I doubt the same way I dream. Most of my doubts are short-lived, fuzzy, and I
forget them as soon as I "wake up." Sometimes my doubts are bizarre. They leave me with more questions than answers and I try my best
to put them aside and move on with the rest of my day. The worst doubts are
like nightmares that last long after the night is finished. They have some leverage and reasoning. They scare me and consume my thoughts, making it difficult to trust.
I've learned
to react to both doubts and dreams the same way: with prayer. I ask God to help me see clearly. I tell friends about what's going on
and get advice. Often, I over-think and end up wasting a day or a few days in worry and
confusion. Typically, prayer is just the thing I need to put me back on my feet in the morning.
I don't always understand why nightmares scare me, or why
doubts, so big and strange, invade. One thing I do know: both are
important. Some aren't nearly as important as others. Like that time I
doubted that the Redskins could beat the Steelers. Or that
time I dreamed I was a pink kitten named Fleur.
No, the important ones
shape you. I have doubted if I was really a Christian. That caused me to
explore my faith, the Bible, God's work in my life, and taught me to
seek godly advice and healthy friendships. I had a few nightmares last year
where all my friends forgot me and shut me out of their lives
completely. That caused me to appreciate the strength
and reliability of true friends.
The doubts and the dreams will keep coming, I don't doubt that, but we're not powerless. God wants us to go to Him with our doubts, place them in His hands, and then trust Him to take care of them and teach us what we need to know.
He will.
Will you trust Him?
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Out of Zion
"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." Psalm 50:2
Our God is coming back.
We need to remember that.
Life gets awfully confusing sometimes. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to "be when I grow up." I have a lot of wonderful friends who are trying to help me understand what I'm supposed to do and why I'm here. However, standing in the middle of it all is tough because I am confused.
My high-school mentor, my "other dad", expressed to me the other day that doubts are very prevalent in this time of one's life. I'm fairly certain one can experience doubt at any point in life. Who am I? Do I have some glorious purpose I'm supposed to realize? What if I'm not one of those special people who history remembers? Why am I here?
Doubts like these are pretty scary when they come along. So what do we do?
I once spoke with a man who said that hope was the strongest force available to humanity. "Nothing beats real hope." As a Christian, my hope is in the Living God. He told us He is coming back: "Behold, I am coming soon..."(Rev. 22:12) I believe that. I am living for the day when I see God's face. This hope is genuine; it is trustworthy.
But hope cannot survive on its own.
"Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."(Hebrews 11:1) Hope all by itself is exhausting and open to a lot of doubts. That's why you need faith. Faith steadies hope. When hope feels flimsy or foolish, faith has to be there to back it up.
Frequently, I find it necessary to go back to the basics of my faith. What is it that I actually believe? What are the things that I see everyday that defend my beliefs and help me know that my faith has a foundation?
What is the only foundation that will stand the test of time, life, experience, doubt? "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus."(1 Corinth. 3:11)
Jesus is the only foundation. When we know that and trust Him, we can believe His promises. Life is full of doubts, but we should not be afraid of doubt.
Bigger picture moment: I'm a small thing. I will make an impact on few lives at few moments throughout my life and I will not be remembered by history (at least not accurately.) God is big. He made everything and He made it all for a purpose. No matter how big my confusions and doubts seem, God is bigger and stronger. All my little battles are part of a really big war that the Bible talks about. You know this stuff: Good vs Evil, God vs Satan, "principalities, ...powers, ...the rulers of darkness of this world." (Ephesians 6:12) And you know what the best part is? God is winning.
He promised to come back and end the war. In power. In love. In majesty. In awe-inspiring splendor. In undeniable victory.
His church, the Bride of Christ, has nothing to fear. I have nothing to fear. God is going to come back, and when He does, He will shine.
Our God is coming back.
We need to remember that.
Life gets awfully confusing sometimes. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to "be when I grow up." I have a lot of wonderful friends who are trying to help me understand what I'm supposed to do and why I'm here. However, standing in the middle of it all is tough because I am confused.
My high-school mentor, my "other dad", expressed to me the other day that doubts are very prevalent in this time of one's life. I'm fairly certain one can experience doubt at any point in life. Who am I? Do I have some glorious purpose I'm supposed to realize? What if I'm not one of those special people who history remembers? Why am I here?
