I like like the song " Where Are You Christmas" from the movie "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". It's one of those songs that you like but at the same time makes you sad. When I first heard the song, which was when I first saw the movie, it seemed to fit how I had been feeling. I love Christmas and Christmas time, but over the years something seems to have happened and Christmas wasn't the same.
Christmas for me has always been wonderful. Everything about this time of year excited me. Doing Christmas crafts in school, Christmas decorations everywhere, Christmas movies and cartoons, the cold weather, church Christmas plays, Christmas music, the sites and sounds and smells of Christmas, and family get together'. All of these things and more were for me the magic of the season.
My family and my uncle and aunt on my mother's side, would always meet at my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve. My grandmother's house was unique. There was a fireplace in the kitchen where we liked to poke the burning wood with the poker and we even roasted marshmallows over the fire. In the kitchen was where we all would eat, even though it was kinda small. My cousins and I were of course resigned to the kiddie table. Out of the kitchen there was a short hallway that opened into a small bedroom and then through the bedroom was a large living room with several old couches and chairs. This is where we opened our presents.
After Christmas at my grandmothers, we would go home and for me, later on that night Santa Clause would come. It was always a little fun to sneak and look for my presents. It was fun because I knew when something was missing. Then there was that fateful Christmas when Santa Clause didn't come. His helpers thought I had gotten too old to get gifts from Santa Clause.
Some years later after my brother and sister had moved out of our house, my grandfather passed away and my grandmother was forced to move out of her house. After that, marriages and moving' and various passing' of other family members seemed to separate the family on both my mother and fathers side. We no longer met for Christmas as we used to.
Now, I still love Christmas, but it seemed to have lost some of that magic it used to have. It wasn't the same anymore, so when I heard the " Where Are You Christmas " song, I was deeply saddened. Over the years I did what I could to make Christmas wondrous again and after the birth of my children, I really wanted it to be something special to them as it was to me as a child. I love watching them experience Christmas. I began to realize that like the song, Christmas had not left me. It had grown and changed, but it was still Christmas.
This Christmas I have received two special gifts. One was that my family from my mother's side all came to visit at my parents house for Christmas with my grandmother. Some of the family wasn't able to be there, but I enjoyed getting to see them all after so long. The next gift I have gotten is an answer to the question about certain Christmas celebrations.
You see, for years now Christmas has not only been attacked from outside the church, but inside as well. Well meaning saints who believe we should shun all things that have any hint of pagan origin. Christmas trees, elves, and even Santa Clause himself. Some think that if we allow our children to believe in Santa Clause and they find out he isn't real then because they don't see Jesus physically they will believe he isn't real. I am not going to enter that debate ( though I could ). Like all things it is a heart issue and it is what you teach your children.
Proverbs 22:6 " Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
It's like this, have you ever had to untangle Christmas lights? When you first buy Christmas lights they aren't tangled up. They come in a nice package neatly wound or stranded on a piece of plastic or cardboard and you take them off and hang them. Then, after you take them down after Christmas, sometime in between that and taking them out to put hem up again the next Christmas, they somehow get into a tangled mess. Well, Christmas among other things have become like those tangled Christmas lights.
The manufacturer of the Christmas lights never intended for the lights to be tangled, and likewise God the creator of Christmas, never intended for the magic and miracle or meaning of Christmas to be twisted and tangled. Paganism, like any false religion is nothing more than a tangling or twisting of the truth. The enemy, Satan is a created being who's purpose and design was twisted by the sin of his heart. He, Satan, wants to be like God, but he cannot create like God, he can only tangle and twist what God has already created.
I believe that if you were to really search, you would find that most Christmas traditions and beliefs are rooted in pointing people to the miracle birth of Jesus Christ whom it is that we truly celebrate on Christmas. It was Gods love for his creation/His children/His family that Jesus was born and to be our savior. I believe that is why family being together especially at Christmas time means so much.
In most churches there is a table that usually a bible or communion set is placed on. On the front of the table is often inscribed the phrase " This Do In Remembrance of Me", meaning whenever you take communion do it in remembrance of the one who was the true flesh and blood sacrament. I believe that at Christmas, whatever we do, we do in remembrance of Him and in His celebration. The joy, the love, the excitement, the magic and wonder of Christmas will mean so much more and we won't have any trouble Finding Christmas.
In Christ,
Kevin
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving: The Forgotten Holiday
On Halloween, which was on a Sunday this year, a friend and I were making an impromptu run to Wal-Mart between church services. As we were walking in, my friend saw the huge Christmas tree Wal- Mart had put up in front of the main aisle. My friend said, "No, tell me it ain't so, Halloween isn't even over yet and they have started putting out Christmas decorations!". I kinda laughed to myself at his statement, but then had this thought. Thanksgiving: The Forgotten Holiday.
