I am, as I do every Christmas season, reading my favorite Christmas book, Charles Dickens’ “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”.  Through the years I’ve had several copies of this story, one is in a collection of Dickens’ classics, one is in a collection of other Christmas stories, one is on my IPad (backlit with big letters…yeah!), and one (the one I’m reading THIS year) is a beautiful limited-edition leatherbound volume with the 1915 illustrations from English illustrator Arthur Rackham.

No matter what the setting or context, this story continues to amaze and inspire me.  And next December (2023) THE ALLEY THEATRE will present the production of my script and music once more!

Now, unfortunately, I’m feeling a bit more like Scrooge this season, than I am Cratchit.  The grinding busy-ness of the season, being kind in the face of a few downright mean, or foolish, people, the aging of my body (which does NOT enjoy the cold), and now an impending storm threatening our beautiful weekend of CHRISTMAS EVE and CHRISTMAS DAY at Central…bah! Humbug! And yet, no matter what kind of season I’m having, Dickens uses his words to reach into my heart and  soul to communicates the best of all messages to the “child still hiding inside” this old shell of mine.

The great question of the story for me is how can Scrooge, with all the resources his world can offer, completely miss the “JOY” – while Tim Cratchit, sick, poor and facing a certain and early death, seems to not only understand, but “embodies” the “JOY”?   

And what is that “JOY of Christmas”?

In the story, maybe it’s easier to see what the “JOY of Christmas” is NOT.  When watching Scrooge, one realizes JOY does not come from wealth, or power.  Scrooge has an abundance of both and neither has given him JOY.  You can also see that “memories of Christmas”, though fond and perhaps filled with warmth, love and kindness, are more often a reminder that Christmastime now does not fulfill the memories of what it used to be.  For Scrooge, his past memories of Christmas only filled him with despair at all he had lost or cast aside.

So, what is “The JOY of Christmas”?  At its core, it is the knowledge that our Great God cared enough to love us, and connect to us, through such elaborate and sacrificial means as placing His own Son in this “God-forsaken” world. His Son then “put on our skin”, felt our pain, walked our path – so that we would see God for who He truly is, and trust Him, and follow Him.  We no longer need to fear the grave, we no longer are victims of our circumstance, we are no longer prisoners of our past, our present, or our future.

Tim Cratchit “embodies” that idea: Despite our circumstances, Christmas and its JOY transcends everything.  “Life” is not totally defined by this time and place, but lives beyond this time and place. “Life” is not defined solely by heartbeat and breath.  And JOY is greater than the sum of our surroundings, our memories, and our hopes.  

What finally makes Scrooge happy, what fills him with a JOY that sets him dancing?  GIVING, not just his money, but his time, his presence, his heart.  Because Christmas JOY is “outside” of ourselves, we find the physical manifestation of that JOY is also outside of ourselves.

Isn’t that just like God?  We must GIVE to GAIN.  The percentages will always remain the same, in the Kingdom of God; the more JOY you give, the more JOY you receive, whether it’s smiles, time, talent, cash or love.

“I have come that you might have life…and have it more abundantly”!
JOHN 10:10 

“God bless us, everyone.”
TINY TIM

As a growing lad, I enjoyed going to the mailbox on our rural route, especially just before Christmas. Why? I was the first to see the Christmas cards that were delivered by the postman. From the return address in the upper left corner, I could eagerly announce, upon entering the house, who had sent a card to us! I didn’t dare open any card unless it was specifically addressed to me; the honor of opening the cards belonged to my grandmother who opened them in her slow, methodical manner while the family waited patiently. Then she would read any handwritten notes in the card for the whole family to hear. 

To this day Christmas cards hold a fascination for me, both in their colorful designs and messages: From manger scenes to singing angels, from wise men on camels to shepherds resting in the field, from “city sidewalks” to idyllic farmhouses, from Santa Claus to flying sleighs led by reindeer, from Christmas trees to boughs of holly, from cute animals to snowmen topped with a black hat, I am mesmerized by the uniqueness of the cards my family receive. Christmas cards play a major role in ushering in the delightful spirit of the season along with hearing carols sung by choirs and bells ringing! 

