By Pastor Bridget Sheely
Racine/Sumner Center UMC,
Stewartville UMC Children’s Mininstry Coordinator
A few years back, when my two boys where young our family loaded up into our truck to go pick out our Christmas tree. As we cruised down the road with the Christmas music playing, our oldest was bouncing around in the back seat and doing what kids do, which ended with me turning around and saying, “Now that’s enough you little dingleberry!” Without hesitation my younger son perked up and replied, “I want to be a dingleberry too!” This was all it took for my husband and me to change from an air of frustration into laughing so hard tears came down our cheeks. Now, I will not go into the technical definition of what a dingleberry is right now but let’s just say it is not something you want to be. But, with Christmas magic in his child heart and a word that ended with berry it sounded like something amazing and cheerful to my little guy.
This Christmas memory got me thinking about how the year 2020 has seemed to be nothing but one “dingleberry” after another and the question that repeats it’s self in my mind is – what do we when we become overwhelmed?
Should we just keep collecting the unwanted weight of it all until there is a mountain so large, we become discouraged and give up or do we become creative in our perseverance and find purpose in what could be viewed as useless waste and despair.
David wrote in Psalm 46:1 (niv)- 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
And James, Jesus’ half-brother wrote 1:2-4 (niv) -2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, -3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. -4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
It is also written in Hebrews 12:1 (niv)-1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us
So, my friends, I say to you today – when life gives you dingleberries take the opportunity to fertilize your mustard seed and grow stronger in your faith and love of the one who offers us true life through salvation!
The season of preparation is upon us, have you taken the time to maintain your garden? For there come a day when we will all be judged by our fruits. Let us all work together to make His harvest a bountiful one!
As we all remove the waste in our lives and turn our eyes on the one who walks with us through it all, take time to find the magic and the vision to see the beauty! For on this day in the city of David our Savior is born. Rejoice and shout for joy!!