Doubts like these are pretty scary when they come along. So what do we do?
I once spoke with a man who said that hope was the strongest force available to humanity. "Nothing beats real hope." As a Christian, my hope is in the Living God. He told us He is coming back: "Behold, I am coming soon..."(Rev. 22:12) I believe that. I am living for the day when I see God's face. This hope is genuine; it is trustworthy.
But hope cannot survive on its own.
"Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."(Hebrews 11:1) Hope all by itself is exhausting and open to a lot of doubts. That's why you need faith. Faith steadies hope. When hope feels flimsy or foolish, faith has to be there to back it up.
Frequently, I find it necessary to go back to the basics of my faith. What is it that I actually believe? What are the things that I see everyday that defend my beliefs and help me know that my faith has a foundation?
What is the only foundation that will stand the test of time, life, experience, doubt? "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus."(1 Corinth. 3:11)
Jesus is the only foundation. When we know that and trust Him, we can believe His promises. Life is full of doubts, but we should not be afraid of doubt.
Bigger picture moment: I'm a small thing. I will make an impact on few lives at few moments throughout my life and I will not be remembered by history (at least not accurately.) God is big. He made everything and He made it all for a purpose. No matter how big my confusions and doubts seem, God is bigger and stronger. All my little battles are part of a really big war that the Bible talks about. You know this stuff: Good vs Evil, God vs Satan, "principalities, ...powers, ...the rulers of darkness of this world." (Ephesians 6:12) And you know what the best part is? God is winning.
He promised to come back and end the war. In power. In love. In majesty. In awe-inspiring splendor. In undeniable victory.
His church, the Bride of Christ, has nothing to fear. I have nothing to fear. God is going to come back, and when He does, He will shine.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
The Mystery of the Mask
Introduction:
Before I begin, I'd like to present the disclaimer that this is more of a progression of slightly-related concepts than an official study. If you ever wondered, this is most similar to my actual brain activity. Enjoy.
Background:
Growing up, I read a lot of stories about mysterious people: spies, wizards, aliens, people in masks, hermits, the hooded man in the corner of the inn telling an unusually small person to be careful. *cough* Rangers and hobbits *cough*
Cool Stuff:
Two common themes among these suspicious characters were the obtaining of 1) a second name and 2) a disguise. An alias and a costume. For what purpose? To hide in plain sight.
You see, I grew up learning about people who had a reason to hide. People who didn't want to be recognized. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. Being yourself, but not. Disguised as someone else. Basically, being two people at one time. Inspired, I made an alias for myself, designed costumes (always involving a cape), and cut masks out of shiny black cloth.
Eventually I put away the cape (though it's still hanging up in my closet), and turned my alias into a character for a book I'm writing and will probably never finish.
Study:
It took me a long time to realize why the culture has so many stories of people who want to hide. I started putting the pieces together when I met certain people. People who didn't have my easy life. No, these folks have history. They have lived through things I cannot imagine and it surrounds them like a cloud.
I believe this is where we get the concept of "aura" or "essence." Something that is the person, but extends outside their body. I believe our experiences surround us, making it harder for people to see who we truly are, and yet easier in some ways. It's hard to see through to people who have their lives and histories floating around them, and yet, the more essence a person has, the more you can see who they truly are by all they've gone through.
[Side Note: If you're not hiding anything, but hiding behind it all, you're creating a paradox of being seen and unseen at the same time. I get the impression that people love paradoxes.]
They say a disguise always reflects the person it covers. Your personality seeps into everything you do and manifests itself in various ways. Some of those ways are your manner of speech, the way you carry yourself in public and in private, your clothing, and, most importantly, what you speak up/fight for. In actuality, it's impossible to hide yourself completely.
Most people manage for a long time to hide certain things: their darkest moments, the things that haunt them, etc. Even these should be shared at some point. This is where trust comes in. In my own experience, sharing my deepest secrets with people whom I trust allows me to begin letting go of my fear and insecurity. There is a peace that comes with knowing that someone who loves you knows what you struggle with and can help you recover.
Denouement:
I say all this, but I still don't have the answer for why people hide. I've tried to hide sometimes. I can fool people who don't know me at all, but I can rarely ever fool the people who know and love me.