In 1997, 25 years ago, a member of the church staff gave me a colorfully wrapped gift. Filled with that mysterious expectation that surrounds gifts with unknown contents, I opened the package. Inside was a Christmas postcard enclosed in an 8 X 10 picture frame and the card was centered amid white and lace matting with a narrow green border. This was no ordinary Christmas postcard; in fact, it was an antique postcard with a picture of Santa Claus dressed in a green (not red!) suit. Holly with red berries were at the base of Santa’s picture. The postmark cancellation of the stamp was dated December 13, 1913. Everywhere that I have lived, this photo is always visible all year; it is never put away until next Christmas. 

I did some research on the origin of Christmas cards. The first known Christmas card was sent in Europe in the year 1843, but it never became a custom. So, several decades flew by and in the 1890s the sending of Christmas cards became sporadic. After all, Christmas cards were not produced in bulk, and they were not items found in the stores. Of course, the tradition in those days was to send letters, not postcards, and in writing to family and friends far and these usually included best wishes for the holidays.

By 1910, three inventions were literally beginning to transform the world: namely, electricity, the automobile and the airplane. And there were simply too many families and friends for a person to send letters to all of them at Christmastime. So, the Christmas postcard began to gain traction as a marketable item, and some companies would print a few postcards, but it was not until 1915 that an industry began printing Christmas cards in mass production. In those days, I might add, it was common to find Santa Claus dressed in a blue, green, or red suit.

So, my gift of a Christmas postcard postmarked in 1913 is indeed a relic or prototype of a new era of the American Christmas experience. 

Today Christmas cards are mailed, or exchanged at churches and clubs, or even used as a “tag” or label on a gift! I have observed, whether Christmas cards are religious themed or merely “holiday” in

their messages, the basic form of the message is still a prayer. Imagine that! Here’s some samples:

“Wishing you the joys of the season!”

“May peace and love fill your heart”

“May your Christmas be bright with God’s love”

“May the holidays fill you with the delights of the season!”

“Warmest wishes for you and yours!”

And one of my favorites is a snowman skiing down a hill, and the card reads: “I’m flying by to wish you a Merry Christmas” which sums up our busyness at this time of the year and our hopes that folks can hear “as we fly by” our prayers for the wellbeing of all people!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Pastor Ken Rickett

Well, the tree is up, some “gigs” have already happened, some snacks have been snarfed…and although December begins tomorrow, the season is in full swing.  AND, the Christmas music is playing in my car, on my iPAD, on my laptop and on ALEXA!  Ah, “traditions”!

Oh, how the years have changed; where I used to pull out the LPs in the back of the shelf, now I “download” it all from that mysterious “cloud” out there.  But listening to the music, while enjoying decorations and wassail, takes me back to the years that Mom & Dad would pull out the old Christmas LP’s.

The first “album” I ever purchased was the FIRESTONE CHRISTMAS ALBUM WITH JULIE ANDREWS (remember those? One quarter with a fill-up?).  I saved my quarter and begged Dad to fill up at TEXACO (against his principles, as a Richfield Oil man).  For me, Christmas is not Christmas unless I’m listening to Julie belt out those Christmas songs with the London Symphony Orchestra, and arrangements by Andre Previn.  They ARE STILL beautiful recordings, but it’s the memories that the music brings to mind, more than anything else, the “tradition” that puts me in the Christmas mood.

Memories and traditions are strong motivators.  In churches, it’s memories of days-gone-by that sometimes determine how people feel about certain times, seasons, and events in the Church.  It’s the way a song reminds us of a moment in time, in the past, that makes us want to hear it again and again during worship. And it’s the memory of the “way we’ve always done it” that keeps people from accepting change also.

