advent-ure

I find it really difficult to get in the "Christmas Spirit". it's one of those things i struggle with every year. first, i'm skeptical of most things in american christmas culture. i hate shopping. let's get that out right away. when there's a day called "black friday" that's about getting a company "in the black," my skepticism says, "if you could get in the black by selling things cheap, why don't you sell them for that price all year long?" people get trampled and lose babies for bargains. really? have we got to the point where a 25% off plasma is worth a life, let alone our soul? i'm not the gift-giving type and it's not my love language. my love language is "time together" and christmas inevitably gets so crazy that it's less time together than usual.

second, i get sick of cheezy christmas music. i love the songs about jesus, such as "o come, o come, emmanuel" or "silent night," even if some of the theology is a little tweaked. but it's infinitely better than the chipmunks, mariah carey or date-rape christmas (baby, it's cold outside - seriously, listen to the lyrics). i found a christmas music station and the chipmunks came on and nate said, "a baby's singing." how am i supposed to respond to that? "no buddy, it's a rodent. make that 3 rodents promoting self-indulgent consumerism. like chuck e. cheese."



thank goodness for incredibly great christmas music. stuff like frank sinatra, bing crosby, third day, orchestral arrangements and sufjan stevens.



can we please get rid of santa baby, and last christmas? what can Wham! seriously contribute to christmas?



enough with the rant. i have been getting very excited about advent. in fact, advent conspiracy is one of the best things i have ever heard of. it has brought awareness to the needs and plight of other people. it forces me to consider the reality that i have enough stuff. and what i love, is that even though our church is under budget (as are many churches across the nation), there is not even a hint of changing advent conspiracy.

let's get real for a moment. i think that a struggling economy is good for christmas. it's good for our faith. we must change our focus from consumption to compassion. if we call ourselves followers of jesus, we're calling ourselves followers of a homeless man, who was born in a town in the outskirts to underpriveleged parents, was marginilized by society and died a convicted felon. and these are the people that we ignore the most. as americans, we are vain to feel we have a "right" to feed our appetites and ignore key teachings of Jesus. maybe we need to feel the reliance on a God who takes care of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. i think we need a little more CHRIST and a lot less MASS-consumption.

it appears i have ranted again. it also appears i must be harboring some bitterness. so here's my prayer: God, may we learn to love one another this christmas. may we give in a way that is sacrificial and relational instead of guilt-ridden and obligatory. may we give out of love rather than for love. may we give ourselves to jesus in order to be the church he can use in a world that needs you.