Don't say Merry Christmas... unless you mean it

**I feel like all my blog posts lately have been particularly rant-y. So, umm, sorry? But this is just something that's been on my heart lately. I also have to acknowledge that I am writing from within this materialistic culture that I criticize. I am SO not free of blame for contributing to this.**

I love the holiday season.
I love the egg nog and the snow gently falling and candy canes and carols and It's a Wonderful Life.

Mostly, I love that it is a time of year when we think about Jesus. Or at least, we supposedly do. Over the past few years I have seen a bit of backlash from the Christian community, because of signs like this one I saw at Target today (also, side note, why oh why did I choose to go to the mall in December?):

What's wrong with that sign? Some of us would prefer it to say the word "Christmas."It's "Happy Holidays" this and "Seasons Greetings" that, and then Christians come up with the fun rhyming saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season."

Whoa now.
Hold up.
JESUS is the reason for the season?

Each year, we put ourselves into debt, increase our stress level, and end up with useless trinkets that some underpaid worker in a developing country made, and we smile and pay $44.00 for a snow globe that says "Jesus is the reason for the season."

This American conservative website published an article called "Now 8 states waging war for Christmas." Western Christians are feeling threatened, because of restrictions on when you can and cannot say "Christmas."

But as a Christian, I have to say this growing trend away from saying "Merry Christmas" is welcome.

Because as long as we celebrate this holiday the way we do, I do not think Jesus wants anything to do with it.

Christmas as we celebrate it is an orgy of greed, consumerism, materialism and entitlement. 
That is not what Christ represents.

I am a Christian. That means that my heart sings the hymn of Philippians 2. It speaks of Jesus:
who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited, 
but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form, 
   he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.

 Jesus, one with God. King of the universe. The One person in all of existence who has no reason to be humble. After all, Jesus was there at the beginning. He is the artist who created such unmatchable wonders as the Rocky Mountains, the honey bee, love, and you. He is the one who does nothing wrong. And somehow he put his great power aside and became dependent. The King of the universe became a zygote. The creator of the vastness of the world confined himself to be inside a woman's womb. Like any infant, he could not walk, talk, or eat by himself. 
And he was born in a manger.  

Imagine Jesus' obituary after he died on the cross:
Jesus, 33, of Nazareth. Born in Bethlehem, in a food trough, among manure, flies, and livestock. Executed between two thieves as a crowd mocked him.

This is our God. 
This is sacrificial love at its finest. This is the opposite of the greed of Christmas.
Yes, it is a gift. But this is the difference between Christ's gift and the consumerism of Christmas: Christ's gift cost him everything. He gave his entire earthly life to the people who did not even deserve his love. And he died for those same people, and for me and for you. Jesus chose to be poor.

For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 

We are rich. Jesus is all we need. We do not need to show our love to our friends and family by purchasing a bunch of junk and putting it inside a giant sock. When we celebrate Christmas in the same way as everyone else, buying into this materialistic culture cleverly sold to us by retail marketers, what are we telling the world about Jesus?
It's like we are saying "Jesus isn't enough."
We are agreeing with this philosophy: "More stuff will make you happy" 
Or maybe this one: "Your loved ones will not know you love them unless you spend a lot of money on them."
But then we say: "But please, name this holiday after our Saviour."

Here's some real talk from the prophet Amos. He was writing to the Jews, who at that time were living in luxury- but ignoring the poor. They were comfortable and happy but forget their mission and forgot what set them apart. I see too many similarities with Christians today. Here's what God is saying:
I hate, I despise your festivals,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them;
and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
    I will not look upon. 
 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
    I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 
But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

 So this Christmas, let's change what "Merry Christmas" means. Let's disassociate Christ with the corporate consumer culture, and remember what he really is: the ultimate example of humility and sacrificial love. 

[Here's a group celebrating Christmas in a great way]

On Community

Saw this on the internet, don't know the attribution but I really liked it!

 After an absolutely wonderful time at home with my dear sweet family on Thanksgiving weekend, I landed back here in Waterloo to jump right back into graduate student life. And though I have been oh-so-busy with reading, writing, and marking, it was only a few days after being back here that I noticed something missing. After being home for three days of sufficient hugs, spiritual discussions, spontaneous prayer and just generally being with my family, it was a shock to come back to this new city. I realized my life here is lacking community.

