Thankful

From our Hearts

This week, we would like to offer some wishes from our hearts to yours for the Christmas season and the year to come.

Chuck here.

My wish is that together we might say, “Lord, you know better.” It seems to be true what the old adage says, that the older I get, the less I know. I realize more and more that God knows better than I. And I need to listen to Him. I know He is consistent with His Word—often different than the way I’d do it.  I know it’s about my heart and its relation to events and things. Bottom line, there is nothing to worry about. We can choose to not worry—we really could! So my wish this Christmas is His peace—that it would be real in your heart and mine.

Jan here.

One of my December magazines is headlined on the cover: Make 2017 Your Year of Adventure. My wish this year is to take that one step further: Could we make 2017 our Year of Spiritual Adventure?  We would expect God’s active presence in our daily lives, His purposes to step in on a regular basis, and His reality to dawn when we pray. May that be so. And may His presence invade your Christmas season and give you a new sense of wonder at the miracle that is Christmas.

Chastiny here.

My wish for you is that you would enjoy health and rest this holiday season, and find joy in the simple moments. It’s easy for me to get caught up in everything that has to get done “right now” and forget to take time to rest and talk to God about it all. Often when I do take some time out, I find that a lot of things on my to-do list really can wait. May you find that His burden really is light and His yoke is easy even during the hectic times. Merry Christmas!

CHRISTMAS ON AMERICAN RADIO

For many, the first Christmas song on the radio is a welcome change to the daily routine. It brings to mind a more innocent time. A time of wonder, of warmth, of childlikeness. Memories flood your mind. Suddenly the stress is gone from your daily commute, and you’re singing along to songs of joy and merriment.

And then it hits you. It’s nearly Christmas, and there’s still so much to do! The non-stop, heartwarming songs on the radio set the backdrop for an otherwise hurried time, helping minds and hearts stay focused on Jesus, the real soundtrack of Christmas.

When we think of the history of Christmas on the radio, we’re likely to picture a 1940’s family, gathered ‘round a lovely wooden speaker as if it were a crackling fire, huddled together with innocent smiles to enjoy the comfort of old familiar songs.

But Christmas radio has been the backdrop for many scenes, some of which may be surprising.

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS ON RADIO

In the early 20^th Century, radio was neither comforting, pleasant nor musical. Listeners were accustomed to hearing the tap-tap-tap of Morse code transmissions.

But a Canadian child prodigy named Reginald Aubrey Fessenden changed all of that. Fessenden previously worked with Thomas Edison and was now inventing solo. He and developed around 200 patents of his own, including a brand new technology called “radio”.

In 1906,  Fessenden “alerted the media” using his own voice, inviting wireless operators  to tune in on Christmas Eve. The invitation was monitored and duly noted in Norfolk, Virginia, and the folks in Virginia and crews on ships within a several hundred mile radius enjoyed an unforgettable broadcast that night. Accustomed only to code, they couldn’t believe what they were hearing – a man’s voice in their headphones!  As amazed listeners strained to hear the sound, Fessenden serenaded them on violin.   O Holy Night became the first Christmas carol to hit the airwaves on the first produced (music and voice) radio broadcast – “superimposed audio” or “amplitude modulation” (AM) generated over a continuous radio frequency carrier.

WHITE CHRISTMAS FOR A BLACK DAY

In 1941, the unthinkable happened – the attack on Pearl Harbor. 18 days later, college age fans tuned in to Kraft Music Hall and Bing Crosby warmed their hearts with his rendition of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. In the shadow of the recent attack, the song took on a somber tone, and it was a memorable broadcast

One short year later, young American troops found themselves overseas on Christmas Day. Armed Forces Radio played White Christmas over and over to remind them of the comforts of home. It remains the one of the most popular Christmas carols to this day.

JOY TO THE WORLD: CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES

Wartime was the backdrop for some of the most memorable Christmas radio broadcasts because it was, for many, their primary source of comfort. While radio remained off-limits to the general public during WW1, wireless technology utilized a short-range electrostatic induction system so that hospitalized soldiers could be entertained with music and news. And at the end of the civilian radio restrictions in 1919, military personnel fired up transmitters to boost the morale of the servicemen. On January 10, 1919, Ensign Sanford Lawton remembered the broadcast Christmas At Sea in his letter to his parents. He happily reported that “All of the latest music from the states was played over the wireless” as part of the festivities.

Christmas Broadcasts in 1940, particularly in England, were rays of light in an otherwise war-ravaged land. Christmas dinner was nearly impossible. Families spent their holiday in air raid shelters, searching desperately for the highly coveted “short Christmas tree” – one short enough to fit in the shelter confines. Instead of giving gifts, people were encouraged instead to give their meager funds to the war effort. Among most popular gifts were flasks, sleeping bags and “pretend gas masks” for dolls.

Home-made presents were popular too, as were second-hand ones. For working-class people ‘make do and mend’ was the norm. Dads carved sailing ships and dolls’ houses, whilst mums knitted with spare bits of wool and made sweets. Children’s gifts were also donated from other countries and charities. – BBC History

You can imagine the impact those heartwarming melodies and sweet words – broadcast so rarely but treasured like gold – had on wartime families. As Europeans made their homes in submarine-style bomb shelters, huddled together, there was the radio, broadcasting entertainment whenever signal allowed. BBC Radio broadcasted Kitchen Front, the King’s Speech and variety shows. They also broadcast a Christmas sermon from the ruins of Coventry Cathedral. People were allowed to attend church, but bells were forbidden. Bells became a signal of an oncoming invasion, so no bells, and no heart-warming lights in the window.