And yet, the rule of life is, everything changes…except God. Ministry and church work is a good example of that.  We sang out of a hymnal  until some young guy named Bill Gaither started writing songs for us to sing…that weren’t IN our hymnal. (Of course, he’s been around long enough now that he IS in the hymnal).  How about the Pastor’s office?  I remember visiting the office of Pastor Bill, my Pastor when I was growing up in my hometown church.  His every wall was a floor to ceiling shelf, filled with Bibles, commentaries, sermons, old and new.  His office was filled with two typewriters, a mimeograph machine, a couple of phones, etc.  You reached him by stopping by or calling the church office.  Today, most of our communication is by text, phone calls, etc…which can, miraculously, be done at any time from anywhere.  I also have a wall filled with books, but can’t remember the last time I cracked one open, because MY office isn’t defined by the room in the church building, MY office is now a laptop, iPAD and iPHONE…on those things I have more than 15 Bible translations, 30 Commentaries, and various dictionaries, maps, etc. Wherever those electronic devices are, there is my office – and conversely, wherever I am my office is with me.  I miss the tradition, but I love the convenience and efficiency.

I spent some time this year listening to those Julie Andrews recordings, and asking myself, “Do I love these songs because of the memories, because I still see myself pulling that LP out of its case and placing it on the HiFi…or because the music is beautiful in itself?”  The answer surprised me: “I love them FOR the memories AND because they are beautiful songs in themselves…I love that recording for BOTH reasons. 

And so, is ”tradition” good? Or is it bad? 

Sometimes God wants us to re-visit our traditions just to affirm that they are GOOD traditions…AND sometimes He wants us to accept change, not just because it’s different and new, but because it might be what is needed at the time…to see HIM in a new way.  WE change, HE doesn’t.

I see “tradition” as comfort, but only when it doesn’t get in the way of learning, progress, and growth.  In worship, we use tradition to gain strength in the present, but when we start placing “tradition” in front of “relationship” then we have moved from “Christianity” to “Religion”, from “Relationship” to “Ritual” – and those are priorities out of whack.

I’ve always been a lover of tradition.  I love the songs JULIE ANDREWS sings on this, still my favorite Christmas album.  Now, I listen to the same songs I played on my “HiFi” on my iPHONE, the “tradition” of the LP and it’s colorful “TEXACO” cover is gone, but the core of what started that tradition is still around…the music.

I LOVE our traditions at CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, but I earnestly, and humbly, pray that I will never let my “favorite things” get in the way of God’s agenda, His truth, and the relationship we have with or without any “religious tradition”.

Now…back to “Joy To the World” with Julie Andrews!

No matter how THANKSGIVING DAY is celebrated at my home (away, home, crowded, or quiet) I really love it.  As was proved THIS year, it doesn’t matter if there are twenty people or two, I will always eat too much.

THANKSGIVING DAY, because of what it is, because it’s a time when I saw my extended family and grandparents (who didn’t live in town), and because it ushers in ADVENT, THANKSGIVING has always been a favorite holiday…since I was a small boy.  Part of that was also because Mom was a really good cook.

There are many memories of Thanksgiving Days past that move to the front of my mind each year about this time…but one of the earliest, and funniest is this:

I was probably about five-years-old when, on Thanksgiving Day, I was walking down the street as we were taking care of some last-minute shopping for the meal (probably).  Coming right at us were two women, dressed in long black dresses and wearing white and black caps.  I couldn’t contain my excitement at seeing, in the flesh, these two figures approach and so I jumped up and down, pointed and yelled at the top of my lungs,

“Look!  Pilgrims!”

They were, of course…nuns.

In my defense: 1. I had never SEEN a nun, 2. I was five-years-old, 3. it was THANKSGIVING…it seemed obvious to me that they were pilgrims.

My Mom said that the good-humored sisters laughed, came to me, stooped down, and chatted.  I was awestruck, and still thought they were Pilgrims. They wished us all a happy THANKSGIVING and went on their way…as my parents attempted to explain to me who they were, and why they weren’t pilgrims…I didn’t get it.

Now, of course, I understand who they were and what happened…but as a child I only understood what I saw and experienced according to my limited knowledge, wisdom and experience.  Was my conclusion the “truth”?  Well, it wasn’t like I was deceived, all that I saw TOLD me that they were pilgrims. It was only through a little more teaching, and a few more years (which broadened my experience and gave me a bit more wisdom) that I understood TRULY what that experience was…and who those two kind women TRULY represented.

