What is Christmas?

Lots of things are attached to the real Christmas. It is like a Chinese box set. You take it apart piece by piece until you get to the center.

There are so many traditions. Eating special food. Family gatherings and eating more food. The smells of the season. Christmas trees. Baking cookies. Soapy romantic comedies like my favorite; While You Were Sleeping, set in Chicago with Sandra Bullock.

The sounds of Christmas. The rustling of paper as presents are wrapped. The joy of carols being sung. The doorbell ringing. The warmth of Christmas with decorations everywhere. Christmas parties and gatherings.

Christmas unfortunately in its outer box has lots of pressures and expectations but not much of a core. It is an empty box. So after all the food and the festivity, the presents are unwrapped and you have that feeling. Something is off!

That is because you need to keep taking the Russian babooshka boxes apart until you find the real Christmas. Download a Bible and Read Luke, chapters one and two. It relates the story not so well known these days of Mary, Joseph and their trip to pay taxes in Bethlehem.

While they were there in the city of Bethlehem she brought forth her baby and he was called Jesus. She "wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger..."

Meanwhile shepherds in the field were guarding the sheep when "...the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them: And they were afraid."

There is much more inside the last box for you, but you must take your time and think about this story. What is Christmas? Or should the real question be —

Who is Christmas?

What Christmas Actually Means

God is after you. He knows where your story is. He knows your deepest needs, longings and hurts. He knows you feel far away. 

BUT..... His love is infinite. He does not want to punish you for the wrongs you have done. He wants to forgive you for every single thing.

Jesus as a baby with Mom and Dad, Mary, Joseph and the three wise men.

The Lord's love is relentless. He gave his only son, Christ Jesus, from heaven to earth. As a baby, Jesus grew up and went about doing good. He had no sin but was punished by death on a cross. His blood poured down. His side was pierced. In agony, he cried out... "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO!"

Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

Jesus died on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven. This is an amazing gift. No one else could give this gift because only God can forgive sins. As such we also need to forgive others too.

When you get a wonderful unexpected gift, your only response is to say, "THANK YOU!"

Jesus came down from heaven to this dark, dirty and estranged world. GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF. Believe and receive this! For you will have the gift of PEACE within you. This is the proof of the Father's forgiveness and acceptance of you. 

Say this special prayer:

Thank you God for sending Jesus Christ of Nazareth to us. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross and shedding his blood for the forgiveness of all my sins. Thank you God that your love is relentless. I receive you Lord Jesus into my life. I am trusting you to save me now.

More to Thanksgiving than just food

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it does not have to be complicated. It can be, of course, all about the food and how the table looks. Food is important and being together with family and friends is certainly an American tradition. A Thanksgiving prayer is also part of that time with families.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 95. 

"Let us come before his presence with Thanksgiving..."

When believers give thanks it is not a tradition and hopefully not meaningless. What struck me is that true Thanksgiving is from the heart and ushers us into the presence of God.

Years ago we were invited to a Thanksgiving party. The couple had been renting for a number of years and this was the first year in their own home. As we stood in a circle of family before the meal the woman offered the most heartfelt prayer to God for their home. Why do I still remember this years later? Because suddenly we were all in the presence of the Lord!

Well, back to the picture of family, friends, and lots of food on a festive table with all the best.

What if we changed that picture?
Maybe a fire burned up their home?
Maybe family is elsewhere?
Maybe the money is not in pocket to feed the children? Maybe the rent went up, the car broke down, etc. How could there be Thanksgiving in poor circumstances? It is very difficult without a good support system.

The church needs to reach out with compassion. This Thanksgiving, Verbo Family Services in Redwood City, CA will extend itself to feed 500 families. This is a faith work started by Pastor Orlando Cardona and wife, Patty, our president, shortly after they arrived from Guatemala.

Now the church has grown from a small space to a large rented and refurbished warehouse. This Thanksgiving the church will become a gathering for 500 from many places. 500 people will sit down together and hear a message of hope because when God is really present there is always hope and help.

Imagine... A family enters. A mother and her twin boys about five, and another girl about 8. They have no food at home so all that happens here, will be remembered by them. Will their hearts be filled along with their stomachs? Will there be many Thanksgivings going up to God in this place? Yes and Yes again!

Look around. The poor, the hungry, the lost are all gathered together to eat. Yes, to eat and eat lots of everything. They also will be fed in their souls.

