We said goodbye
to her dazzling smile
the glow of her light
dimmed, flickered and died.
We bid farewell
to her stunning song
the last refrain
the tears…
of pain.
We mourned for her
beneath a banyan tree
with arms dug deep
into the ground.
Our wetted eyes
the deep groanings
of our throats
we buried her
song, her love, her light
and yet she will shine
brightly forevermore
within us all.
Pope Francis recently criticized his own church’s bureaucratic leaders of being power hungry and having spiritual Alzheimer’s.
Wow! Hearing those words strewn together for me has become a warning of sorts to us here in the Army. This is something very practical that I believe we too face in the Army.
Politics & Bureaucracy:
Politics and bureaucracy exists in every church regardless of denomination.
Believe it or not, dear soldier, we too have this struggle in our army. We too have, at times, individual leaders who suffer from spiritual Alzheimer’s . We too have, at times, have individual leaders who are afflicted with spiritual atrophy of the heart. Politics and favoritism is nothing new and it certainly does happen within this army too. Does that make it ever right? Absolutely not. Can God intercede? He certainly can and He will.
The Real Danger In Our Army:
You see, dear soldier, the real danger in our Army doesn’t come from outside, it comes from within.
We can be our own worst enemies at times. We can get so caught up in preserving these political games and regulations that we, in effect, execute fellow soldiers for it. The danger in our army IS SPIRITUAL ALZHEIMER’S! The danger in our army is SPIRITUAL ATROPHY! This can happen not just to people within executive levels of leadership though, don’t fool yourself into thinking you are immune, No! This can happen to anyone within our ranks of this Army! Be careful! Watch out! Don’t lose sight of who you serve and why you serve!
To the power hungry:
Your craving for power will eventually ruin you.
Your lust for positions and destroy your ministry.
To those afflicted:
You have become the church of Laodicea…so watch out!
Turn back! Seek repentance. God will not honor your efforts of lukewarm spirituality!
He will not honor these petty offerings of lip service and displays of “soldiership”. God knows our hearts!
God doesn’t want these afflictions to destroy us! He wants us to be spiritually healthy, not spiritually atrophied!
Dear soldier, look out for these pitfalls in our Army! Spiritual Alzheimer’s and Atrophy is very real!
Be aware of them. Do not slip into the same trap as others have already done! Do not forsake your first love for the lust of power and position. Do not become slack in your devotion to Him. Do not keep Him too far from your heart and mind. We need you! We need the next generation to step up and be on fire again for the Lord! We need more than lip service and positions telling us how to move this army forward. We must not stop fighting for the lost and seeking to help the marginalized in our world! When those who become afflicted with such spiritual diseases see the marginalized and poor they close their doors to your offices of power and close their eyes as well. We cannot afford to do this, dear soldier! We were commissioned by God, as Christ’s disciples first to lead others to Him. We must not falter in this. We must never close our doors and close our eyes! If we ever do, we not only jeopardize our spiritual walk but the potential spiritual walk of those seeking.
Beware, dear soldier, Spiritual Alzheimer’s and spiritual atrophy are very, very real to our army.
-More for our Army to ponder today.
To God be the glory!
“Recapture a piece of the mystery!”
Photo by Scott E. Strissel
I wonder beneath
All of the glint
And glitter
Underneath the wrappings
and freshly fallen snow
Buried deep in
smoking chimneys
and lights flickering
for repetitive attention…
beneath all of this
does Christmas
still exist?
Beneath stars
Burned out brightly
flares in the night
beacons of eternity
if we only took the
Time every so often
to look up.
Does Christmas
still exist here?
Is it lost?
Buried deep?
Are our eyes
blinded
have we stopped
Looking up?
Does Christmas
still
truly exist?
I’m keeping warm, this heart of mine
in winter’s air, this soul repines,
these bones, but brittle glory be
the wonders of His love to see.