God probably smiles when we come to conclusions about who He is…according to our limited knowledge, wisdom, and experience.  There are, more-than-likely, also times when He doesn’t smile; times when He sees His children declare that, despite their limited knowledge, wisdom & experience, they have concluded once-and-for-all who HE is.

I for one am thankful, this THANKSGIVING/ADVENT, for a church that doesn’t claim to OWN God, but does claim to BELIEVE & FOLLOW Him.  As we all walk together behind our Shepherd, our King, our Jesus, we continue to have our eyes opened, our mind expanded, our faith strengthened by the continuing knowledge, wisdom and experience that He alone can give.  It is a lifetime learning experience that will continue into the next age. Although we should all share with one another the “angles” from which WE have each experienced our great Father, we should never assume that someone else’s different “angle” is WRONG.

We all “see through a glass darkly” (as Paul the Apostle reminds us) …so keep walking, keep learning, keep growing.  Let’s move into the ADVENT SEASON with a continued life of gratitude: thankful for the God of the “indescribable gift” who unfolds knowledge and wisdom to us all, in His time…not ours. 

A few weeks back I stood at the grave of a friend at Anderson Memorial Park, close to I-69.  It was a brisk, early fall, day; clear, sunny, a bit chilly and beautiful.  At the end of my prayer for the family, I looked over the heads of those there to the tops of the trees in the park.  They were already starting to change color.  Just the tops, as if a giant paint brush had just barely swept over the trees in that area.  I remembered then I was told, for some reason, the trees in Memorial Park often turn first.  No one is sure why.  Maybe it’s the cool breeze that seems to be present there, maybe it’s the type of trees that grow there.  For whatever reason, there it was: an orange-topped tree reminding me, as I listened to the bugle and stood in a cemetery, that it is often through stress, cold, “change of season”, and yes – death, that our true colors are revealed.

In winter, it takes a lot of energy for a tree to keep leaves green (making chlorophyll) AND on the tree.  Lack of sunshine and water during the cold months prods the tree to “make some choices” about what to keep and what to let go.  As the green pigment dissipates, other colors are suddenly revealed, before the leaf drops of completely…some say these are the tree’s TRUE COLORS. 

I’ll speak only for myself now.  I believe that we, like trees, are going to show our “true colors” when our seasons change, when stress/winter comes, when the things that have supported our life are suddenly, or little-by-little, gone – we become who we truly are.

There, in Memorial Park, it was easy to compare a life that had been housed in a fragile body to that of a tree that had been green all summer – but now, with the passing of body that LIFE was its real self because the body had died. 

Here, in my office, I’m thinking about what I learn and teach as an Advocate for God.  The Spirit, the words of Jesus, and the example of those wise men and women who have taught and written over the centuries are all saying, “to gain your life, you must lose it” and “to find yourself, you must die to self”.  These are difficult lessons to understand, much less practice – but I think they are necessary.  I believe there is so much of us that has been put on us since birth in this world, and so much struggle to maintain the shell of our bodies which surround our souls, that it is difficult for us to see what our Father originally designed us to be; our “true colors”. 

Jesus talks a lot about “giving up” to “gain”.  But what a person “gives up” isn’t theirs to begin with, and when Jesus compares our lives (and His) to a seed that must die in the ground to become a tree – isn’t that the entire purpose of the seed?  Isn’t it our purpose to be the essence of who we are designed to be, and not all the insecurities, influences, self-motivated injuries, and world-expectations we seem to collect and cover ourselves with?

What is MY “chlorophyll”?  It is my ego.  Ego isn’t always bad, it’s just not truly who I am…it is self-identity (which is false), a paradigm built up by what I’ve experienced (which is inaccurate) and a persona built by the voices of those around me and THEIR expectations of me (which is deceptive).  If I could get rid of all that, would my “true colors” – the colors I was painted when created – be revealed?

