WOW...what a finish to the Kettle campaign!!! December 23rd was a record kettle day for Fredericksburg - $11,000+, and our first day over $10,000 and a record that lasted one day. On Christmas Eve, we raised $13,500 - an absolutely staggering total. We left the office at 8:30 last night tired and very happy. Then, at about 10:30PM, my wife read an e-mail about a fellow Salvation Army Officer, Major Phillip Wise. I met Phillip some years ago as he was temporarily in charge of the Prince William Corps in Virginia, and later as the Assistant Corps Officer in Portsmouth, VA.
At about 4:15PM Phil, with his three young children (ages 4, 6 & 8) had just dropped two bell ringers off at their homes and returned to the Little Rock Area Command when he was held up at gun point by two young men asking for money (I presume he had kettles, but that is not yet confirmed) who then shot him dead in front of his children. Suffice to say, the euphoria over the tremendous kettles turned into deep reflection.
This morning I shared a happy time of with my wife and children aged 10, 8 & 5, but my thoughts were with a family not very different from ours. A Dad who had toiled his way through a Kettle program, who was returning the last kettles of the season preparing to have a great Christmas celebration with his children...only for his life, a woman's husband, and the father of three children to be taken forever because of a bit of money.
This morning I have taken the time to hug my wife and children just a bit more, I have slowed down to watch them and cuddle them and to tell them that I love them. I realize that tomorrow cannot be assumed for any one of us, and that the gift of today will never come again. Christmas, therefore, must be a day for rejoicing over what we have and, through all the tinsel, lights and presents, realize that the value of Christmas Day is celebrating the birth of Christ with the people that you love.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Ouch
How quickly I can go from moderately pleased to mild panic over the kettle progress. A little snow (24" to be exact) shut the state of Virginia down for the weekend, taking from us our best Kettle day of the year...and a hoped for $13,000 is gone. Oh, I wanted to go out and ring. I convinced myself that it would be OK...but not one bell was rung on December 19th, 2009. Then...my favorite Sunday of the year was lost. The day that the children perform, the Sunday my sermon is limited to 10 minutes, and the gift giving to the children...all lost. What could be worse?
As I came to my senses on Saturday morning, I started to see an opportunity. A chance to play in the snow...the deep snow, and a chance to play with my children. We had enough milk, bread and toilet paper to get through the weekend, so suddenly I realized that I had nothing to fear and that, perhaps, I have been given a chance to slow down and enjoy my family in the midst of my busiest season. Now I see this past weekend as an opportunity given to me rather than an opportunity lost.
Incidentally, we are sitting $43,000 below my optimistic goal, though we are looking at a season end figure of about $160,000. We can make that work. Through it all, I will be able to look back at Christmas 2009 as a strong kettle program with the gift of a family weekend.
As I came to my senses on Saturday morning, I started to see an opportunity. A chance to play in the snow...the deep snow, and a chance to play with my children. We had enough milk, bread and toilet paper to get through the weekend, so suddenly I realized that I had nothing to fear and that, perhaps, I have been given a chance to slow down and enjoy my family in the midst of my busiest season. Now I see this past weekend as an opportunity given to me rather than an opportunity lost.
Incidentally, we are sitting $43,000 below my optimistic goal, though we are looking at a season end figure of about $160,000. We can make that work. Through it all, I will be able to look back at Christmas 2009 as a strong kettle program with the gift of a family weekend.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Still Alive
No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...no I am not in hiding with Tiger Woods...no I have not been hanging out with Elvis...I have simply been working through a Salvation Army Christmas. Yes, that time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Christ by raising as much money as we can, so we can help as many people as we can. No, that is not meant to sound at all cynical, just a reality of the dangers of Christmas. This season is busy for almost everybody, not just your local Salvation Army folk.
I always remember an old TV series called "Till death us do part". It was an English show starring a character called Alf Garnett (the show was duplicated in the USA with the character Archie Bunker). In it Alf was remembering the Christmas story and, when talking about there being no room in the inn, rhetorically asked the question "why" to which his wife responded, "It's because it's Christmas...everybody's busy at Christmas."
It's a sad stigma because the birth of Christ is something to reflect upon. Christ was and is the ultimate gift. His life, as recorded in scripture, is our model for life and His death represents our hope of eternal life. Without Christ I am nothing, but through Him I am an heir to everything...and it all started in an obscure stable in Bethlehem.
When I was a kid I thought my Action Man (GI JOE in the USA) was the ultimate gift. My children will consider their DS as the ultimate gift...in the midst of celebrating the ultimate gift.
For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.(Luke 2:11).
And now, as if to contradict myself, our Kettles are at $120,000. This is $20,000 below my target but $23,000 above last year. I'm quite happy - thank you Fredericksburg.
