Historical Dislocation & Pumpkin Pies

With pumpkin pies still cooking in the oven and my family asleep upstairs, I am forced to endure the silence of the night.  I have come to love this time of night, when sounds are still and noises cease.  I can let my thoughts out and stretch.  It is within this "stretching," however that I wrestle with unformulated ideas and opinions.

It was during my mixing and measuring of my pies that I began thinking about life.  My pumpkin pie recipe comes from my sweet Grandmother (Nana) whom I continue to (and will forever) miss so dearly.  It is funny how a person's memory can live on in so many forms- even here, I remember her in my pie recipe.  I find myself so fortunate to have memories living on around me.  These thoughts lead me to wonder about other people not so fortunate.

I am currently reading a book by Henri Nouwen called, "The Wounded Healer."  The premise of the book is how ministers of the Gospel are going to need to adapt our message to be relevant to the changing culture.  The fascinating part of the book is that it was written in 1972.  The "recent studies" he highlights come from studies from the 60's.  It is remarkable at the near-pinpointed accuracy Nouwen has formulating our current culture.

Nouwen calls humanity in the future (us of today) a "Nuclear Man."  This term is dual in meaning.  He uses this term first because he foresees humanity as becoming very introverted and isolated.  While a person may indeed seem sociable and friendly, in reality, many are disassociated with true friendships and even family.  Secondly, man living in our present age are post-Nuclear.  We all live with the knowledge that Nuclear threat (though we do not like to think or talk about it) is real and could end life as we know it in a wink of an eye.  Perhaps life in 2012 is not quite as nuclear-fanatic as life in the early 1970's, however we still live knowing the frailty of humanity against such great evils.

The one element of Nuclear Man that I began thinking about while making my Nana's pumpkin pies is the lack of many in our culture to relate to the past.  Nouwen calls this "Historical Dislocation."  Because Nuclear Man is afraid of imminent doom, we (not knowingly) have detached ourselves from history, both past and present.  This disconnect can be seen in young adults not interested in having children "How could I bring a life into our evil world?," or in lack of parenting because "what difference does it really matter."  Or, "Why work towards a career since no one really knows how long life will last?"

I read this chapter about a month ago and have been chewing on this notion of detachment from history.  The ramifications of remaining isolated, set apart from the whole of creation is staggering.  If we do not see our lives in the framework of history, I fear we also loose hope.  As a Christian, so much of my hope is future oriented.  Of course, God is my present help in time of need, but so much of the promises of God we have yet to see or experience.  I would much rather live a life knowing I have worked with God to bring His Kingdom a step closer in my lifetime, than remain a sad, isolated life apart from history.  My little 80, 90-year-life is just a bleep in history, yes- BUT within my little "bleep" have a learned & taught those around me a little more than what we know before?  Has my influence been helpful or destructive to the whole of humanity?  Life is a MUCH bigger picture than we really understand if we cannot stand back and see our lives in the scope of history (past and present).

So I wonder, can a Christian be exempt from History?  How can we proclaim the Gospel and feel like our past and future is irrelevant?  I think about the many relatives and friends who have gone before me, paving my way for what freedoms and experiences I have today.  Almost like a tree that is continually branching out, if my branch decided to separate itself from the trunk, what future can my branch possibly have?

Oops!  My pies just peeped.  Time to pull them out and go to bed!

So maybe my thoughts are getting way too out there for you (I get deeper the later the evening goes!).  Or perhaps I've got you thinking too.  Are you connecting with your past?  Are you investing in your future?  Or are you living disassociated from your past and isolated from your future?  Interesting questions to ponder...lots of formulating yet to do!

Operation Christmas Child

"But it doesn't fit."

"Can we use a bigger box?"

"Can we send two boxes to one child?"

"What if the batteries wear out?"

"What will he do if the pencil breaks?"

These were a few of the questions I had to tackle at our recent outing to Target.  

Our church is collecting shoe boxes (through Operation Christmas Child) for children living in poverty around the world.  All three of my children jumped with delight at the opportunity to create a special little box for a child across the globe.

Decision #1: Girl or Boy?

Quickly enough, my girls chose to make a box for a girl, and my boy decided to create a box for a boy.  What a surprise (wink, wink).

Decision #2: What Age?

In years past, my children have tended to choose the age similar to their current age.  Surprisingly, this year, all three elected for the youngest age, 2-4 year old.

I wonder why they all chose the youngest age.  Perhaps because many of their cousins are younger?  Possibly because all my children volunteer at church with young children?  Or maybe because their favorite Christmas memories are found during their most early years of life.  Whatever the possibility, we were now on an adventure through Target to fill three boxes for three young children.

Decision #3: What to put into the box?

Perhaps the hardest part, indeed, was limiting my children to the tiny little boxes.  

"A shoe box never looked so small," my twelve-year-old daughter commented.

My girls (12 & 14) got busy finding tiny dolls, blankets, crayons & hair clips for their little girls.

My son (10), however, was stumped. He quickly had the realization that most the items he would personally enjoy, or that a young boy would want, were too big to fit in a shoe box.  He racked his brain with ideas until he surrendered and instead found me with his empty box.

"I just don't know, Mom.  None of the toys that I think he might like fit into the box.  Do you have any ideas?"
"What have you tried?" I questioned.
"A light saber, legos, a soccer ball, dump truck, stuff like that."
"Ok, those are good ideas.  Now I want you to think.  If you were a three-year-old boy living in a place where you had few toys, very little food and not much shelter and this was your only Christmas present, what would you hope to find in this box?"

Micah's eyes looked away in thought.  I could see him putting himself into the shoes of another person and asking himself that question.  After a few short seconds he turned back toward me and responded, "A teddy bear."

"Good idea."

We maneuvered around children throwing fits in the isles until we reached the plush animal section.  Micah locked eyes on a soft teddy bear who fit perfectly inside his box.  With lovingkindness, my tough, strong boy gently kissed the bear on its head and laid it in his shoe box.  Micah sent away more than just a shoe box.  His sent his love to an unknown child he would probably never meet.  It was like he experienced the "Grinch" phenomenon of having his heart grow in size.

Isaiah 54:2 reads, "Enlarge the place of your tent; stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; lengthen your cords."  When I read a verse like that, I have to question if it is mearly literal, or perhaps is illustrating a deeper meaning.  I believe that Micah had his tent (heart) expanded that day in Target and I pray we continue to give God permission to stretch our hearts to hold more love.  I pray we never settle with feeling "full," but instead use our feeling of satisfaction as a clue that it is time to stretch (though not always comfortable).

My family left Target that afternoon with excitement to watch our boxes travel to a child in need.  With great expectation we wait for an e-mail to tell us where our boxes arrived.  In the meantime, we will pray for the thousands of boxes being delivered and pray for salvation to come to villagers who have not yet encountered a Living God who loves each and every one of us so very much and gives us peace and hope even in the most dire of circumstances. 

I can also relish in the light of watching my children step inside someone else's "shoes."

We have so much to be thankful for as the holiday season approaches.  I pray we have the courage to trust God to expand our hearts and fill us with a greater abundance of love. 

Be sure to watch for opportunities to bring joy, peace and salvation to people in your path.  The blessing of giving to others far exceeds the temporary joy of receiving.

"For God so loved the world (that's the whole entirety of the world folks!) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  John 3:16-17

That's what I call, Good News!