I am a content creator and storyteller based in Florida, where I work for OneHope. I love digital and content marketing, writing, and the occasional doodle.
Cartoon of a boy and girl. The boy says, “I did some research. Did you know O little town of Bethlehem is nowhere near the North Pole?”
It can be confusing for kids when the whole Santa thing seems to get mixed up with the story of the Nativity in Luke, chapter 2. I’m sure Mary and Joseph would have been glad Bethlehem was nowhere near the North Pole. Just imagine trying to have a baby in that environment! It can easily get down to -45° Fahrenheit there! It’s a bad place to have a stable.
Cartoon of man and a snowman. The snowman says, “I’d like to get saved. There’€™s just one problem–I’€™m terrified of getting baptized.”€
I can just imagine where snow-people would lean on the sprinkle-full immersion theological debate. They’d go for the sprinkling. They couldn’t help being hydrophobic. Water hazard would mean something entirely different to the snow folk.
Cartoon of a boy and a dog in its dog house. The boy says, “I don’t expect you to win prizes, but can’t you spruce up your house for Christmas?”
I never could get my dog to spruce up the old house for Christmas either. I even had her watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” It didn’t do a thing to help my unmotivated hound.
Cartoon of the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. The Easter Bunny says, “I had a surplus last year. Could you make a few Easter eggs into stocking stuffers?”
I used to wonder if the holiday characters had formed alliances. This would have been a good thing if I didn’t get what I wanted for Christmas, and the Easter bunny would take over Santa’s list in the spring.
Alas, neither Santa Claus nor the Easter Bunny ever brought me that nuclear powered jet pack. How was I supposed to rocket around Sheridan Indiana without a jet pack? I was doomed to take the school bus just like everyone else.
I came across this blog post about creativity and aging.
Mary Sayler: In A Writer’s Life: Artistic, creative people get creative at any age
I agree with her assertion that at any age people can find creative outlets.
It reminded me of my grandfather. He was a minister for over fifty years at the same church. He was sharp as a tack until he retired from the ministry and had no plan for what retirement would look like. He slowly lost his mental acuity and his passion for life.
We all have a calling. Age or retirement is not a reason to abandon your calling. Keep doing what you were born to do.
I’ve seen children’s ministry volunteers who lose their passion once their kids leave the ministry. But some of the greatest volunteers I’ve seen have volunteered way past retirement age. If you have a passion for teaching kids, don’t give up because your child has grown up.
I have a passion for writing and drawing for children. I also have a passion for children’s ministry. I’ve been so glad to have the last week to be able to focus on my calling and realize what a need there is for people with a passion.
What’s your calling? No matter what your age is, make a commitment to do what you were born to do!