Friends in grace,

Have any of you received your first Christmas card of the season? Maybe you have already sent yours? My mom knows each year what family’s card will arrive first of all. Sure enough, their’s did arrive last week. And I already received two from families at Grace (well done, you know who you are)! I love the tradition of Christmas Cards and this year it feels even more important to connect with those near and far, reminiscing on what the year was and look toward the coming of Jesus at Christmas time. In years past, as a family we would gather around the dining room table drinking hot holiday drinks, hot chocolate with peppermint for the kids, eggnog for the parents. My dad read aloud his favorites as I quickly scanned all the pictures, often asking my parents who all of these people were. Another fun family Christmas card tradition was to save the cards until lent and throughout the season of lent pull out a Christmas card a day to pray for that family. Sometimes we would even send a note to the families and get specific prayer requests, this might be something really meaningful to do this year! 

Receiving Christmas cards, I love; helping my mom send hers… not quite as fun. Last week, I was on vacation and enjoyed spending my time with my parents and brother down in Faribault. In addition to celebrating my birthday and thanksgiving, my mom had a goal for the week, that we would prepare our Christmas cards to send out. She had already designed the card. She only enlisted us to help label the envelopes, stamp, and include the return address label jobs. By the time I left Faribault the cards were ready to go to the post office for delivery! We had completed our mission! 

As I reflect on this week’s lesson for Sunday’s worship and the prophets of the last few weeks (Elijah, Jonah, Jeremiah, and now Joel) their messages of return to God seems emphasized as I place each return address label on the envelopes we will send. No matter how far away we wander, God is never too far off. You could say our return address label has God written all over it: return to sender; lost, if found return to God! Through the waters of our baptisms we are eternally tethered to God who is with us always. God’s presence is continually being sent to us each moment! Isn’t that reassuring? It is to me today! 

Enjoy receiving and sending Christmas cards this season. And feel as the presence of God surrounds you each day!

Pastor Maria Markman