I've hidden because I was hurting, ashamed, embarrassed, trying to keep a secret, planning a surprise, lots of reasons. Most often, though, I hid because of my pride. Somehow, real honesty in various situations would injure my pride. In consequence, while I protected my pride, I isolated myself from people I love and broke trusts. Hiding has rarely ever resulted in nice things. So why do I still struggle with it? It really doesn't make sense, but I want to try to be as genuine as possible.
Application:
I would urge you to identify your essence, so to speak, and figure out what you're hiding, and what you're hiding behind. What do you allow people to see about yourself and your history? What are you keeping from people who love you and want to help you? Most of all: What are you hiding from God? The Bible says in Hebrews 4:13, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." He can see you clearly while you pretend that He can't. If you're hiding from God, you're estranging yourself from Him, disconnecting yourself from the One who has promised to forgive your sins and make you more like Himself. It's the most beautiful promise ever and we'll just make ourselves miserable by choosing to ignore it.
Before I begin, I'd like to present the disclaimer that this is more of a progression of slightly-related concepts than an official study. If you ever wondered, this is most similar to my actual brain activity. Enjoy.
Background:
Growing up, I read a lot of stories about mysterious people: spies, wizards, aliens, people in masks, hermits, the hooded man in the corner of the inn telling an unusually small person to be careful. *cough* Rangers and hobbits *cough*
Cool Stuff:
Two common themes among these suspicious characters were the obtaining of 1) a second name and 2) a disguise. An alias and a costume. For what purpose? To hide in plain sight.
You see, I grew up learning about people who had a reason to hide. People who didn't want to be recognized. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. Being yourself, but not. Disguised as someone else. Basically, being two people at one time. Inspired, I made an alias for myself, designed costumes (always involving a cape), and cut masks out of shiny black cloth.
Eventually I put away the cape (though it's still hanging up in my closet), and turned my alias into a character for a book I'm writing and will probably never finish.
Study:
It took me a long time to realize why the culture has so many stories of people who want to hide. I started putting the pieces together when I met certain people. People who didn't have my easy life. No, these folks have history. They have lived through things I cannot imagine and it surrounds them like a cloud.
I believe this is where we get the concept of "aura" or "essence." Something that is the person, but extends outside their body. I believe our experiences surround us, making it harder for people to see who we truly are, and yet easier in some ways. It's hard to see through to people who have their lives and histories floating around them, and yet, the more essence a person has, the more you can see who they truly are by all they've gone through.
[Side Note: If you're not hiding anything, but hiding behind it all, you're creating a paradox of being seen and unseen at the same time. I get the impression that people love paradoxes.]
They say a disguise always reflects the person it covers. Your personality seeps into everything you do and manifests itself in various ways. Some of those ways are your manner of speech, the way you carry yourself in public and in private, your clothing, and, most importantly, what you speak up/fight for. In actuality, it's impossible to hide yourself completely.
Most people manage for a long time to hide certain things: their darkest moments, the things that haunt them, etc. Even these should be shared at some point. This is where trust comes in. In my own experience, sharing my deepest secrets with people whom I trust allows me to begin letting go of my fear and insecurity. There is a peace that comes with knowing that someone who loves you knows what you struggle with and can help you recover.
Denouement:
I say all this, but I still don't have the answer for why people hide. I've tried to hide sometimes. I can fool people who don't know me at all, but I can rarely ever fool the people who know and love me.
I've hidden because I was hurting, ashamed, embarrassed, trying to keep a secret, planning a surprise, lots of reasons. Most often, though, I hid because of my pride. Somehow, real honesty in various situations would injure my pride. In consequence, while I protected my pride, I isolated myself from people I love and broke trusts. Hiding has rarely ever resulted in nice things. So why do I still struggle with it? It really doesn't make sense, but I want to try to be as genuine as possible.
Application:
I would urge you to identify your essence, so to speak, and figure out what you're hiding, and what you're hiding behind. What do you allow people to see about yourself and your history? What are you keeping from people who love you and want to help you? Most of all: What are you hiding from God? The Bible says in Hebrews 4:13, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." He can see you clearly while you pretend that He can't. If you're hiding from God, you're estranging yourself from Him, disconnecting yourself from the One who has promised to forgive your sins and make you more like Himself. It's the most beautiful promise ever and we'll just make ourselves miserable by choosing to ignore it.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Devotions
Hey all! Been a while since I wrote. Sorry about that. Anywho, I'd like to pick up with a few thoughts about personal devotions in the Bible. It's something I've always wanted to do since my family did devotions together when I was little. Last summer, lots of Staff members at The Boardwalk Chapel mentioned how helpful their devotion times were for them, so this past spring I tried it for myself.
