Grady Russell

“Christmas Eve Gift.”
My phone is ringing. It’s 6:44 in the morning. Who would call this early on Christmas Eve? It’s my 84-year-old mother-in-law Doris. I am still in the fog of early morning. I am not a morning person. She is. She is enjoying a bountiful white Christmas in the suburbs of DC. She has the added benefit of being in a time zone that is one hour ahead of mine. I give a weak “hello.” She offers a strangely excited question, “Grady?” “Hi, Mom.” The fog in my head is beginning to lift. Then she utters the words. The phrase that that I have heard every Christmas Eve for at least 35 years. “Christmas” Oh no! “Eve” My brain recognizes the assault and dispatches the correct response through the lingering cobwebs of my dreams. Before my mouth even begins to form the first syllable the last word registers in my cerebral synapses – “gift!” Having heard the phrase I have no choice but to admit defeat and declare her the victor. Doris wins another annual competition.

It’s a game she has played all of her life. In fact, my personal research indicates that this is a game that has been going on in families in the South for 200 years or more.

The first one to say “Christmas Eve gift” on Christmas Eve gets a gift. The one hearing the phrase has to give the gift.

The gift does not have to be fancy or expensive. It could be as little as a couple of cookies, a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. Most often the recognition that she was the first with the phrase is sufficient. I offer to buy her lunch when she returns. She accepts. Game over.

In 35 years I have managed to defeat her only once. Now I am fully awake. My mind rehearses the events of the past few days. In the same way that a coach accepts responsibility for his team’s loss, I accept responsibility for this year’s resounding defeat. It is my fault after all. When we dropped her at the airport a few days ago I threw down the gauntlet. I told her I would to be the first this year to say “Christmas Eve gift.” I should have known better. This is a game of stealth. Never advertise your strategy to your opponent – especially one as skilled as Doris.

I cannot defeat her again until next year. But I can get you. So, “Christmas Eve gift!” Ah. Satisfaction. Merry Christmas, my friends!

“We live by faith or do not live at all. Either we venture–or we vegetate. If we venture, we do so by faith simply because we cannot know the end of anything at its beginning. We risk marriage on faith or we stay single. We prepare for a vocation by faith or we give up before we start. By faith we move mountains of opposition or we are stopped by molehills.” Harold Walker

Moved any mountains lately? Where is your faith?

My daughter, Jenn, blessed me last night by making a “wordle” of my blog. Wordle is a relatively new site that “is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.” [from wordle.net] I was amazed and pleased with the results. Hope you are, too.

Try Wordle on your site and let me know how it goes.

Happy wordling. 8o]

I shared in an earlier post about Christmas being my favorite holiday. I have also commented about my desire to wish everyone a “Merry Christmas.” If you haven’t read those posts you might want to “catch up” before reading on.

It has been a while since I have posted but the Christmas season seems to stir the communicator in me. A lot has changed in our lives. Joyce and I have returned home to Alabama where I am pastor of Bethel Worship Center in Wetumka, AL. We still miss our friends and family in Central Florida, but are confident that God has brought us home for His purpose. We both love this new assignment and the many new friends we have made. Wetumpka is in many aspects a long way from Orlando; not as many cars on the rural Alabama highways, not as many houses for sale, not as many folks jamming the crowded malls, not as much sunshine, but the feeling of home brings so much peace, joy, and comfort, especially at this time of year.

Recently, it dawned on me that those sensitive members of our society who do not wish to offend others by uttering the term, “Merry Christmas” and have substituted the term “Happy Holidays” are in need of my assistance. Your decision to be non-offensive is honorable but you are continuing to offend some members of our society. No, it isn’t the Christians; we got over your “political corrections” a few years ago.

However, there is a segment of society that I believe you are hurting. It is the unhappy crowd. That’s right! You are wishing happiness on some folks who do not want your brand of emotional tyranny. There are many legitimate reasons to be unhappy at this time of year. It is the winter solstice, (“Solstice Greetings” by the way unless of course you are into equinoxes and you folks will have to wait a few months.) The lack of sunshine alone is enough to make grown men cry. Never mind all of the loneliness, loss, and grief that seem to be so profound this time of year.

So please cease and desist from your wishes of happiness upon the “happiness challenged” of our land. Your thoughtless verbal barbs only serve to remind them of their joyless existence. How could you be so callused? So in keeping with the spirit of true political correctness, a simple “holidays” should suffice.

Wait, I forgot about the workaholics. I am not at all sure how they would receive a “holiday” greeting. Besides that, I think that “holiday” is actually a combination of “holy” and “day.” I am not sure how to correct that one. I’ll have to get back with you…

In the mean time, please accept my best wishes of a “Merry Christmas” and the hope that all will find the true happiness that can only come through the gift from God that came through Jesus Christ on that first “holy day.” May the love and peace that filled the manger on that first Christmas morn fill your hearts as well.

Joyce and I are very busy lately, but we have found a new diversion; FaceBook.com

We are finding old friends, new friends, and a wonderful way to keep up with family. You’ll have to sign up with FaceBook to see our profiles, but I think you will enjoy it, too.

For those who missed the wedding of our baby boy, Jonathan, and his phenomenal wife, Stephanie, I thought you might enjoy the group shot of the family…

Today is Father’s Day. This is a great day. It is a day when I get to connect with seven of the most fantastic people on earth. Three of them are our amazing children. Three of them are their awesome spouses. Number 7 is a gift from heaven, our first grandson, Drew. We got to see him and his parents today via the Internet. Here is a picture.