It seems as though every year stores begin to put out Christmas items earlier and earlier. It even seemed to me that this year was the first time they were put out even before Halloween had come and gone. We are used to the idea of the world trying to take Christ out of Christmas and certain media outlets and stores saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", but we have never noticed that there is not much said about Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, I know there are few Thanksgiving specials and things of that nature, but usually they are not seen until maybe a week before the holiday. I noticed that even though there are a lot of fall decorations, I have not seen much specifically Thanksgiving themed and again the Christmas decorations that are always available before.
Today being Thanksgiving, I know that most people are readying themselves to see family and friends and eat all the wonderful food that will be prepared. I know that my title may even seem a bit odd for an article on this very day, but if you know me, you know there is more to be seen. So, with that said, here it is. Why Thanksgiving?
Beyond what we traditionally know as Thanksgiving holiday and this nations history and the why and how Thanksgiving became a holiday, Why be thankful and to whom? Even though it is seldom said, we usually go with the knowledge that we are giving thanks to God for the blessings he has given us. We are thankful for our families, for our jobs, our homes, our friends, etc., but we often forget things that we are so used to that we do not think about them.
Take a moment and go get a mirror or go stand in front of one. Now, look at yourself. Don't do a quick look, take a few moments and pay attention to your features. Your hair, your eyes, your skin, your shape ( don't get depressed, I could lose a few to ). Take a few moments and just notice yourself. Now consider this, God created what you are looking at. Down to the most minuscule detail of you, God created you. When God created you, He broke the mold. Oh, there are people in the world who will look like you and favor your characteristics, but even identical twins are not 100% to most minute detail identical. When God created you He had a purpose for you. I don't know what your purpose may be but I know God wouldn't have created you without one.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
God had our purpose and plans settled before we were even born. The knowledge of that should be enough to settle in us any doubts and fears that we have about who we are and where we should be going. You may not know specifically what, but you do know there is. This is one thing we can be thankful for. That we were created special and have a special purpose.
Giving thanks to God for everything is vital. It makes us feel good when do something that helps someone else and they show and express their gratitude. We get an emotion boost and we feel love and approval. God is not devoid of emotion or need. It was God who gave us our emotions.
Hebrews 13:15,16 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
To give or offer thanks to God pleases Him. It is a sacrifice for us because our carnal natures do not want to do it. Giving thanks to God shows Him our love and acceptance of Him as our God and Jesus as our Lord.
In our holiday festivities, I encourage you to pull away by yourself for a few moments and give God your true expression of thanks. Thank Him for His many blessings to you and for the blessing of you and let us not make Thanksgiving the forgotten holiday.
In Christ,
Kevin
It seems as though every year stores begin to put out Christmas items earlier and earlier. It even seemed to me that this year was the first time they were put out even before Halloween had come and gone. We are used to the idea of the world trying to take Christ out of Christmas and certain media outlets and stores saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", but we have never noticed that there is not much said about Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, I know there are few Thanksgiving specials and things of that nature, but usually they are not seen until maybe a week before the holiday. I noticed that even though there are a lot of fall decorations, I have not seen much specifically Thanksgiving themed and again the Christmas decorations that are always available before.
Today being Thanksgiving, I know that most people are readying themselves to see family and friends and eat all the wonderful food that will be prepared. I know that my title may even seem a bit odd for an article on this very day, but if you know me, you know there is more to be seen. So, with that said, here it is. Why Thanksgiving?
Beyond what we traditionally know as Thanksgiving holiday and this nations history and the why and how Thanksgiving became a holiday, Why be thankful and to whom? Even though it is seldom said, we usually go with the knowledge that we are giving thanks to God for the blessings he has given us. We are thankful for our families, for our jobs, our homes, our friends, etc., but we often forget things that we are so used to that we do not think about them.
Take a moment and go get a mirror or go stand in front of one. Now, look at yourself. Don't do a quick look, take a few moments and pay attention to your features. Your hair, your eyes, your skin, your shape ( don't get depressed, I could lose a few to ). Take a few moments and just notice yourself. Now consider this, God created what you are looking at. Down to the most minuscule detail of you, God created you. When God created you, He broke the mold. Oh, there are people in the world who will look like you and favor your characteristics, but even identical twins are not 100% to most minute detail identical. When God created you He had a purpose for you. I don't know what your purpose may be but I know God wouldn't have created you without one.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
God had our purpose and plans settled before we were even born. The knowledge of that should be enough to settle in us any doubts and fears that we have about who we are and where we should be going. You may not know specifically what, but you do know there is. This is one thing we can be thankful for. That we were created special and have a special purpose.
Giving thanks to God for everything is vital. It makes us feel good when do something that helps someone else and they show and express their gratitude. We get an emotion boost and we feel love and approval. God is not devoid of emotion or need. It was God who gave us our emotions.
Hebrews 13:15,16 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
To give or offer thanks to God pleases Him. It is a sacrifice for us because our carnal natures do not want to do it. Giving thanks to God shows Him our love and acceptance of Him as our God and Jesus as our Lord.
In our holiday festivities, I encourage you to pull away by yourself for a few moments and give God your true expression of thanks. Thank Him for His many blessings to you and for the blessing of you and let us not make Thanksgiving the forgotten holiday.
In Christ,
Kevin
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