I think the answer is, “yes”.  We see it whenever a friend is at the “end of their rope”.  Suddenly some things just don’t matter anymore.  I see it on sick beds, I see it when someone has experienced a sudden and tragic loss.  I see it when everything is lost: house, home, finances, love…it seems that when stress (cold) and lack of vision (sunshine) are combined with a new chapter of life (season) a person’s TRUE COLORS are revealed.  Sometimes the colors aren’t so pretty.  Sometimes they are – it’s what we call “character”.

How then do I live?  I’ve found that each week and day I should assess what I cling to.  Is it a “thing” (souvenirs and knick-knacks that hold memories), a “belief” (a philosophy or teaching that may not be exactly true or healthy – OR WORSE, something that keeps me from re-examining what I believe is true), a “person” (I need all the friends I can get, and I want to be able to act-in-love to everyone – but to surround myself with, and listen to, certain people is like taking poison a little at a time – you know it’s true)?  Next, I remind myself that my worth is only defined by the fact that God loves me and calls me by name.

Yes, I have work to do.  Yes, I have things I probably need to hold on to – but these are the things, beliefs, and persons that help me let go; the outside influences that encourage me to be the original, immortal being God first imagined and designed

I don’t know exactly who that person is right now, but I’m learning.  The reason I assess and practice all this NOW is because I’d rather not wait until I come to the end of my rope to let go.  I’d rather not be hit with the cold wind and lack of sun that reveal my true colors.

As you can tell, I was a philosophy minor in college.  But I truly believe that most of what we do for Jesus is “peel back” and “uncover” and “let go”.  I believe our true selves, like the autumn colors in Anderson, start at the top, at the head and heart, and gradually reveal themselves throughout our entire beings – when we “die to self.” 

Maybe the trees in Memorial Park turn first because in that place God wants to remind us something.  My friend Dick, whose grave I stood beside as I listened to TAPS, is in that forever home now.  He is seeing what, I like to believe, is the New Earth as it was originally designed and created.  And maybe it’s just me, but I think the trees in there are gold, orange and red…I think he sees that place as Eternal Autumn…

…because I believe everything, and everyone shows their true colors there.

Well, our Republic has “flexed its muscle” once again, as Mid-Term Election Day has come and gone.  Whenever (and I should say wherever) I vote I always remember the first election that I took part in; the polls being located across the street from my dorm on campus.  It was a monumental moment for me, like driving by myself for the first time, or graduating…etc.

I thank God that I live in a country where I CAN speak my mind freely, where I can vote…where I can write a letter to King Charles, apologizing for that “tea incident” and asking him to take us back (this is usually toward the end of a big, national, campaign year, when I can’t stand yet another political ad)

I know that some of us are elated, and some disappointed in the results of yesterday’s elections…and some are surprised.  But personalities, methods and political belief aside…what is our responsibility to our government, as “Believers & Followers”?  Jesus was “actively neutral” toward the Romans; a repressive, sometimes sadistic government who mocked the people they conquered…in fact, when asked straight out about His views, he always turned the conversation back to His Father.

I’m a peacemaker inside, I don’t have much trouble with anything and tend to like everyone and see all sides of a situation…sometimes that’s not a good thing, but most of the time it is a trait that I’m thankful my father (Tom Vale, my father who knows no stranger) left to me.  So maybe it’s easier for me to say, whoever sits in the Mayor’s Office, the Senate or House Chairs, or the Oval Office…I respect the office and wish them all the best (after all, it’s only to MY benefit if they make wise and worthwhile choices). 

Paul, in his letter to the Roman Church, says, “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God.” (13:1) – in fact, ROMANS 13:1-7 is a good bunch of verses to read whenever you think of our leaders and the church.

I’ve been in leadership, and I know how difficult it is, and how fickle.  Maybe for that reason there is something that I have done for every President and Mayor, newly elected, since I’ve been involved in ministry (since around 1981) – I write them a personal letter and promise to pray for them, and their families, regularly.  I don’t agree or disagree with their reasoning or political beliefs, for me, that’s beside the point.  I only promise to lift them up in prayer on a regular basis.  Just a note; for all those letters, there are only a couple of leaders who have written me back…I’m not politically minded, but I’ve NEVER forgotten which leaders took the time to respond.

