As a young man growing up in Ventura, California, I spent my summers with my friends scouring the coastline between Ventura and north toward Santa Barbara looking for the perfect wave. Unlike my brother, Mark, I never became a very good surfer. But to this day, I still love the ocean, and on occasion I will paddle out in search of the perfect wave and a long ride. Unfortunately, especially these days, I spend most of my time under my board and under water.
‘Tis the season...bright lights, nativities, carols, presents, Santa, family gatherings, and of course, its time to gather everyone around the television and put on your favorite Christmas movies. You know, the ones that you just have to watch every year even though you’ve seen them a hundred times. The holiday season would be woefully incomplete without a viewing of the likes of White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Christmas Vacation, Elf - and two of my favorites, Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Through a happy set of very unexpected circumstances, in May of 2013 I had the great privilege of becoming the pastor of La Mesa Central Congregational Church. The congregation’s call for me to become the next pastor, and my acceptance of that call, was a challenge on both sides as I have no official Congregational roots. These first sixteen months together have been, and continue to be, a journey of getting to know each other and building trust.
Since 1863, and thanks to the insightful leadership of President Lincoln, we have been blessed to have a national holiday set aside for “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” In the midst of rampant consumerism and materialism, and the hectic pace of life required to maintain our often over extended lifestyles, we have a least one day set aside that encourages us to stop, take a breath, count our blessing and consider their source.
Until Black Friday, that is.
You’ve heard of “Christmas in July”? The Labor Day holiday kicks us all into a sort of “New Year’s in September” mode. The new year is still a few months off, but the ending of summer and the beginning of school get us in the mind set of new beginnings and fresh starts.
Never a great student as a young person, I always loved the first few days of school - new classes, new teachers and fresh notebooks just waiting to be filled with well organized notes from my sure to be well disciplined mind. At least for a few days each September, I wasn’t behind and I had yet to miss an assignment.