Age 7:  “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, see my two front teeth.”
 
Age 9: “I want an Official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle.”
 
Age 16:  “I want a 1968 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet with the 335hp, V8 engine.  Color?  Gulfstream Aqua.”
 
Age 30:  “I hope my husband goes to Jared and gets me a pair of the John Hardy Hammered Dot Drop Earrings with the 18K yellow gold bead, topped by a pavé diamond dangle.”
 
Age 50:  “Hon, let’s buy the Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 DLX, with the 90 horse ELPT four stroke command thrust Mercury motor, the color-keyed bimini top, and the stow-more seat back compartments.  It will be great fun for the grandkids next summer at the lake.  Come on, hon, it’s only $36,995 at the no-hassle price!”
 
Age  69:  “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. . .and 6 more incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 8 molars.  Let’s skip the wisdom teeth this time around.”
 
Is there anything on that list you want for Christmas, or is your wish list different?  Don’t worry.  Retailers will do their best to have the perfect gift for you this Christmas! Amazon and Amazon Marketplace alone carry more than 362 million products, including 108,708,692 for the home and kitchen.  Their selection is so huge that some have called it “the endless shelf.”


But maybe this Christmas you realize you need something you can’t buy off of any endless shelf or find in a dentist’s chair. Why?  Maybe there’s a hole in your heart that nothing fills.  An ache deep down that never goes away. 
 
Maybe that’s because your life is broken. . .by a health crisis or an addiction, and a new toaster-oven can’t fix that.  By a failed marriage, or a child who won’t talk to you any more, and a drive-way full of big boy toys (car, boat, ATV, motorcycle, snowmobile) or a weekend shopping spree can’t make it better.
 
The truth is, all of us are broken in one way or another—by sin.  But sin’s consequences go much further than a deep-down ache, a guilty conscience, and sleepless nights. (Psalm 32:3-4).    Sin’s consequences are eternal.  Death.  Hell.  (Romans 5:12)  Can you even begin to imagine heartache that will never go away, all because you are forever separated from the Only One who is goodness, righteousness, mercy and love? 
 
But our Heavenly Father doesn’t want that for any of us!  (2 Peter 3:9)  That’s why his Spirit wrapped the perfect Christmas Gift in flesh in the womb of Mary.  And nine months later, Mary “gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  (Luke 2:10)  That same Christmas night, an angel shattered the quiet outside of Bethlehem when he announced to lowly shepherds, “Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.”  (Luke 2:11) 
 
By inspiration, more than six decades later, the Apostle Paul glimpsed into the manger and saw the baby wrapped in something far warmer than swaddling clothes.  “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, he saved us—not by righteous works that we did ourselves, but because of his mercy.”  (Titus 3:4) 
 
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a Red Ryder BB gun or some new teeth for Christmas,  as long as you’re not greedy or selfish about it.  And as long as you never forget the one Christmas Gift all of us really need. 
 
Privileged to serve,
Rev. Glenn Schwanke

​The story is told of a British preacher who came to the United States. He had prepared a careful three point sermon on the subject of the word, “But.” No one had told him that in America “butt” means “backside.”
 
And so he embarked on the first point of his carefully prepared sermon: “Everyone has a ‘but.’” He was a little confused by the congregation’s response.
 
Undeterred, he carried on to his second point, “You can see other people’s ‘buts.’”
 
It didn’t seem that the congregation was getting his argument at all, but he carried on with his third and most significant point: “But you can’t see your own ‘but.’”
 
Everyone in the Christmas account has a “but.” Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, the shepherd. “But, I’m too old/it’s not my child/I’m a virgin/we’re just lowly shepherds/etc.”
 
Christ’s arrival erased the “buts” in spectacular fashion!
 
God’s promises fulfilled erase our “buts,” too. “But, I can’t endure this/I’m uncertain/I’m afraid/I can’t do this alone.” The name of Jesus (Savior) and his name Immanuel (God with us) assure us that our “buts” are unnecessary.
 
This Christmas and beyond, may your “buts” be removed! May you emerge from the overload of the season “but”-free.” No hesitation to believe, no hesitation to serve, no “buts” at all!
 
Christ has come…and he is coming again! The following Scripture expresses both events precisely and powerfully – no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts.” “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people… We wait for the blessed hope, that is, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:11,13)
 
God be with you!
Pastor Stephen Luchterhand

It was a week ago Monday.  And it was the bestest, most fabulous day—because everything was going so smoothly, precisely according to my plans.  During the day I had worked ahead on sermons through the end of the year.  Then I spent extra time reviewing my sermon, the readings, the hymns and the liturgy for the Monday night worship service.  I even unpacked a few more boxes of books that were aging in my garage from my retirement move, and I arranged the books neatly on the shelves in my home office.
 
Next I headed over to Trinity early for the worship.  There I caught up on some email before worship, and enjoyed the privilege of leading the evening worship service.  Right after worship, as I had planned with persnickety precision earlier, I stopped at Kwik Trip, bought gas and ran inside to pick up my haute cuisine supper:  a Hot Spot Quarter Pound Bacon Cheeseburger.
 
I jumped back into the car and headed home. As I drove, I was serenaded by Christmas music on 95.9, the Island.  The music was punctuated by life-changing commentary offered by radio host and entertainer, John Tesh.  And John had just splashed a rainbow of delights on the horizon of my life when he told me that research had revealed the happiest age-decade in the life of an average US citizen.  I waited with bated breath for the answer.  Surely your 20s!  Or maybe your 30s?  But NO!  It’s your 70’s!   My 70s?  I felt as if heaven opened before my eyes, because I will step into my 70’s, our Lord willing, next year!  I reveled in the moment.  Could this day get any better?  
 
