Lydia Chorpening
Shell Lake, WI 54871
Phone: 715-731-0035
A Focus for Christmas
Last week I was looking forward to a day in Eau Claire and shopping in my favorite craft store. This rare treat was meant to help me find creative supplies for my Christmas cards and letters. I needed something to convey an expressive message of God’s love wrapped up in Christmas.
The loaded isles failed to inspire me. I loitered in front of displays of paper, stamps, stickers and ornaments. As my energy waned and I had found nothing that depicted the birth of our Savior or which inspired me. I stopped a young employee and asked, “Can you show me something in your store that depicts the real meaning of Christmas? Do you have a nativity or anything portraying the birth of Jesus?”
He looked puzzled and finally led me to a woman his senior. She graciously searched the shelves with me and turned up two rubber stamps which had a resemblance of the real meaning of Christmas. I asked her to report my sorrows to her management.
While our President identifies himself with the Muslims (check out: www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tCAffMSWSzY#=28), we can hold on to our Christian roots and reclaim territory for Christ. We can begin with focused trips to the malls.
If you’re shopping and feel like dropping it may be because:
You’re in a store that’s void of meaningful Christmas content.
You’re looking at seasonal displays with mere “holiday greetings.”
You’re trying to find Christmas in the ash heaps of humanistic distractions and secular displays.
You’ve joined the multitudes who shop for things they can’t afford to impress people you don’t appreciate.
You know you’re digging a grave of debt which will not glorify the Christ of Christmas.
You realize that as soon as the celebrations are over you’ll be sinking into the emotions that come with leftovers…useless and crumpled gift wrap, dirty dishes, discarded or fought over toys, unneeded items, overstuffed stomachs and an overload of sweets.
All this is to say, if you’re shopping until you’re dropping (which was my case) you need to stop! You may need to return some of the things in your cart. Here are questions to ask before you reach the register.
Are you buying to impress or to keep you from looking cheap?
Are you shopping because it’s a tradition?
Do you have things at home that will put more meaning into Christmas than the things in your cart?
Are you buying to meet someone else’s needs?
Are you loading your cart with gifts that will glorify the Christ of Christmas?
Here are some things that help make Christmas meaningful for me.
Displaying my nativity scenes.
Speaking up for the cause of Christmas.
Sitting with a shut-in or sharing a meal.
Sending cards and letters with messages of God’s redemptive love.
Baking something to share with a lonely neighbor.
Family time and meaningful conversation.
Singing carols of Christ’s birth.
We can make a difference in our homes and communities without spending a ton of money which we can’t afford.
Phone: 715-731-0035
A Focus for Christmas
Last week I was looking forward to a day in Eau Claire and shopping in my favorite craft store. This rare treat was meant to help me find creative supplies for my Christmas cards and letters. I needed something to convey an expressive message of God’s love wrapped up in Christmas.
The loaded isles failed to inspire me. I loitered in front of displays of paper, stamps, stickers and ornaments. As my energy waned and I had found nothing that depicted the birth of our Savior or which inspired me. I stopped a young employee and asked, “Can you show me something in your store that depicts the real meaning of Christmas? Do you have a nativity or anything portraying the birth of Jesus?”
He looked puzzled and finally led me to a woman his senior. She graciously searched the shelves with me and turned up two rubber stamps which had a resemblance of the real meaning of Christmas. I asked her to report my sorrows to her management.
While our President identifies himself with the Muslims (check out: www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tCAffMSWSzY#=28), we can hold on to our Christian roots and reclaim territory for Christ. We can begin with focused trips to the malls.
If you’re shopping and feel like dropping it may be because:
You’re in a store that’s void of meaningful Christmas content.
You’re looking at seasonal displays with mere “holiday greetings.”
You’re trying to find Christmas in the ash heaps of humanistic distractions and secular displays.
You’ve joined the multitudes who shop for things they can’t afford to impress people you don’t appreciate.
You know you’re digging a grave of debt which will not glorify the Christ of Christmas.
You realize that as soon as the celebrations are over you’ll be sinking into the emotions that come with leftovers…useless and crumpled gift wrap, dirty dishes, discarded or fought over toys, unneeded items, overstuffed stomachs and an overload of sweets.
All this is to say, if you’re shopping until you’re dropping (which was my case) you need to stop! You may need to return some of the things in your cart. Here are questions to ask before you reach the register.
Are you buying to impress or to keep you from looking cheap?
Are you shopping because it’s a tradition?
Do you have things at home that will put more meaning into Christmas than the things in your cart?
Are you buying to meet someone else’s needs?
Are you loading your cart with gifts that will glorify the Christ of Christmas?
Here are some things that help make Christmas meaningful for me.
Displaying my nativity scenes.
Speaking up for the cause of Christmas.
Sitting with a shut-in or sharing a meal.
Sending cards and letters with messages of God’s redemptive love.
Baking something to share with a lonely neighbor.
Family time and meaningful conversation.
Singing carols of Christ’s birth.
We can make a difference in our homes and communities without spending a ton of money which we can’t afford.
If you go to www.StoneOfGold.org you will see the newest edition of my book which will make a very meaningful gift.
No comments:
Post a Comment