HELLO!

I love my friend Heather’s collection of creche scenes. Brian sent this photo to me earlier in the day, one of his weekly collection of images he finds as he walks through north end Halifax with his camera. Brian’s retirement vocation is to look for signs of God’s presence, where we least expect to find it. If you don’t know Brian’s story, and I share it with his permission (I have the sermon he preached at St. Luke’s on Easter Sunday where he tells this story in more detail), here it is. Brian was a police officer out west. His fellow officers were aware of his passion for photography. He was recruited to take crime scene photos. The grisly nature of these images caused trauma for Brian. He self-medicated. The result was the loss of his family, his job, his sense of self-worth. He ended up on the streets. There he met an outreach worker with the Salvation Army who invited him to sand an old wooden door with many layers of paint. When Brian had completed his work, the door sanded down to its original beautiful grain, the Salvation Army officer told Brian the door was him, he needed to remove all the “gunk” of his past, accept the beauty God sees in him. Since Brian stopped drinking decades ago, he has committed himself to finding images of God where others pass on by.

I like how Heather sees in the Christmas story signs of God’s inviting love and grace others miss. When I visit with her and Brian I have her remind me what she sees in each unique creche scene. While many, like me, see a familiar scene; a star, Mary and Joseph, animals, a barn, shepherds (and adding Matthew’s story, the Magi) Heather sees the arrival of a Saviour where we least expect it, where there is no room, to a desperate couple.

Yesterday, after church, Kim asked me to pick up a gift certificate for a friend of hers at the Halifax Shopping Centre. I confess walking amongst these eager consumers is not a joy-filled experience for me. Some looked happy to be out, with family and friends, looking for gifts. But many, like me, looked stressed, unimpressed by consumerism, the pressure to buy things for people who don’t need another shirt (sidebar, I love to buy things for people, all year long, but NOT bcs someone told me to, in late December). While some may see our malls filled with happy shoppers, I see consumers acting like lemmings. Call me a Grinch if you wish.

But I did see a couple at the Salvation Army kettle and approached them to ask how their Christmas season is unfolding. They shared a wonderful story of a meal they are planning. The guests are new Canadians. Everyone is bringing a dish of food from their country of origin. Like the Grinch, my little heart began to grow as the story continued.

May we all see this season, this story, with fresh eyes and a warm heart.

Peace, Kevin

PS One photo by Brian of Heather’s many creche scenes, one photo of our creche scene, a gift from a former parishioner purchased in Australia.