I think, as “Believers & Followers”, we have the responsibility to “honor those to whom honor is due” and to “respect those to whom we owe respect”.  As Free Americans in this Republic we have the duty to let our leaders know what we think, how else can they lead?

And here are some points to consider, for all of us this post-election day:

FOR THOSE WHOSE CANDIDATES WON:
The scripture is clear; pray, pray, pray for your leaders.  (I TIMOTHY 2:1-4) If you pray that God’s voice will be heard in their hearts, that they will be surrounded by wise counsel, that they will ALWAYS act according to what they believe is in the best interest of this land and not by selfish motive and pray that their families will be safe and secure…that is the best gift that you can give.  If and when a leader makes a choice that you wouldn’t necessarily choose, trust God to be great enough to listen to YOUR prayer and answer YOUR prayer for the Leader-in-question and know that God holds this country, as all countries, in His hand and will answer if called upon.

 FOR THOSE WHOSE CANDIDATES DID NOT WIN:
The scripture is clear; pray, pray, pray for your leaders.  (I TIMOTHY 2:1-4) If you pray that God’s voice will be heard in their hearts, that they will be surrounded by wise counsel, that they will ALWAYS act according to what they believe is in the best interest of this land and not by selfish motive and pray that their families will be safe and secure…that is the best gift that you can give.  If and when a leader makes a choice that you wouldn’t necessarily choose, trust God to be great enough to listen to YOUR prayer and answer YOUR prayer for the Leader-in-question and know that God holds this country, as all countries, in His hand and will answer if called upon.

 FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T YET SURE:
The scripture is clear; pray, pray, pray for your leaders.  (I TIMOTHY 2:1-4) If you pray that God’s voice will be heard in their hearts, that they will be surrounded by wise counsel, that they will ALWAYS act according to what they believe is in the best interest of this land and not by selfish motive and pray that their families will be safe and secure…that is the best gift that you can give.  If and when a leader makes a choice that you wouldn’t necessarily choose, trust God to be great enough to listen to YOUR prayer and answer YOUR prayer for the Leader-in-question and know that God holds this country, as all countries, in His hand and will answer if called upon.

Again, I thank God for a place where we can actually choose our leaders…come January 2025 I may be sending a letter out to our new Leaders…and come November 2024, I may be sending a letter to King Charles!

To quote Charles Dickens’ TINY TIM: “God bless us every one!” – Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, undecided…and children of God, all!

A BLOG by PASTOR KEN RICKETT

“And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a brush; he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed…God called unto him. . . and said…put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereupon thou standest is holy ground.” ((Exodus 3:2-5) 

It was a great day for Moses, who, having led his flock of sheep to the “backside “pasture, saw a bush that was ablaze with fire, yet was not consumed. Surely that was an autumn day. . .that we may be sure. Only in the fall does nature robe itself with fiery reds, golden yellows, somber browns, rich oranges, tender pastels . . .and unfading evergreens. . . all mingled on one giant panorama of canvas. And when we are in awe of God’s world, we stand on holy ground, with shoes aside.

William Carruth, the poet, speaks of
“The ripe, rich tint of corn-fields
And wild geese sailing high,
And all over upland and lowland
The charm of the golden-rod,
Some of us call it Autumn,
And others call it God.”

As J. Winston Pearce wrote, “Along the rivers, up and down the sides of the great mountains, by the banks of the lakes you will see indescribable mixtures of gold and orange and crimsonand saffron…” Take a tour through the rural areas, drive through the forests and mountains, walk down your own street because, in autumn, a greater spectacle will never meet your eyes!

The Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley loved to speak of the time “…when the frost is on the pumpkin and the fodder was in the shock…”, and when trees in the apple orchard were bending down with fruit. AH! Feel the frosty air, exult in the completed harvest, smell the aromas of apple pies! And in your mind’s eye, see the trumpeters, their horns blaring and inviting you to declare, “Glory, Glory, Glory!” Beyond the colors…there is God.

