Lessons from a "Shelf Elf"

I started writing this blog the other evening and quickly put my "pen" down. My fear is that the "Elf on the Shelf" phenomenon has so quickly escalated that it has risen to a place where there's more focus on him than on Jesus, and I didn't want this blog to further perpetuate that. However, the more I thought about these lessons I've learned from our very own Elf (Santie-Carl), I believe that perhaps instead of this blog taking us further away from the true focus of Christmas, it may reorient us right back to the center of it all, Jesus Christ.

This is the second year now that Santie-Carl has made his appearance. Some of his overnight gags have been tasteful and cute; others have been clever and witty; yet, there are still others that have been messy and gross. Yet despite the variety, there are three lessons that our elf (or perhaps our boys, through the elf) has taught me.

Disclaimer: for the sake of some of our older boys, allow me to say that not every one of our guys is as enamored and excited by the elf as the others.

Now to the lessons:

1) Jesus is present...every morning our boys wake up, they wake up looking for Santie-Carl. "Where can I find him?" He's been found in the tree (last year); behind a plant (wonder what he was doing back there); even hanging from the ceiling fan cord. Yet, day after day, regardless of where he is, our boys go searching for Santie-Carl. What if I woke up each and every day searching for Jesus? What if I spent the entirety of each day looking for Jesus; looking to find him? The Bible says he's continually with us, but do I always look for him? Do you always look for him?

2) Jesus is working...each evening that our boys go to bed, they go to bed with anticipation and wonder at what Santie-Carl is going to do while they're asleep. Will he cover the bathroom entrance with toilet paper; will he write on the mirror; will he leave "something" on the table or in the toilet? Regardless of what Santie-Carl should do, there's always the anticipation of it. This Christmas season, what am I, or what are you, anticipating Jesus to do? Is your life filled with wonder at what he wants to do in you, through you, and for you?

3) Jesus is returning...for the sake of preventing embarrassment here I'll not name which boy, but one of them literally cried for hours when Santie-Carl "went away" last year. It was so bad, that Santie-Carl had to sneak away from the Elf Factory to surprise him on his birthday. But do you know the impact that left on my boy? All year he has been living with the hope that Santie-Carl would make a return appearance. What about you? What about me? Am I living my life with the hope of Christ's return? And not just with the hope, but living it in such a way that when he does return he will find me worthy. In this Advent season, let us remember that the glory of Christmas does not lay solely in the fact that Christ came as a baby; he is coming again, triumphantly and gloriously - are we ready!

Merry Christmas, from my family (The V-Team) to yours,
Barry

El Salvador or Bust

Do you believe that God still provides? Do you believe that He meets every need? Do you believe that He even gives you the desires of your heart? I am here to tell you, "He most certainly is that God!"

Back in September, I was invited by our esteemed District Superintendent, Rev. Greg Reynolds, to be part of an administrative trip he was leading to El Salvador, December 4-11. It would be a trip focused on encouraging the Wesleyan work in that country; intentional investing in our national leader there (Rev.'s Rene and Zoila Melendez) as well as the other pastoral families. There would be visiting of churches, teaching of lessons, preaching of sermons, and whatever else we could do to be a blessing.

I was stoked at the idea of visiting one of the countries that we will be working with once we get to Central America. The only problem - the cost. As Pastor Greg outlined the costs involved, my heart slowly sank little by little. I knew there was no way possible we could swing the money for me to go. So I gave the "pat" Christian answer - I'll pray about it - even though I knew it would never happen.

About six weeks later I received a phone call that demonstrated once again how God truly is the Great Provider; how when our desires our lined up with his desires, he removes the "im" from the word impossible. Long story short, 100% of my trip is being taken care of. How cool is God?!

Now for, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story...

Given that none of us who are going are fluent in (or speak any) Spanish, there has always been an interpreter traveling with us. As God would have it, our traveling interpreter is none other than our Area Director, Jarvis Ferguson. That detail in itself only worked out in the past month. So now, not only do I get to be part of everything I've already mentioned, but I also get to be engaged in the work there with an toward future ministry and partnership. "What will theological training look like on the ground there?" "How can we mobilize disciples there to become missionaries themselves? "What are the goals of the national church as it relates to..."

It is most definitely a God-orchestrated trip for which I am most humbled and grateful! I have the most amazing family who I hate leaving behind (hopefully the next time I touch down on foreign soil we will all be departing the USA together). Yet they have sacrificially released me for such a time as this.

I would be honored if you would consider praying for the trip. I would also be grateful if you remembered in prayer the rest of the V-Team who will be stateside.

Lovingly and appreciatively,
Barry