There’s a pop Christmas song called “All I want for Christmas is you.” It’s prominently featured at the climax of the film, “Love, Actually.” (Which I watch every year as I put my tree up.) Originally written and recorded by Mariah Carey in 1994, it’s been covered by everyone from Justin Beiber, to Dolly Parton, to My Chemical Romance.

It’s a fun and upbeat tune, and a love song. Love songs are often easily dismissed. Usually they are overly rosy or simplistic, they might present an unrealistic idea of romance, sometimes they’re poorly written ‘ear candy.’ But I’ve long had the practice of turning love songs into worship songs. Simply by redirecting the lyrics towards God (or interpreting them as what God says to us, His beloved children), these songs can take on a deeper meaning.

When I came across this in my Facebook memories, it made me think of that Mariah Carey song:

I believe that all Jesus wants for Christmas is you (and you, and you, and me, too!). Giving our hearts to Christ is no small gift. It is, in fact, a great act of faith. And when we give our hearts to Jesus, he begins to do some work on our hearts. He polishes them up. Slowly, but surely, he tenderizes them. He makes our hearts over to be more like his heart – one that overflows with love for one another.

Until tomorrow, dear friends, give Him your heart. It may be all you have, but it’s also all He wants.

And just for fun, here’s the original Mariah Carey video of the song!

(For those who may be struggling with sorrow during this Season. And because we’re probably all struggling with some kind of sorrow this year!)

It occurs to me that it’s been a minute since I wrote a gratitudes post. So I invite you to join me today in the listing some things you are grateful for. They could be big or small – anything that you are thankful for, counts. It also occurs to me that I have a lot to be thankful for right now. So let’s get started!

I am grateful for my new condo, the lovely view I have, and the walking trails that are close by. It has been about a week and a half here, and every day I’m grateful to be here. there are still boxes and STUFF everywhere and unpacking is slow, but steady. Still. I love my new place. I am grateful. (Here are just a few of the pictures I’ve taken from the new place.)

I am grateful for new things happening at Graceview. We’ve made changes to the way we are doing Sunday Worship, we’ve added Zoom Fellowship Hour and Zoom Advent Lunches, we’ve distributed an Advent Devotional to the congregation, committees have planned meetings and socials on Zoom. We’ve planned out Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So many good and different ways that we are learning to ‘church’ in 2020! I am grateful. (Here are a couple of pictures of the colouring I’ve done so far in the Advent Devotional)

I am grateful for friends, family, and church family. Even though we cannot gather as we once did, and that is admittedly difficult on all of us, every day someone I care about makes me smile. We can’t be together, but neither is any of us alone. God is with each of us and when we reach out to each other, we are together in spirit. And I am grateful.

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may you have much for which to give thanks, and may you know the One who is the Great Giver.

Lots of fun Christmas memes lately. I loved this one:

And this one:

This one made me snort!:

Also, a lot of winter memes coming my way. This one is absolutely true:

And this one describes me every single winter (I’m not one of those Canadians that enjoys this season! I’m still in denial, heading out without enough/proper layers, but I’m edging towards anger.):

I miss having a fireplace:

I mean, I don’t mind kale…but this still cracked me up:

Just a friendly reminder from Baby Yoda about how to wear your mask:

This great reminder about how to live well:

And finally, this blessing for your day:

Until tomorrow, dear friends, keep laughing and thinking and drawing closer to God!

Welcome to the Advent Sunday of Peace. I pray the service will be meaningful to you as we continue to worship virtually. Today we are celebrating communion as part of the service – so please grab some elements from your kitchen before you begin – you may not have red wine or grape juice on hand, but that’s fine. Any liquid will do. Same with the bread – crackers or cereal will do in a pinch. The point is not the elements themselves, but the One they represent. Take a moment to quiet your hearts, and let’s worship together:

And in case you are missing some of the extra music that makes this season special, here is Audrey Assad singing “I wonder as I wander”:

And Andrew Peterson’s version of “While shepherds watched,”:

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may you find Shalom in the presence of God.

Tomorrow is the Advent Sunday of Peace, so let’s gather some Advent and Christmas resources to prepare our hearts for worship!

Let’s start with Casting Crowns re-tooling of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. One of my absolute favourites!

I came across this amazing quote from Bonhoeffer, and just thought it was perfect for helping us centre on what matters at this time of year:

This lovely prayer for peace:

I mean, if you want to know what the sermon tomorrow is about in one sentence:

And here is Fountainview Academy (a Christian College in British Columbia), singing another favourite of mine, “See Amid the Winter Snow,”:

Until tomorrow, dear friends, may the peace that passes all understanding be with you!

He’s what it’s all about. Yesterday, today, tomorrow. And while we know that this season has a special focus on Him, I’d encourage us all to keep Him front and center all the rest of the year.

If we do that, we’ll be transformed in His image – that loving, generous, kind, wise and wonderful image, which is exactly who we were meant to be when God breathed life into the first human, his beloved creation.

Dear friends, until tomorrow, remember that He is the reason for every day of our life!

I love Christmas music. Absolutely love it all. The old classics, the bubble-gum pop songs about Santa and candy canes, the serious song about our faith by Christian artists. All of it. One of my favourite things is finding a new song to obsess over each Christmas Season. So I thought I would share some of my favourite non-traditional Christmas songs (and, of course, that means I can share some of my favourite traditional ones in a future post, so be on the lookout for that).

Let’s begin with this awesome reinterpretation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, done to songs from the broadway show Hamilton:

This awesome mash-up of two of my favourite newer Christmas songs: Mary Did You Know and the beautiful Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) by Anthem Lights and Charlotte Ave:

You don’t always hear carols about Joseph. So I love that For King and Country included one on their “A Drummer Boy Christmas,” album. This is “The Carol of Joseph (I believe in you)”:

And finally, this joyous and uplifting song from Hillsong Worship, “Born is the King (It’s Christmas!):

Until tomorrow, dear friends, keep singing his praises!

(Thank goodness for Facebook memories that bring back really beautiful things that have been posted online in the past. This is one of those things!)

December is upon us. As one of my colleagues preached this week, it will be “Christmas as Unusual.” We’ve done a lot of grieving this year, and I’m sure there will be more to do. But, rather appropriately, I find myself hopeful as December begins. We are in the first week of Advent – the Sunday of Hope was this past Sunday. And while we couldn’t gather, and there were all kinds of things missing as we travelled through the last few days of November, I found myself hopeful in a way I haven’t been for a while.

This December won’t be like others, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it beautiful.

We can choose to make new memories, to find new ways to celebrate, to be thankful for the simple things and to spread love and light all around this dark side of the year.

So until tomorrow, dear friends, hold to hope, hold to the One who IS our hope, and know that He is faithful.