Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Jesus

Should I say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

Does saying “Merry Christmas” actually mean that you are a Christian and standing up for God? If it does why? "Merry Christmas" is not just a christian phrase. Politcally correct or not, several people say it and are not a christian, so if we challenge the church to say Merry Christmas in defense of the gospel, I don’t think the rest of the world cares, or even say,”wow those people are christian b/c they said 'Merry Christmas.'”

Further on that, but separate – saying "Merry Christmas" would not save the gospel. Does that mean give up, NO! But, we have to do a whole lot more than just say "Merry Christmas" for people to encounter the gospel for this or any other Christmas season.

Last thing I would say is – Saying happy holidays could be more Christian that actually saying Merry Christmas to someone. This could be true especially now that it is a huge media thing and has become an agenda for Christians and non-Christians to battle. For example, when we are in conversation with the cashier or the someone else waiting in line at the store, saying Merry Christmas to them could really turn them off to Jesus b/c, “Merry Christmas” is nothing but a vein agenda for Christians to have their way.

This whole issue boils down to something much larger and that is tied to not being able to teach creation in schools, post the ten commandments, and say America is one nation Under God. I am afraid that Christianity has developed this reputation of winning rights to be push our agenda of prayer, ten commandments, saying God in speeches, teaching creation, and getting rid of abortion, rather than proclaiming Jesus. Can all these things be related to Jesus? Yes, but that is not it? Lesslie Newbigin said, “The confession ‘Jesus is Lord’ implies a commitment to make good that confession in relation to the whole life of the world – its philosophy, its culture, and its politics no less than the personal lives of its people. The Christian mission is thus to act out in the whole life of the whole world the confession that Jesus is Lord of all.” [the open secret]. So, our mission is the confession, not to push our agendas. I think the issue boils down to the fact that the mission has become lesser than proclaiming Jesus, it has become about proclaiming prayer, anti-abortion, etc.

When I read about Jesus, I see him interacting with people who had agendas that they were trying to push, and he shut them down like nobody's buisness. The Pharisees came to Jesus asking and testing him about agendas all the time. Back then, they were agendas like, the Sabbath, taxes, divorce, and shaking or raising hands for a promise. If you remember, he said to them, "What ridiculous hairsplitting!.. You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment - the absolute basics! - you carelessly take it or leave it." [matt. 23].

Sometimes i think we miss the tree for the leaf, the forest for the tree.

I am Santa

This past weekend Gina, who is my wife, spent a lot of time with her best friend. Whenever they are together - look out! They come up with the most random and spontaneous ideas ever. So the idea this past weekend was to dress me up like Santa, and Gina to be Mrs. Claus trying to hit on Santa. They went to the store bought some fake sheep hair for my beard. I got some load straps from my truck that were red and made suspenders out of them. Then we went outside and took pictures in the snow. Then my neighbor came out gave me his Christmas list.

The only part that was not good, was that the sheep hair got all over me. It was so bad I had to get a shower after it.

Dear Spotting & Earrings

I have done something recently that has made me feel a little on the rebellious side... I pierced my ears. The experience was a little weird b/c I did it in the mall in one of those booths where everyone can see you. So, I had to act tough. The other thing that was weird was the smell of the place. I think the lady had just eaten lunch and I think she had tuna. I was really afraid that I was going to end up throwing up b/c the mixture of getting holes pocked into my ears and tuna did not settle well in my mind... it still doesn't.

Also, me and two friends went dear spotting @ 1 am. This I had never done before. it was a lot of fun, besides the fact that the spotter kept dying from having a weak battery. We saw a bunch of dear, and one buck. i think they like to play games with us. There was one time when we found a buck and he rand into the brush to hide but he was still staring at us. We turned around to get a better look and he was gone. Sneaky little guy!

One last thing, I went into Hot Topic to find some cooler earrings, and I decided to gauge my ear. I went from 18g to a 12g. That means I made the ear hole bigger. I was there with my wife and this other girl who was very experienced in ear piercing. I could tell she was experienced b/c she had about five or six piercing on her face alone... I trusted what she had to say.

Anyway, she was saying how gauging your ear does not hurt that bad, but she said that she was used to it and could endure pain. What was I going to do with that, say, "No I cant endure pain" of course I can. Honestly, I was a little nervous. But I followed through with it. I went home and got a hot shower (they said that helps it go through easier) then sat on the toilet as my wife forced the earrings through the hole that was too small. The first ear was not that bad, but the second we had to stop halfway through b/c she could not get it all the way in... I did not enjoy that so much.