I always remember an old TV series called "Till death us do part". It was an English show starring a character called Alf Garnett (the show was duplicated in the USA with the character Archie Bunker). In it Alf was remembering the Christmas story and, when talking about there being no room in the inn, rhetorically asked the question "why" to which his wife responded, "It's because it's Christmas...everybody's busy at Christmas."
It's a sad stigma because the birth of Christ is something to reflect upon. Christ was and is the ultimate gift. His life, as recorded in scripture, is our model for life and His death represents our hope of eternal life. Without Christ I am nothing, but through Him I am an heir to everything...and it all started in an obscure stable in Bethlehem.
When I was a kid I thought my Action Man (GI JOE in the USA) was the ultimate gift. My children will consider their DS as the ultimate gift...in the midst of celebrating the ultimate gift.
For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.(Luke 2:11).
And now, as if to contradict myself, our Kettles are at $120,000. This is $20,000 below my target but $23,000 above last year. I'm quite happy - thank you Fredericksburg.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Where did my life go?
I really don't remember Christmas being this busy!! Perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me, perhaps this simply is a busier season than ever before, perhaps I'm just a little older. Whichever it is, every day is a rush with much to do and little accomplished. However, despite my personal impression of the proverbial headless chicken, people are still ringing bells, people are still donating money, angels are being taken from the trees and planning district 16 is again proving that it's a community that looks after its own.
Thanksgiving Day was wonderful and our last real family day until Christmas Day. Don't get me wrong, our children still see Christi and me...just not at the same time. In fact, I get more concentrated kid time during these weeks than most as I will often take one of my children on my kettle run, and that child will have my undivided attention for three or four hours. I treasure those opportunities. Incidentally we have so far raised $49,496 in kettle money. This is about $9,000 below my very aggressive goal though $10,243 above last year through this date. The major issues, however, is the massive increase in need.
On a final note, I have lost 4 pounds now. Not a stellar start to my diet, but it is going in the right direction. The major problem...finding time to exercise!!! Go figure.
Please pray for our Christmas effort, and for The Salvation Army nationwide as we continue to try and raise money during the most difficult of economic times.
Thanksgiving Day was wonderful and our last real family day until Christmas Day. Don't get me wrong, our children still see Christi and me...just not at the same time. In fact, I get more concentrated kid time during these weeks than most as I will often take one of my children on my kettle run, and that child will have my undivided attention for three or four hours. I treasure those opportunities. Incidentally we have so far raised $49,496 in kettle money. This is about $9,000 below my very aggressive goal though $10,243 above last year through this date. The major issues, however, is the massive increase in need.
On a final note, I have lost 4 pounds now. Not a stellar start to my diet, but it is going in the right direction. The major problem...finding time to exercise!!! Go figure.
Please pray for our Christmas effort, and for The Salvation Army nationwide as we continue to try and raise money during the most difficult of economic times.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Christmas!!!!!!!!!
For a Salvation Army Officer the month of November comes around very quickly followed by the slowest two months of the year. Yes it's kettle time, that season where people give very generously one dollar at a time and, somehow, these dollars accumulate and become the most important fund raiser of our year. What a lot of work and effort, what a lot of hours and minutes, what a lot of money.
The problem is, The Salvation Army Christmas can become so busy that we (that is those in the middle of it) can be guilty of looking at the mas(s) of work while forgetting the Christ part. Its not that we don't value the Season, its just that we become preoccupied by the sheer busyness of the season...and I haven't even mentioned the Angel Tree and Toyland distribution.
Tomorrow I have the orientation with my Bell Ringers. On Friday we begin the program in earnest, and I will endeavour to update anybody that takes the time to read my blog with daily totals and how we are doing against our very aggressive $200,000 goal. When you read our totals, I ask that you pray for The Salvation Army, that those involved in the Christmas program never lose sight of Christ, and that God will bless our efforts.
Finally - I have lost 2 lbs.
The problem is, The Salvation Army Christmas can become so busy that we (that is those in the middle of it) can be guilty of looking at the mas(s) of work while forgetting the Christ part. Its not that we don't value the Season, its just that we become preoccupied by the sheer busyness of the season...and I haven't even mentioned the Angel Tree and Toyland distribution.
Tomorrow I have the orientation with my Bell Ringers. On Friday we begin the program in earnest, and I will endeavour to update anybody that takes the time to read my blog with daily totals and how we are doing against our very aggressive $200,000 goal. When you read our totals, I ask that you pray for The Salvation Army, that those involved in the Christmas program never lose sight of Christ, and that God will bless our efforts.
Finally - I have lost 2 lbs.
Friday, November 6, 2009
I don't like chicken!
Now the title of this blog does not reflect my views on chicken...it was the cry of my children as my wife cooked a lovely chicken meal last night. Thanks to George Foreman, her barbecue chicken was seared to perfection, accompanied by some healthy green beans and pasta. I then watched as my three children picked their way through this relatively healthy dish. I know what they wanted...they wanted Pizza, they wanted a hamburger, they wanted chicken nuggets (somehow chicken nuggets are not real chicken I guess), any of which were less healthy than what was in front of us. I guess too many fast food meals have spoiled them as they've tasted the Happy Meal, complete with its alluring free gift and french fries!!!
