Thursday, December 6, 2007

Stop Complaining - An Advent Reflection

Adapted From
"My Big Beef About Christmas"
by Rachelle Mee-Chapman


"Isn't it awful how "they" have hijacked Christmas!"

Christmas has basically equaled time with family + commercialism since the 1800's. The 1800's people! How long are we going to complain about it being hijacked?! Isn't 200 years enough?

Besides, what about the family half of the equation. The warm lovely let's-create-family-memories part may not be oriented around the manger bare, but at least it's shalom-like in nature. And as for the marketing stuff, well we're all sucked into that one way or the other. Seriously, have you seen the ads for the Singing Christmas trees and Live Nativities at the mega churches? And face it, you and I are just as into gift giving and red-and-gold wrapping as the next guy. Besides, it's nice to give presents. It feels generous and loving and celebratory--again, all stuff that can move us a little closer to shalom, if we are present to it.

I don't know. I guess I'd just like thear someone talk about the things we can celebrate in our cultural expression of Christmas. What if we tried to embrace that which is good in our "national" holiday? What if we saw the God-active spots in our cultural celebration---a desire to be together, a hope for peace on earth, an impulse towards generosity -- and we supported that whole heartedly. And what if we expressed alternatives to that which we cannot embrace?


  • Where our celebration is soul-less let us offer something, not accusatory and prideful, but humble and soul-ful.
  • Where there is excess let us offer simplicity. Where there is marketing, let us offer story.
  • Where there is illusion, let us offer unvarnished bits of truths.
  • Where there is debt, let us offer relief. Where there is need, let us offer charity.

I sometimes question the transformative nature of Christianity. So often we seem to get stuck in these cycles of blame, critique, and ...well...just outright poutiness. But I never question the transformative power of Jesus, of purposing ourselves towards living like Jesus. If we seriously commit to being Jesus-y, well, things just have to change.

Let's try it, shall we? Let's experiment. Let's play in the fields of grace. Go ahead, start a meme. What three things will you embrace about our culture's expression of Christmas? (i.e. Where will you dance in the overlap?) What three things will you practice an alternative to? Here's mine.

Things I'll Embrace about my culture's Christmas:

  1. I will embrace spending time with friends and family.
  2. I will embrace giving charitably to those among us who are poor.
  3. I will embrace expressing love towards friends and family through thoughtful gift giving.

Thing's I'll practice an Alternative to:

  1. I will not run around like a chicken with my head cut off during the holiday season (I will limit my "Christmas" events and parties and enjoy and "be present" in those I attend) and I will practice "Sabbath".
  2. I will be intentional about my gift giving and moderate in my spending.
  3. I will be conscious of the season of advent and the expectation that goes with it.

Tag! You're it!

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