Serve by Design

Our pastors often begin worship services with this phrase that calls the congregation to worship, “Let’s quiet our minds and center our thoughts.” Although it is unusual, there are still times when an occasional distraction occurs. Such was the case, during a recent sermon, when the ring tone of a congregant’s cell phone startled us by repeatedly playing the theme song from Gilligan’s Island. I was not alone in chuckling about the obvious distraction. 😊 Ringtone Surprise! Image: dreamstime.com During the final week of Advent, there is a hectic rush up to the “Big Day!” In these days, I find myself stressed and more in need of “quieting and centering” to protect my emotional and spiritual well-being. As many of us know, hosting a family gathering means that there are many necessary tasks that can potentially bring distractions from the blessed spirit of the Christmas season. These family gatherings require numerous tasks to be performed. For me, there are still several boxes to check...

The mythical side of Christmas sees Santa working from the North Pole with a team of elves who are assistants to the Big Red Guy. Santa’s helpers are tasked with making the toys for all the girls and boys. They maintain the reindeer barn making sure the team is adequately fed and healthy. Santa’s elf friends also keep the sleigh in top running condition for the Christmas eve delivery deadline. All this preparation is a daunting task! It is a bigger job than what Old Saint Nick can accomplish on his own! Eloise and Charlotte Having Fun! Santa’s helpers are a common moniker for each of these partners! There are many “Santa Partners” scattered throughout malls, department stores and community events this season. They are engaging eager recipients of Christmas giving. While these children excitedly whisper their list of Christmas wishes, the Department of Christmas Affairs conducts its Global Behavior Tracking Network to determine who has been “naughty or nice!” Naughty and Nice List Chr...

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, 10:36 am, a spectacular event occurred that could only be observed in parts of the western United States, as well as Central and South America. Weeks in advance of the annular solar eclipse, I was reading and hearing about it on the news. I knew that we were going to be visiting our family during this exact time. I just didn’t realize, at the time of first hearing about this, just how unique it all would be! We quite literally were in the “right place at the right time!” The zenith point for optimal viewing of this epic eclipse was Albuquerque, New Mexico! Looking upward with our "stylish" eclipse glasses! We took it all in so easily as we stood in our daughter’s kitchen in the suburb of nearby Rio Rancho and looked out over the Sandia Mountains to the east. It was like we were standing in a private celestial theater. What made this solar eclipse so unusual was that it happened when the moon orbited at its farthest point from earth. As it passed...

Several years ago, during a visit to Paris, France, we saw the famous L'Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees. (Incidentally, Monique's grandmother was the proprietor of a quaint little dress shop nearby.) This national monument towering 50 meters stands in honor of those who served and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1792-1815. It has the names of all the victories and generals inscribed on its outer and inner surfaces. Underneath the structure is a vault that commemorates an Unknown Soldier from World War I. As you could expect, this memorial is a much treasured reminder for the French and a must-see work of art for visiting tourists. Photo Credit: Sylvan Chervin This prominent landmark has been the scene of an unusually creative project in these past weeks! All this effort fulfills the dream of a couple of avant-garde artists named Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2020 and 2009 respectively. Since 1961, this married couple had planne...

  Just days before Christmas and all through the room, Not a person could stand or a cleaner could broom! The gifts, stuffers, boxes and packages awaiting their wrappings Were seasonal reminders of loving and celebrative trappings! Santa's Helper! One of Santa’s most dedicated helpers was full of Christmas passion As she studied, contemplated and talked through her every abstraction. Would this match up better with a preteen grandchild or younger? Or… should I bestow this special surprise on a larger age number? The time is counting down without a way to stop the clock. Getting these sacked and delivered is causing me obvious shock! I’d ask Mike to help but he’s bossy, difficult and dismissive! I’ll just plod on my own and pretend to be short of taping adhesive! 🎄🎅🤶 It is for sure that I am not the rhyming writer of our family, but I couldn't resist this little verse! Monique has been writing the family Christmas newsletter for more than thirty years now. W...