The Advent of Change

Well, the Christmas season is here again. -And this season, we want change. Tugging at our hearts for years is this insight that things in our culture are so hurried, so worried, so spoiled by such affluence and stimulation. We've wanted change for some time.
So now we're making it, a little at a time.

Here's our wish list this year:
1. Scaling back on "obligatory" giving (you know, the kind that's there just for the sake of it? You've probably been the recipient of such giving, and the lack of meaning and purpose you felt is what I'm talking about.)
2. Worshiping with more fervor, zeal and sincerity-outside the box. Praying, trusting & resting more, as a gift to the Christ child, new every day.
3. Looking around us more closely at need, and suffering, and hopelessness, and making a resolution to make some of it go away.

As a visual reminder, our home is this year void of all the "Christmasy" fluff. Instead, we've added only slight hints of blue and gold. Sky blue, representing hope for true change, and gold, representing a real Kingdom that exists in the here and now-a Kingdom of rest and childlikeness that lives pure trust & rest, longs to share with the hurting, and revels in the peace that the little Savior still so longs to give with His presence in our lives.

The tree: a rugged, twisted juniper (long stripped of its foilage) that we've found here on the ranch behind our home. It stands bare, open, and ancient -the way we'd like to do the season from now on. It speaks from the corner: resist the notion that we must all do things the same. Stretch out the tent pegs of your thought and worship and live for better every day!!!

Other than a couple of tokens, Papa & Nana will this year forego the obligatory giving to one another that feels much like pushing oneself away from the table, stuffed, and yet strangely empty. We have what we want. But there remains a giving that fills, and feels good. We're seeking and enjoying that this year, and our prayer is that it will grow in our lifestyle.

These are not revolutionary ideals. But the vision is often caught, then lost again. We swim in a current full of stress, greed and purpose-less-ness. And inasmuch as we can remind ourselves to swim against it, we can make some headway. But we just need to be reminded.
Here's a valuable resource out there to help us in that pursuit. We invite you to join us in it, and re-think the season a little yourself this year.
May the Lord of love find you this beautiful season
...and give you His peace.