Celebrating Christmas

I read a Facebook post late last night
(that could very well be the start of so many stories…)
and I was taken aback by it.

The gist is that Christians that celebrate Christmas are dishonoring God.
That God is not pleased or honored by rote rites and we should not create special days for religious reasons.
This was the position of the poster as well as some others that chimed in.
Many more others disagreed.

Exhortations to be better aware of Bible teaching ensued.
Repeated patient concern for dissenter’s spiritual health.
The word ‘truth’ was emphasized.
The Apostle Paul was quoted several times.
A warning to dissenters (implied or explicit I will not judge)  that they may hear ‘depart from me i never knew you’.

I will not engage.
But I cannot quite put it out of my mind.
Perhaps the OP would consider that being under conviction.
I dunno.
Maybe.

But more likely I wonder at people that are so sure they understand it all.
Wonder at the depth of conviction that they must cry out against the world and point towards their understanding.
That any occasion that turns the thoughts of people to God and His Love is an ‘act of lawlessness’ (from further responses on that post).

I understand the frustration of commercialism.
I get the pagan origins of the date.
Totally understand the significance of the redemption, death, and rebirth stories and legends that are the part of so many cultures.
Not bought into December 25th as a factual date, myself.
Never taught my children that Santa was real.
And yet.
And still.

I do not have a surfeit of visible love in my life
nor do I see an abundance of selfless love and joy in the world.
Perhaps it is the duty of such a believer to, posting, shine the clinical light on the world on ‘Christmas Eve’.
Maybe this is a missionary work,
spreading seeds on ground that (in my case) is rocky and in other’s fertile and receptive.
Perhaps that is a calling,”
getting the same unwelcome reception that greeted prophets in ages past.
And greets those that stand on sidewalks still.

I suppose if you want to turn people away from celebrating Christmas then this is the optimal 24 hours to do so.

As for me,
I will attend services tonight at a church to which I do not belong.
With people that I do not know.
Singing songs that give me both comfort, strength, and lift my heart to God in thankfulness for His many gifts.

And once again marvel the way so many things changed at the birth of a baby.

 

 

 

 

 

Wash Your Face

There is a book phenomenon making the rounds.
Sells lots of copies.
Has a sequel out now.
She’s a speaker, a CEO, a ‘mogul’.
There are over 11,000 reviews of the book on Amazon.
(WOW!)

I have not read the book.

Maybe I would like it.
I don’t know.

I do know I like the title.
I have no idea,
really,
what it means to her and her readers.
Her work of improving your life,
being a success,
change the way you think,
believe in yourself;
It sounds good, but not good enough to make me read it to understand the title.
But that won’t stop me from writing about it.

To me- wash your face means taking off the artificial.
Removing the stuff that stops you/others from seeing you, warts and all.

To me- wash your face means getting prepared.
Cleansing yourself.
Focusing on the essential.

To me- wash your face, is doing just the essential.
Maybe it’s part of what my gramma called a ‘sponge bath’.
A hasty dab and go.
Out the door and getting things done.

To me- wash your face is  removing the film that clouds your own perception of the truth.

Maybe it is also about removing the log in your own eye before pointing out the speck in your neighbors.
Better to wash your face in preparation to get to work  than wash your hands in denial.

There was another Christian author that I recall from the 70s.
Sheila Walsh, maybe?
No, I don’t think so.
Joyce something?
I can’ t remember.

But I do recall that it was very controversial in the strict conservative circles that she said it was a good thing for women to wear makeup.
She said (paraphrase because: the 70s have been a minute ago)
If the barn needs painting you paint it.
(The 70s minced no words, y’all)
Artifice!
Deceit!
Man, wouldn’t the 70s have been blown away by Ulta?
By Sephora?

Buy I found comfort in that.
You do what you do.
Make yourself feel better.
Confident.
Go on and use the primer/foundation/concealer/blush.
Hit up the eye shadow/contouring/bronzer.

But when you go to sleep.
When you prepare to take on a new day.
When you want to kick back and be YOU: wash your face.

Those that love you won’t run away.

(This post is part of the #31DaysOfWritingChallenge2019 )