I ended up here and I guess I just figured I could plop right down in some Christian community and that would be it. And I have been super blessed to know amazing people here: the church I attend is full of hospitable and caring people, and I cannot attend a Sunday service without feeling God's presence. I pray with a group of graduate students once a week, and I have gotten to know a group of girls who are cultivating community in their humble brick house.

But that does not stop me from missing the Christ-centered community I enjoyed and was a part of at camp and at Acadia. I truly believe God grows His Kingdom through strong, grace-filled communities, and I saw that in action at Acadia and this summer at camp. In Christian community, people get to worship corporately, pray for common goals, work for common goals, and see these goals happen. People are "spurred on toward love and good deeds." When one person in the community is sad, the whole community is sad. And when one member celebrates, everyone does. Being part of a thriving Christian community at Acadia was a source of joy and meaning for me in the past couple of years.

And so when I came to Waterloo I expected I would immediately find such a community. However, my attitude was all wrong. The task is not to find community. The task is to create community. And creating community is not an easy task. I tend to think of the shiny-happy parts of the Acadia community. But I forget how hard it really is.

JOYful worship through music with Acadia folks

Community requires sacrifice. How many times during my time at Acadia did I, and others, set aside academics (and enough sleep) in order to facilitate events, to help a friend in need, to lead Bible studies? We had to put aside our own needs because we believed in the necessity of a healthy Christian community. Sometimes, we had to sacrifice ideas or plans of ours to promote unity. Other times, we sacrificed money to support the vulnerable or missions endevours in our own community. Time is such a precious commodity in life and the sacrifice of time for Kingdom-building efforts just goes to show how worthy the cause really is.
"Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others"-Philippians 2:4

One of my favourite examples of working together for a common goal: After a devastating storm at camp, we worked together for days on this clean-up effort! People were so generous with their time and resources (like the truck pictured).

Community requires commitment. At Acadia, I learned that a good Christian community does not just spring up overnight. It requires commitment from everyone involved. There were a lot of times when I was ready to give up. I led prayer meetings that nobody attended; or people would be antagonistic towards me or others, and I sometimes wanted to forget about it all. But when the community really started to thrive was when there was a few faithful people committed to praying and cultivating community.
"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." -Hebrews 10:25

Community requires risk-taking. There are so many risky parts about living in community. At camp, one of the first things we were challenged to do was share our stories. This was risky because it caused our team to open up vulnerable places of ourselves to each other. In the end, though, it helped keep us honest with each other, understand each other better, and treat each other with more grace. Community is risky because it cannot work unless we are honest and vulnerable with each other; if we choose to trust the deepest parts of our being to other flawed human beings. It is risky because mistakes are inevitable. We will be hurt; and we will hurt others. And this only underscores the need for God to intervene to help with supernatural forgiveness.

One of the riskier initiatives of the Acadia community... I'm sure we all remember the BS Party

Even though community is hard, I still want it. Because it is in community that I have seen God work in amazing ways. I have seen love in action in a way that seems anti-human nature. And I have been challenged to really follow Jesus. But I know community is not something I can just kind of passively join. I need to roll up my sleeves and be willing to get dirty!

**Also I should say that the communities I am talking about here (Acadia and camp), though they are wonderful, are far from perfect. I am not saying we should all emulate them. Any group that includes humans is going to be inherently messed up. If we are looking for someone to emulate, I would point to Jesus.**

Helpless

 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.
-Psalm 23:6

Psalm 23 is often read at funerals, which is great, because it talks about the God who comforts us even when we walk through the darkest valleys. But the fact that it is known as a funeral Psalm is also not great because we can miss so much when we only think about it in that one context. But maybe this Psalm is more about life than it is about death.

For me and my family, these past few months have been a time of radical dependency on God. One Friday night, my mother fell while we were swimming. This resulted in the unexpected discovery that she may have multiple myeloma or another form of--this word nobody ever wants to hear--cancer. After over a month of tests and waiting, the diagnosis finally came. That word that nobody wants to hear.

Meanwhile, my youngest sister is heading to university for the very first time, my brother is starting a new job, and I am moving halfway across the country.

The weekend after my mom first broke her collarbone happened to be a massive storm in Nova Scotia. At camp, we huddled in the lodge, helpless as trees toppled all over camp.
Helpless is a good word to describe how I feel. I was helpless to stop the raging wind and waves during the hurricane, and I am helpless to stop the storms that that assault my life.

