Happy Monday, and welcome to another word-of-the-week. This week’s word is …

TODAY

What’s special about today?

Well, it’s the only shot we get at this day. Once it’s gone, that’s it. No way to recover those twenty-four hours.

As a kid that doesn’t seem like a big deal. There seems to be an endless supply of days, and you don’t worry much about squandering a few of them.

You get a little older and realize the number of days is limited, that maybe you ought to value each one a bit more. But that’s not the reason I’m thinking about “today” as an important word.

Today’s important because it’s a gift from God. He created this day and gave it to me with a purpose in mind. When God gives you something, it’s a good idea not to throw it away.

I don’t know what He has in mind for this day. Perhaps it’s intended as a rest day, a time to laugh, or a time to confront some important challenge. Maybe I’ll never know for sure, but I’m pretty certain He didn’t intend for me to waste it or wish it away as another unbearable Monday or Tuesday or whatever.

Here’s what I do know: today is a day to love, to value and nurture relationships, and to be grateful. If I somehow manage to keep those in front of me I’ll probably do okay.

God gave us today. Let’s use it well.

Helpful hint: Today would be a great day to help me out by spreading the word about BOUNCING BACK. Who do you know who might appreciate the message? Please consider recommending the site to some people in your own network.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:24]

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” [Luke 2:8-12]

What’s the point of Christmas?

I know, it’s about Jesus and glad tidings and all of that, but we all know the REAL focus of Christmas is … presents! Take away shopping, shipping, and Santa, and what’s the point? Without tinsel and trees, Christmas is reduced to a tiny baby born to poor parents in an obscure village under questionable circumstances.

Sarcasm aside, gifts really are a central element of Christmas. Yesterday I wrote about the gifts of the Magi and asked, What Are You Giving Jesus For Christmas? But if I’m completely honest, the real issue isn’t what I bring. The true gift of Christmas is one I can only receive.

The enormous gift of Christmas is so incredible that it was announced by an angel and celebrated by a heavenly choir. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to proclaim something wonderful, a gift of peace and joy to everyone in the world.”

I thought about the priceless elements of the angel’s pronouncement: Jesus, salvation, forgiveness, freedom, sacrifice … It’s the most incomprehensible Christmas list ever composed, but it can be compressed into a single word: grace.

Jesus stepped down into the darkness of a silent night and brought us the marvelous light of His grace.

The question that remains is, will we accept it? Since you can’t put grace in a box, tie a bow around it, and rip open the wrapping paper on Christmas morning, what does “accepting it” mean?

It means letting go of the sense of guilt and regret. Simply put, Jesus lived and died so we could experience freedom from the nastiness that threatens to drag us back into darkness. We accept His gift when we acknowledge and live in the light of undeserved forgiveness.

It means trusting that the God who created the universe can create something good and wonderful from our mistakes and pain. God is bigger than our circumstances. Even when we see no way out and nothing positive that can ever arise from the ashes of tragedy, God can transform tears into triumph.

It means taking seriously the promise of a new beginning. It means accepting His invitation to give hope another chance.

Obviously, the gift of grace means much more than my meager list, but these might be a good place to begin.

The gift of grace is bigger than we can imagine. We don’t deserve it, but Jesus thought it was a gift worth dying for.

How can you intentionally accept the gift of grace this Christmas?

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What Are You Giving Jesus For Christmas?

10 Ways You Can Enjoy An Intentional Christmas

Christmas In The Hospital

Yesterday I asked a question: Who Else Wants To Finish Strong?

The question referenced my 2009 resolution about Living Intentionally and proposed the notion of an Intentional Christmas. After I posted the article and listened to feedback, I decided to be a little more specific about what I meant.

“Intentional” simply means making conscious choices about my attitudes and how I invest my time and energy. I hear a lot of talk about getting “caught up” in the holiday hustle—that’s the opposite of intentional.

So how can we finish the year by enjoying an Intentional Christmas? Here are a few thoughts.

Take a bit of time each day to think about the Christmas story. I’m a big fan of journaling, so maybe a Christmas journal would help. Try to take a purposeful journey to Bethlehem, whatever that means for you.

Play Christmas music, and stop occasionally to listen. Let the music remind you that the universe celebrated and glorified God [Luke 2:13-14] on that holy night.

Ponder a nativity scene. Let your mind travel back to that night. Immerse yourself in the surroundings. Perhaps you might choose a specific character and try to imagine his/her thoughts and feelings. Let yourself experience the paradox of a common event in humble surroundings that literally changed eternity.

Try this multiple times with different characters. Talk with someone, or write in your journal, about how that character’s perspective is unique and distinct from the others. 

Place every gift you give or receive at the foot of the manger. The first Christmas gifts were treasures, carried a great distance at great personal sacrifice and risk. [Matthew 2:9-11] Purchase, give, and receive with that mindset.

My personal commitment is to avoid any sense of “obligation.” As I shop and choose, I want to release the sense of “getting it done” and imagine treasures placed on the floor of a stable.