Edna St. Vincent Millay, in awe of Autumn,
wrote in her poem “God’s World” these words:
“Lord, I do fear Thou’st made the world too beautiful this year,
My soul is all but out of me,—-let fall
No burning leaf, prithee, let no bird call.”

Caught up in awe! No wonder the Lord told Moses to take off his shoes for the place he stood was holy! Autumn has that invitation for us to see beyond the colors, beyond Mother Nature, beyond the skies—-and see God.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, however, has a word of caution
that not everyone sees beyond Autumn:
“Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit ‘round it and pluck blackberries.” 

Too many of us “pluck blackberries.” Autumn is merely a season of the year, and it has its thorny side; namely, leaves must be raked, and harvest must be gathered. Autumn is a season of fading life and warns that the winter of death is but a matter of time. Such thoughts are a way in which the misinformed person understands Autumn. Ears are deaf to what God may say to us out of the burning bush…and one thing God says out of the burning bush is this: “there is no death.” The fruit and the nut fall from the tree and only seem to die. The green grass withers and turns brown and seems to die.

But the poet declares:
“Undaunted by Decembers,
The sap is faithful yet,
The giving earth remembers
And only men forget.

“Autumn” cried Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “is not a sad season.” We take off our shoes at the burning bush because God, the Great Conservator, declares that just as surely as the grass greens in the spring, new leaves unfurl on trees, and the bulbs buried deep in the ground shall send forth their flowers again. Even Jesus said, “Consider the lilies of the field…“ in reference to the continual cycle of life.

Pause before the burning bush of Autumn and hear a final word. Autumn speaks of God, and God speaks of harmony, love, peace, grace, and much more. God in Autumn’s glory speaks of life. Not just any life, but abundant life.

“And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” 

Some call it autumn…
…others call it God.

I used to be a percussionist, in Middle School/High School. I played a multitude of percussion instruments in both orchestra and band. Percussion is fascinating, and for anyone with a background in piano, has a relatively smooth learning-curve. The one thing I didn’t do too much, as a percussionist, was march in a band.  In fact, I have really only one memory of marching with my High School band in one of the local rodeo parades (we had several) and I played what’s called “triples”; three larger drums worn, by strap around the neck and shoulders, in the front. Because of the size and where the drums were, one cannot see the ground while marching, and we were behind several horses, enough said. I didn’t march again.

I made many percussion friends along the way, and a few have gone on to greater things as percussionists. One friend of mine continues to play in studios in Los Angeles and has been heard in the soundtracks of many well-known films. Another has become a Percussion Professor back east. One of my friends received a scholarship, out of High School, to attend school in the Midwest, where marching bands are king!

This friend ended his freshman year as first chair in the percussion and drum section of the school and was in high demand throughout the state, even at his young age. On one occasion, another university (one of their rivals) called him with a request. It seems they wanted him to perform with them during a televised half-time show coming up in the next month. Here was the deal: he would learn the music on his own and in “seated” rehearsals with the band. However, because of the secretive nature of the program, and the intense rivalry between marching bands at the time, they wanted to keep him out of “marching practice” and simply give him his marching “formula” to learn on his own and with a “coach” – another drummer who marched beside him. He would, then, learn and memorize his steps without any concept of the rest of the band and where THEY were marching, so that the configuration could remain a secret. All he knew was HIS part, but not how it fit with the rest. 

The day came, he was given a uniform and met one final time with the band. He was instructed to remain on his course. He played, he performed, his family watched on television, and the half-time production was remarkable. He was also asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement, good for 10 years, because the university was a bit embarrassed for needing to ask him to play, considering he was from their rival school. Only his family knew, and he told the story years later.

He said he learned a valuable lesson about doing what needed to be done, even when the whole picture wasn’t available to him. He knew he was an integral part of the whole but was not aware of what the rest of the body of players were doing. He said that in later years, when HE became a teacher, he used that technique to teach the importance of following orders without question. Sometimes it is more difficult to explain “the whole”, it’s easier to just see the final product.  The players/marchers have to learn to trust. 

