Dear Rose Park,

During the Advent season, many families have traditions. Some of these traditions may have been passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps it’s singing “Silent Night” with your closest family members on Christmas Eve, decorating the Christmas tree while listening to your favorite carols, or maybe even watching “Home Alone” and laughing at all the scenes you’ve already watched a dozen times. In any case, the rhythm of traditions can be very meaningful during this Advent season. 

Dear Rose Park,

As some of you know, Winnie was sick all last week. Being sick is never fun, but especially for a little girl who was so excited for her 4th birthday. She was sneezing and coughing so much that she couldn’t sleep which means the days were long amid the grumpiness and irritability of a little girl. So, Winnie was my sidekick last week (see the picture below). She came to church and watched shows on my computer. She drank lots of fluids and even snuck a few cookies from the church kitchen. This is all to say, getting sick is never convenient.

Dear Rose Park,

Over the past few weeks I’ve made it a habit to have a bonfire in our backyard. When it was snowing on Halloween, I sat around a fire and passed out candy to our neighborhood kids. When the kids wanted to play in the yard as the sun started to set and the temperature dropped, we warmed our hands up around the fire in between tosses of the football. There’s something very peaceful and even comforting about a bonfire. It might be the sound or smell to cause such peace, but I think it’s mostly due to the fact that a bonfire invites you to pause and be patient. As I sit and stare into the flame, I’m reminded of the many biblical stories where fire plays a prominent role.

Dear Rose Park,

According to a 2018 article from PBS Kids, “Reading aloud to kids has clear cognitive benefits. For example, brain scans show that hearing stories strengthens the part of the brain associated with visual imagery, story comprehension, and word meaning……But reading also strengthens children’s social, emotional, and character development. According to a recently published study, reading to very young children is linked to decreased levels of aggression, hyperactivity, and attention difficulties.” I imagine we all know the importance of reading, but I wonder if we realize not everyone has access to books.

Dear Rose Park,

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Dear Rose Park,

Earlier this week I took our golden-retriever Rudy for a walk. Sometimes I’ll use that 25-minutes for prayer. Other times I’ll use it simply to be quiet. Still other times I’ll listen to a book or podcast. This past walk, I found a podcast that peaked my interest. Its’ title is: A Life in Lyrics - Paul McCartney.

Dear Rose Park,

Do you remember Simeon from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke? So often we associate Luke chapter two solely with the birth of Jesus that we forget the other named individuals. About halfway through Luke 2 we hear the prophecy of Simeon. The bible tells us: He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. This passage came to mind a few days ago as I pulled into the church parking lot.

Dear Rose Park,

Henri Nouwen was a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian. He was a leading voice when it came to pastoral care and what eventually became known as spiritual direction and counseling. I’ve deeply enjoyed his writings and his tremendous care for God’s Word. Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about Nouwen’s deep belief that every minister should have two ministries: the ministry of presence and the ministry of absence.

Dear Rose Park,

Last Saturday, Sam and Winn went to a baby shower for my cousin Maggie in Richland, MI leaving me and Simon to hang out for most of the day. After Simon’s soccer game, he and I went out to lunch. Simon wanted to go to Burger King (not my ideal choice, but I let him choose anyways). Once we arrived home and cleaned out the car, Simon got a big smile on his face and said to me, “let’s play catch.”

Dear Rose Park,

Last week Wednesday I went to visit Jack and Carlene Hartman for coffee. It was so good to see them and catch up; I passed along your prayers and well-wishes. I know Carlene appreciates your thoughtfulness very much. As I was leaving, I noticed an award on Jack’s bookshelf. I inquired about the award and Jack, in a very humble tone, said he was given the award for the being the oldest beekeeper in the state of Michigan. After congratulating him, he offered me a jar of honey for my walk back to church.