Read All About It...: December 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Consumer

Stuff and money. We humans are wired to greed. We want riches. We don't necessarily need it, but we want it. Why?

I don't want to gain all the riches of the world and lose my soul.

Dear God,
Help me to slay the greedy selfish parts of me. Help me to be content with my entire situation. Help me to remember the things that really matter. Family, friends, the love that has kept me going. Help me Lord to create instead of consume.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Good News for the Modern Me

What does Christmas mean to me? Is it really about Jesus' birth to me? It's easy to think that it's about receiving presents, or what to buy for him or her. It's easy to think that it's about giving, but why is it about giving? Why is it about peace on earth and goodwill towards all people?

Who is this Jesus and what does he have to do with me?

Jesus was born to be a savior. His birth was the beginning of a revolution of love. I forget that. Christmas is about the life of a baby who would bring hope to me. According to my human nature, I am destined for failure, destined to die and destined to be punished for all of my wrong doings. But Jesus sacrificed his life so that I could live in freedom.

But am I living in freedom? Well, no. Parts of the hopeful, belief in me have died. Not all dead, but I'm certainly far from a promised land. But Christmas is a time to hope, to be merry, to celebrate the birth of a little baby who brings freedom. I'm not free from the world or myself at the moment. I am a little bit in the pit, but it's Christmas. It is not about the lights and trees, the presents, the red and green, the ugly sweaters, and I need to remember that someone was born to rescue me from my natural bend toward darkness.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Comfort and Joy

The holidays are generally supposed to be a time of comfort and joy, but maybe my expectations are too high. I keep trying to force holiday cheer for myself, but I end up disappointed.

Part of me wants this Christmas to be filled with decoration and celebration, but maybe I'm just trying to cover up being so sad. I really miss my dad, and as Christmas looms over my head, I just want to be with Quinn and Ashley, eating warm bowls of spaghetti and platefuls of molasses cookies, and then I want to just have a good cry and lie in bed and cuddle with my two best gals.