Sunday, December 27, 2015

THE MUSICAL CHRISTMAS STORY

Sunday, December 6, 2009

I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY THOSE OLD FAMILIAR CAROLS PLAY – BUT IN DESPAIR I BOWED MY HEAD –THERE IS NO PEACE ON EARTH, FOR HATE IS STRONG AND MOCKS THE SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.

THEN TO MY KNEES I WENT IN PRAYER AND PLEAD WITH THE LORD AS I KNELT THERE

BEFORE SCARCELY A WORD I’D SAID A VOICE RANG WITHIN MY HEAD – OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT, OH COME YE TO BETHLEHEM

LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM, HOW STILL WE SEE THEE LIE – ABOVE THY DEEP AND DREAMLESS SLEEP THE SILENT STARS GO BY

YET IN THY DARK STREETS SHINES THE EVERLASTING LIGHT – THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEAR ARE MET IN THEE TONIGHT

FOR LO – THE DAYS ARE HASTENING ON, BY PROPHETS SEEN OF OLD, WHEN WITH THE EVER CIRCLING YEARS SHALL COME THE TIME FORETOLD, WHEN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL OWN THE PRICE OF PEACE THEIR KING

THE WHOLE EARTH SENDS BACK THE SONG WHICH NOW THE HERALD ANGELS SING - GLORY, GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING

THEN, ALL IS CALM ALL IS BRIGHT ON THIS SILENT, HOLY NIGHT.

THERE, ‘ROUND YON VIRGIN MOTHER AND CHILD – HOLY INFANT, SO TENDER AND MILD – SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE

SHEPHERDS WILL WAKE AT YOUR SIGHT – GLORIES WILL STREAM FROM HEAVEN A FAR

FOR CHRIST THE SAVIOR IS BORN

SON OF GOD

LOVE’S PURE LIGHT BEAMS FROM THY HOLY FACE

THE HEAVEN BORN PRINCE OF PEACE

THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

LIGHT AND LIFE TO ALL HE BRINGS – BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH

JOY TO THE WORLD – THE LORD HAS COME – LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING

HOW SILENTLY THE WONDROUS GIFT IS GIVEN

IN THIS WORLD OF SIN – WHERE MEEK SOULS WILL RECEIVE HIM STILL – THE DEAR CHRIST ENTERS IN

WITH MY PRAYER NOW DONE – DURING WHICH JESUS CHRIST MY SOUL HAS FURTHER WON – IN MY MIND THE VOICE DID CEASE TO RING

AND THEN I HEARD THE BELLS ONCE MORE ON CHRISTMAS SING

BUT NOW THEY PEALED MORE LOUD AND DEEP – GOD IS NOT DEAD, NOR DOTH HE SLEEP – A VOICE A CHIME, A CHANT SUBLIME, PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN

Sunday, December 20, 2015

WHERE HAS CHRISTMAS GONE

When my dreams were full of cowboys and rustlers and candy

Christmas day came much too slowly
Christmas morning passed much too quickly
But then we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds and the little town of Bethlehem
And it was Christmas.


When my dreams were full of homework and girls and sports

Christmas day came and went
Christmas morning came much too early
But then we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds and the little town of Bethlehem
And it was Christmas.


When our children’s dreams were full of moons and astronauts and presents

Christmas day came after hustle and bustle
Christmas morning was full of litter and laughter
But then we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds and the little town of Bethlehem
And it was Christmas.


When my dreams took place in faraway lands of former traditions and memories

Christmas day came as a brief relief
Christmas morning was full of phone calls
But then we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds and the little town of Bethlehem
And it was Christmas.


When my dreams were full of lights and villages and ponderings

Christmas day followed weeks of decorating
Christmas morning was spent with my one true love
But then we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds and the little town of Bethlehem
And it was Christmas.

When my dreams were full of medical procedures and nostalgic movies and music

Christmas day took very little preparation
Christmas morning was full of peace and calm
But then we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds and the little town of Bethlehem
And it was Christmas.

And throughout all the years I knew that it was Christmas

Because we sang of silent nights, angels, shepherds, the little town of Bethlehem and the babe who was born on that first Christmas day.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

SACRIFICE MATURITY QUOTIENT

In previous Thoughts for a Sabbath Day I have mentioned how I have survived shopping excursions because I am an avid people watcher. Over the years of applying this survival technique I found myself making mental notes of the stranger/neighbors I was observing. I actually came up with an interesting methodology of categorizing the passing individuals in the mob.

Obviously, since my placing these people in relative positions in my made up system was totally superficial and nonscientific and, therefore, lacked any significant relevance to what their true characters might actually have been, they all remain innocent and unidentifiable.

Nevertheless, I feel there is some value in taking a few minutes to think about the observations and categorizing I was doing. I had even gone so far as to name my system.

Sacrifice Maturity Quotient

Although many subgroupings have eventually developed and been identified, most of the passing humanity I have been able to place into three main levels on the Sacrifice Maturity Quotient chart.

LEVEL ONE – THE BURDENED

LEVEL TWO – THE CONFUSED

LEVEL THREE – THE BLESSED

Like so many systems which attempt to quantify maturation behavior, and especially a totally subjective one like mine there has been no attempt to separate those who went into each group by age, height, nationality, hair color or shoe size.

As I sat on those benches, kindly provided by all mall managers for people of my ilk, the only way I had of measuring a person’s Sacrifice Maturity Quotient was to observe behavior or listen to passing conversations of stranger/neighbors and make mental accounting of behavior in regard to the stressful stimuli which attends shopping.

In the future, if you find yourself waiting patiently on a mall bench, you will have some expertise in identifying the level of
Sacrifice Maturity of the stranger/neighbors passing by. I give you the following descriptions of general behavior patterns demonstrated by people of each of the three broad levels of Sacrifice Maturity.

