Do you see what I see?

It really is that time of year again. A time when gift giving comes to the forefront of our consciousness and traditions take prominence. Conversations turn towards family and songs about peace begin anew. Yet amidst it all there often hangs the dismal cloud of dismay. Disbelief shrouds pessimism, covering our path forward in doubt and despair.

“And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
    “For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”*

And so we trudge along with less spring in our step following our man made star of cynicism. Blurred vision and self-sightedness guide the way, but then we come to a bridge. It seems old and rugged. At times it may even appear too fantastical to be real. Yet regardless of our perspective, it is still there. The very bridge we need when there is no other way to cross the bottomless chasm we see in front of ourselves? The bridge is anchored in a foundation deeper than Earth’s core. It’s anchor is love.

Do you see what I see? A bridge, a bridge, shining in the night. It can lead us straight to the Light.

The Bridge

From Uncreated Light to straw…

From perfect triune harmony to cloth…

Omnipotent to frail…

Eternal to Infancy…

Joy, unspeakable joy. An overflowing well, No tongue can tell.

Joy, unspeakable joy. Rises in my soul, Never lets me go.**

…From straw to wood

…From cloth to nails

…Frail to power

…Infancy to eternity

Christmas is the bridge to the cross. And the cross is our bridge to God.

 

It truly is a time when we remember that all can be made right. A time when our wrongs can be restored by crossing the bridge.

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”*

* Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

** Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy) by Chris Tomlin

 

All Because

“Papa. It’s been 28 years since your bellybutton problem. That makes you 45.”

“What? Why are you up? It’s not even six.”

“Papa. I just wanted you to know.”

“What are you talking about? Ugh. Go back to bed. It’s too early.”

It was then that I noticed a different little boy, wide-eyed, lying next to me.

“You’re awake. Get up! Get up! Let’s get some juice.”

Inside my head, it went something like this, “AHHHHH!”

Setting aside resentment against my wife who seemingly slept blissfully beside me, I forced myself out of bed, as a little one helped by pushing my back and a bigger one pulled on my arm. Morning is never as enjoyable as I would wish. Stepping out of the bedroom I am met by another child, saying he couldn’t sleep anymore since it was light outside and obviously the day was well underway. To say there was light outside would be a gross exaggeration. I think there was one, earliest of early birds which was just beginning to tune its song for the day stretching in its nest as the light was nothing more than the faintest of faint hazy glowing embers of pre-brightness. This is not the morning I had envisioned during spring break. Or any other day for that matter. I consider it less than joy to be up at this time of what some call “day” but never-the-less, up I must be.

Having three different sons with incredibly different sleep needs I find it a challenge to constantly be patient, kind, and not jealous of my sleeping wife. In all honesty, it’s hard. Well, actually hard doesn’t even come close. It’s a challenge to say the least, a chore to borrow a term from an older generation, and a daily choice to make. But isn’t that what real love is made from?

Now I’m not trying to boast and I certainly don’t want to come across arrogant as to say I have it all figured out, but it seems to me that love is a challenge sometimes. It is a daily chore. And it must be a constant choice. Throw in attitude, action, and behavior into the mix and love is something that is clearly in a different realm from the emotion based phrase, “I love pizza.” I have nothing against pizza but when our own personal emotional enjoyment of something, or someone, is the driving force behind our actions and behavior, we’re not talking love anymore.

Could you even imagine if Jesus decided he didn’t feel like hanging on the cross? To hang on the cross knowing there will be suffering. That he must bear all things without boasting. Intentionally choosing to endure such agony without being provoked. He chose to get up out of his comfort zone, meet us with all our unique needs, and still love us by putting us first. Now that’s a choice. That’s love.

Kind of puts into perspective my whiny little feeling based mornings as they really are. Struggles of self-centeredness. Yep, it’s that frustratingly resentful feeling, the beginning of irritation, when my self-centered world collides with the needs of others. There’s no falling out of love. Just a choice between self or others. I think that’s what the real action, attitude, and behavior are all about. A battle to see who has importance.

So, although it may be a challenge and a chore at times, I will constantly choose to love my family, even when they think a cricket is the starting sounds of morning. Striving to have the right attitude so that my actions will be the real indicator of my love, thereby showing a pattern of behavior that rejoices to everyone of the One who is True Love.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. — 1 Corinthians 13:4-7