You know who else are helpless?

Sheep.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
-Psalm 23:1

Recognizing my own helplessness makes it easier to relinquish control to God. I can relinquish control to God because I know he is good. He is healer. He follows me with goodness and mercy all the days of my life. He is with us, even when we walk through the darkest valley. 

Going through cancer treatments is a dark valley. But God is with us.
Not being together as a family is a dark valley. But God is with each of us. 
Saying "see you later" to the people in the Maritimes I love dearly is a dark valley. But God is with me. 

Every moment is a choice. Will I choose to hang on to the myth that I have everything under control, or will I surrender to my Shepherd? Oh yes, this Psalm is about life. And it is about the best kind of life: eternal life with God, eternity beginning now. I can feel helpless against the storms that assail. But let us not forget. Our God is known for calming storms.

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long

-Psalm 23:6 

The Myth of Productivity

The young girl stands poised at the end of the zipline platform, contemplating. Should she go down? Should she take the leap? With our feet on the stable earth, we shout at the girl in the swaying treetops, telling her to jump, to trust us, to jump. But she is not sure. She is scared. My camera is ready to take the shot. That's my job, to capture the children in their greatest moments. But now, my job is waiting. As I hold the camera, waiting for the little girl to jump, my mind is sprinting through all the things I need to do. Call the parents. Create the DVD. Edit that document. But I wait.

In the end, the girl does not jump. She climbs slowly down the ladder and is unharnessed. She declares that she will try again tomorrow. But we are proud of her. She has made a remarkable step in her personal growth. She is just young and she has climbed so high. She has gotten farther than before. We affirm this.

Was this a waste of time? To wait for this young girl? We want to get people on the zipline quickly before the next activity, we want to make sure that we stay on schedule. We have a lot of activities to pack into one day and spending more time on one affects the whole day. But lately I have noticed that God does not often stick to our schedules. In a book I am reading right now (Multiply), there was a quote I found to be true: "God cares more about your character than your productivity." As a person who graduated with a degree in economics, that is one of the more difficult things to swallow. But even if I don't like to believe it, this is the truth: God is not efficient. 

Is it efficient to leave 99 sheep in order to save one, as the story goes in Matthew 18 and Luke 15? What about when Jesus helped Peter and Andrew catch all of those fish, and then calls them to leave them? Surely that's not efficient. Or when He got interrupted in the middle of healing a crowd of people by a paralytic coming through the roof? No, God does not seem to care about productivity as much as He does about character.

And that is why it is not a waste of time to stop our daily tasks once in a while, to allow ourselves to be interrupted by relationships. In my short time of living I have observed that life is a series of interruptions. Nothing is quite as we have planned it, and these interruptions build character. I pray I may be more aware of what is important. I like being productive. I like finding the most efficient way of doing things. I like making to-do lists and crossing things off of them. But in the end, I do not think God will say "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have gotten the most things done. You have crossed everything off your to-do list in life." No, I  hope He will say something like "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have recognized Me when I have interrupted you."

God cares more about your character than your productivity.

Taking the scenic route. Walton, NS

Why I am working at camp

Hi friends,
This summer, I am doing something I love: working at camp. I also have a job that allows me to use my gifts and talents in ways that I am very excited to do. I even get to take photos, make videos, and write blog posts! Of course, as a university graduate, I probably could have chosen a higher-paying job or a job in my field.

So why did I choose this job, this job where I live in (let's be honest) the middle of nowhere, getting less pay than I might get somewhere else while working really long hours? For some people, this may seem crazy. For me, this is camp, and I couldn't imagine a better way to spend my summer.

Here are some reasons camp is a worthwhile place to work:

• The staff: in what other job do you get to work with a bunch of other people around your age who all have the same vision, who are a bit quirky and are totally humble, gracious people? At camp I am given the opportunity to learn from my peers and laugh with them every single day. Camp is an environment where I have the opportunity to become closer with my coworkers than in any other job. This is a diverse group of people who all have to work together for the same purpose. It is a beautiful microcosm of the Kingdom of God.
  

  

  Some camp staff being silly at our fave ice cream place

  

  Working together

•  The surroundings: There is something life-giving about being in a place where God's creation is visible and circumambient. Each day the lake looks different. It's sometimes halcyon and glassy, sometimes white-tipped and choppy, and sometimes gray like the sky above. Just breathing here is a treat.
  
