It’s my turn to write on this month’s ChristianWriters.com blog chain. In July we’re discussing the topic “Celebrate”. This is a very joyful subject, and one we should we eager to write about. I wondered what I could say about celebration. This world can be a pretty dark place these days, with the soaring cost of living, and plumetting moral values. It can be hard to think about celebrating. Like so many things in life, celebration can sometimes just come down to a choice.
A few days ago I found that the main heater in our house had stopped working. That night, I discovered that our hot water service had also broken down. Now according to the stereotype, Tasmania is always cold. This is not true – but we are currently in the middle of a rather cold winter, so the two things you don’t want to live without are heat and hot water. The cost of getting these things fixed was not something I wanted to think about – so I was contemplating having to live without them for a long time.
Fortunately, we had a little flash of inspiration. If they had both broken down together there might be some connection. Maybe it was a blown fuse or something. Yesterday morning we checked out the fuse box and found that two switches had been turned off. After flicking them back on the heater started working. Several hours later the water was warming up again. It angered me that some vandal had entered my driveway and turned off our fuses just to make our life difficult. What have we ever done to them? This kind of thing happens sometimes on the street where we live.
Suddenly it occured to me, I’d just had some really good news. The heater and hot water service were not broken. I’d not be up for huge repair or replacement costs. I had reason to celebrate. I could choose to be angry or I could take joy that the problem was so easily fixed. I chose to celebrate.
Sometimes we don’t even really need a reason to celebrate. We have reasons all around us if we look. My in-laws are visiting from interstate. Today after church we had a family lunch with my the in-laws and my parents – simply to celebrate family. Aussies love a party – any excuse will do.
If you follow my blog you may remember a few months ago I wrote about a little boy in my church who was battling cancer. Today, at church we celebrated his second birthday. For a boy like him that is a big deal. We were celebrating the fact that he is still with us. Just imagine organising enough birthday cake to feed everyone in an 800 seat auditorium!
Amongst all of this, The most important celebration of all took place during church this morning. It’s hard to think of it as a celebration. It’s actually quite a sombre thing. It is a remembrance of a death – an unjust death at that. A man was unjustly put to death in a horrific way – for the crimes of other people. He died for people like me. Of course I’m talking about Jesus. This celebration was communion. Regardless of what you call it, or how to do it, this is an important celebration for most Christians. It’s a celebration because of what that death (and subsequent resurrection) achieved. Someone like me – who is deserving of death – undeserving of a relationship with God – was forgiven and rescued by that sacrifice. If that’s not a reason to celebrate I don’t know what is.
So let’s choose to celebrate. Party on!
“They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.” – Psalm 89:16
“Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.” – Psalm 2:11
Follow the Chain
- 01/07/2012: Stephen Olar, Snickerdoodles
- 03/07/2012: Chris Henderson, TheWriteChris
- 04/07/2012: Suzette Emilia, Beautiful You
- 05/07/2012: Tracy Krauss, Expression Express
- 06/07/2012: Bill Jones, I Was Thinking the Other Day
- 07/07/2012: Mike Johnson, The College Field Manual
- 08/07/2012: Adam Collings, The Collings Zone YOU ARE HERE
- 09/07/2012: Cindee Re, Breathe Deeply
- 10/07/2012: Chris Stachura, Recovery Along Route 66
- 11/07/2012: Carol Peterson, From Carol’s Quill
- 12/07/2012: Chris Vonada, I’m Just Thinkin’
- 13/07/2012: Nona King, Spirit Driven Fiction
- 14/07/2012: Stephanie Boles, 80 Acres and a Book
- 15/07/2012: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home
- 16/07/2012: Kristena Tunstall, Mommy’s Angel In Heaven
- 18/07/2012: Victor Travison, Lightwalker’s View
- 19/07/2012: Keith Wallis, wordsculptures
- 20/07/2012: Edward Lewis, Sowing the Seeds
- 21/07/2012: SandiGrace, Heart Gazer
- 22/07/2012: Traci Bonney, Tracings
- 23/07/2012: Terrie Thorpe, Light for the Journey
- 24/07/2012: Noel Kline, Clean Heart, Cozy Home
- 25/07/2012: Pauline Creeden, Fat Free Faith
- 26/07/2012: Nona King, Word Obsession
- 27/07/2012: Israel Ikhinmwin, Education Made Simple
- 28/07/2012: Deborah K. Anderson, Faith, Fiction, & Unvarnished Truth
- 30/07/2012: Marilyn McKay, Life 101: Understanding It All
- 31/07/2012: Jack Brown, JayBees Blog
Photo Credits
- Communion by
Good Stuff Adam, indeed we will always have much to celebrate and rejoice in the precious name of Jesus!
Interesting post. Keeping up with a house is a never-ending task. BTW: Me thinks thou dost need a lock on yonder fusebox. Funny, I never imagine Australia having winter.
Peace and Blessings
Yes, Adam. Let’s continue to celebrate. That is why I threw such a big party to launch my book. We were celebrating a victory. What the enemy meant for evil God has turned to good. Yes. God sending His Son is the great celebration. Jo
Good post Adam – we do have much to celebrate.
Hi Adam, Great decision to celebrate on the heater not needing repair. It would be easy to get angry and bitter over the vandal. You chose to celebrate a greater victory over a lesser important loss. So when we are suffering, we need to look to a higher victory. The Resurrection is always the trump card!
“The Resurrection is always the trump card!” Mike, that is an exceptional statement!! You are spot on!!!
seems to me that when we choose to celebrate instead of keeping angry, the celebration is greater still. Praise The Lord and then praise Him some more.
Biiiiiiiiiiiiig hug brother
Oh, Adam, I loved this. I especially appreciated the update about the boy in your church!
But yes, those little things like blown fuses are great reasons to celebrate! This morning, I’m celebrating because although our house router is dead due to the DNS virus infection, I can sit on the floor upstairs with my laptop attached to our single hard wire to the Internet and still hang out with my Christian Writer friends from Tasmania!
Well done, Adam.
Yes, sir! Let’s choose to celebrate, to seek beauty in the small, joy in the midst of messy, and blessings more abundant than we can truly begin to imagine as we sort through our days. For we are a blessed and chosen people, and that calls for thanksgiving in all things and joyous celebration! Wonderful post, Adam!
Amen, brother! You listed several good reasons for celebration, and like Jesus during the wedding at Cana, you saved the best for last.
By the way, we have that very serving plate (the one in the photo) at our church.
Amen! There are always “good” reasons to celebrate, but what blesses the heart of the Lord (and us) are the seemingly “bad” reasons we choose to celebrate. Praise the Lord in all things! So glad the little boy is doing so well. Thank you for this celebration!
Adam,
I loved this post. It reminds me that when I lift my heart to God and offer praise even in the midst of chaos all the coins flip right over and the perspective changes. I don’t always remember to do this, mind you, but when I do . . . wow.
“I could choose to be angry or I could take joy that the problem was so easily fixed. I chose to celebrate.” I love this, Adam! And it ministered to me. So much of life can devastate us, yet there is the wondrous freedom that Jesus bought for us! Thank you for this. I appreciate it.
To me, remembering, by communion, the Lord’s death until He comes is the ultimate Celebration! What JOY His sacrifice gives to us!! Good job!
Great post, Adam. Reminds me to look for the blessings in life, no matter what happens.
Sorry I’m so late posting this month.