new lives to grow;
Yes, a tree O God my Father –
A tree that allows You to provide food, water and care –
A tree that allows You to take it through the storms and survive –
A tree that remains rooted in You – growing deeper and deeper –
A tree healthy and productive – because it grows deep, strong and healthy roots in You.
Thank you, O God for hearing my prayer. Amen.
RESPONSE IN SONG:
FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD
Jeremiah 17:7-9
7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.
A FLOURISHING, FRUITFUL TREE
What is that I see within the forest of trees?
It is a tree full of luscious green leaves –
But there is some wonderful color among the leaves of green –
What might that be – I can hardly wait to see.
I continue to walk towards that tree –
Sincerely trusting that when I reach it
There will be some luscious fruit to nourish my hungry soul.
Finally, I arrive at the foot of the tree –
I stop, I gaze upwards and oh what beauty and peace I feel –
I first choose to rest back upon its great trunk –
It accepts me, and somehow it seems to know just the energy I need
And it lets me just feel its strength – ahhhh……
Now then….I look up –
Up into the thickness of the leaves and O the beauty I see –
Of luscious fruit – so full of ripeness –
I reach up….. I touch……. So soft but just the right softness…..
Already my taste buds are active in my mouth –
Almost as if they are screaming, “We want to taste!”
And so I pluck it from the branch –
The branch is a bit reluctant to let it go –
But finally it is released and I gently hold it,
I lift it to my nose and take a deep breath –
O how delightful, how sweet it does smell –
And then I take that first bite – and the sweetness – oh the sweetness..
I savor…I slowly chew…..and so enjoy my delicious fruit.
The tree seems to invite me to stop and rest a while –
There is a special space I see at its base that somehow it just my sitting size,
I sit down, I nestle in, I relax…..
And then I close my eyes – breathe deeply – and….
I seem to be transported into God’s presence –
Sitting at His feet, enfolded in His robe of healing, forgiveness and righteousness,
I look up…..up into His face…..
I see there is a beauty there in His face that holds healing –
Could this healing be for me I wonder – it looks so satisfying and I know I need healing for all of my hurts and my brokenness –
And then He looks down into my eyes –
And in His eyes I see the beauty of healthy spiritual nourishment
That is ripe and ready and available for me to receive –
I slowly extend my hand upwards – opening it to receive –
He gently takes my hand, and gives to me –
Not only a taste, but offers me enough to give me total spiritual healing and health –
And then I realize how different I feel –
That place deep inside of me where there has been an emptiness, a loneliness, a feeling I could not understand or describe –
It is somehow different now – I …. I … feel fresh and new somehow –
Is this what it feels like God to really be not only your child, but one who also eats at your spiritual table regularly?
And suddenly I once again realize where it is that I am – nestled at the base of this beautiful tree –
I look around and wonder – where was I and how long was I here (or was it how long was I there) –
Has anyone missed me – or can I just stay here –
Can I take this feeling with me, this new kind of fruit – can I pick a supply and take it with me?
It is now that I realize that at the base of this incredible tree –
God met me with His presence and fed me with His food.
As I prepare to leave this holy space I hear an inner voice saying to me:
Thank you my friend for coming to spend some time with me today. Thank you for picking some of my fruit and not just looking at it but really tasting and eating it. It will nourish you in a special way – a way that will change how you perceive the world in which you live your human, earthly life. Please come back often, daily would be good, to pick and eat some fruit to stay well nourished. And also may I invite you to take some fruit with you and offer it to others who may not find my tree on their own. When they taste my fruit you share with them they too will be ready to come and pick their own. But let me also remind you once again my new friend, you must also remember to come often. I will always have an abundant supply of tasty, nourishing fruit just for you. I will miss you and be sad each day you forget to come by and get your special treat because I love you more than you realize – I gave my life for you.
Signed, Jesus
RESPONSE IN SONG
THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
JESUS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
HOW GREAT THOU ART
This service was prepared and written by June Friesen – 2019
Revelation 22:1-3
22 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit,[a] with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. 3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.
I AM THE FATHER’S CHILD – O LET ME NE’ER FORGET –
THAT THOUGH SOMETIMES I STILL WILL FAIL – HE IS MY FATHER STILL –
I AM MY FATHER’S CHILD – MY LIFE FOR HIM I’LL LIVE –
E’EN THOUGH I STRAY AND SOMETIMES SIN –
HE LOVES AND CARES FOR ME.
by Christine Sine.
As American Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas approach, our world seems more divided than ever and many families are finding it hard to gather without becoming embroiled in heated political discussions. Some have even ditched family gatherings as a result. It seems like a good time to turn to the Bible for some advice on how to do hospitality and to give thanks at this season.
