…and other things.
Okay, here’s the deal: I’m ordinary. Yes, I know, it’s hard to believe for those who know me well, but there it is. I’m out and its wild: I’m ordinary and proud of it.
Thing is, I don’t mind being ordinary. I really like it. There’s no pressure to be a super hero. I have no one hunting me down to pull off videos like this:
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Speaking of ‘Year End Letters’… I know I’m going to step on a few toes here, so I’ll apologize in advance. (Do ‘Advance Apologies’ count? I mean, if you have to start with ‘I’m sorry’ before you’ve even said anything, then you’re probably not really sorry, are you? O-o-o-o-h! I’ve just revealed the intents of my heart. Sorry…oops, I did it again.) Over four years ago, I did a little thing and I’m gonna repost it…because it’s relevant (man, oh man; I so wish you could hear me channeling Todd ‘Freakishly Tall’ Friel of Wretched Radio & TV, because, ya know, that’s his voice I’m doing right now, so hows about a little love this way).
Well, here we are, approaching Christmas and the end of the year, so you know what that means… the annual glut of Christmas letters coming through our mailbox, informing us about everyone’s life over the course of 2009. Here’s my list of five things that “bug” me about these letters:
1. Most aren’t informative.
• some are bullet-pointed lists
• that don’t tell me
• much of anything about you
• and your family,
• just a highlight
• or two
2. Some are too informative.
I’m sorry; you’re a friend or relative, but I really don’t need to know about your bunion surgery this past August. Tell me how it is with your soul, not your toe knuckles. (I was going to place a picture of a bunion here to make my point, but that was just too gross once I Googled images of bunions… ‘nuf said.)
3. A very few are just too perfect.
You know the type… we’re wonderful; our kids are wonderful with wonderful jobs and wonderful pets and wonderful grandchildren. Our time share in Mexico and Texas and Tennessee and Florida are wonderful. Our cruise in the Caribbean was wonderful and life is just, well, wonderful! Hmmm, I wonder how wonderful a little suffering would be?
4. Some only come once every five years.
I’m guilty of this one, so I’ve moved it wa-a-a-ay down the list.
5. Sadly, too many miss the real reason they should be sending these things – Christ Jesus is Lord, not only of Christmas, but over all the universe.
Do you send out year-end letters? Have I stepped (stomped) on your toes (I’ll leave you alone if you just had bunion surgery)? Did you just remove the Sorensens from your mailing list?
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All right; enough with all that. Today is a great day, however. In history. Today, December 18, 1853, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, preached his first message as the new pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. CHS spent 38 years as the pastor at the Met. I’d encourage you to check out the Archives. Read his autobiography. Rejoice that not all of us are ordinary; God raises up extraordinary men, like Spurgeon, to do extraordinary things for His kingdom.