It was hard. Sounds crazy, but it was very very difficult to decide every single day that I was going to read a chapter of the Bible. I wanted to go all the way through, and that was easy back in Genesis and Exodus. But by the time I got to Leviticus and Numbers? I'll be honest, they are boring. Tons of Levitical rules and, well, numbers. I'm not a math genius or even minorly interested in which animals were used for which sacrifices. That said, I was determined to keep going, no matter how boring it was.
This is where I need to pull you aside and whisper in your ear: It was the best decision I made all year.
God gave us His Word for a reason. Lots of reasons, in fact, but one reason in particular: that we may know Him.
Know a Spirit? Know the force that created the universe? Know the Almighty God who sits in Heaven and judges the quick and the dead?
Yes.
Because He's personal and He made you and He loves you. He inspired the writing of the Bible so that we can know who He is and why He loves pathetic, hairy creatures like you and me.
When I was first told that Jesus loved me and died on the cross to save me, I read only the gospels. I thought that because that's where Jesus was in person, that that was the only place I could learn about Him. Don't really know where I got that idea...
The truth is, you can find out who God is from books like Deuteronomy and Joshua as well as in Matthew and Mark! He performed miracles all throughout the Bible, all throughout time! He made laws, saved His people from enemies, caused them to have victory over their enemies, and cared for each individual, family, and tribe in Israel. He even cared for people in the other nations, like Rahab in Jericho and Ruth in Moab! God was saving Gentiles way before the book of Romans.
Sorry, tangent.
Anyways!
I've now been reading through the Bible for my devotions for six months or so. I'm two chapters away from the book of Judges and I have learned so much about God.
It's really difficult. There's a spiritual battle going on every time you go to read the Bible because Satan doesn't want you to fall more in love with God. Every night, I have to make a conscious decision to open my Bible and read... or decide I'm tired and go straight to sleep. It can be pretty tough on some nights more than others.
One of my personal inspirations for choosing to read the Bible is its impact on me the next day. I can honestly say that I am more ready to face the day if I have read my Bible the previous night. (btw, devotions at night is my personal preference. They can take place at any point in the day and the effect is the same: sustenance.) I am sustained and nourished by Scripture just like I am by food. Super cool.
I'd like to close with a nerdy thought about the etymology of the word "devotion". It's a Latin word that means to consecrate. Consecration or profound dedication is meant to be more than patting myself on the back because I read a chapter of the Bible. It's a hunger, a yearning, a deep-seated, driven plunging of my whole self into the Word of God.
I need it. I need to know more about my Savior, Redeemer, and Friend.
"With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." -Psalm 119:10-11
Read the Bible. It was written for you.
It was hard. Sounds crazy, but it was very very difficult to decide every single day that I was going to read a chapter of the Bible. I wanted to go all the way through, and that was easy back in Genesis and Exodus. But by the time I got to Leviticus and Numbers? I'll be honest, they are boring. Tons of Levitical rules and, well, numbers. I'm not a math genius or even minorly interested in which animals were used for which sacrifices. That said, I was determined to keep going, no matter how boring it was.
This is where I need to pull you aside and whisper in your ear: It was the best decision I made all year.
God gave us His Word for a reason. Lots of reasons, in fact, but one reason in particular: that we may know Him.
Know a Spirit? Know the force that created the universe? Know the Almighty God who sits in Heaven and judges the quick and the dead?
Yes.
Because He's personal and He made you and He loves you. He inspired the writing of the Bible so that we can know who He is and why He loves pathetic, hairy creatures like you and me.
When I was first told that Jesus loved me and died on the cross to save me, I read only the gospels. I thought that because that's where Jesus was in person, that that was the only place I could learn about Him. Don't really know where I got that idea...
