I may have told this tale before, but in this busy season of preparation it popped into my brain this morning.
A number of years ago I was working as the health room nurse at my daughters' elementary school, and a 5th grade student walked in. Actually, "walked in" doesn't quite capture it. This boy was more like tigger and bounced in, every muscle in perpetual motion. I suspect he twitched in his sleep. Going directly to the mirror he said to me with his finger in his mouth, "Mithuth Wengeh, I have a looth tooth. It'th bothehing me."
(Do you remember what that's like, that tooth that your tongue can't stop poking; that tooth that seems to have taken over your entire oral cavity and is screaming "I want to go live with the tooth fairy, NOW!"?)
"Do you want me to check it, Skippy?" (not his real name) :)
"Yeth!"
I slipped on a glove and wiggled the tooth. "Skippy, it's not ready to come out quite yet."
He grunted and returned to the mirror, wiggling and trying to yank out the tooth. His thumb and index finger of his right hand gripped the tooth, and his left hand grasped the right wrist in an attempt at manipulating physics. As I watched him, I realized he was not going to return to his class until that tooth was extracted.
"Do you want me to try?" I asked him. (Here we go! "What WAS I thinking?")
"YETH! I can't get anything done ath long ath thith tooth ith bothehing me!" He hadn't paused once in his attempts at dentistry.
Skippy sat in a chair with his foot tapping the floor like a drum roll, and I began.
"If it hurts too much, Skippy, let me know."
"JUST get it out!"
My gloved fingers grasped that tooth and pulled. I twisted. I yanked. I wrenched. I twisted some more. I jerked. Finally, that little ivory was out! I shoved some gauze into the bleeding cavern, and Skippy popped out of the chair and over to the mirror. I put the tooth in a little bag and handed it to him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Wenger! Thank you! Now I can do my work." And with that he went back to class.
Are decorations, exams, cookie baking, Christmas shopping, papers, travel arrangements, gift wrapping, programs, and Dominic the donkey like loose teeth distracting you from the truth of the season? Pull that tooth! Take at least10 minutes of "time out" today (and everyday!) and sit in a quiet spot. Listen to the voice of the Spirit. Think about the lives of a couple named Mary and Joseph as they journeyed without the luxury of a fine coach. Think about what God was about to do. Think about why God was going to do it. Ponder all God has done and is doing. Believe and Rest. For God so loved...
"Believe it or Not" is Brother Mick's message title this week. His sermon text is Philippians 1:3-11 with additional scriptures from Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 1:68-79. Perhaps in your quiet time today you could look up these passages.
http://bible.oremus.org/ In his presermon notes, Mick says, "Spiritual life and religion, [Paul] is saying, begin with God, are carried out by God, and are completed by God. The ultimate question we face, then, is whether we can actually believe that to be true and rest in that knowledge." If you are unable to join us, I encourage you to check the website and listen to the sermon which will be posted follwing the service.
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/
Students, know that you are being remembered in prayer and with love during this time of coffee, little sleep, studies, and paper writing. Those moments of quiet and rest are especially important for you!
I'm not sure who will join you in the Upper Room this Sunday. You might be on your own. :)
Sunday afternoon at 4pm you have the opportunity to go caroling with your church family after which there will be refreshments and fellowship at the church.
A service of remembrance and hope will be held at Ridgeview on Monday, Dec. 17 at 7pm. For many of us this time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is dark and difficult as our losses and life struggles seem to stare us in the face. Know that you are not alone. Please join us for this meaningful time of sharing together. There will be a place to set photos of loved ones for whom you are grieving.
Prayer for today:
O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Ps 105
Loving God, we thank you. We praise you. We rest in you. For You are our provider, our comforter, our teacher, our savior, our center. We pause and recognize your presence within and all around. Let us not be distracted by our "to do" list but rather put you first and center. Then, Lord, we know that we can face the challenges of our "list" for we'll have our priorities in the right place. That said, Lord, I ask that you would grant our students clarity, energy, and focus as they take exams and complete papers and projects. You are our strength, our hope, our living water. Come Kingdom of God. Be done, will of God, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen.
Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too!
Love and Light,
carol
"Always remember who you
are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does
make a difference! Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this
weekend." jd
Many of us feel stripped and vulnerable this week; like we are struggling to hold ourselves and our families afloat in the depths of deep ocean waters teeming with unknown, horrible monsters. We live most of our lives trying to create the illusion of control and order, protection and provision for ourselves and our families. As we grieve and wail with our neighbors of Sandy Hook, as we face chronic and terminal illnesses, devastating car crashes, destructive hurricanes, drought, blizzard, war, famine, loss, ridicule, pain, and suffering, the reality of the deceptiveness of command and power overwhelm. We realize we can't make aprons of fig leaves to hide our bare selves and cover our children. What then is left? 
