Note: this is a blog from before Christmas. Since we didn’t have internet really until recently, I am just going to copy and paste what I had written in my journal to post once I was near internet.
12.21.09
Tonight we had praise & worship outside our house in Chinteche with the church. It was so beautiful praising God under His glorious creation. I felt so close to Him standing under the vast starlit sky.
Anyway, tonight they asked someone to speak, so I offered. I decided, since Christmas is only a few days away, I should speak about what God has been teaching me lately about how I have been celebrating the birth of my Savior.
I was nervous at first because I was afraid it wouldn’t resonate with anyone, so I prayed before I began that the Holy Spirit would give me the words to speak. I told them how Christmas is typically celebrated in America, but I gave it from my perspective:
Christmas season begins the day after thanksgiving. My family begins the season by chopping down a tree on black friday and break out the boxes and boxes of decorations, nativity scenes, garland, lights in every room, ornaments candles, everything. Companies and offices begin hanging christmas decorations, stores are selling ornaments, Starbucks sells peppermint mochas and the radio stations begin playing Christmas music. America doesn’t look like America anymore. It looks like the North Pole.
As for me, I break out the classic Christmas movies, listen to Christmas music (even more than I already do) and begin baking Christmas cookies ’til my heart’s content.
Once Christmas Eve arrives, my family busy all day preparing for a big party we host directly after the evening service. We’re so busy preparing that the service almost turns into a burden because we must get home and do the final preparations before people arrive.
Then on Christmas day we open all the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree, indulge in all the left overs from the party (yum!) watch a movie with the Dallenbachs, exchange more gifts and close the “birthday party” by opening the stockings.
When I was accepted for the World Race, one of the first things I thought about was how I will be missing all of these festivities. All of the 7 months prior to (Christmas) I was dreading Christmas and knowing I would be a mess on Christmas Day. Luckily I found a lot of teammates who felt the same. We all decided to be the Christmas Party Planning Committee for our squad this Christmas. We’d all be together, have a Christmas pageant and find ways to decorate and eat a lot of food.
Turns out my team is alone this month, in a place without electricity. When I found out I was so upset. This would be the worst Christmas yet.
Just the other day, God began to speak to me. Then Warren asked me why I am on the Christmas PPC and we have yet to plan anything. I didn’t respond (until I gave this message). But this is why I have nothing planned, because God told me this:
For 23 years you have celebrated Christmas the same exact way. None of it glorifies the birth of Jesus! You get more excited about hot cocoa, baking cookies, watching christmas movies, going to christmas sweater parties, and the overall feeling of Christmas than you do for the birth of your Savior. Idolatry.
The movies you watch are about Santa Claus and the music is about falling in love during the holiday season. Where is Jesus.
I don’t think Jesus likes the way I’ve been celebrating his birthday. In fact I don’t think he even wants to come to the party. If Jesus were still walking on Earth how do you think he would want to celebrate? By praising our Father, loving each other and serving the poor. I think if Jesus were still walking on Earth he would come to our churches and homes and throw the tables over like he did in the synagogues, furious and yelling saying, “you’ve completely missed the point!”
I think God put my team by ourselves in a remote area so I can experience the birthday party God intended for Jesus. A party that isn’t about me feeling sorry for myself that I am not home for the festivities, but a party that celebrates the birth of our savior the way he would celebrate: praise love and service. I don’t know what it will look like exactly this Christmas, but I do know it will be the best Christmas I will have celebrated.
Jesus is the reason for the season.. How did we forget?