I also heard today from Jenn and Keith and Jon and Stephanie. We got to celebrate with them several days early when we were visiting Alabama. Great steak dinner! (Thanks also for a great time with the RC airplane, Jon.)

I was once asked what I considered to be my greatest accomplishments. I didn’t have to think even a moment. Our kids. No, I am not taking full credit here. No accomplishments are ever achieved alone. There are always others involved. Most of the credit for our kids must be given to God. His abundant blessings are readily evident in their lives and loves. Joyce and I were blessed with family and friends who have all added so much to the formula for perfect kids. Yes, perfect. Mark Rutland, jokingly, remarked about the perfection of his grand kids, “It is amazing how such perfection can come from such imperfection. It seems that perfection skips generations!” He was kidding, but I am sure that many fathers must think that. Our kids are perfect in the best possible way, they are all living fulfilling lives, have found phenomenal life mates and they and their spouses are serving God. What more could a Christian parent ask? Each of them have surpassed their parents in almost every way. They are extremely talented. Many of the things that I dreamed for my life I have been privileged to experience through them. Their zeal for God is inspiring. Each of them found the perfect person to augment and encourage them in their relationship with God. Together with their spouses the are all mature believers in Jesus Christ. I am a man most blessed.

Of course, our kids did see some perfection in their parents. 100 % from mom and 2% from dad. Making perfect kids is easy if your start with the perfect wife. We will celebrate 33 years of wedded bliss on June 21. Thanks, Joyce, for giving me so much more than I ever dreamed possible! I am a man most blessed.

Since last Father’s Day, David and Missy brought Andrew into our lives. Jonathan graduated from TSU and married Stephanie. Jenn and Keith moved to Mobile to join the staff of Saraland A/G. I am so proud of them all! I am a man most blessed!

There are at least a hundred other things that I could praise God for, but since it is Father’s Day, let’s just say that these seven have given Joyce and I an abundance of reasons to thank and honor our heavenly father on this day. So to my father in heaven, I’ll say, “Thanks, Father, for so many things, but thanks most of all for these seven! You have given me so much! Because of you I can emphatically express, I am a man most blessed!”

Jon and Stephanie were married in one of the most beautiful settings I have ever seen for a wedding. Stephanie’s parents home and yard served as the backdrop for the outdoor nuptials. It was an event of a lifetime. Check it out.

We are so thrilled to have Stephanie in our family!  Thanks, Jerry for reminding me…

Grady

Jerry writes from the thread, “I love my job!”

hay! I’ve been waiting for your update for months. How are you doing recently? China experienced a great deal of crisis these days: the earthquake, torch relay protest, etc. Life is hard but work has to go on!

I came cross a sentence from a website last week and I don’t understand, could you do me a favour, Grady?

“The American temptation is to believe that foreign policy is a subdivision of psychiatry.” Henry Kissinger quotes (American Political scientist. b.1923)

Thanks a million!

My reply: Any political science majors feel free to wade in on this one…

I am so sorry, Jerry. I have been distracted lately. I hope to resume blogging soon.

I will attempt to explain the phrase; “The American temptation is to believe that foreign policy is a subdivision of psychiatry.” Henry Kissinger quotes (American Political scientist. b.1923). Sadly, it is only my opinion and I must remind you that I am not a politician.

I believe that Mr. Kissinger was implying a common attitude among American citizens, and elected leaders, that assumes relationships with other countries require an understanding of Psychiatry which is a branch of medicine that studies and attempts to treat disorders of the mind (mental illness). The implication is that Americans see all foreign countries and people groups as needing analysis and treatment for their perceived disorders.

While I don’t believe that his assessment applies to all Americans, certainly not those who have travelled and met the people of other countries and traditions, I do understand His frustration. As a political scientist he is understands that foreign policy has more to do with building social structures and developing processes between differing groups of people or nations. An attitude which assumes “disorders” is a very detrimental to strong and lasting relationships. How can I build a trusting relationship with those I think are not normal?

I believe that this analogy might help. I understand that men in China see women in very different ways. When a man is pursuing a wife, he sees her beauty and desires her company and affection. Once a man has a wife, he sees her value for service and support. He sees her differently even though she is the same woman. She has not changed. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but if I am right wouldn’t it be better to treat all women with respect? (I believe that I should treat my wife better than all other people in my life. We will soon celebrate 33 years of marriage and we are both happy because we value each other.)

So, Mr. Kissinger sees the relationships between countries in much the same way. If Americans will value other nations and peoples as much as they value themselves, they could develop and maintain stronger and longer lasting relationships with them.

Now I will add another opinion regarding the statement. The very term “foreign policy” is becoming very outdated in our language. The word “foreign” has begun to have a negative connotation. Who would want a “foreign” object in their head? Not me! It seems to magnify the differences. Another term that is similar is “alien” which can refer to creatures from other worlds or people from other countries. Not a nice group to be in, right? In much the same way the word “foreign” puts other people or nations in the same group as little green men from outer space! [No offence is intended for any little green.] I think a better term would be “world policy.” That phrase seems to give us all equal status since we are all part of the world.

I hope I helped you. It is good to “hear” from you. I love the World Wide Web!

I know that things have been difficult there. We are praying for you.

Stay tuned and take care,

Grady

Little Man Drew.