Christmas gifts

When Cam brought me the story of “Baseball Bats for Christmas” this year, I found it fascinating. How much we take for granted, in Canada.  Standing ups! Interesting word for pine trees.  Who knew that they can also be for baseball bats? And rather than using them for a week or two, the trees gave enjoyment and exercise for a whole year for a lot of kids.  How creative is that?

The boys looked at those trees with innocent and creative eyes, coming up with ideas that the adults didn’t expect.  Children can do that because they don’t know that there’s a right or proper way of doing things.

Christmas is like that.  We celebrate a baby who grew up to see the world in unexpected ways.  We remember and honor the people who first experienced him, who told stories of how inspiring, how different he was.  We tell tales of how his teachings still inspire us to see the world in different ways.  And it is not something that only happens on December 25^th.  Like the baseball games the kids could have for months afterward, remembering Jesus can last throughout the year.

That’s not easy.  It has been a chaotic year for many of us.  “The people who walked in chaos have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep destruction — on them light has shined.”  We have seen chaos and destruction on the news.  We have experienced earthquakes and snowstorms, political turmoil and fears about supply chains and inflation.  In Alberta we are not living in a land of deep destruction, but we have met refugees fleeing that destruction.  It is real for them whether they are from Peru, Columbia, Ukraine, or Iran.  Some of us have experienced trauma or what I call family drama that can feel chaotic and destructive too.  Trauma is defined as how we react to a painful experience.   It’s how we feel when there’s an event that is unexpected, that we were unprepared for, and that we could not have prevented. 

Trauma can leave us feeling helpless, in search of a new light, new hope in our lives.  What if we reminded ourselves to look for that new hope as part of our everyday rituals?  What if every night as we brush our teeth, we look for hidden baseball bats inside the unexpected trees we found that day?  What if every morning we opened our eyes like the Gospel writers who saw the life of Jesus as so exciting that they couldn’t wait to tell their stories?  What if we had the ears of shepherds who when confronted with something they couldn’t quite explain, hear the message “Don’t be afraid” and go charging off to see something new.  What if we had the hands of Mary and Joseph, cradling new possibilities for a fresh life with gentleness and kindness?

What if we found a way in our busy days to take a moment to just breathe?  And to think about hope, peace, love and joy?  And not just about how we want life to dump them into our laps but how we can intentionally dump them into other people’s laps?  What if, while we are eating breakfast each morning, we took a moment to ask ourselves, who needs more hope in their life today?  Where can I bring more peace to the world?  How can I be loving to my neighbor?  And when can I do something for the sheer joy of it?

For refugees coming here, Canada’s warm welcome has indeed been a great light shining in their lives.  For the Homeless shelter in town, our donations of socks, mitts, sleeping bags and period products have been a great light that they are able to pass on to people sleeping rough.  For the people coming to our Spaghetti supper every year, for the participants in this year’s blanket exercise, for the community members who turn to us when they are struggling to make ends meet, for the lonely and stressed who need to see a friendly face and share their story over a coffee, we are a great light.  When people come here, they find gifts beyond measure, gifts of hope, peace, love and joy. As one famous person put it this week, “The light of our faith in ourselves and God will never be put out.”

Faith is in our control and doesn’t cost us a cent.  Stronger than any baseball bat, it helps us in chaotic times.  Faith is how we practice batting with hope, peace, love and joy, and when we do so, we will hit home runs.  We will be more resilient no matter what life throws at us.  We will live our lives remembering the message the angels send us, even today.  Be not afraid for there are tidings of great joy, that God is with us, and has sent us news of a child who will turn our world upside down, inspire us to look at our lives in new and joyful ways, and help us nurture peace, hope and good will to all the people of the world. May it be so for us all!

"Baseball Bats for Christmas" was written by Michael Kusugak and based on his experience growing up in 1955 in the far north.  Published by Annick Press.