Nostalgia, Newness, and the Old Testament

Warning:  You are about to read a post which may only make sense to its author.  Read at your own risk.

After many years of saying I was gonna do it.  I went ahead and finally did it.

I made my kids an Advent tree calendar. 

Here it is, not quite finished.

And...here it is, pockets filled with ornaments and Hershey's Kisses.  Note:  my daughter hangs the ornaments.  My son can only be bothered to eat the candy on his days (odds for him, evens for her).  Such is life. :-)

I hope my children love it.  I hope that I finish the second one, which I have partially cut out.  Given my follow through and the years it's taken to get this one complete--the kids  may just have to cut this one in half when they leave home for good.  But the thing is...I know I made it for myself because I love the one which was made for me, and I wanted to pass that feeling and tradition forward.

Here's the inspiration for the one I made:

Pretend you don't see all the junk on our landing pad/baker's rack.  I just hung this one up quickly, so that I could take a picture of it. 

My mom made this calendar for me, probably at least 40 years ago.  With careful hands, she sewed each sequin and bead onto tiny felt ornaments. My calendar has been through flooded basements, many moves, and the never gentle anxious fingers of a child, waiting to pin the next day's ornament on the tree.  The fingers of a child who was SOOO excited to get to the 24th, so Santa could come. 

I miss my mom.  Especially at this time of year. 

Quantum leap of thought:  I just finished reading the Old Testament today, in my second round through the Bible in a year.  I won't lie.  Sometimes, reading through the Old Testament is hard for me.  Mostly because I can't quite wrap my mind around all the dates and times and which prophet prophesied under which king.  History was never my strength. 

However, cuddled in my blankie and warm house, with warm coffee and candle burning, I.stand.amazed. at what I'm reading.  Hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, these folks were talking about Him.  They lived in a broken, mostly Godless culture, where only a remnant of faithful believers stood firm in the faith that the God who rescued their ancestors from Egypt would one day rescue them and make all things new, through His son, Jesus.  As I read, I'm struck by the parallels of Israel back in the day and our culture now.  And sometimes, I feel lonely and so very sad  because I know that only a few of us really believe that the same God who created the universe and rescued his people from Egypt is the same God who rules today.  This same God wants us, His children, to love and believe in Him, so that we will live with Him always. His grief at our denial of His existence and greatness is far greater than any grief I can imagine--so much deeper than that of a woman longing for a "good job" and one more hug from her mother. 

As I made and this little Advent calendar for my kids (filled with mistakes, and using store-bought ornaments because I was too impatient/inept to sew my own), I'm reminded that only God can make all things perfect and new.  Yes, He gives us passions and talents, and, I believe, a love of tradition, such as celebrating the Christmas season with Charlie Brown and Santa Claus.  Yet, I know that without belief in the one, true God, anything we do on this planet is so small.  So lacking.  So Santa vs. Jesus. 

While I sit in a moment of nostalgia, I pray that God to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith.  I pray that He will forgive the times when I'm looking back, and will help me strain towards the finish line.  And, I pray that He'll draw to Him all of the prodigals in my life, and in the world, making all things new in their hearts and minds. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 (NIV)