  
• Children are adorable: I need to make this clear. Children just make me smile for no other reason except they are who they are. These little people are in the process of discovering the world and it is really fun just to watch them do it. I love them because they do unexpected things all the time!
  
• The opportunity to invest in these children's lives: When I was young and went to camp, I saw Jesus' love in action among the staff at camp. It was environment conducive to spiritual growth. When children come to camp, I have no idea what their home situations are. I do not know what their background is. They may not have ever heard Jesus' name. But for the one week they are here, we have the opportunity to show them God's love in a big way. We have the opportunity to invest into them. 
  
• It's where God's called me to be right now: Being in a place you know you are meant to be is pretty much a recipe for contentment. I love that my job can include everything from canoeing with campers to making videos to cleaning toilets, and every day I wake up with a thankful heart.
  

  

  Whee!

Thanks for reading, friends. For the next couple months I will be here at camp before moving halfway across the country to start yet another chapter in my life. Please pray for me and the staff at camp as we sow the Gospel into children's lives this summer. Please also pray for my preparations to go to Waterloo. Let me know if there is any way I can pray for you, too!

MarkEast 2014 Reflections

This past week, I got to be part of an InterVarsity retreat called MarkEast. By virtue of still being a part-time student, I could join the over one hundred university students from Eastern Canada studying the Gospel of Mark for one week. This took place at the beautiful campus of the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, and it was a truly powerful week.

We drove there on a Friday with my little black Kia laden with luggage and music. The open road was reflected in the rearview mirror, and as we drove the four-hour journey, I felt excited. I was not sure what to expect, but my prayer was that I, and everyone else there, would be open to what God would do. I wanted to not just hear, but to understand. It was my prayer that my heart would be softened and attune to whatever God may say. I was not sure what God needed to tell me, but I prayed that I would encounter him somehow.

I certainly encountered Jesus at MarkEast, and I know others did too. Having already studied the first half of Mark in 2012 and the second half of Mark last year, I went back again to the beginning of the book. This time, I heard new perspectives, and the things I was learning applied to my life in a new way. This time, I found it easier to notice the themes that encompass the book of Mark. Jesus is very patient with the disciples as he leads them into a new understanding of the Kingdom of God. The book of Mark, it seems, is about redefining everyone's ideas about who God is and what his mission is.

One part that stood out to me was near the beginning of the book when Jesus has just called his first disciples. He has healed Peter's mother-in-law and many others in Peter's hometown of Capernaum. But then, Jesus goes off by himself to pray. Peter comes looking for him, at which point Jesus says he will now go to other villages to preach. As we studied this passage, I put myself in Peter's shoes. Up till now, Peter has only seen Jesus work among his family and his own people. Peter maybe thought Jesus only worked in Capernaum. But Jesus' vision is so much bigger than just Capernaum.

This story parallels my own. I have seen Jesus work in astounding ways these past four years I have lived in Wolfville. But Jesus' story is much bigger than that. He is not limited to one place. His Kingdom is far-reaching. As I move on, I feel confident that Jesus goes with me. I am thrilled to see what I will discover about him and what he will do.

I was not the only person to whom God spoke this week. Lots of other people saw God work in their life as well. There were days when the Holy Spirit could be felt tangibly. I am encouraged when I think of where God is leading everyone. From Fredericton, we are going to the world: to East Asia, to Guatemala, to Halifax, Montreal, and of course, camp. Is the world ready?

Here is a MarkEast playlist.

Wolfville life

Sometimes in life we reach milestones. I feel like I am about to
approach one of those. I guess I did last year when I graduated from
university, but I stubbornly chose to stay in this little Valley town
for another while. Now, however, the time is coming to leave this town.
Anyone who knows me even a tiny bit knows that I love this town. I love
living within a ten minute walk of all my closest friends. I love that
every time I go to the library, post office, or grocery store, I run
into somebody I know. I love that on nights when we are feeling
adventurous, we can drive to the beach. I love the lifestyle of weekend
worship, Wednesday morning prayer, and Tuesday-afternoon Bible studies.

Maybe I am afraid to leave. Maybe I am afraid that because I am happy here, I
will not be happy elsewhere. Maybe I am afraid that I have not invested
enough into the relationships I have here.