Some other possibilities:

• Give a gift that doesn’t involve money. Offer the treasure of your time and help to someone who’s struggling. 
• Give a gift to someone you don’t know. Make it a reminder that the Magi followed that star to worship a complete stranger. 
• Give to someone who will be completely surprised. Perhaps this is an opportunity to mend a broken fence and reach out in love to an adversary.

Share your thoughts about Christmas with someone. Sit down over coffee with different people over the next few weeks and have a real conversation about Jesus’ birth. If you’re doing a journal, record what you discover.

Put some small object somewhere that’ll remind you of Jesus’ birth. I’ve placed a small star near my computer where I’ll see it several times each day. For some reason, this year I’m intrigued by the journey of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12), and I hope to read and learn about their search for an unknown child. Perhaps I need to make my own pilgrimage during this month.

Make some Chrismons. If you don’t know about Chrismons, you can google the word. This web site explains a pretty simple Chrismon project. This might be a cool family or small group project that could become a yearly tradition. Hang the on the tree, decorate the house, or give them as gifts. Do a little research and discover unique symbols, and use them as journal or conversation starters.

If you’re counting, you’ll note that I’ve missed my promise of “10 suggestions.” That’s intentional, designed to illustrate the last point.

Don’t allow others’ expectations become your obligations. You know what I mean—December quickly becomes “the holiday season” with its hurry and hassle. Even the fun stuff can become items to check off the list before rushing to the next task.

Busyness prevents reflection and contemplation. It’s the enemy’s tool, a subtle way to take our eyes off the star and distract us with tinsel and lights and parties and cooking and shopping and …

More than anything, an Intentional Christmas means deciding and choosing based on principles. Being intentional isn’t always easy, because it means setting priorities that may conflict with “the way it’s supposed to be.”

Please don’t try to do all of the things on my list. Maybe you shouldn’t do any of them. They’re just one guy’s thoughts. I’m sure you have better ideas, and I hope you’ll share them with others as a comment at the end. Perhaps you’ll contribute the wisdom that’ll help someone you’ll never meet to enjoy a more Intentional Christmas.

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. [Matthew 2:9-11]

What’s your thought about a way to make Christmas a bit more intentional?

Did you enjoy this article? Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.

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Who Else Wants To Finish Strong?

Living Intentionally

 The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King 

Have you ever thought you were too weak to help?

It’s easy to imagine someone who’s better qualified, tempting to believe that your personal failures render you useless. We all want to conceal our dirty laundry, but followers of Christ must remember that we’re called to serve where we are and to offer ourselves in that service. We’re all gifted so we can offer those gifts in service to others.

I prefer to think in terms of ”serving” rather than “helping”. For me, service better conveys Jesus’ attitude. He didn’t assist from a position of superiority. Instead, He chose to step into the position of servant. He modeled service based on humility and calls us to follow Him.

If you’ve ever believed you are too damaged, too weak, or too broken to contribute, here are some questions to consider.

If God can’t use broken people, who will He use?

Let’s face it—God works through His people, and we’re all damaged goods. Acknowledging brokenness is a necessary step in following Jesus because it gets you on the path to service. We need to understand that everyone on that path is messed up.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:3]

In the first of The Beatitudes, Jesus blesses the “poor in spirit,” those who recognize their dependence on God. Then He hands us the keys to His kingdom.

Why hide your light?

Jesus didn’t talk so much to the stars of the religious community, those who had all the answers and stood apart from those in need. He spoke instead to the poor in spirit and the meek, the broken people who had no status or authority.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5:14-16]

He gave you a light. Don’t hide it.

If you’re stuck in a hole, wouldn’t you want to meet someone who’s been there and knows the way out?

We’ve all experienced struggle and grief. Bad stuff happens, life isn’t fair, and we’ve all lived with consequences of unfortunate choices. Our hope lies in God’s promise that He won’t waste our pain.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [Romans 8:28] 

God creates beauty from the junk in our lives. Let’s offer it to Him, and to His people, in service and love—because He first loved us.

People often ask, “Who am I to …?” A better question might be, “Who are you NOT to …?”

It’s uncomfortable to publically acknowledge personal failure. In an image-conscious culture, we work hard to hide imperfections and mistakes.

We need to be clear about why we’re sharing. I shouldn’t dump on someone who’s already hurting just to make myself feel better. I must be careful about telling someone “I know how you feel,” because I probably don’t.

Nobody has made more of a mess in their life than I did. No one has squandered God’s blessings more carelessly. I am absolutely not qualified or worthy.

Relentless Grace isn’t my story, it’s God’s story. Who am I NOT to share the hope that comes from knowing that God will never give up on any of us? That’s a light that needs to be displayed for all to see.

If you’ve messed up, welcome to the human race. There’s no shame in failure and a great deal of anxiety in hiding it. Don’t be afraid to offer the gift of your experience. To someone else, it may be priceless.

What difficult experience can you offer to someone who needs it?

Sometimes the greatest heroes aren’t the strongest or the most talented. Sometimes the greatest heroes are the people who simply show up.

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Help or Service?