He'll Wreck Your Life!

I'm beginning to think that every potential Christian should receive this word of caution: Watch Out! He'll wreck your life!

I have been deeply reminded of this in the last few days. This morning the Holy Spirit drove it home with a line from a book I began reading, Kisses From Katie. In the introduction she writes these few small words that are jam-packed with a lifetime of adventure: "You see, Jesus wrecked my life."

Not 20 minutes later I stood in my kitchen preparing my morning juice and the quiet in our place was too much for the spinning wheels of my mind. I turned on a Christmas CD from a group that my now-grown Abbey listened to in her pre-adolescent years...Jump 5. Their rendition of "Joy to the World" has always hit me in the right place, but today...it flat-out made me cry.

Why?

Because Jesus doesn't just want to "wreck your life"...He came, lived and died so that He could wreck the whole world!

He brought His Kingdom come on "Earth and it is in Heaven." And He has never looked back. 

He wrecked the places where we find our security. He wrecked the notion of who is strong and who is weak. He wrecked the attitudes toward "the least of these". He wrecked deeply-ingrained notions of gender importance. He wrecked who is embraced by the King. He wrecked our hope in the world systems that keep us enslaved. He wrecked the perceptions of why people are poor and just exactly who is poor. And He called His followers to voluntarily let Him wreck their lives...sometimes to the point of death.

So this year, amidst the gifts, the lights, the music, the laughter, the contentment of having our oldest home, and the beauty of a world that at least seems peaceful for a brief season, I will be looking for the Savior that came to wreck my world...my life...what I actually find contentment in...and in where I place my hope.

My Christmas prayer for you is that His Presence, His Emmanuel (God with us!) will wreck your world too!

Are Your Wise Men on the Move?

Nearly a decade ago, I read a little something in a children's magazine about a cute and clever way to commemorate The Day of Epiphany on January 6th. Considering I did not grow up in an orthodox, Catholic or other mainline denomination, this was a new concept to me. As someone that has always wanted to penetrate what I have been told about Scripture to get to the truth of what it really says...I embraced this little holiday completely.

Each year we pick one set of Wise Men to make the journey. This year, I chose my favorite tree ornament. The picture above shows their current location in our hallway. 

Although after all these years we don't always do it perfectly or consistently...the Wise Men making their journey across our family room, bedrooms or kitchen to arrive at the nativity, although not completely accurate...does remind me of a few things that we often forget about the real story:

• The wise men did not arrive at the stable. So while it's cute and sweet, wise men in nativity sets are not historically accurate.
• We are told that they were wise, not rich. We are making that assumption based on their gifts to Jesus and their reception by King Herod. But whether they were wealthy or not, their journey was long, arduous and at great peril to themselves and their companions. 
• Scripture hints at the length of the journey when the Wise Men do not return to give Herod the report he has requested. Herod has his own men calculate the timing of the appearance of the Star and then has all male children that age and under slaughtered. Two years is the age given. If this is two years by our reckoning, then it is three Jewish years. A person's age was calculated from birth as year one. Thus, our two year olds in ancient Jewish terms were in their third year. Whether Jesus was two or three when visited by The Magi, their journey was a great distance. This was no two week journey through my family room. (see Matthew 2 for the full story)

My entire purpose for starting this tradition was to remind myself and our children that there is always  more to the story, if we will just take the time to plum the depths of it.

On January 6th, we celebrate in a small way...either with a small gift, a little candy or a special dinner. The point is simply to remember the risk these great men took to meet the Savior. This year I need to be reminded that my willingness to leave all behind to follow my Lord needs to be just as compelling when He calls. 

As an added bonus, I have a challenge to all of the "elf on the shelf" people out there who also call themselves by the Name of Christ. I don't want to chastise you for having fun and playing the elf game leading up to Christmas...it's your family, thus it's your call. I would simply like to invite you to spend a little less time and energy on a new tradition...one that teaches history, love, dedication and determination to get to the Savior no matter the distance. Sure, there's a little gift at the end of the journey, but that wasn't the point was it? No pressure to be "good", no threatening letters when bad, or shenanigans in the middle of the night...just a passion...a fervor...a daring to risk it all just to meet my Messiah.

I think that is a tradition worth embracing.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas- Source Naturals Vitamin B-12

Placed approximately in the center of this photo, you'll see my bottle of Source Naturals MethylCobalamin Vitamin B-12, Cherry Flavored, 120 Tablets. This little bottle has made a huge difference in my energy levels and sleep habits. Most adults don't get an adequate supply of B-12 and yet it's an absolute necessity for better energy and deep sleep. 

According to information I found on Livestrong.com, healthy levels of B-12 turns off your natural melatonin and assist the sleep-awake cycle by boosting your response to light in the morning. Your transition from sleep to wakefulness will happen more quickly...and this is the benefit I've noticed the most. Taking one sublingual B-12 at night, before sleep and I awaken the following morning without that groggy, "hungover" feeling that can only be pushed off by caffeine. I no longer need a cup of java or tea first thing. 