When I began writing this blog post, I was hoping I would have something really
wise to say but really I don't have anything to say. I find transitions
hard. It is hard for me to leave. I am incredibly thankful for the past
four years here and it is tough to accept that I may forget some of
it. 

I have been reading C.S. Lewis' The Four Loves for a paper I was writing and there was this bit about friendship that I must share:

In friendship, being free of all that, we think we have chosen our peers.
In reality, a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few
more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead
of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic
being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances
might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly
speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at
work. Christ, who said to the disciples "Ye have not chosen me, but I
have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends "You
have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The
Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in
finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to
each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the
beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to
them. 

These past four years, I have seen the image of God in many different ways. 

 I have seen his work in the beautiful sunsets on the Wolfville waterfront

I have seen his work during peaceful bicycle rides through the Gaspereau Valley

I have seen him at work having evening chats on perfect spring days

And during apple-picking adventures in September

And finally, just general good times...God is good. He's never failed. And he won't start now. We are more than conquerers...

19 signs you live at 87 Highland

1. You are no longer fazed by the sound of the fire alarm
   
2. If the door randomly opens late at night, you just assume it's Aaron
   
3. Baking at all hours of the day and night is completely acceptable
   
4. Ten people come over for dinner and it's just another Wednesday
   
5. Laura stays overnight when residence is too loud
   
6. You always run out of butter/margarine and have to run to the Kwik Way
   
7. You have a constant supply of apples thanks to Robert
   
8. You message your roommates online all day despite the fact you live together
   
9. Getting a treat at the grocery store means lemon juice
   
10. Gilmore Girls is your favourite T.V. show
    
11. Your car breaking down is a regular occurrence
    
12. Forgetting/losing your key is no big deal because you can break in through the window
    
13. Getting groceries at 11pm is normal
    
14. You walk home at night without being scared
    
15. Cookies don't last until the end of the day
    
16. Andrea asks you to babysit
    
17. "Snow day" is your favourite scented candle
    
18. Second floor is a no-pants zone
    
19. You are one of the three coolest chicas in all of Wolfville :)
    

Cameroon

Hi everyone,
If you are wondering how my trip to Cameroon went, please go over to OneBook's website. I am writing a few blog posts for them.
Like this one.
Here are some photos of my time there. 

A sign we came across from Truro: small world

A translation project we visited in Aghem. The motto means "God knows Aghem"

Just out of the bus window- it is a gorgeous country

Meetings at the conference: people from all over the world!

News

I started this blog mostly so friends and family in distant places could be kept up-to-date on my life goings-on.
So, I would like to share some exciting new things that will be happening in my life.

On Tuesday, March 11th I depart for Cameroon, where I will be attending a conference of national Bible translators and visiting various language projects. I am really thankful for this opportunity, especially the fact that I do not have to pay for it! Please pray for my time there: for health for me and everyone on the team, and for us to gain a greater understanding of Bible translation worldwide. Also pray for the conference and everyone attending. I expect to see God work on this trip. I already saw him do a miracle when I won the contest to be able to go, and I am confident that God will continue to do amazing things. He's pretty good at those (like this sunset I saw the other night).

  

The next exciting thing that is happening in my life is a summer job at a Bible camp right here in the Annapolis Valley. I actually got to visit this camp over the weekend as part of a retreat and it just made me really excited for the summer. This camp is not Malagash, but I think I can forgive it for that. :) I am looking forward to joining with the rest of the staff team to create an atmosphere that is conducive to the campers encountering God. In fact, there are a lot of things that excite me about this summer. A bunch of my friends from school AND my brother are all working there. Also, my job includes taking photos and videos of campers and writing a blog and newsletter! I marvel at the unexpected ways God uses our gifts, abilities and passions for His glory.

Relaxing by the fire at the camp

Fun in the snow

The last little tidbit of good news came in the form of a letter of acceptance into the Masters of Applied Environmental Studies in Local Economic Development from the University of Waterloo (yup, that's a mouthful, so it can be called LED for short). What does that mean? Well, that means I will transplant myself to Southwestern Ontario for a couple of years as I learn how to serve communities through economic development policy. It will be great to be a full-time student again, and to delve into more practical applications of the economic theory I spent the past few years studying. But of course the thought of leaving Wolfville for good is a terrifying thought. It pains me to think of how much I will miss the vibrant community here. But I know God is always with me, and He is good.