I dare not miss nor neglect this grace
and lose out on heavn’s holy place
a song of praise, a song of peace
a hope of joy will never cease.
And so I glimpse into that stable
the Son of God, no, not a fable.
A gift of hope, of love divine
salvation givn’ to all mankind.
SEStrissel 12-19-14
I don’t often delve into the realms of reminiscing and romanticizing about Christmas…but sometimes it helps to really appreciate what you have. It helps to remember. To bring to mind that which we have perhaps lost along the journey. Bringing to mind these precious memories helps us to recognize the blessings in this life. This is an Advent Thanksgiving of sorts. In these moments of appreciation we can thrust ourselves back into joy which can overflow our souls if we let it. Bringing to mind these moments, these Christmas memories helps us cope with the hardships that perhaps we’re facing now. It can help us get through the “dark days”. It’s therapeutic. It is cathartic. It can be life changing.
Let Me Start With A Story Telling (And then it’s your turn!)
Years ago, during a very busy Christmas season, just like this year, I was working long hours and in dire need of rest.
I was still in college at the time and just before Christmas break and midterm finals I would drive for my parents.
When I say drive, what I mean is that I was a Christmas Red Kettle Campaign driver. The days were long, the nights swiftly approached far too soon (4:30pm), and I would spend long hours driving from kettle location to kettle location burning tanks of gas as I went. That van became my dorm room when I had to study. That van became my dinning room table when I grew hungry.
As I drove the daily routes to and from kettle sites, I got to know the bell ringers who rang at those locations. Many would arrive at The Salvation Army corps building and I would have to transport them because most would not have reliable transportation on their own. A couple of individuals in particular, whom I will call Frank and Joe were some of “my regulars”. Frank and Joe were quite dirty and smelly most days. I don’t say that to be mean, it was just simply how it was. They were both from hard living lifestyles, they both lived with government assistance because of slight mental disabilities, they truly struggled in life. These two friends lived in a little, run down trailer at a trailer park in some back lot, and if not for this driving position, I would never have met them. They weren’t much to look at but they did alright at their daily “jobs” ringing the bell at The Salvation Army’s red kettle. 
Towards the end of the Christmas season, as the campaign was winding down and Christmas Eve was a day away, I chatted like I always did with my “regulars” on the way to their kettle sites. I asked them what they would be doing for Christmas. Some said they would be going to spend time with family. Some shared all of their Christmas plans in great detail. Frank and Joe remained silent throughout the conversation. I was getting close to the end of the route, I had dropped off most of the bell ringers, all except Frank and Joe. Looking back in the rear-view mirror, they both had dour expressions on their faces. I felt compelled to ask them once again what they would be doing for Christmas. They remained silent for a moment or two until Joe spoke up and said, “Well we really aren’t doing anything. We don’t have family around anymore, and we don’t really have any money to cook a nice meal.” I was slightly surprised by their honest and sad answer. I had been aware of the needs of some of our bell ringers, but I had never realized just how alone Frank and Joe truly were. Dropping them off that day I began to have this little voice in my head say, “You can help them have a Christmas!” I chewed on that thought all day as I drove and helped out around the corps. What could I possibly do to help them? That night I picked them back up, dropped off the full kettles at the corps and took Frank and Joe home to their little trailer in the back lot. We said our good-nights and farewells and I went home.
Christmas Eve rolled around and, as tradition, we only rang at the kettles for half the day as we all prepared to celebrate Christmas the following day. I picked up Frank and Joe and delivered them to their work sites for the shortened day and went about my duties. Along the way I was fortunate to have some extra spending money that I had be given and I was prepared to go and spend it…but something happened. A recollection of those two filthy guys in my van. Their dour faces in the rear-view mirror. The harsh life they found themselves in. I could do something for them…and so I did. I don’t say this for any kind of glory. I don’t tell this tale because I want you to think better of me, but the Lord had blessed me with some additional resources during that time and I was able to share those blessings with others who were more in need of it than I was. I went to the grocery store and got them a fully prepared Christmas dinner and then with the leftover money I was able to buy them a few small gifts. I wrapped the gifts and placed the full meal in a box together.