I also found this article that states that B-12 is essential for melatonin production. I've almost completely eliminated taking synthetic melatonin. I only use it now on very rare occasions. My goal for this next year is that our whole family will transition to B-12 instead.

Some information I came across stated that as many as 40% of adults are B-12 deficient, yet most meat eaters have been told that only vegans experience this. Wrong. All of us are susceptible and our convenience food American culture only compounds the problem. If you want to have a more natural "circadian" rhythm, B-12 will greatly improve the possibility. The next thing I need to eliminate to sleep more naturally is no more watching movies or computer screens after dark. That part is going to be tough for me.

One thing I disagree with on the Livestrong page is that B-12 could cause sleep deprivation. My experience (and one that I've found to be common to others) was that taking this sublingual tab in the morning, made me drowsy after about two hours...excessively drowsy. Upon a suggestion I came across on the internet, I experimented with taking it at different times throughout the day and found for myself that the best time is right before bed. The more you get in tune with your body, the better you'll be able to distinguish what time is best for you.

Lastly, don't run right out and buy any 'ol B-12 supplement. Any version that is made from cyanocobalamin does contain trace amounts of cyanide...that are legal. I know I don't know you, but I'm just going to presume that most people don't want cyanide in their bodies. That's how I came across the Source Naturals option. If is made from methylcobalamin which is perfectly safe to take.

Next up- Source Naturals Vitamin D-3 drops

Day 1- Ancient Minerals Magnesium Spray

Day 2- Urban Farm Magazine

Day 3- Equal Exchange Organic Chai Tea

Spreading Some Christmas

Last night, we had the blessing to be a part of a beautiful thing. A gentleman from our church who regularly heads out to downtown Cincinnati to meet with homeless folks, put together an event right on the sidewalk of Third Street.

Best estimates are that there were close to 100 people who received food, clothing, toiletries, and more and about the same number of people helping out. The interesting thing is that I often couldn't tell who was being helped and whom was doing the helping. Apparently, I wasn't the only one...someone walked up and offered me a Bible. I wanted to say something smart, but thought differently and simply replied, "I attend FCC". He was a little embarrassed, but that's okay. It can keep him humble. Our women's director walked up to one of our guys who hadn't shaved that day and offered him some food. Rick was very kind and declined. The point? At least we were mingling. Ha!

Social faux pas aside, the weather was neither a deluge or too cold for a brief 24 hour period which was great and I know people on both sides of the serving table had a good time. Wayne and his helpers did a superb job of bringing it all together. There was actually so much help that there wasn't much for us to do. But we did what we could.

Isn't that sort of what Christmas should be?

None of us can do much...but we should do what we can. Every day.

The Nutcracker, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati, Ohio

I may be wrong, but the Nutcracker seems to be running later this year. As it turns out though, this is my first time to ever see it. Cincinnati Ballet does a wonderful job performing it. As we ushered last night, we were smiling almost constantly as moment by moment we saw little boys and girls all decked out in their Christmas finery for opening night.

That's one thing we've noticed about the ballet crowd...they like to dress up and the children are no exception. The Aronoff beautifully decorates for the event so there were a lot of photo opportunities throughout the lobby. The nutcrackers at the souvenir table only added to the ambiance.

This is a great first ballet for any child and I honestly did not see or hear any restless little ones. Each act is about and hour, ten minutes (give or take), plus with the addition of brightly colored sets, costumes, fun music and even some "magic", I think children of all ages would enjoy this performance. Also, the Sugar Plum Fairy is one of the most graceful ballerinas I've ever seen on the Cincinnati stage.

From what I hear, the performances are well attended each year. I don't know if tickets are still available, but if they are, this would be a great Christmas tradition to begin. And if you don't have any local children or grandchildren to take with you, grab a few from your neighbor's house...they'll all be thankful that you did.

When Christmas Is Deadly

Normally, I wait until I finish a book before I write a review of it...so this isn't a review, but a perfectly timed opportunity for me to bring to light something I just learned in a book. The Global War on Christians: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Anti-Christian Persecution taught me something about which I was unaware, having spent most of my last three years sequestered in my white-bred Western isolationist culture: There are Christians around the world that are systematically attacked at Christmas services each year.

Granted, I don't watch a lot of U.S. news because the corporate propaganda that calls itself "news" infuriates me, but why is no one in our churches calling attention to this? I'll have more about the book in a review when I've finished it, but for now, I simply wanted to ask believers around the world to pray for fellow believers around the world who will be persecuted in this season that should be filled with happiness, joy and wonder.

