I think I stepped on some toes today including mine. It’s tough for us anytime we challenge the status quo. For our culture the status quo is to spend A LOT at Christmas time. I think the original motive was and is still good but somehow we have become like a runaway train out of control. I wonder how it went from giving simple, meaningful and many times needed gifts to people you love in the spirit of sharing and generosity to an excessive and materialistic stuff exchange with people you love but who already have most everything they need and want? (Sorry, that’s got to be a run on sentence).
In case you weren’t there we read a story from Little House on the Prairie about the incredible excitement over a few simple things like a cake, candy, a cup and a penny. I don’t know if we can ever get back there. We just don’t live in that place. But, other people do.
I think its hard any time you go against the flow of what most of our culture does. I don’t think we want to be weird or seem like joy killers. Isn't that the point though? We want there to be more joy that has somehow seemed to escaped us in all the wrapping and ribbon and plastic. What kind of response did you have to the message this weekend? Did it spark an idea in you? Did you feel like I was way off base? Weigh in and tell us what you think God wants us to do with this whole “spend less to invest more” mentality.
Griff
I think its hard any time you go against the flow of what most of our culture does. I don’t think we want to be weird or seem like joy killers. Isn't that the point though? We want there to be more joy that has somehow seemed to escaped us in all the wrapping and ribbon and plastic. What kind of response did you have to the message this weekend? Did it spark an idea in you? Did you feel like I was way off base? Weigh in and tell us what you think God wants us to do with this whole “spend less to invest more” mentality.
Griff
4 comments:
Here are some thoughts toward how we got into this giving frenzy. Since I missed your message today I should not comment on what you said. These thoughts are prompted by your blog entry. By the way, I have a good excuse for missing church.
Back in the day, as my son-in-law says, I could count on argile socks from my two aunts that lived close by. My brother and I did not get joy from those socks.
We did a gift exchange in elementary school. We drew names. Some kids had no money and you knew if they got your name because the gift would be a comb or finger nail clippers. I did not get joy from these gifts.
My parents always managed to get something I wanted and I did get joy out of these gifts.
My parents generation were children during the great depression and were fortunate to receive a gift for Christmas. My father's favorite gifts seemed to be the fruit and candy. That is probably why we could always count on these two every Christmas at our house. Since this generation had little they chose to lavish their children with more than needed. I would be one of these children. So, this lavishness passed on to the next generation and so on down the line. I would say then that the root to the current madness is love.
Those argile socks are sure pleasant memories today and give me great joy. I wonder where Wanda is today and if she has a comb for her hair and grandchildren. I wonder how she could even come up with a comb? Perhaps it was hers that she gave?
What an underserved gift my Father in Heaven gave to us. Sometimes we fail to receive the joy of this gift but just like the argile socks from my childhood I'm feeling the joy more and more these days.
Merry Christmas!
This has been one of our hardest "grown up" decisions to keep. We decided when we had children that we wouldn't give them Christmas gifts, other family members could. It wasn't about denying the kids something it was just about switching the focus.
We are HUGE on birthdays. Birthdays are great, they are all about how special it is that you are a part of the family and how blessed the day was that you came into this world.
So one was to look at it is that Christmas is Jesus' birthday. And you wouldn't show up at a birthday party and have a gift for everyone in the room but the guest of honor. So we are trying to ask our children "what should we get Jesus for his birthday?" instead of what would you like for Christmas.
If this topic interests you, check out Morgan Spurlock's new film "What Would Jesus Buy". It's all about the consumerism- of both Christmas and the American lifestyle.
The film isn't available in wide release yet. (The same companies that could promote it also need big retailers to carry their DVD releases.) So surf the web for more info, trailers, etc.
I really appreciate the comments this week.
I love the comment Dexter made about love being the root of the current madness. I think it's important to recognize the truth to both sides of that statement. Thanks for the balance there.
I also appreciate Mrs.Needham's idea of celebrating Christmas as Jesus' birthday and the diferent perspective that gives. It's really about Jesus even though we've let it become about us.
I have honestly never asked the question of the DVD that Fred mentioned. What would Jesus buy?
Anyone got an answer to that question. Say Jesus was your brother or your brother-in-law; what do you think he would buy you for Christmas?
Griff
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