CAUTION: Before venturing forth or sitting forth, do not at any time make the mistake of trying to categorize yourself – this can cause reflection which might result in personal character building.

LEVEL ONE – THE BURDENED

Usually is seen walking with the chin very close to the chest.

Shoulders are often seen at an angle sloping down from the neck.

Often audible heavy sighs are heard being expelled from the mouth.

Conversations often contain expressions of there being a complete lack of time to complete the tasks they have to do each day.

Prolonged conversations are laden with verbiage which is being used to try to convince those who are accompanying them of the heaviness of their burdens.


LEVEL TWO – THE CONFUSED

Usually observed with the eyebrows tilted toward the bridge of the nose.

The shoulders are often found in the vicinity of the ear lobes.

The most common word in their vocabulary is what, as in ‘What am I supposed to be doing?’

Constantly find their days filled with going from one unfinished helping hand project to another.

Find it much easier to talk about what they should be doing rather than actually doing it.


LEVEL THREE- THE BLESSED

Usually their faces have an expression like they had just stepped out of the freshest shower having used the most marvelous cleansing soap ever developed.

Shoulders are often found pressed forward.

They are often heard using such words as wonderful, marvelous and beautiful when describing their day.

They seem to wake up each day excited about the great opportunities which await them during the coming day.

Often seem to be too busy to spend a lot of time talking about what they are doing.

GENERAL OBSERVATION: People who arrive at level three on the Sacrifice Maturity Quotient seem to have given up ownership of their resources, time and talents.

There now, with this guide you too can begin the process of becoming an expert judge of all your stranger/neighbor’s levels on the Sacrifice Maturity Quotient.

FINAL WARNING: Never, I say never, look in a mirror while making Sacrifice Maturity Quotient judgements. Even a passing glace could result in serious self-evaluation which could result in one becoming more Christ like.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

TESTIMONY TROUBLING QUESTIONS

I am pretty sure it never happened during the years I taught Early Morning Seminary in Orange County, California, nor during the two years I taught ninth graders at Kearns Junior High School in the Salt Lake Valley.

It may have happened when I taught Seminary at Kearns High School or at Tooele High School in Tooele Valley, but if it did I can’t recall the occasion.

I know it happened during the years I taught college age students at the Institute in Reno, Nevada, and also in Mission Viejo, California, where I also taught college age students.

It always happened with a great deal of regularity when I taught Religion Classes to adults who were married or in the age group of 30 +.

From this very small statistical data base, I have been left to believe that the longer we live, the greater the possibility exists that the historical death, destruction and devastation, along with other similar testimony troubling questions which have continually plagued the residence of our planet, will cause some to question the veracity of their testimony of a loving God.

Because of my self-imposed limitations on the length of my Thoughts, I will limit these pages to the just one question.

It is interesting that this struggle over why men have been allowed to reap death, destruction and devastation was most often accompanied by either heartbreaking tears or anger, akin to those of a child when they first are told or discover on their own that some fantasies which had brought joy to their young lives were fictitious.

Since, I have had the privilege of having my life extended into those years when time has been made available for pondering. (Some might call them retirement years). I didn't seem to be able to squeeze out time when I was simultaneously raising a family, serving in church callings and teaching in the Church Education System. One of the things I have thought about is how I might have responded to the struggles these friends were going through as they read of man’s inhumanity to man not only in history text, but also in Holy Writ.

I will be paraphrasing, but their concerns about the extent and constancy of the devastation which has been a major part of this earth’s passage, always seemed to include such phrases as:

How could a God who is supposed to have the attributes of Love, Mercy and Grace allow…

Why is it so often that it is the righteous who are the victims of the unrighteous…

If God is all powerful couldn't He have…

Why are wicked leaders allowed to…

I could add many other ways this quandary, which has assaulted the testimonies of so many adults I have had in my classes, has been expressed, but I am sure the point has been made.

Sadly, over the years my most frequent response has been one of feebly expressed empathy and then a quick – ‘there are many questions which I personally have had to place on a shelf, trusting that if not in mortality, then in immortality I would be given the answer.’

I am still not convinced that this period of life which has provided me with the pauses in routine necessary for pondering, has provided me with answers which will satisfy anyone but me.

However, for now I am satisfied:

The agency given to man is of such everlasting importance in Heavenly Father’s Plan –therefore, it is rarely interfered with even by an All Powerful God…

In order for agency to exist, there must be opposition in all things and in all lives…

The Love, Mercy and Grace of a Loving Heavenly Father – will bring Eternal Justice to all who have suffered because of the unjust choices which other make with their agency…

The Laws, Administrations and Judgements of a Just Heavenly Father – will bring Eternal Recompense to all who have used their agency to afflict their neighbors..

Finally and most importantly, for my own peace of mind – I have concluded that if it had not been for the overseeing and watchful eye of our Heavenly Father – we would have long ago annihilated one another from this beautiful planet …

I think I can say, with a pretty high degree of confidence, that this little expression of my ponderings on this testimony troubling question will help few others as much as it has helped me.

Therefore, I am left with this prayer in my heart that we will all live long enough to enjoy those years of life when time for reflection and pondering become more abundant. And that the benefit of that pondering will bring peace if not resolution to the testimony troubling questions which you have born during your earthly journey.

I further pray that peace will also attend us when our pondering still leaves us with testimony troubling questions lying upon our shelves. And the testimony strengthening answers we have received to previous questions will strengthen us.

One last prayer is that we will be patient and wait upon the Lord if he feels what we now have is sufficient for the day. And peace will fill us with an abundant faith that all things will happen according to His time.