If you'd like the details, here's what author John L. Allen, Jr. has shared: "For the the record, 2012 marked the third consecutive year that Boko Haram launched a bloody wave of attacks on Christians during the Christmas season." (p. 59)

Boko Haram is a "jihadist militant organization founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2001" in Nigeria. Lest we think too poorly of the Muslim community of Nigeria, they too have suffered losses when suicide bombers have been denied through gated entry points to churches. One such occurrence on Christmas Day 2011, during a "coordinated series of assaults...which left at least fifty people dead and hundreds injured," took place in "Madalla, a satellite town on the outskirts of the national capital, Abuja, where a bomb went off outside St. Theresa's Catholic church that killed forty-four and left an additional eighty people injured, including both Muslim bystanders and Catholics exiting the Christmas mass, which had just ended when the blast occurred." (pp. 56-57)

People of other faiths have recognized these acts as targeted persecution of Christians. "The Simon Wiesenthal Center, among the world's leading Jewish human rights organizations, urged the United States and the European Union to do more to protect embattled Christians around the globe: "As Jews, we recognize all too well when those who want to beat down a group add humiliation and contempt to their murderous violence" it said in a December 28 statement. "Picking Christmas Day to murder women and children on the steps of their church was calculated to intimidate all other Nigerian Christians.'" (p. 57) Yet, I do not ever recall hearing any mention of this among any local congregations, nor in any U.S. media to which I have access.

I'm not trying to be all "gloom and doom" at Christmastime. I simply see a lot of "concerned Christians" getting very excited (as they do every year) about Nativity scenes in public areas, Christian Christmas carols not being played in stores and the coup de grace, cashiers being forced to wish "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". Maybe this year, instead of becoming incensed the next time someone unintentionally offends us...we could, instead...whisper a prayer of protection and God's Presence for our brothers and sisters around the world who risk their very lives by being Christians on Christmas Day.

Sort of puts all of the shopping and other nonsense in perspective, doesn't it?

Vegan Creamy Hot Cocoa Recipe

Here in Northern Kentucky we had an early dose of a White Christmas. Colder temperatures (it was 65F two days ago, 20s today), some ice and now snow helped encourage us to hunker down for the day, stay in our warm jammies and enjoy a snow day from school.

Tonight, I thought I'd treat the family to some yummy hot cocoa. No...I do not buy packets or mixes. Even if I can pronounce all of the ingredients, it will probably consist of some form of dry milk powder, cheap (non-Fair Trade) chocolate and oodles of sugar. My recipe is not original. I simply modified this hot cocoa recipe to make it healthier and vegan. This recipe serves four, but we divided it into fifths and it was plenty for each of us.

You'll need:

• 1/3 cup Fair Trade unsweetened Baking Cocoa (like this one)
• 3/4 cup sweetener of choice (I used half evaporated cane juice and coconut palm sugar)
• 1 pinch Himalayan Pink Salt (one possible choice)
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (We buy So Delicious Organic at our local Kroger)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla (Preferably Fair Trade)
• 1/2 cup Canned full-fat coconut milk (This is your "cream". Here's an organic option)

Combine the cocoa, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Stir in boiling water and bring this mixture to the point where it is just beginning to bubble. Cook and stir for two minutes. Do not let it scorch and if it begins to have a strong hot-to-possibly-burning chocolate smell, reduce heat. Add in the 3 1/2 cups of coconut milk. Stir as you heat it to a hot temperature..without boiling it.

Yes, we like Disney mugs!

While the mixture is heating, shake your can of full-fat coconut milk (cream) vigorously. Otherwise when you open the can, you may have a large chunk of solid coconut fat at the top. Place about 1 Tablespoon in each  mug. This will help cool off the cocoa so no one burns their tongue. 

When the cocoa is hot enough, remove from heat and add the vanilla. Divide into mugs, stir to blend with the cream and enjoy!

**I added 1/4 teaspoon organic, high-quality cinnamon to the saucepan in the first step and it was delicious!**

In place of the vanilla, I think you could experiment with flavors like peppermint, almond or orange and still find it to be very yummy.

Fair Trade Field Trip Day

Because we have no home school co-op today and since October is Fair Trade Month, I'm taking my kids on a shopping field trip to a few places that sell Fair Trade items. As you may guess, with four children, this brings about a mixed bag of responses. The girls simply like to get out of our home and do anything. The boy...not so much.

But I am determined to get this principle ingrained in myself and hopefully begun in them: "My purchases do affect others...directly."

I am hoping to have a Fair Trade and/or local, small business Christmas this year. How about you? Does Wal-Mart really need your money again? Especially if you know buying from companies like them and Apple and Starbucks and many, many others, keeps another human soul in physical bondage? Even gift cards from McDonald's, any fast food and most large retailers mean you support companies who do not pay a fair living wage. We can't continue to keep repressing people and then expect them to not need government or charitable assistance. You literally can't have it both ways.

So what if we bought a little less this year, so we could spend a little more, so another soul could at least be physically free? I can't think of a better meaning of Christmas, can you?