I had to check my calendar on Monday to make sure it wasnt the first of April.

Since did you hear that the online trader Amazon is developing miniature drone aircraft to deliver books and D Ds in !" minutes direct to your home# Most commentators thought that it was no more than a publicity stunt. $ertainly such a capability must be years in the future. %et despite the nay sayers warning of air traffic control disasters& landing problems and childrens safety& you have got to admit it is a great vision ' a great idea of what might be possible.

(ow it has to be said the same cynics and moaners have had a go at the vision we have heard of in Isaiah. Indeed& it does seem on the face of it to present an overly sentimental and idealised view of nature. A concept somewhat neatly suggested by the sketch on the screen at the moment. )or we all say ' nature is cruel ' it is dog eat dog ' it is the devil takes the hindmost.

(evertheless do we not yearn for a transformation such that the lion will live in harmony with the o*+ wolf and the lamb+ the child with the viper. And if you do thirst for such a future surely you are not doing so out a wistful desire of a ,eatri* -otter ending. Instead we pine for natures transformation because we know we are really talking about .ustice and fairness and compassion. /e are re.ecting e*ploitation& misery and cruelty. In all honesty& we are starting to grapple with

that deepest possible peace that is beyond understanding. /e are indeed tuning into 0ods plan. (evertheless& saying all that& we can still have our doubts about the very real probability of this transformation ' we still greet Isaiahs words with a Scottish ' Aye that will be right1

2owever& if do say that then we are in danger of being part of the problem rather than being part of the solution.

3he better part is to ensure that we have our hearts in the right place. If we want to be a foundation stone of transformation we need to do the hard mental work of convincing our innermost being that we want all manner of things to change. If we want to found and find universal peace we need not .ust see history but demand daily to change it.

And all that means being part of Santas team.

3o e*plain that statement& I need to tell you the story I posted on the churchs face book page this week. An unknown others once wrote 4 I remember tearing across town on my bike on the day my big sister

dropped the bomb5 63here is no Santa $laus&7 .eered my sister. 68ven dummies know that17 I fled to my grand4mother that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew 0randma always told the truth& and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier with one of her world4famous cinnamon buns. 0randma was at home& and between bites& I told her everything. She was ready for me. 6(o Santa $laus17 she snorted. 69idiculous1 Dont believe it. 3hat rumour has been going around for years& and it makes me mad& plain mad. (ow& put on your coat& and lets go.7 60o# 0o where& 0randma#7 I asked.

6/here7 turned out to be :erbys 0eneral Store& the one shop in town that had a little bit of .ust about everything. As we walked through its doors& 0randma handed me ten dollars. 3hat was a bundle in those days. 63ake this money&7 she said& 6and buy something for someone who needs it. Ill wait for you in the car.7

I was only eight years old. Id often gone shopping with my mother& but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. 3he store seemed big and crowded& full of people scrambling to finish their $hristmas shopping. )or a few moments I .ust stood there& confused& clutching that ten4dollar bill& wondering what to buy& and who on earth to buy it for.

I was .ust about thought out& when I suddenly thought of ,obbie Decker. 2e was a unpopular boy with messy hair who he sat behind me in Mrs. -ollocks class. ,obbie Decker didnt have a coat. I knew that because he never went out for playtime during the winter. 2is mother always wrote a note& telling the teacher that he had a cough+ but all we kids knew that ,obbie Decker didnt have a cough& he .ust didnt have a coat. I fingered the ten4dollar bill with growing e*citement. I would buy ,obbie Decker a coat. I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm& and he would like that. I didnt see a price tag& but ten dollars ought to buy anything. I put the coat and my ten4dollar bill on the counter and pushed them toward the lady behind it. She looked at the coat& the money& and me. 6Is this a $hristmas present for someone#7 she asked kindly. 6%es&7 I replied shyly. 6Its ; for ,obbie. 2es in my class& and he can afford have a coat.7 3he nice lady smiled at me. I didnt get any change& but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry $hristmas. 3hat evening& 0randma helped me wrap the coat in $hristmas paper and ribbons& and write& 63o ,obbie& )rom Santa $laus7 on it ; 0randma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. 3hen she drove me over to ,obbie Deckers house& e*plaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santas helpers. 0randma parked down the street from ,obbies house& and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes. Suddenly& 0randma gave me a nudge. 6All right& Santa $laus&7 she whispered& 6get going.7

I took a deep breath& dashed for his front door& threw the present down on his step& pounded his doorbell twice and flew back to the bushes. 3ogether we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. )inally it did& and there stood ,obbie. 2e looked down& looked around& picked up his present& took it inside and closed the door.

Is the Isaiah vision of a transformed nature only a fairy tale#

Is your door closed to the deep peace#

Do lifes ,obbies remain cold#

3hey need not be this advent time.

%ou and I only need to .oin the team1

Amen

2%M(;