MEANWHILE, IN AN SUV SOMWEHERE …

Bells, colored lights, Christmas activities, store displays, and seasonal music piped in 24/7 on your favorite radio station. What’s not to love about Christmas?

Isaiah said, “Comfort, my people.” Take comfort. The word for comfort here is also the word, “repent.” Jesus was born to bring comfort, repentance and subsequently, eternal life with Him. He’s the One who formed us from our mother’s womb, who has known us since the beginning. He forgives us, and cleanses us of sin.

When we forget that, we’re left with only trimmings and trappings  hustle and bustle, followed by a dead pine tree and debt and a messy house to clean.

That’s why Christmas radio is as important as it’s always been, featuring songs that glorify God to the highest; songs that bring us closer to the One who came to set us free. Whether we’re in a hospital, in the trenches, in our cars or at home, Christmas is still on the radio.

And Christmas provides you with great opportunity for ministry!

ONLINE REFERENCES:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/topics/christmas_in_world_war_two

http://earlyradiohistory.us/sec013.htm

http://ethw.org/Milestones:First_Wireless_Radio_Broadcast_by_Reginald_A._Fessenden,_1906

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Chuck Finney’s Four habits that keep the work passion high and blessing the word of choice.

Four Habits that Help You Stay in Love With What You Do

Jan here.

It’s a regular check-in call. Chuck asks, “How are you? Can you believe we get to do this? I’m blessed!”

Now that’s a standard way of opening a conversation with Chuck. It took some getting used to—and I finally asked, since I’m Ms. Curious. How can you feel blessed every time we’re on the phone? Sidebar: I didn’t seem to have that many totally awesome days.

Chuck replied, “Look, even if it’s a tough day, that’s my mental goal. To feel blessed. Because really I am, and it’s a habitual reminder of the truth of the matter.”

I knew he was right. And in the culture of the organization, I’ve seen it play out. I’ve noticed four habits that are effective in keeping daily enthusiasm and a blessed spirit, and the why of what we do played out minute-by-minute.

I bet you want to know what these are. So here goes: the four habit secrets.

Habit #1. Focus every day on the Creator with prayer and acknowledgement of who He is. One might say this is the basic habit.

I remember a lunch conversation—great Tex-Mex food—where Lynda, Chuck’s wife asked those of us around the table, “Do you pray through a list every morning? How do you pray?” My first thought was, wow that’s a pretty personal question. But then, I realized it was a basic question that really regulates how your day goes. Who’s managing life? God or you?

What Chuck said was this: “I am in an ongoing conversation with God all day long. As things arise, I speak with Him about it.”

And it’s true. I’ve seen that happen over and over. “Let me pray about that and I’ll get back to you.” Is a favorite phrase. It’s a great habit to keep things focused on the eternal nature of things.

Habit #2. Love people before your check boxes. This is a pleasant saying, but harder to live out. The larger a company becomes, the more difficult, as well. So far, Finney Media has hung in there—allowing people to speak their minds, letting employees challenge actions, and generally working on the principle that people may not always fit into the neat box of processes, or a list of to-do’s. This doesn’t mean that process is a bad thing, but it does mean that exceptions and individual situations get to be heard. Coming from a larger company with an extensive list of rules, to one with a short handbook, can be a transition—more often, a person has to use good judgement. Here’s a sample: Is this an airline ticket I should buy? There aren’t rules that I have to take the cheapest route, even if that means making two stops, and leaving at 3 a.m. for the airport. I have to make the call.

Habit #3. Be accountable with transparency about ideas, actions and goals, and be genuinely open to change and advice.

Although not required, Finney Media has an Advisory Board of several successful, thoughtful, prayerful individuals. Great discussions take place with the Board, and open and honest feedback and new ideas surface. I’ve noticed that it’s the transparency plus the trust that seems to make this happen. I’ve yet to hear any sort of put down statement during discussions—only thoughtfully strategic, prayerful and affirming type of comments. “Of course—do that. And have you considered going further? By the way, be sure to check on this….” During one of the meetings, one of its members said to me how special it all was…so it must be that trust and transparency are not all that common.

Could this be done on an individual basis? I think so. A mentor or ongoing accountability meeting could meet the same goals.

Habit #4. Recalibrate with a day or two of meditation and prayer time away from the fray, at minimum yearly. While it’s true that weekly schedule reviews and quarterly strategic reviews are important, this once yearly time away was the “news” to me. Chuck asks us all to listen to a series called Masterplan by Steve Dulin, who emphasizes prayer, dependence on God—and time away to actually hear from God.

How does this work? Chuck has a cabin in the mountains—and annually takes several days for prayer and meditation there. Big questions go to heaven, and ideas and peace come back. It wouldn’t take a mountain cabin, of course. Just away, quiet, and focused time. Revolutionary? What do you think?

So there you have it. Four habits. Specific ways that make for better days, God directed days, thoughtful communication and yes, a healthy business.

What habits have changed your life for the better?

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