We talk about the BODY OF CHRIST in the church community, and we speak of our own and others’ Spiritual gifts and talents. But somehow our human side really is not happy without knowing exactly HOW WE fit in and WHAT EVERYONE ELSE is doing. We want to see the final production. We want to know the outcome. We believe we have the right to know. THIS story is just about a marching band…but in THE KINGDOM of GOD how much more should we just say to the King what Mary said to Gabriel, “Let it be…according to His word.” or “Whatever the King asks, I’ll do.” or like Isaiah, “Here I am, send me.”?

Why do WE think we have to know everything before saying “yes” to God?  Maybe it’s our culture. Maybe it is because logic has replaced mystery. Or maybe we just don’t trust that God knows what He’s doing. 

But I believe that miracles can be performed by the “Body of Christ” when the “toe” obeys the “Head” without question.

Upon the rare occasion of “organizing” in my home, I ran across a photo album from my one and only trip to ITALY.  As is often the case, the organization play was replaced by a trip down memory lane and very little was organized.  This small photo album is filled with photos from the trip I took with family and friends. It was a vacation by which all vacations since are measured because the destination and company were stellar.

I travelled in memory, through the photos, and once again felt the warm sun, listened to the music, tasted the wine, and remembered things I had forgotten in the few short years since that trip.  It was a great diversion from “organizing”.

As I looked and remembered, however, I thought of a specific moment in time during the trip, when I stood on a rise looking out over Tuscan fields (much LIKE the photo posted here), a village and church on the horizon, vineyards, and orchards between.  It was sunset, and I said to myself: “No photo, painting or story does justice to this place, no matter how beautiful they may be.  None of those things can match the moment of actually seeing this with one’s own eyes.”

There is a difference between “knowing about” something and “knowing” something. 

It’s the same with people.  It’s the same with God. We are taught, and I believe, the scripture tells us about God.  That is truth, or at least one side of it.  The Scripture tells us about God, and so does His creation and His children.  His Spirit in us, is also a witness to the personality of God.  But all those things share ABOUT God, none of those things are a substitute for KNOWING God.

To know ABOUT God is not the same as KNOWING God.  After all, lots of people know about God, and it doesn’t seem to change them in the least.  The people who have been changed, who live a full life, who walk with peace inside and out, who seem to pour out “springs of living water” are people who don’t just KNOW ABOUT God, but who KNOW God.

The process of getting to know God is like getting to know anyone else.  We find out about our family and friends by spending time with them, getting to understand their likes and dislikes, catering to them, supporting them, and staying in contact with them.  We don’t maintain relationships with our loved ones by reading about them.  

There is a difference between “knowing about” something and “knowing” something.

Jesus’ wish is that we know Him, not just know about Him.  He wants us to spend time talking and listening to Him.  He wants us to love Him by loving each other.  He wants us to look for Him everywhere, to turn to Him all the time, to be with Him forever.  That’s going to take more than just reading the scripture and calling it good.  We’re going to have to trust the Spirit of God to lead us into places that we wouldn’t ordinarily go.  We’re going to need to trust in our own God-given common sense and ability to trust His Spirit in us when it comes to situations that are not mentioned in the scripture.  We are going to have to KNOW that God is real, despite the fact that His personhood is not defined by OUR understanding of what a “person” should be, in fact it’s just the opposite: our personhood is defined by the fact that we are created in HIS image and not visa versa.

There is a difference between “knowing about” something and “knowing” something.

I have some wonderful memories and photos of Tuscany, but none of them ARE Tuscany.  The images are representations of a small portion of that place.  The SCRIPTURE shows us part of who God is. The SPIRIT shares with us knowledge as we need it. NATURE is a portion of what God has created, and OUR OWN HEARTS & MINDS contain a touch of His personality.  But to KNOW God requires regarding Him as the friend He wishes to be.  It requires spending time with Him in the everyday things, trusting the Spirit in us to believe Him when we hear Him and see Him, even when others may not. 

It is a lifelong task, and we have a never-ending lifetime to make it happen.