2003-12-07-Christmas All Year
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Topic: Christmas All Year
Group: SE Idaho TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Daniel
TR: Nancy
Session
Opening
OPENING PRAYER (Daniel/Nancy): I am Daniel. Let us pray. Father we come to you this time of the year, grateful for your promise made manifest to this weary planet in the bestowal of Michael, the Creator Son. We offer our genuine gratitude for such a blessing to such a backward, war-torn, weary world. Your gift to this planet embodies your promise to each individual that out of chaos, out of sorrow, out of error and broken promises each life and this world will be made whole. Help us guide our students that they may prepare their hearts in such a way that Your Promise and Your Love become ever more real this Christmas season. So be it. Amen.
DANIEL (Nancy): Greetings. I am Daniel, here with you this evening to participate in the camaraderie of this circle. Because of the smallness [of the group], we wish to break with the TR Practice approach of the past three weeks. We will pick up this pattern again [in the future].
Lesson
Tonight we desire to converse with you regarding the meaning of Christmas. This will be a two-part lesson. We request Bob’s [S] services to provide a coordinated team approach. However, first we wish to begin the meeting by hearing from each of you before shifting to participation from us. I ask the TRs to come out of receptivity in order to have this discussion, and then we will proceed.
SHARING: The group held a full and lengthy discussion reminiscing about past Christmas’s and the meaning Christmas held for them then as well as discussing each individual’s current Christmas experience and meaning. Meanings discussed included genuine goodwill among people, service, hope and transformation. Two noted that the significance of the Christmas tradition had diminished as their relationship with God had deepened as a result of the Teaching Mission. A consensus seemed to develop around the concept that Christmas helps focus people on their relationship with God and with each other.
Dialogue
DANIEL (Bob S): This is Daniel. My friends, you do well. We your supernal friends thoroughly have enjoyed your reminiscing and your efforts to understand the real meaning of Christmas as it pertains to your life.
The next phase of this evening’s lesson is to ask each of you to now take what you heard yourself and others say, and come up with an idea of how you can continue to take the idea of Christmas, based upon the teachings of Jesus, and apply it to your life as you would like to have it unfold over the next few days, or weeks, or months, or whatever timeframe seems appropriate. Is the assignment clear?
BOB P: Will you repeat what you asked once more please?
DANIEL: Yes, I would like each of you, in the few minutes that lie ahead, to develop an outline of a plan on how you can bring the real meaning of Christmas into your life, 365 days a year, except leap-year, and that’s 366.
BOB P: So, there are no days off.
DANIEL: God takes no days off. (Laughter)
NANCY: Was this something you wanted us to do out loud, now, as a group, together, or was this a take-home assignment?
DANIEL: My thought was to do it right now, together. How are we for time? Is there time for each of you to give this a couple of minutes thought and then come up with perhaps the idea behind an outline of what you think you want to do? Or would you rather give this a week, and we could pick it up again next week?
NANCY: Now is fine.
DANIEL: Very well. Let’s proceed with each individual as he or she wishes, sharing what they feel they would like to do next.
SHARING: As the group discussion developed, a consensus formed around the idea of living each day intentionally, rather than in reaction. All recognized the need for daily prayer and stillness practice to further that goal. Members of the group discussed how to change their priorities to achieve that end.
DANIEL: This is Daniel. Ladies and gentlemen, you do well. It is precisely the give and take, the banter, the challenge that each of you senses in your own lives that we wanted you to address. For as you know, you can’t solve a problem until the problem is identified, and we trust we have helped you identify … perhaps problem is the wrong word…but a realignment, or sense of direction, or goals in your lives, over the next days, weeks and months.
Well friends, this has been a thoroughly enjoyable evening on our part. We trust it has been for you as well.
Are there any questions before we close tonight?
MARTY: Yes, is Cora here?
DANIEL: Yes she is.
MARTY: Was I hearing her on the way in tonight?
CORA (Bob S): Of course you heard me tonight. I am always with you and always attempting to open a channel of direct communication. I trust tonight’s experience was helpful and encouraging.
MARTY: Indeed it was. Thank you.
DANIEL (Bob S): Are there any other questions we need to address? (Pause) Well friends, let’s stand as is our custom and close with a prayer.
Closing
MINEARISA (Bob S): This is Minearisa. Let us be in prayer.
To the One Great God in Three, Whose universe we now feel we are apart of, thank you for allowing us to participate as Your children, Your creations, in Your Creation. I pray that these our younger brothers and sisters are now feeling their importance in the plan of ascension, in God’s need for them to live their lives intentionally, to pursue that path that only they can find, but with the confidence of full knowledge of their Indwelling Spirit.
Those of us, who have been created to assist them along their way, thank you for our place in your universe of universes. It is majestic, overwhelming, warm, and wonderful. The love that emanates from Paradise we are most thankful for.
And, now in the name of Him Whose Bestowal on this planet, roughly 2000 years ago created the opportunity for us together, we thank Christ Michael, through Whom we pray. So be it. Amen.