As the half-day wrapped up, and we put our kettles away. I loaded up my regulars for their journey home. The sun was setting and I too looked forward to some rest. Frank and Joe were my last drop-offs on my “homeward bound” route. As I dropped them off they said their normal farewells, but I surprised them that day. Parking the van, I went to the back and pulled out the box of food and gifts I had gotten them. At first they refused to accept it. Frank kept shaking his head and saying “no”. I told them it was a gift and I that wanted them to have it. Joe choked back some tears and in a husky voice said “thanks” as he nodded his head. They walked into their little trailer with the box of food and waved good-bye. I drove home to a warm home surrounded by family and I couldn’t help but feel, in a small way that the best Christmas gift I received that holiday season was the opportunity to genuinely give to a couple of guys who had nothing. In my heart I knew that giving was truly better than receiving gifts and in that moment I was able to find a deeper appreciation for the gift that God gave to us so long ago in a manger, the Savior of the world – Christ Jesus. Salvation was born and this gift of grace was given freely to us despite our lowly, undeserving hearts.
That is one Christmas memory that I still cherish to this very day. There are many more memories. Some greater than others, but THAT Christmas memory is certainly one hold onto.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…
What Christmas memories do you have?
Please leave comments below and share in the joys of Christmas together today!
It is easy to do.
To dwell upon negative comments.
To feast upon the criticism.
Somethings are just not good enough for anyone.
Let’s face it, you just cannot please everyone all of the time.
But…
why do we allow the negativity of others to penetrate our defenses?
why do we have to have defenses in the first place?
why do we have to constantly be on guard?
In this season of joyful anticipation and as we reflect upon Christ’s birth once more, chances are we will face negativity, harsh comments and barbed words. It is easy to become jaded during a very arduous season!
Even though this season has been conveniently coined “the season of giving”, sometimes what people give is pain, words that are sharpened to a point, and sadness. Many times, dear soldier, we work and work and work to help people in need only to face a moment of criticism by someone and it all seems to crash to ground like a house of cards. Do you know what I’m talking about today? Have you experienced this? Perhaps this negativity comes in the form of one we are trying to give generously to who spurns our efforts because it doesn’t meet their standards. Perhaps it comes in the form of a volunteer who criticizes the way that you have organized and led this ragtag group of ‘do-gooders’. In one fell swoop your anticipation for that ‘warm fuzzies’ in the stomach while helping those in need is left dangling upon an open pit of flames as you utter sarcastically under your breath “thanks a lot!”
I hope I’m not painting a scene of hopelessness here today for you. That is not my purpose in writing this, dear soldier.
My purpose for writing this is to remind us all that we aren’t working for the ‘chin nods‘ and approval of people, we are working (because of faith) in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are attempting to emulate His selflessness in our sometimes feeble attempts. That doesn’t mean that we don’t keep the standards high in our preparations and organization, but it does mean that our attempts at helping those in need; our attempts at raising funds and giving love and hope to those without love and hope should be impervious to destructive criticism and harsh judgments upon us. The reality is that because we have invested and given ourselves completely over to these tasks, we will take these slings and arrows very personally.
A reminder:
Man isn’t your judge in terms of the service that you give to God.
You serve a higher calling. You are set apart. You matter. You have value!
Negativity will come. Destructive criticism (not to be confused with constructive God-honoring accountability) will come.
We will not please everyone in these efforts of mercy, hope and love. Some will come to us to rage just because they enjoy raging.
Remember:
It’s sounds cliche’, tired and old, but remember Christ this Christmas.
Don’t get dragged down into the pits of negativity.
Don’t wallow in these places.
They will never make you into the person God has called you to be.
These places will only serve to make you bitter and burned out.
