But I'm going to keep this post edifying -- I hope.
I was reading John Piper's website, as I have for years, and I guess I missed today's commentary when it was originally posted in 2007. So glad he posted it again. The resolutions are wonderful. I won't list them all here, but I do want to mention one:
I have a friend, Tammi, who thinks holidays are wonderful, but then just about every day is a celebration to her. She loves life and people in a way that I just thought I did. Her door is open to anyone and she embraces all comers. I admire her big heart. We should all be this willing to love people. But most people aren't like Tammi. Most people don't hang out with the Lord. For most people the holidays are about a show that makes them high so they can affirm that they're good people, worthy people, good sons or daughters, or husband or wives, or mothers or fathers, or lovers or whatever. Or it's to forget how boring their lives are. Or both. I think one reason I am so put out with holidays is not just that so many people do this (yes, I've been guilty of it too), but that somehow we're all supposed to act like that's not what's really going on. I hate that. I hate game playing. I hate it when people pretend.
So where's the edifying part? Well, I could have written about how I hate New Year's resolutions. Seriously, the edifying part is that we need to hang out with the Lord more. When we hang out with the Almighty, everyday is a holiday, my friend.
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2 comments:
Making my new year's visit to hang out with the Almighty bZirk:)
I understand perfectly your disillusionment with the annual holiday season. But that's only been true about me for the past 5yrs or so. Can remember my shock a few yrs back when my mother-in-law decided to stand only a ceramic tree on a table in her home and call it sufficient. At that time my idea of decking the halls was to remove every year-round item from walls, tables, windows and replace them with traditional festive wreaths, a tree for the family room AND living room and exterior lights galore. Sometime between then and now an ideal Christmas morphed into one moderate sized tree, a few outside lights and about 4 wreaths - 2 outside, couple more inside. Any space that looks rather empty is filled by Dec 25 with the arriving holiday greeting cards from family & friends.
Somehow we more than survive and feel very festive in our sparingly decorated abode. Today I'm perfectly understanding of my m-i-law's change of heart. Isn't it interesting how we eventually learn to most appreciate people rather than the pomp and circumstance of life:)
Thanks for your comment, RiCrAr (I just figured out what exactly that stands for; so much for the almighty me. :D)
I'm not down on festivities and decorations at Christmas or any time. I love parties and decorations -- mostly at someone else's house. :D It's what comes with it that I get weary of. What I'm learning to do is let my joy in living flow more. But I'm stubborn. Thankfully, the Lord is more tenacious than I am. LOL!
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