The truth is, you can find out who God is from books like Deuteronomy and Joshua as well as in Matthew and Mark! He performed miracles all throughout the Bible, all throughout time! He made laws, saved His people from enemies, caused them to have victory over their enemies, and cared for each individual, family, and tribe in Israel. He even cared for people in the other nations, like Rahab in Jericho and Ruth in Moab! God was saving Gentiles way before the book of Romans.
Sorry, tangent.
Anyways!
I've now been reading through the Bible for my devotions for six months or so. I'm two chapters away from the book of Judges and I have learned so much about God.
It's really difficult. There's a spiritual battle going on every time you go to read the Bible because Satan doesn't want you to fall more in love with God. Every night, I have to make a conscious decision to open my Bible and read... or decide I'm tired and go straight to sleep. It can be pretty tough on some nights more than others.
One of my personal inspirations for choosing to read the Bible is its impact on me the next day. I can honestly say that I am more ready to face the day if I have read my Bible the previous night. (btw, devotions at night is my personal preference. They can take place at any point in the day and the effect is the same: sustenance.) I am sustained and nourished by Scripture just like I am by food. Super cool.
I'd like to close with a nerdy thought about the etymology of the word "devotion". It's a Latin word that means to consecrate. Consecration or profound dedication is meant to be more than patting myself on the back because I read a chapter of the Bible. It's a hunger, a yearning, a deep-seated, driven plunging of my whole self into the Word of God.
I need it. I need to know more about my Savior, Redeemer, and Friend.
"With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." -Psalm 119:10-11
Read the Bible. It was written for you.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
On Dreams
Dreams.
They're not meant only for the night.
They follow you throughout the day.
Dreams.
Some disappear with the rising of the sun.
Some disappear with the opening of your eyes.
Some cling.
Some stay.
Dreams.
They unite us 'round a campfire or walking down a wood path.
They skip into our memory in unexpected moments.
They catch us unawares.
Dreams.
Some say we dream in black and white. Some say we dream faceless people. Some say we dream meaningless nothings.
Some say dreams are built from memories. Some say dreams are random. Some say dreams are the brain's way of entertaining itself at night and confusing us in the morning.
Some say dreams hold answers.
Dreams.
They're important.
...And strange.
Dreams.
Sometimes they hurt.
Sometimes they hurt a lot.
Sometimes they make us sweat
or scream
or wish to never sleep again.
Dreams.
Sometimes they inspire.
Sometimes they are exactly what we need.
Sometimes they help us hope
and write
and assign purpose to what we don't understand.
Dreams.
"A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep. In dreams you lose your heartaches; whatever you wish for, you keep."
They're not meant only for the night.
They follow you throughout the day.
Dreams.
Some disappear with the rising of the sun.
Some disappear with the opening of your eyes.
Some cling.
Some stay.
Dreams.
They unite us 'round a campfire or walking down a wood path.
They skip into our memory in unexpected moments.
They catch us unawares.
Dreams.
Some say we dream in black and white. Some say we dream faceless people. Some say we dream meaningless nothings.
Some say dreams are built from memories. Some say dreams are random. Some say dreams are the brain's way of entertaining itself at night and confusing us in the morning.
Some say dreams hold answers.
Dreams.
They're important.
...And strange.
Dreams.
Sometimes they hurt.
Sometimes they hurt a lot.
Sometimes they make us sweat
or scream
or wish to never sleep again.
Dreams.
Sometimes they inspire.
Sometimes they are exactly what we need.
Sometimes they help us hope
and write
and assign purpose to what we don't understand.
Dreams.
"A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep. In dreams you lose your heartaches; whatever you wish for, you keep."
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Share a Holiday
Recently, I became aware of a concept that is both inspiring and intimate. As soon as my eyes were opened to it, I was very compelled to try it. I am still unsure of why this seems like such a good idea, but that is what I wish to explore in this post.
My best friend sat down with me on Friday and we started talking about Thanksgiving and how her family had spent the day with their childhood friends instead of extended family. She remarked on how special it felt to experience a holiday with someone else for a change. The conversation moved on, but her comment stayed with me. It seemed odd. The only time I've known people to spend holidays with anyone other than their families were couples. That is typically how I meet my cousins' girlfriends and boyfriends: they bring them to the family gatherings at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. My mind went immediately to the possibility of myself sharing the holidays with someone else. Unfortunately, I told myself, I would need a boyfriend for that. Though, maybe not.