This is a welcoming place, a healing oasis in a mountain of human need. And yet, there will be music, laughter, and joy from above as the church ministers to the real needs of the people in this place.

Happy Thanks Giving and May You Enter into His Presence!

Your Kids May be a Victim

Let's talk about the boy on the porch. You may have seen him as you drive by. He sits in the porch of shabby, small house that needs demolishing. The boy sits on that porch doing nothing.

It is after school and as you wait for the light to change, you wonder why he isn't doing sports and why is he just there, alone? All of your kids are in activities every day after school and the non activity of this boy who must be about 10 years old and this is bothering you.

There is a rumble in the alley next to the porch and you see some older kids in a fancy car. Not much to guess these are drug dealers. The music blares and they are acting manic. The boy on the porch looks up and seems to be watching the kids in the car.

You think to yourself; "This can't be good"! But is it any of your business? The boy needs help. Parents? Someone to care? But maybe he has no one at all who can help.

Then the thought startles you. The boy clearly is on his own. Rents have gone up. Mother must be working more than one job to make it. Just as the light changes, you, observing this scene, remember something.

It tickles at the back of your mind. There is a free camp for disadvantaged kids. What's it called?
You think hard and as the light changes, then it comes to you — TOUCHDOWN CAMP in Verbo, Redwood City! Something about sports and free for kids. I should google this, she thinks glancing back at the boy.

The boy watches the woman zoom by in her car and knows nothing except he will have to get off the porch and go with the gang in a couple of years. That's just how it is.

Joyce at Le Petit Manoir

Purpose and Latest News on Expansion

Joyce Dueker  |   Founder, Advocate, Evangelist of Project Lost Sheep.

 Sharon Lee and David Ronald helped shoot this video at the
Bay Club, Redwood Shores, CA.
Go to: http://www.projectlostsheep.com

Camp Nurture Leaders

Camp is coming very soon. With volunteers included there will be around 175 for the week of Touchdown Camp 15 in Redwood City, California.

When you first walk into camp, you see the children and their leaders, in a "LEADER" T-shirt. The children are usually subdued the first day but camp puts them in groups, each with their own leader.

Camp is well organized and so the children get settled in quickly.

There are return campers each year. In fact, Touchdown Camp is so well known in the community that no notices have to go out! People call the church and ask for dates of camp. This is a high point of their summer!

At the end of camp, each camper gets a backpack filled with school supplies!

As President, Patty Cardona pointed out recently camp is producing a "Legacy of Leaders".

Many of these leadership skills were learned as former campers came back to volunteer as teenagers. In fact, now, most of the volunteers are from former campers!

We are thankful for all that God has given to bless children and for creating a a legacy of leaders. Over 1000 children have received a free week of day camp.

Let's up the numbers!

Responding From the Heart

Do you ever feel that you are just repeating the same thing over and over again? It may be in your home, business, or church.

Now we all need a certain amount of sameness but when there is "nothing new under the sun'" something is wrong because there is always something new to say, do, and think if we are inspired by God's heart.

Recently our president, Patty Cardona, got inspired to offer a new five week Academic Kids Camp. This started in June and runs into July for five weeks.
See Events.

She responded to the requests of parents who knew their children needed tutoring help. And Patty feeling moved in her heart prayed and talked to others and this new thing has happened and is happening as you read this. Children are receiving 16 hours per week of academic help. 

Patty recently received the Inspirational Leader Award from Second Harvest Food in California. Patty has been coming up with inspired ideas for some time like feeding 20 families a week at church and many others. But, an idea is only an idea until there is confirming action and this usually starts with one person who gets others to come alongside and take action. A true leader will be inspired and then be able to inspire others.

Programs should not be cookie cutter because one size does not fit all. From Chicago, I learned the importance of meeting the needs of the community and listening to what those needs are.

How can you break out to new things in your life, business or in church? In all those areas, we need INSPIRATION from a creator God who is infinitely creative. 

From personal experience, I say we do not get inspiration on our own because the world is so noisey and full of input, I believe we do need to unplug. Will the world end if I do not check my messages x numbe of times a day?

How To Unplug
Go for a walk early before work or listen to some calming music. Get alone and stay there for a few hours or days without input from others. Tune into God. Above all, after this, listen to your heart. The path will open for you. There are new things for you!

The really inspired visions and ideas will become in time visible works that bless others.