Christmas

Joseph

~ Ida Beth Geschke ~ 2 Comments

joseph-maryWe don’t know much about Joseph, but I think it’s safe to say he would have been terrible on a T.V. reality show.  Think about it.  His girlfriend was pregnant, and knowing the child was not his own, he could have slandered her name via social media (literally social), drunk too much wine, and wrecked a perfectly good donkey cart.  Instead, he planned to quietly distance himself from her in a way that would maintain the dignity of everyone involved.  No T.V. ratings there.

Once Joseph understood what was going on, he trusted both God and Mary, and did exactly what the angel told him to do.  Over time, he proved he was the perfect father for Jesus, traveling long distances and making wise, careful decisions to keep his child safe.  Going out of one’s way for the sake of another?  Thoughtful decision making?  Again, no ratings.

I am thankful for the example we have in Joseph, and I am thankful for his role in the Christmas story and beyond.  I’m going to make it a point to follow his example more often and to make it known when others do the same.  I hope you’ll join me.

I hope you are finding great happiness in this week of joy.  If so, please share!

A Christmas Wish

~ Ida Beth Geschke ~ 9 Comments

beach sunrise

The winter solstice has passed, and we are on our way to longer days, shorter nights. It makes sense that we celebrate the birth of Jesus at about the same time as the world around us begins to grow brighter.

As we wait these last few days, I wish you hope.

I wish you love.

I wish you the joy of welcoming an infant savior into the world and the peace that comes from welcoming the adult Christ into your days.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

~ Ida Beth Geschke ~ 4 Comments

happyholidayssock

“Happy holidays!” When I was growing up I heard this familiar expression sprinkled liberally among others: Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year. I understood Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, but I wasn’t so sure about the others. I remember asking my mother about Season’s Greetings when I saw it on a sign in front of a local synagogue. She explained it something like this: Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah around the same time we celebrate Christmas. Pretty much everyone celebrates the new year which is not a religious time like Christmas and Hanukkah. Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays include the entire season, for everyone, from Thanksgiving to January, instead of just one particular day.

Using greetings such as Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings made sense to my five- or six-year-old self. It seemed much more convenient than trying to list all the possible holidays in one greeting or trying to figure out which holidays were celebrated by any particular person. Most importantly, the idea appealed to my sense of fairness and allowed me to include everyone as Mrs. Reeves, my kindergarten teacher, taught me to do. Because my mother’s explanation was delivered purely and simply in the loving spirit of the season, those greetings remained pure and sincere in my heart and mind.

Using inclusive greetings still makes sense to my fifty-something-year-old self, particularly since there are even more cultural and religious events celebrated in our midst. There are more people to greet. There are more celebrations to bless. There is more joy to share!

If you observe something other than Christmas or in addition to Christmas, I wish you the grandest of celebrations. Whatever you celebrate, or if you don’t celebrate at all, I wish you love. I wish you enough. I wish you peace.