Hospitality in ancient Palestine was more than a courtesy extended to friends and travellers. It was the means that villages used to determine if strangers were friends or enemies, a threat or an asset to the community. Extending hospitality by providing food, water and shelter was a way to temporarily adopt strangers into the community and hopefully convert a potential threat into a friendly alliance. Sometimes oil was poured over the head of the stranger as a sign of welcome.
It is probable that it was these customs that David referred to in Psalm 23:
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings. (Psalm 23:5)
In this verse David is probably not talking about God preparing a banquet for us to eat while our enemies sit around with empty stomaches drooling over the lavish food we are enjoying. This is a verse that speaks of the ancient practice of hospitality, an invitation to sit down and enjoy a meal with strangers and those we perceive as a threat, an encouragement to seek for understanding and reconciliation rather than division and hatred.
What is Your Response?
We live in a world of great division where there is much necessity for all of us to sit down over a meal with those we disagree with and see as a threat. As you think about this what comes to mind? What situations are you currently facing that might be defused by sitting around the table during the thanksgiving or Advent season and sharing a meal? Where have you seen God prepare a feast that has brought enemies together and overcome fears and disagreements? How could you prepare a meal “in the presence of your enemies” and offer open hospitality to those you disagree with?
In Jesus day this kind of hospitality was considered more than a commandment. It was a sacred obligation, filled with the joy of serving both others and God. Those that did not extend hospitality to orphans, widows and the homeless could be rejected. Like early monastics and Celtic Christians, Jews believed that sometimes in welcoming strangers they welcomed angels into their midst.
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated his joy in offering hospitality as he fed the crowds, sat down with tax collectors and shared a passover meal with his disciples. Even after his death he came back to share meals as a way to communicate his message of salvation and hope.
As I thought about this today, the picture that came to me was of Jesus seating and eating that last meal with Judas. Then I saw him get down and wash Judas’s feet. He must have realized that Judas was about to betray him, but he still reached out in embrace not division. I wonder if he hoped that through this gracious act of hospitality towards him Judas would change his mind.
What is Your Response?
At communion each week our priest says “All are welcome at the table” yet the welcome of God begins long before the institution of communion at the last supper. Radical hospitality is at the heart of the festive season. In fact the whole story of Christmas is about the radical hospitality of a God who comes to welcome us all home to the kingdom banquet.
Many feel surrounded by enemies in the current political climate. How do we respond in these hard times? This is not a time for complacency but for commitment, not for hate but for love, not to close doors but to open them, not for violence but for peace, not to wound but to heal, not to bring division but to inspire reconciliation.
There is no better place to learn to listen, not to the answers in our own heads but to the unsettling questions others are asking, than when sitting around the table sharing a meal. And there is no better time of year to take Jesus radical call to hospitality seriously and reach out with love not hate, seeking to build bridges not walls, to embrace compassion not conflict. Christmas is about listening to the voice of God entering our world and it is in the place of listening that change can begin for all of us.
As we move towards Thanksgiving (at least here in the U.S.) Advent and Christmas think about the people you disagree with, want to exclude or think are about to betray you. How could you reach out with radical hospitality to them at this season? Sit with your eyes closed and listen to this version of Psalm 23. What names come to mind? Perhaps it is someone like Mary, an unwed mother who could have been thrown out by her family. Or someone like the shepherds, despised by the society around them yet welcomed to the manger. Or the wise men, foreigners like immigrants, refugees and those of other religions. What are the first steps you need to make to reach out in a spirit of hospitality and reconciliation? How could you embrace the radical journey of hospitality
Closing Prayer
Lord help us to listen deeply not to the answers in our own heads but to the questions others ask. Lord help us to provide environments where others can relax, express themselves and learn to listen too. We know that listening is where change begins and we all need to change. May we learn to listen deeply and see our world transformed.
(NOTE: Today’s post is adapted from a previous 2016 post)
by Christine Sine
This year I decided to use Advent in Narnia by Heidi Haverkamp as my Advent devotional. Yesterday I took a sneak preview – and was riveted by this quote from the introduction.
Lewis by placing Christianity into another world makes it unfamiliar again. He gives us the chance to feel newfound wonder at the depth of God’s love, the power of Christ’s grace and the totality of his sacrifice, and the wonder of a world infused with the Holy Spirit.
MAKE CHRISTIANITY UNFAMILIAR AGAIN – what wonderful words to prepare us for Advent and the Christmas season. All of us need to be awakened to the wonder of Christmas and experience it as though it were the first time. What would it take to make that happen? Perhaps as I suggest in The Gift of Wonder it will mean that we need to look at the story with the wide eyed wonder of a child again.
“Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in. (Matthew 18:3 The Passion Translation)
How would a child view the the story of Jesus’ birth? Would they gasp in awe at Mary’s acceptance of the calling God gives her – to conceive out of wedlock in a society that stoned unwed mothers? Would they dance for joy at Joseph’s embrace of her in spite of the stigma. Would they eagerly welcome not only Mary, Joseph and Jesus into their home but also the despised shepherds and the unacceptable foreigners? And what about that flight into Egypt? Refugees rarely travel alone. I wonder was the whole family forced to flee in fear that other children too would be killed? Or maybe just to support their family members? Would those left behind live in fear of retribution? Were their eyes open to fear as well as wonder?
These are some of the questions that are revolving in my mind today and when I shared it with my husband he said “Well that is what the Gift of Wonder is about isn’t it?
The Gift of Wonder is all about seeing from a new perspective and learning to see with the wide eyed wonder of a child, just as Lucy’s experience of Narnia is. As I comment in the introduction I felt like Narnia’s Lucy stepping through a magical doorway of awe and wonder. And it is helping me to see the whole story of Christmas with new, child-like eyes. I hope that you will join me. So I must confess that I expect to have two books open as I move through Advent this year – Advent in Narnia and The Gift of Wonder.
To help with this process I am working on a new Gift of Wonder Bonus Download that I hope will be available by the end of the week (prayers appreciated!) It has been a little delayed by my trip to Australia but that is all to the good as I spent a lot of time with babies and have watched their wide eyed wonder in all they see around them. My hope is that this will provide four practices for the season – 2 drawn from The Gift of Wonder but embellished with the ideas that I have explored in the last six months since I published it, and 2 new practices drawn from questions and ideas that have been suggested since then.
I think that we all need to make Christmas unfamiliar again and to do that we need new practices that help derail our accepted way of looking at the story. I hope that you will join me on this exciting journey and rediscover as Heidi Haverkamp suggests “the newfound wonder of God’s love”
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By Donna Chacko —
During my years working in Washington, D.C., I witnessed the most profound gratitude I had
ever seen. I worked as a doctor at Christ House, a medical recovery facility for the homeless, and I lived in the long-term apartment building associated with Christ House. The patients at Christ House, predominately men, end up there because they are too sick to survive on the streets, but not sick enough to be hospitalized. Sometimes they are admitted after discharge from the hospital, with fresh incisions, amputations, or serious medical diagnoses, but nowhere to go. Mental illness, addiction, and long-neglected medical problems are routine at Christ House.
Let me tell you about George. He had lived on the street for eight years after first losing his job, then his apartment, and finally sliding into alcoholism. After passing out on the street, he was taken to the hospital where he was found to have advanced cancer, diabetes, and mental illness. After surgery he was referred to Christ House for recovery and continued medical treatment, as well as addiction and mental health therapy. Initially, he was withdrawn and sullen.
But, gradually he responded to the love, respect, and care, and he opened up. A few weeks after his admission I started seeing George at the Christ House Church service that was held every Sunday in the dining room. It wasn’t long before he started offering aloud his prayers of gratitude—“for Christ House, for the community, for God, and for my health.” Initially I was surprised. He had suffered so much, and his health, though better, was terrible.
It wasn’t just George. Many of those men were passionately grateful. Greg, with his liver
disease, kidney failure, depression, and long history of heroin addiction, spoke tremulously of his
gratitude. Most remarkable was James, a street drunk, who had been admitted to Christ House
seventeen different times. Each time he skipped out and relapsed, until the last time —when he
stayed. I often heard his grateful story because during my time in Washington I lived in his
apartment building. He had been sober ten years and served as a volunteer and mentor for the
newcomers.
As I got to know these men, I continued to hear them speak of their blessings, their love of God, and their gratitude for their health, their recovery from addiction, their housing, and especially for “for waking up this morning.” Many expressed their gratitude by taking on
volunteer jobs in the organization.
A question nagged at me when I thought about these men and their gratitude. Was I sufficiently grateful? I had lived a life overflowing with blessings: good family, comfortable upbringing, excellent education, meaningful career, good health, and my faith. Did I offer constant thanks to God for my life and His presence in my life? And, for my salvation? Probably not enough.
Many of these patients endured indescribable suffering before coming to Christ House. Their ardent gratitude was understandable; after all, they were getting a new chance at life. But, I too had been lost and then saved by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for my time working at Christ House because I was reminded of all I had to be grateful for and that I should not wait for recovery from a personal crisis to sing out my gratitude.
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1
Note: I changed names and details in this article to protect the privacy of those involved,
while making every effort to preserve the essence of the stories.
Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, and programs at her church. She previously practiced medicine for forty years, first as a radiation oncologist and later, after re-training, as a family medicine doctor. What she learned taking care of immigrants and the homeless in Washington, D.C., continues to influence her programs. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother and lives in University Park, Maryland.
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