Sane, Simple, Sacred: Temporary Clarity

Temporary Clarity

Three red trees that appear better in "real life"

"...but I think pretty flashing Christmas lights out in the snow don't necessarily have a lot to do with the sacred birth of Messiah..." It was this line in an otherwise rather wandering post on a blog site with an intriguing name (to me) that finally brought clarity (at least temporarily) about the whole celebrating Christmas situation.

I may not agree with her starting point, but I think I DO agree with this statement. For me, this Christmas, it would be more intellectually honest to say, "I love this holiday called Christmas. I love the traditions. I love carols, candles and cookies. I love sleighs, poinsettias, fireplaces with stockings, the giving of gifts, and everything ELSE that says "Christmas"!

We do get carried away with purchasing, decorating, and partying. Sometimes some of us actually ARE celebrating Jesus' birth. Other times we are celebrating a season and trying to bring some coziness and warmth into our homes and family life. Sometimes the advent banner that says, "It's All About Family" IS our truth, and it really isn't all about Jesus. So rather than lying, pretending or feeling guilty or twisting things to put the best spin on them, at least I want to be honest and say,

" pretty flashing Christmas lights out in the snow

don't necessarily have a lot to do with the sacred birth of Messiah..."

Ah! Clarity! Temporarily, at least...
Oh, Eileen. Your comment on my last post contributed
to my temporary clarity, too! Thank you.

6 comments:

Heather's Blog-o-ramaDecember 4, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Thanks for writing this ;) :) Yes, we're going to remember HIs birth this year. Hey, did you realize that Christmas falls on a SUnday this year? Yeah :) :) :) Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)
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Jacquelyn StagerDecember 4, 2011 at 5:44 PM
those little red trees are very pretty!

I love your statement: "I love this holiday called Christmas. I love the traditions. I love carols, candles and cookies. I love sleighs, poinsettias, fireplaces with stockings, the giving of gifts, and everything ELSE that says "Christmas"!

Since when do we need to apologize for the joy we feel during this season? In our sincere desire to pull back from the frenzy of the way "the world" celebrates the holidays, I believe many Christians have laid a guilt trip on themselves that Jesus never intended. As you know, I too am on a quest to celebrate in a more sane, simple, and sacred way...I say let's celebrate our savior's birth in a way that will attract others to Him...let's be honest...as you said...and not deny we love the warm feelings we get from our traditions, and we love drawing our families and friends close. These are gifts our Heavenly Father has bestowed on us...like all good gifts, we need to accept them with gratitude and thanksgiving. All the while, let us not abuse what we have been given or profane the holiness of the season with undue excess. I am SO excited about THIS Christmas...without my Savior I would be so lost, so undone, so pathetic. WITH Him, all things are possible. Luke 1:37
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Janie FoxDecember 4, 2011 at 7:11 PM
ditto to everything Jacquelyn said.
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AnonymousDecember 4, 2011 at 8:23 PM
A hearty AMEN to what Jacquelyn said! Oh, my goodness, since when do we celebrate ANYONE's birthday with "sitting" and no colorful fun? It's no wonder so many people want nothing to do with Christianity - even Jesus thought there should be more wine at the wedding!
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Breathing In GraceDecember 4, 2011 at 9:48 PM
Ms. Rebeccca...you might be "award free"...but I left you one on my blog. You don't have to go thru the "requirements"...but I wanted to let you know how much you mean to me!!!
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SandyDecember 5, 2011 at 7:49 AM
A hearty AMEN! to everything Jacquelyn said!!
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"We simplify, not just to be less busy, even though we may be right to pursue that. Rather, we simplify to remove distractions from our pursuit of Christ. We prune activities from our lives, not only to get organized, but also that our devotion to Christ and service for His kingdom will be more fruitful. We simplify, not merely to save time, but to eliminate hindrances to the time we devote to knowing Christ. All the reasons we simplify should eventually lead us to Jesus Christ!" (Donald S. Whitney)

Dedicated to my sister-in-law, Beth--a TRUE home manager....

"I work for a King. He has put me in charge of his home. When He comes to see how I have managed His possessions and His children, I do not want to be found wanting. I want to do my best. Everything I have is on loan from Him. I have room and board and a job to do, but it is all for Him. Therefore I want to dress my best and do my best in all my work. I also want to be creative, for this is a sincere attempt to glorify Him and His beautiful creation. How I manage my home is a form of worship to Him." --Lydia Sherman

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Contentment makes poor men rich.

-Benjamin Franklin

"What I am gradually discovering is that in the writing I come in touch with the Spirit of God." ~ Nouwen

~~"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting."~~Edmund Burke

C.S. Lewis: "To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in trusting a person if you wouldn't take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him."

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony." William Henry Channing

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Apostle Paul: "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand. It stops us from taking anything for granted. It has also taught me alot about living in the immediate moment. I am somehow managing to live one day, one hour at a time." Madeleine L'Engle

FIVE CERTAINTIES
WITH WHICH TO
START YOUR DAY

God holds you. Each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 NLT
God sustains you. THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. Psalm 23:1 AMP
God covers you. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust. Psalm 91:4 AMP
God pours His love upon you. Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me. Psalm 42:8 NLT
God will not fail you. The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Lamentations 3:22 NLT

THE BLOGGER'S PRAYER Lord, help me to learn to spell without spellcheck, manage to visit all that visit me, and post regularly - all in 5 minutes a day, so that I can clean house and take care of my family. Help me to not look at every occurrence in my life as a blog post, and to quit taking pictures of weird things to share as well. Please Lord, help me to stop talking about my blog friends as though they are next door neighbors or someone I have known all of my life. And help me, dear Lord, to think of something witty and wise to post tomorrow.
Love, The Dust Bunny Hostage

Sane, Simple, Sacred

Mercy

Temporary Clarity

6 comments:

Writing a Song a Week #3