Greta McDonald's blog

"Mom, can I get a new pair of shoes?" came the young boy's voice from a few aisles behind me in the store. The mother must have agreed that he could use a new pair, because her answer was, "If they don't cost too much."

When I was 16, I tore a ligament in my knee.

Up until then, I had been blissfully unaware that ligaments existed. I probably had been told about them in health classes, but compared to more obvious things like kneecaps and elbows and muscles, they hadn't made much of an impact on me.

Until the day that one of those hidden, taken-for-granted, ligaments got torn. Not only was it remarkably painful, but I found out in the ensuing weeks of healing how weak I really was without it to do the simplest things like walking without hobbling, or sitting comfortably.

Watching our sanctuary Advent Wreath lit each week with candles signifying love, joy, hope, and peace, has made me realize just how much we all walk around with inward lights of love, joy, hope and peace.

Whether or not you were one of those who got to experiment with matches or candles, or read old words from Isaiah, you wear those Advent lights in your giving, in your smiles, in your hopes that spill over to so many little actions, all of which walk us closer to Christmas.

Dear Church Family,

Preparing my "week ahead" calendar today has brought into clear focus how close we are to Christmas! Though that realization brings with it a flurry of "Oh, I must still get this"...and "that still needs to be done" thoughts, it also brings some grateful realizations of how much there is to celebrate.

Should we Celebrate, or look for another?
Isaiah 35. Matthew 11.2-11

Riding up the elevator a few weeks ago mid-Sunday morning someone turned to me and said "It's working!" At first I thought theses words were addressed to the elevator. However, after a few more moments I realized they were talking about the church. They were off to an early start in celebrating our church's theme for these next few months, "celebrating the gift."

Our younger grandson, 14 months old, is just learning to talk. He's figured out "mama," and surprised his parents last week when, while watching his 3-year-old brother circle the house pretending to be a train, he came up with a second "word" -- "choo-choo." Then, a couple of days ago, as he overheard a Christmas program on television, he added to his verbal repertoire "Ho-Ho-Ho."

I am so glad I have an office with a window. Not only with a window, but with a window two stories up -- so I can look at "leaf-level" toward the trees on our church property and across the street at the park.

These last days of October have been especially beautiful - so many of them sunny and colorful - and I am trying to savor some moments every day. For when November comes - and it is coming very soon - we can count on much of the color, and more of the warmth, disappearing.

I won't be in worship with you this Sunday, the 16th -- instead, I'll be at the church I attended during my Junior and Senior High School days, in Dixon, Illinois. They are celebrating their 175th anniversary this year, as we are, and they've invited the people who've become pastors from their church to come back and share some reflections.

It was on a Saturday morning in mid-July, and we gathered around tables to share in a delightful breakfast and to welcome back the nine people from our church who had just returned from Guatemala.

Their lives had been changed, they said, by getting to know their hosts there – women of the UPAVIM co-operative who have managed to create a place of economic opportunity, community service and education in La Esperanza, a place where the very poor end up on the outskirts of Guatemala City.

What a delight it was to walk home from church last Sunday and step into the parsonage’s backyard, filled with about 40 wonderful people – member of the Administrative Council who were sharing in a great meal (thank you, Chefs!) before engaging in a planning time for the 2011-12 year.