Is it time for a little perspective?

I find it ironic that immediately before Christmas, people were adamantly posting about how much they hated the blatant consumerism of the day, how they were going to spend nothing, etc... Yet, today, there are countless threads of people talking about what they got for Christmas. Or what they gave someone else.

In last night's Christmas message, I spoke about our need to return to our Christian values, regarding this holiday. This holy-day/holy night, IS Christian. It is ours - and we have to re-claim it.

Christmas is not about gifts, cookies, cards, Santa, reindeer. It's also NOT about family. That's a lie even the churches are buying into.
Simply put, Christmas is about the incarnation. How God came to us, to live among us as a human being. His purpose was clear: to show us, not just the way to salvation, but also to live a full and joy-filled life in relationship to the God who loves us.

When someone asked me if I got what I wanted, I replied "I already have all I need. And so do you."

Christ, our savior, is born. Alleluia!

so that presents loom large in their minds.

I find that the older I get, the less I care about presents. For me, the highlight was last night's Christmas Eve service, where we choristers sang for a packed church and the service ended with the choir and clergy recessing by candlelight.

I also need to remember that most people our age (I know I'm presuming... I'm 43) are with family, and probably not posting on DU right now.

I asked Hubby for one gift for Christmas -- a birdfeeder. I went along to pick it out.

I'm buying him a tool, and he told me to wait until after the holidays, when things go onsale. I couldn't think of anything else I wanted -- if I need something, I go out and buy it. A number of married couples that I know said they weren't buying each other anything for Christmas, by mutual agreement.

I envy you your Christmas eve service. I'm starting to wish I'd gone to our Midnight mass. If only I weren't so lazy.

As a Christian, you are supposed to be patriotic to God's great nation. And part of your patriotic - and therefore Christian - duty is buying shit. Endless pallets of it, which you soon throw away.

And therein lies the problem. I have way too much shit, and I don't throw any of it away. I'm one of those "Depression-Era Grandchildren," who learned that you don't throw anything away, because "you might need it some day."

Americka - spelled with an "ick" because we're sick.

My grandfather was a pack-rat. I am not sure it was depression related, although I think they did have a savings account wiped out. In the late 1980s my grandmother was telling me that grandpa "lost his job for a little bit in one of those downturns". I was thinking to myself "holy cow, grandma, you are talking about the Great Depression like it was a hiccup."

German ancestry + Catholic or Lutheran guilt. You don't get to complain about your life, because "somebody somewhere is worse off than you. Oh, and Jesus had to die because of you, you, YOU. You should be grateful he loves a miserable sinner such as yourself."

Fortunately, my parents aren't like that... but it most certainly is in the air and the water around here. (why else do you think Rabrrrrrr and I are so grumpy?)

I'm glad I grew up UCC, so I didn't have that stuff at church, but it was in the air of my Lutheran-raised extended family and, of course, in the air of Wisconsin itself.

;)

But not from Wisconsin, though I have family there.

and Grandpa had a German name, but was 6th generation American. My paternal line seems to have been unchurched after they left the Moravians and moved west. The Swiss joined/started German Reformed churches in Sauk County.

Since you are my age, I wonder if either of your parents went to school with my dad or uncles. Dad was class of 1952 Madison East, class of 1956 UW. I actually picked up a 1956 Badger yearbook at a rummage sale about ten years ago.

My parents were older when they married (it's a miracle I was born).

Dad is 87, and Mom is 78. He attended Milwaukee Teacher's College (now UWM) after WWII, worked a while, then got his PhD after we were born. Oh, and he grew up in Pembine (way, way north, by Iron Mountain).

Mom grew up in West Allis, and did not attend college.

lives in West Bend, which everyone confuses with West Allis.

And anyone in WI should, I repeat, SHOULD know the difference! :)

Her family came to California from Wisconsin in the late 1800's because they thought the cows would be happier and more productive. I don't think it ever occured to her that people might be happy too. If your life was bad, well somebody else's life was worse and Jesus died for the whole miserable lot of you. The cows were happy and the creamery was making cheese, so who were you to complain?

Me and my siblings, we were scared of her. We knew she loved us, but in a God-fearsome grizzly bear mamma kind of way.

i really do find professional sports on Christmas a bit much. But I'm not a Packers fan.

We were done by 11 a.m.

But last year, when they played on Christmas Eve, I missed the entire second half - and about half of my congregation as well. :(

the game ended just as the worship service ended. Someone was out in their car in the parking lot waiting to pick someone up listening to game, and when the person came out to the car he told her that the Packers had just won, so the woman went back into the church and told the minister who then announced it to great cheers!

At the benediction, the son was jumping up and down, and I asked him if he had an announcement. It was kind of cute, really. :)