Take time to get away for even a few minutes.
Catch your breath.
Pray.
Feast on His promises.
Remember the birth of Christ.
Read it again. Chew on the lessons within the text. Apply humility and love in your responses when all you want to do is rage back.
Dear Soldier, remember
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
All my work is for the Master,
He is all my heart’s desire;
O that he may count me faithful
In the day that tries by fire!
(SASB 522, chorus)
Something more for our Army to ponder today.
To God be the glory!
Regret.
Contrition.
Self-reproach.
Emotions that run deep beneath us.
Some propel us for the good.
Some dispel any and all forward progress we may have made.
You can’t live within your regrets.
You can’t burrow down beneath them and become spiritually disabled by them.
You can’t beat yourself up all of the time.
I believe that the Apostle Paul faced this type of self-reproach in his life too.
Having to say to yourself “I wish I had known”, might become a mantra of torture and pain.
Having to repeat these mistakes…let’s call them for what they might be – M-I-S-T-A-K-E-S…
I’m not trying to get you off the hook here.
I’m not trying to justify our prior actions here.
But what I am saying is this:
If you can’t learn to do this,
especially when we have received forgiveness
from God, then you will never be able to move forward
you will never be able to progress in this spiritual walk.
you will always be looking behind yourself
you will always be punishing yourself for
THOSE MISTAKES…
Paul reminds us of this truth.
He reminds us (and perhaps himself)
He warns us of uttering that phrase about our forgiven
past that still screams at us and
tries to convince us that we don’t deserve God’s grace…
that same past that shouts at us and tells us that
we are beyond reach of mercy and that we totally deserve
punishment for these awful mistakes.
Paul says to these “I wish I had knowns”
and he says to us:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Did you catch that?
Do you see the truth?
Can you understand that we’re all in the same boat here?
Our pasts and all of the mistakes we have made:
-Can propel us forward.
-Can be used for our betterment
–Can be Are wiped clean.
-They don’t matter any more and they don’t live in our present.
Dear Soldier,
stop fighting a war with shadows of your past! 
Stop waging a battle with ghosts that no longer exist.
Stop looking backward and the “I wish I had knowns”…they have been forgiven…you have been set free from them!
Don’t be defined by your past.
Don’t be defined by your mistakes.
Don’t give it a foothold in your present life…in your new life.
The father of lies would love for you to become crippled in your faith.
The great deceiver would try and convince you that you are of no worth and that your past is still very much present in your new life, and that little has changed.
I beg to differ.
Christ has set YOU FREE! 
He didn’t do it partially.
He didn’t free you from the bondage of sin improperly.
He didn’t make a mistake with your free gift of Salvation.
You are free indeed!
You are a new creation.
You are forgiven.
You are save to save others through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit!
You are loved.
You are accepted though some will never accept you.
You are fit to be called a child of God!
So how about this, dear Soldier…
Stop the madness.
Stop the war inside your mind.
Stop hurting yourself spiritually.
Stop dwelling on the “I wish I had knowns”
Stop looking back at your old life and living there through regret.
Stop lingering on the shoulda, coulda, woulda’s in life and move onto the promises of God here and now in the present.
Live as kingdom people now!
You are fit to serve!
You are fit to wear your uniform!
You are fit to be called sons and daughters of the Most High!
So a last bit of advice to you today:
Something more for our Army world to ponder today!
A wedding ring,
I found a wedding ring in a kettle.
It was resting on a pillow
of nickles and dimes
caught up in the hand
instead of placed upon one.
A sign of togetherness,
a sign of love,
a metaphor of
“they lived happily ever after”
and yet I found it
in a kettle
at Christmas.
Dreams crashed to earth?
Smoldering as they break apart? 
Dreams crushed by unfaithfulness
losing its way
as this promise
lost within a beat up
red metal kettle.
What sort of story might you tell?
What sad song would you play?
Mistakenly lost?
