Monday's thoughts

"What Color is a White Christmas?"
Talk about picking the right theme for the wrong Sunday; this is an example of it.
It's Sunday morning, December 14Th, and it's snowing like hard and we have cancelled the van that picks up Retirement Home residents for church and we have cancelled the bus trip to see the lights. It is a "white out" and if this were Christmas Eve we would have the potential of a "White Christmas".

The sermon I have in mind to preach next Sunday deals with the idealistic expectations that Christmas puts upon us. I intend to explore the positive and negative aspects of that Christmas factor.

There is something wonderful in the expectations that build toward Christmas day. The idea of a "White Christmas" is appealing and exciting. We all remember when there was a big snow at Christmas a few years ago. It was the year Christmas Eve was Sunday and we had our services in the morning and our Candle lighting services in the evening. There was a spirit of fun that day as people gathered. Somehow we didn't mind the cold and the snow. There is a kind of romantic aspect of Christmas that seems to be evidenced in our wish that there be snow on Christmas.

But the high expectations of Christmas also lead to its downfall. The romanticism gives was to the realism of Christmas and to the understanding that, whatever it was, it will end, and life will pretty much get back to what it was with very little change.

People build their expectations and then are down caste when Christmas doesn't live up.

I want to do a sermon on Christmas expectations.

What are your expectations for Christmas?
How has Christmas let you down in the past?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.
If you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles