Another holiday season is almost history

It seems we’ve just skittered past another Christmas celebration. While everyone else was cooking, shopping, making holiday plans, and decorating these last few weeks, I spent most of my time reading, writing and worrying about every little detail connected with our Christmas services - and even stressing over the maintenance of our building. Because I knew that even if my prayers were answered and the service ended up being deeply moving and spiritual, if one of the bathrooms suddenly ran out of supplies, that would be all someone is likely to remember for the next year.

But then, I’ve never been much of a cooking, shopping, making plans, and decorating kind of guy. It seems that I am much happier and better suited to sitting alone in an office where I can struggle with putting words together. And the cleaning and maintenance chores I do around here on a weekly basis have actually become a welcomed distraction - something more akin to what I’ve been used to all my life.

When I began preaching here more than a dozen years ago, it was in early December. At that time, I thought to myself, “Who in the world BEGINS their preaching career during the holiday season!” But somehow I made it through that first one (and only by God’s grace).

And now, as each year approaches, I think to myself, “Surely THIS is the year that things get easier. Surely I have learned SOMETHING that will make this year go smoother . . . “ Yet it never seems to.

Though when I think about it, I’m kind of glad it never does get any easier. Becuae if it ever got to the point where I could “do it in my sleep”, then I might be tempted to - do it in my sleep. What I’m saying is this - I think struggle is good for anyone aspiring to present the Gospel message. It is the uncertainty and even the fear of failure that tends to keep a person on their toes.

And at the end of each service when I finally get to go through the church, turning out lights and locking the doors, if it was a good service, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I had very little to do with it.

God bless you all. All of us here at Goodyear Heights Baptist Church wish you a very Merry Christmas season and a blessed New Year.

In Christ,

Pastor Ed