Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Tuesday Musing 12/25/2018



Merry Christmas
                I want to wish all that I know a Merry Christmas on this day. I also want to wish everyone Happy Holidays. For you see it is both. It is more than just birth of Christ it also is God so caring that he would come to this world for you and me. And it continues today through the love that was given as a free gift though communities of faith, family and friends. What began at the very creation of the world continues to happen with us today. Love, Joy, Peace or Shalom, and Hope continues to be the story of Christmas for us, no matter what we have done. So we extend our Christmas in the acts we do today emulating our savior whose birth we are celebrating today. BTW, I do not get too excited about saying happy holidays for indeed they are for many people. This is not attacking Christianity. Unfortunately, our behavior as Christians at times are the attack on the, as Pastor Craig Finnestad preached on Christmas Eve, grace and truth of Jesus. My prayer is that today while we spend time with one another wherever that may be, we continue to live out the Christmas message every day throughout the year.
                This is my first Christmas as a retired pastor. I am still trying to figure out this thing called retirement. It has been almost six months and so far, I have not driven Nancy crazy. Nancy and I have joined the Water’s Edge UMC church in Omaha. We are part of life group. We also volunteer for church and some around the community. It is different that I am not busy planning services or feeling obligated to attend church services. This is something freeing about the idea of doing things because we choose to do so.
                I had thought I would be writing about the life of a retired pastor and social worker, but I am still trying to work that out as to what it is. I was asked to preach at Water’s Edge, Nancy and I serve communion, we are leaders of our life group, and I will be doing a wedding in May of 2019. Not quite the schedule I used to have, but still interesting. I have also been doing more gaming, particularly board games and RPG with my family and with my son’s friends. What I am contemplating is doing a Tuesday musing starting today. Thoughts maybe random about what I am experiencing and sharing opinions about life. I will try to not become too political though it is impossible not to note what is happening both in our nation and around the world does not affect our lives today. The next blog entry will be January 1st, 2019. I wonder what lies ahead in this new age of life.
Shalom
Eldon

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