Finding time in the ordinary...

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." ~ Luke 2:8-12

When I was a police officer I had to work the occasional holiday shift. I remember that there were two Christmas Eves in a row that my squad had to work. The first Christmas Eve I remember I worked was midnight shift in 2001. I remember it because of the amount of work I was doing and how I kept telling myself, “It’s Christmas Eve…why aren’t these people spending time at home with family?” There were still arrests being made, numerous calls for service, and a whole lot of report taking being done by all of us who were working the night shift. That Christmas Eve soon turned into Christmas Day and I can recall thinking of how quickly time seemed to pass by. Where did Christmas Eve go? When did Christmas Eve pass me and the other officers? Why couldn’t we spend time with our family?

The next year, my squad had to work the Christmas Eve midnight shift again. Except this year, I was determined not to allow Christmas Eve to pass by. The night started and the police radio began to buzz. Officers were constantly responding to fights, to family disturbances, to alarm calls, and to traffic collisions, and I thought for a moment, “Here we go again.” Some time during the night our supervisor began collecting paperwork in the mall parking lot and a small gathering of officers began to form in front of Sears. One after another, officers began arriving and bearing their gifts of traffic reports, citations, and arrest forms. Before long the whole squad had gathered and conversation and laughter ensued. I noticed that the police radio had grown silent so I returned to my patrol car and retrieved my Bible. I asked one officer who was gathered in our circle to tell me about his Christmas growing up. This led to others telling about how they “did” Christmas with their families and how they could remember being a child on Christmas Eve. I remember seeing the faces of police officers light up as each one told of their Christmas traditions.

After our personal stories I told them I would like to share a Christmas story about someone else with them. I opened my Bible to Luke and read of how Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph. After I read the story, one of the officers said a prayer for our families and our safety. At the sound of the Amen, the police radio sounded once more sending me and another officer to a domestic dispute. The other officers drove away and the ordinary began again.

We were police officers with the charge of protecting and serving. We were maintaining the ordinary. But that night, while offering peace, like the shepherds, we found peace. While providing hope, we found hope for ourselves. We found love among friends and realized we were getting to spend Christmas Eve with our family after all. That Christmas Eve we found time for each other, but most importantly, we found time for God in the ordinary.

This Advent and Christmas Season, may you find the love of family, the peace of the season, and the grace and joy of God. I urge you to take a moment and find time in the ordinary.

Simply thankful...

While pondering over what Thanksgiving means to me and trying to come up with a decent article to write on the holiday, I decided to skip the quest for large and colorful expressions that would dazzle and amaze the reader’s eye. Instead, I went the simple route. For the simple route lends itself to be more candid in offering a glimpse into one’s life. So with that said, here are a few of the things that I’m thankful for:

- God, of course. God makes all the rest possible.
- My family and the many quirks that each of us have.
- My church, not necessarily the structure, but the people that make up the building.
- My home and the wonderful way it welcomes me. Dorothy was right, “There’s no place like home.”
- My friends who support me even when I know I’ve not been the best of one.
- Laughter and its ability to cause me to forget burdens and heartache.
- Sadness…without it, I would lose sight. With it, I know who to turn to.
- Education and its mission to make me aware that there’s so much more to learn.
- Silence and reflection and all that it can encompass. “Be still and now that I am the LORD your God.”
- I Love You…three little words that when said at the right time, can make the world stop in its tracks.
- Food…enough said!
- The youth of my church who, in their own ways, never let me forget that they love me, even when I’m not in the best of moods.
- Diet Dr. Pepper
- Coffee, with a little cream and two packets of Splenda, and its capability to get me going.
- My son’s giggle from his hiding place behind the chair in the living room when I return home of an evening. It gives him away every time.
- My wife and everything about her.
- Memories, both good and not so good. They tend to make me a stronger person.
- Christmas, from one end to the other.
- Second chances. They allow you to improve upon the mess you’ve made, even when you think you’ve ruined some of the things you’re thankful for.
- Life as whole, and the experiences and people I meet along the way.