Purposely cast into this lot?
Merry Christmas just doesn’t
seem to fit
No, it shouldn’t
be spoken here.
Perhaps a tear.
Perhaps a long,
deep groaning sigh…
I will hold onto you
for just a little while longer
and hope your promises
will be found again.
In my head I have this idealistic concept of what Christmas should look feel like.
I picture myself standing next to George Bailey as the whole town comes to rally around him. I picture all of us gathered around the Christmas tree all bright and sparkly, glittering and shiny, and we’re singing ‘Auld Lang Syne‘. We are all breathing in the regalia, drinking up our tasty glasses of egg nog and we’re all wearing those cheesy sweaters you only see at Christmas time. It’s a fantasy. It’s a dream. It’s certainly not reality. (just let me dream for a moment please)
Sometimes it’s Christmas worship…for all the wrong reasons.
There’s another side of me though. 
It’s the side that comes out more often than not.
It’s a side that I seldom acknowledge.
With everything that we do this time of year…raising much needed funds, running ourselves sick so that by Christmas day, almost every year, we are literally sick…counting toys, sorting toys, dreaming about toys and the sounds of ringing bells (it really is a reoccurring nightmare)…that side of me wishes I never experience another Christmas again. This side of me HATES Christmas.
Bah…humbug.
I don’t say that lightly.
Sometimes I wish someone else would just take over and let me go put on my cheesy sweater so that I can stand by George Bailey again. Sometimes I honestly dread getting to this time of year. Now, I know what we do and why we do these things matters, it’s just that I can’t help but feel overworked, under-appreciated, and Christmas has become something that I hate instead of love. Did I do something wrong? Did I cancel Christmas because of my calloused heart? Am I the cause of this emotion? Sometimes that side of me rises up, rages, and won’t go back into its cage. It snarls at the “job”. It wails at the hours. It flails like a two year old in the middle of a grocery store when they don’t get what they want. The Grinch scream at the top of its lungs with veins popping out of its neck, the words are garbled yet still recognizable; “I HATE CHRISTMAAAAAS!”
But…
Then I get to Sunday morning.
Then I get to refocus my heart.
Then the raging animal gets locked up again in its dented cage.
Then I get to retrain these emotions.
Then I swallow them down.
Then I push back at these raw, sour feelings.
Then I get to realign my intentions and my attitude.
Then I realize that once again I’ve lost my way.
It’s Sunday.
It’s Advent.
Where is this holiness, this sanctified spirit within me?
Did I misplace it?
Did I leave in the pew next to the pew bible and discarded bulletin?
Is it sitting next to the advent candles ironically located above the crimson holiness table with the words of irony “Holiness unto the Lord”? Is it left in the chapel on Sunday?
Yes, we have made Christmas something to despise…sometimes.
Yes, we have worked ourselves to death…sometimes.
Yes, we make an impact on people’s lives…but are we really?
Yes, this system works…but is this the best we can do with the limited resources that we have?
All of these questions…
Not very many answers.
I really don’t hate Christmas.
I’m not green and please don’t call me the Grinch.
The two year old was left on the floor to finish that childish tantrum alone and embarrassed.
In my dream of the perfect Christmas I know that me and George Bailey are hanging out…but It’s just a dream.
I can’t worship this false ideal of what Christmas should look like either. The real world come crashing in.
For now I’ll forget about buying that cheesy Christmas sweater and lounging in a comfy couch next to that fantastically decorated Christmas tree sipping egg nog while singing Old Lang Syne.
But is there a middle ground here?
I don’t want the proverbial cake and eat it too.
I’m not complaining.
I am a servant and an Officer.
Though I think we might get our priorities backwards at times.
Servants of what exactly? Whose servants are we?
To help refocus and realign us today amidst the hustle and bustle of our crazy, busy day:
Luke 2:1-20
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Something more for our Army to ponder today.
To God Be The Glory.
Pastor's Ponderings 