Then I got to thinking, as one does when one encounters intriguing possibilities. Thinking then led to blogging, as it does, so please bear with me.
Why share a holiday?
What is it that makes these holy* days special? One significant feature of holidays is that working and/or schooling members of the family are usually able to come home and spend time with one another. Another is the element of rest that is very present in everyone (except those burdened with the task of feeding all the other family members). Yet another is the community spirit that arises in decorating, events, and general good feelings inspired by festivities.
Right about now you're thinking: that's all well and good but what about the actual day? Why is it important to experience that with someone other than family? If you grew up the way I did, your extended family are not strangers. Sure some of them live several states away and some of them really are strangers, but the majority (about 35 people last time I counted) make an effort to see one another anywhere from once to three or even four times a year. Suddenly, holidays are less special. The same thing happens every year for Thanksgiving: everyone piles into the car and drives an hour to an aunt and uncle's house so we can spend six hours eating, talking, petting cats, and watching the ball game. Sure the tradition is nice, but the same thing happens for Easter and Christmas, including egg-hunting and present-opening respectively. Having only celebrated holidays in this recipe all my life, I'm very curious as to how others celebrate. I've taken to asking my friends, "what are your family traditions for Christmas?" and "how do you keep from getting bored at the turkey table?" The responses I get only make me more inclined to sample their lives for a holiday.
What is this I discover? Not everyone eats a special breakfast that is only had on Christmas? Not everyone code-names the gifts around the tree so no one can peek? Other people travel across the world to celebrate holidays instead of staying home? I'm learning that some families are similar to mine in their festivities, but most are not. Who knows, learning about their traditions might help me decide new traditions for my own family!
Now let's dive a little into the intimate aspect of this concept. We've all heard the Christmas songs about loved ones snuggling up to each other by the fire, going on sleigh rides together, and giving each other gifts. This post is not a cuddling commercial, neither am I endorsing "Baby It's Cold Outside" as an appropriate means of celebrating Christmas. What I mean by intimate is the invasion of the comfortable atmosphere of a family gathering. A stranger in the midst can shake things up, but when approved of, that stranger gets an insider's peek at years worth of hard work in bringing a family peaceably together for meaningful days.
In other words, every family is different in how they celebrate holidays. One family's traditions might clash with another family's habits, but both sets should make an effort both to make the events special, and to share their ways with others.
Traditions are things that shape who we are, mark our childhoods, and impact our futures. They are significant, and sometimes sacred. There are some people who would not be particularly happy to unfold their traditions before an outsider's eyes. However, for the people who are open to that option, spreading successful holiday habits can be fun, even a sign of respect from peers who embrace those same traditions.
If you've shared a holiday with someone else's family, feel free to leave concise, constructive feedback in the comments area! Was it unique from your typical experience? Was it special and inspiring or did you simply miss your own family's ways? I'd love to hear from you!
If you haven't, I would encourage you to try it. Please don't invite yourself over to someone's house, announced or otherwise. However, if the opportunity/invitation comes along, seize it! It could be a good insight to something extraordinary! Or just a way to renew your appreciation of your own traditions. :)
*literally meaning "set apart"
My best friend sat down with me on Friday and we started talking about Thanksgiving and how her family had spent the day with their childhood friends instead of extended family. She remarked on how special it felt to experience a holiday with someone else for a change. The conversation moved on, but her comment stayed with me. It seemed odd. The only time I've known people to spend holidays with anyone other than their families were couples. That is typically how I meet my cousins' girlfriends and boyfriends: they bring them to the family gatherings at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. My mind went immediately to the possibility of myself sharing the holidays with someone else. Unfortunately, I told myself, I would need a boyfriend for that. Though, maybe not.
Then I got to thinking, as one does when one encounters intriguing possibilities. Thinking then led to blogging, as it does, so please bear with me.
Why share a holiday?
What is it that makes these holy* days special? One significant feature of holidays is that working and/or schooling members of the family are usually able to come home and spend time with one another. Another is the element of rest that is very present in everyone (except those burdened with the task of feeding all the other family members). Yet another is the community spirit that arises in decorating, events, and general good feelings inspired by festivities.
