"I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado"

Packing list: gloves, coats, ear-muffs, decorations, gifts, and snow-shoes. Yes, snow-shoes. Monday morning, we are headed to Estes Park, Colorado for an 8 day vacation in a 4 bedroom ‘cabin’ near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. On our agenda is sledding, shopping, watching The Hobbit, delicious family-cooked meals, lots of hiking in the mountains, and a warm fireplace every night as we have our family time.

The kids deserve a treat. Jonathan is now half way through his last year of high school. He did really well on his SAT college entrance exam and is on target to begin college in August. Martha is half way through her 2nd year of college and thoroughly enjoys her nursing/biology classes. Hannah has finished her work at Mt. Vernon and will be staying in Texas until she starts graduate school in August. She’s still in the process of sending in school applications. Sara and David are looking forward to a Colorado Christmas break from their jobs.

On the other side of the globe, our churches in the Philippines will be gathering for Christmas fellowships next week. The ministry www.Blessings.ph has provided funds for food, traveling, and gifts for the needy. From the reports I receive, it seems God is still very much at work in growing and strengthening the body of Christ in Iloilo province. Although I will certainly enjoy being with my kids next week, part of my heart is still in the Philippines.

Christmas is traditionally a time for joy, but we should remember that the first Christmas had its challenges. Joseph and Mary had to travel. On donkeys. And Mary was nearing 9 months. Since there was no electronic reservation system back then, they had to sleep in a dirty, cold, cow-barn, where Jesus was born. In addition, the local king decided to kill all the babies born that month.

Well, Christians in the U.S. today also face alarming challenges. Our Biblical heritage is quickly eroding away. We are now a minority in an increasingly secular culture that is becoming more hostile toward anything Christian. Believers are on the defensive in trying to guard the religious freedoms we once took for granted. Even more alarming, the “darkness” of the world, as the Scripture calls it, is creeping into many churches, causing them to lose the light they once had.

For these reasons, our family time next week in Colorado will be critical. God has not called us to be good, but to be godly. Please pray for me as I lead my family in looking at Scripture and understanding how we are to live in this increasingly unfriendly world. As it drifts deeper into darkness, it is vital that the light of Christ in us shines bright and steady. But to do this, we have to make some stark choices about how we are going to live each day. So please pray for me and my family, that we will truly count ourselves “crucified” to the world and it’s desires, and daily experience genuine peace and joy that can only come from being united with Christ.

Merry Christmas and God’s gracious blessings to each of you.