Festival of Lessons and Carols

I had the chance to attend Muncie's Festival of Lessons and Carols along with Pete Gaffney. My mom, Beth, was one of the readers. Below is what she read and shared. I stole it, with her permission.

From Isaiah Chapter 9: "The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulders dominion rests. They name him wonder-counselor, mighty god, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

The words of Isaiah are powerful. When we read them, we feel his confidence and knowledge of God. Those words sound so direct. How can one not see that this promised messiah is fleshed out in the life of Jesus? Why cannot the whole world see it? Why cannot the Jews see it?

Many of you here know that I grew up Jewish, in an observant Jewish home. To understand the Jewish viewpoint, you must remember that the Jews were expecting the Messiah to be a powerful, good king. They were expecting a person of God's choice to rise up and deliver them from their enemies and to bring peace and righteousness into their lives. They knew they needed and they wanted leadership.

The very idea of God incarnate was never what they hoped for. Indeed, monotheism is the very halmark of Judaism.

Shema Yisrael, adonoi elohenu, adonoi echod. Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. This phrase is literally and specifically called the Watchword of our Faith and is recited as the central part of every Jewish service. Shema Yisrael, adonoi elohenu, adonoi echod. Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

God incarnate was not what the Jews were ever expecting.

Are we so very different. In our lives, very often the Lord works in ways that we are not expecting. We let the Lord slip by us in the events of our lives and in the people in our lives. We want our way and we want people to act the way we think they should.

The word spoken in the old testament, manifest in Jesus, is a living word — the word made flesh.

The word made flesh wants to live in you in a dynamic way. God wants to work in you in unexpected ways.

Are we willing to listen for him? Are we willing to tune our hearts and ears to him? Are we willing to ask him to reveal himself more fully to us?

Don't let God walk by you because you are expecting something else.

During this season let us open our hearts to Advent's very theme — Come Lord Jesus, wonder-counselor. Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Rejoice!

I've been taking more pictures lately. Jennifer instigated it when she suggested that One:Ten should start it's own 365 on Flickr as a way of sharing more of our life with those outside the office. So we now have a One:Ten pool on Flickr which anyone can subscribe to if they don't already subscribe to those of the individual members. I'm sure there will be vast dry spells, but anyone can help us by giving us ideas for what they'd like to see.

The photography continued into a road trip I took last weekend with a few from the local young adults group. We went to visit Dan who is an actor and was playing in A Christmal Carol with a few different parts. We managed to take quite a few pictures there. It was a huge blessing to get some much time with everyone who came.. so much time provides cement for relationships.

Earlier this week I drove down to Indy with a couple friends, Dan from my men's group and Michael. Wanting to fully experience it as much as possible, I set the camera aside. We had arranged to spend the night and the following day with the Indianapolis Missionaries. They have a video blog, extensive coverage in the recent November issue and earlier March/April and Feburary issues of Vine & Branches, and most recently, a cool new "music video" highlighting some of their work and a beautiful song, on YouTube called "Rejoice, Indianapolis South Side!":



It was just a great experience, for a number of reasons:

• More cement (see above) for my friendships with Dan and Mike, as well as all the folks down there.


• Got to experience a day in the life of the missionaries, which further bonds me to them as another part of the body of Christ. I feel a part of them, and feel that I can pray more personally for them.


• Was re-awoken to the nature of ministering to strangers. Something I did a little bit in Chicago but far more casually.


• Learned more about that same ministering, and then evangelization, and not only as an individual but as a group working together. Extended personal prayer immediately before going out. Sharing between the group before we go out. Sharing between the group when we return. Placing all joys and troubles in common.


• Household life when so much more is placed in common. Something as simple as moving all the guys' personal effects from one house to another, and everyone packing each other's stuff, instead of each packing their own. As unique as each person is, people are far more interchangeable amidst serving the community when they have this much in common. They are constantly communicating the state of the various relationships with people they are serving.


• Both the IUPUI and hospital visits were productive inthat we are now considering some form of both up here in the Bend. The hospital visit, and similar corporal works of mercy, are excellent things that our young adults group can do despite our many different positions and beliefs in life.

PS - Almost forgot to mention. There is some super exciting news regarding Dan Reinbold! Guess who just got a new roommate?