Just then, precisely then, exactly then. . .DEER!!#?!  THUD!  And I'm pulling off to the side of Highway 70, just east of St. Germain, and turning on my car’s 4-way flashers on the worstest, most bummerish, messed up day of my life.  As I left the car to check on the deer and damage, it’s as if the blackness of the night had instantly deepened and the chill of the wind worsened.  Once I made sure the small doe was off the road (I was in no mood to take it), the highway was clear of debris, and my car was drivable, I headed home—with my driver-side headlight askew, shining high up into the trees across the road.
 
Since my tech skills are somewhat lacking, I didn’t attempt the easy-peasy, super-convenient online reporting with insurance and the Wisconsin DOT on my smartphone.  I did that back home, on my computer.  It was so easy-peasy, super convenient that it took me 2 ½ hours. 
 
Then, at long last, I ate my rock-hard, ice-cold Hot Spot Quarter Pound Bacon Cheeseburger. I decided to waft it down with a German beverage, and thus put an exclamation point on the worstest, most bummerish, messed-up, trashed, lousy day of my life.
 
Well, not quite.  Even though for a few moments, it felt that way.  But then I started to reflect on my just-shy-of-three-score years-and-ten, and I realized how minor this car/deer close-encounter was.  Through the decades of my life, my gracious Father has deemed it wise for me to experience much more serious setbacks, and every time it’s because he knew precisely how large a spoon-full of discipline I needed in my life in order to keep me bound closely to him in saving faith. 
 
So I reached for my Bible and turned to Paul’s words.  “Not only this, but we also rejoice confidently in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces patient endurance, and patient endurance produces tested character, and tested character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)
 
Then I checked Hebrews 12.  “Have you also forgotten the encouragement that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard the Lord’s discipline lightly, and do not become weary of his correction. For the Lord disciplines the one whom he loves, and he corrects every son he accepts. Endure suffering as discipline. God is dealing with you as sons. Is there a son whose father does not discipline him?”  (Hebrews 12:5-7)
 
And I wondered, “What is the Lord trying to teach me through this?  Maybe to be less focused on unboxing, organizing, building, fixing, and getting everything on my “Schwanke estate” just the way I want it, so that I can fully enjoy my Golden Years of retirement?”  In that moment, Jesus’ story about the rich farmer popped into my mind, and the farmer’s empty boast.  “Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry.”’  (Luke 12:19)
 
Thud!  The words hit hard into the depths of my soul. And I realized that a deer, and a thud, had worked together for my good.  Since I remain a child of God, bought and paid for in the blood of Christ, it was still the bestest, most fabulous day ever. 
 
Because everything was going according to His plans. 
 
Privileged to Serve, 
Rev. Glenn Schwanke

It happened to me for the first time about twenty years ago. I pulled a “Scrooge.” I didn’t listen to any Christmas music in the weeks before Christmas. I can’t really explain why. I just didn’t feel like going out of my way and putting in a Christmas CD (twenty years ago, remember?) or turning on one of those all-Christmas, all-the-time stations.
 
It’s happened again in “on and off” fashion since then. This year, I did listen to Christmas music once…so far…for about an hour.
 
I have favorites: Mannheim Steamroller, Reba McEntire, Amy Grant, Pentatonix. But this year, I haven’t made much of an effort to listen to Christmas music…again.
 
Is it a lack of opportunity due to busyness? That’s in the mix. Is it a matter of choosing different entertainment – streaming preferred shows/movies, reading, time with adult children/grandchildren (either in person or via Facetime), time with extended family (a form of entertainment? Depends…)? Definitely a partial reason for my lack of seasonal “holly jolly.” Is it a sense of melancholy which can be traced to any number of circumstances in one’s life? I can’t apply the “shrugging shoulders” emoji to this document, so I’ll just offer an IDK (“I don’t know,” for those over the age of 65 J).
 
Which gets me to wondering…is it required of me to listen to Christmas music right now? Do I have to? What if I don’t? Is there something wrong with me?
 
Do I have to get a Christmas letter out to everyone? Do I have to battle traffic, and crowds, and credit card debt to find true joy? Do I have to put up a tree and outside lights? (The parsonage doesn’t even have regular outside lights right now due to a remodeling project – whew, I’ve got an excuse!) Do I have to attend area light displays and drive through neighborhoods to ooh and aah at other people’s incredible light display efforts?
 
Do I have to say, “Happy Holidays” so as not to offend? Don’t get me started on this one…
 
Do I have to shop for gifts? Thankfully, my dear bride has a gift for turning a small mound of cash into a heaping overflow of creative, well-loved presents. Although, I wouldn’t turn down an invitation to browse at the Musky Shop.
 
What do I have to do in order to be ready?
 
John the Baptist was clear: “Repent! Prepare the way for the Lord! Make straight paths for him!” (Matthew, Mark, & Luke all record his message)
 
Repentance is done by the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. This is more than seasonal, it’s daily. It’s a change of mind, a turning away from sin and turning back to God by the mercy of God. Repentance prepares me not to DO all kinds of things to get ready for Christmas, but to receive all that has been DONE for me.
 
Indeed, you and I don’t have to do anything (of an exterior, seasonal, commercial, decorative nature) to be “ready” for Christmas. Christmas will come whether we’re “ready” or not. Christmas HAS ALREADY COME! Christmas is already “ready.” Please enjoy, ponder, and believe…that all the fuss that God made thousands of years to make Christmas happen for us is worth far more than all the fuss we make over a few weeks’ time to get ready for our “version” of Christmas.
 
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.” (Titus 2:11)
 
In Christ our Savior,
Pastor Stephen Luchterhand