Right about now you're thinking: that's all well and good but what about the actual day? Why is it important to experience that with someone other than family? If you grew up the way I did, your extended family are not strangers. Sure some of them live several states away and some of them really are strangers, but the majority (about 35 people last time I counted) make an effort to see one another anywhere from once to three or even four times a year. Suddenly, holidays are less special. The same thing happens every year for Thanksgiving: everyone piles into the car and drives an hour to an aunt and uncle's house so we can spend six hours eating, talking, petting cats, and watching the ball game. Sure the tradition is nice, but the same thing happens for Easter and Christmas, including egg-hunting and present-opening respectively. Having only celebrated holidays in this recipe all my life, I'm very curious as to how others celebrate. I've taken to asking my friends, "what are your family traditions for Christmas?" and "how do you keep from getting bored at the turkey table?" The responses I get only make me more inclined to sample their lives for a holiday.
What is this I discover? Not everyone eats a special breakfast that is only had on Christmas? Not everyone code-names the gifts around the tree so no one can peek? Other people travel across the world to celebrate holidays instead of staying home? I'm learning that some families are similar to mine in their festivities, but most are not. Who knows, learning about their traditions might help me decide new traditions for my own family!
Now let's dive a little into the intimate aspect of this concept. We've all heard the Christmas songs about loved ones snuggling up to each other by the fire, going on sleigh rides together, and giving each other gifts. This post is not a cuddling commercial, neither am I endorsing "Baby It's Cold Outside" as an appropriate means of celebrating Christmas. What I mean by intimate is the invasion of the comfortable atmosphere of a family gathering. A stranger in the midst can shake things up, but when approved of, that stranger gets an insider's peek at years worth of hard work in bringing a family peaceably together for meaningful days.
In other words, every family is different in how they celebrate holidays. One family's traditions might clash with another family's habits, but both sets should make an effort both to make the events special, and to share their ways with others.
Traditions are things that shape who we are, mark our childhoods, and impact our futures. They are significant, and sometimes sacred. There are some people who would not be particularly happy to unfold their traditions before an outsider's eyes. However, for the people who are open to that option, spreading successful holiday habits can be fun, even a sign of respect from peers who embrace those same traditions.
If you've shared a holiday with someone else's family, feel free to leave concise, constructive feedback in the comments area! Was it unique from your typical experience? Was it special and inspiring or did you simply miss your own family's ways? I'd love to hear from you!
If you haven't, I would encourage you to try it. Please don't invite yourself over to someone's house, announced or otherwise. However, if the opportunity/invitation comes along, seize it! It could be a good insight to something extraordinary! Or just a way to renew your appreciation of your own traditions. :)
*literally meaning "set apart"
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Worth Writing
It's a blank page. What could possibly be important enough to mar it? What do you say to a blank page? Hello...
How
do you begin to write something of such importance that it is worthy of
putting black marks on a white sheet? What is the phrase that is worthy
of being written, no matter the purity of the page?
In the beginning...
Of everything that could be said, is it worth breaking the
silence? What is more beautiful than peace? What can you say to improve
the moment?
Hope...
What is it that must be written? Why do I
have the desire to write if the potential for failure and mistake is so
prominent?
Don't give up...
What justifies my use of words? How can I make an impact? Is someone waiting for me to speak?
Good news...
Why do we read books? Why do we have conversation? What are we looking for in the words?
There is someone who can save you...
Why do we place trust in one another? Why do we hurt when they betray us? What is worth breaking our hearts?
Help is here...
Where
can we find the answer written on a page, spoken in words? What are we
trying to say? Has it been said before?
A child is born...
Who got it right? Who inspired us to speak and write the only words that mean anything at all?
The one who sets men free...
How can we know that we can trust him? Why are we sure it is him and not someone else?
"You have the words of eternal life..."
It's a blank page. It has no flaws, but it's missing
something. It's missing the message that each of us is yearning to know.
But there is somewhere that the message is already written, where truth
is spoken for us to hear.
"...And they will call him Immanuel which
means, 'God is with us.'"
We write and we speak for one purpose. To bring
others to God. To tell them the good news of a Savior who loves them
enough to die for them! To give them true peace and real hope! The one
who made the world wants to have a personal relationship with each one
of his beautiful creation. So write on every page! Speak to everyone you
can! Share the good news and never stop. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
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