How easy it is to apply this analogy to life. How God has given us all things good and how we, like small children, kick our feet and want some perverted version of the same thing. We can apply it to our relationships, to our temperament, to our habits and to our worship. How often we take what God has provided and then we distort it beyond recognition. Indeed, we allow sin to enter in.
Going back to food, I think my biggest vice is food...indeed...overeating. Therefore, I am going to use my blog as an accountability log. Every Friday I will post how much weight I have lost that week. I invite your feedback as either encouragement or admonishment, but it is an area of my life that I need to bring under control as I have allowed sin to enter into my eating habits. Stay posted.
How easy it is to apply this analogy to life. How God has given us all things good and how we, like small children, kick our feet and want some perverted version of the same thing. We can apply it to our relationships, to our temperament, to our habits and to our worship. How often we take what God has provided and then we distort it beyond recognition. Indeed, we allow sin to enter in.
Going back to food, I think my biggest vice is food...indeed...overeating. Therefore, I am going to use my blog as an accountability log. Every Friday I will post how much weight I have lost that week. I invite your feedback as either encouragement or admonishment, but it is an area of my life that I need to bring under control as I have allowed sin to enter into my eating habits. Stay posted.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Going for glory
One of the most natural things about human beings is the desire for glory. Right now the Yankees and the Phillies are fighting for glory in the world series, while Brett Farve had another moment of glory as he destroyed his old team Green Bay throwing 4 touchdown passes. Glory is desired by movie stars and musicians, and many get it..from time to time. It is the kind of glory that puts you on a pedestal, a place where people look up and they will either honor you, or will try to shoot you down...Oh, the price of glory.
In John 17:1b Jesus prays, "Father the time has come for you to bring glory to your son, in order that he may bring glory to you." (CEV) In these verses, Jesus was bringing about a whole new perspective on glory as he approached the day of his own torture and death. In this verses, Jesus is acknowledging that His torture and death will be a means of glorification to God, that the whole world will acknowledge God for the most remarkable way in which Jesus accepted what was to befall Him. On that crucifixion day such a notion seemed absurd, yet history shows us that Christians have since given God glory for that day above any other day. For Christ it was the ultimate selfless act, one that points us all to The Father who then took Jesus back to Heaven...back to glory.
My friend Jim has a rare and incurable form of cancer. Despite being given 3 - 6 months to live, he continues to soldier on some 15 months later - thanks to Gods grace and some experimental treatments. I was in Texas with him this past weekend, where Jim was a special guest who had the chance to be with people, to lead music groups and to preach on Sunday morning. Everybody was delighted to see him and marvelled at how well he seems to be doing. They interpret his well being through his smile and his love of people, to his ability to come to every meeting and his lingering at the end of the meeting to talk to anybody that wants to talk to him. But what Jim is actually doing is to glorify the Father. His body is suffering terribly and a large tumor could take his life at any time. His legs are wrapped with surgical bandages and he is terribly fatigued...but you would never know. He is proclaiming the grace of God...and he is bringing glory to God. I still believe in miracles, I still believe in healing...but Jim, by bringing glory to God, will have the ultimate reward some day. will become a recipient of God's glory for him.
In John 17:1b Jesus prays, "Father the time has come for you to bring glory to your son, in order that he may bring glory to you." (CEV) In these verses, Jesus was bringing about a whole new perspective on glory as he approached the day of his own torture and death. In this verses, Jesus is acknowledging that His torture and death will be a means of glorification to God, that the whole world will acknowledge God for the most remarkable way in which Jesus accepted what was to befall Him. On that crucifixion day such a notion seemed absurd, yet history shows us that Christians have since given God glory for that day above any other day. For Christ it was the ultimate selfless act, one that points us all to The Father who then took Jesus back to Heaven...back to glory.
My friend Jim has a rare and incurable form of cancer. Despite being given 3 - 6 months to live, he continues to soldier on some 15 months later - thanks to Gods grace and some experimental treatments. I was in Texas with him this past weekend, where Jim was a special guest who had the chance to be with people, to lead music groups and to preach on Sunday morning. Everybody was delighted to see him and marvelled at how well he seems to be doing. They interpret his well being through his smile and his love of people, to his ability to come to every meeting and his lingering at the end of the meeting to talk to anybody that wants to talk to him. But what Jim is actually doing is to glorify the Father. His body is suffering terribly and a large tumor could take his life at any time. His legs are wrapped with surgical bandages and he is terribly fatigued...but you would never know. He is proclaiming the grace of God...and he is bringing glory to God. I still believe in miracles, I still believe in healing...but Jim, by bringing glory to God, will have the ultimate reward some day. will become a recipient of God's glory for him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
