what i read this morning over at daphne's blog today stopped me dead in my tracks. i think i need a reality check like this more often.
please don't just blow off this invitation to have your heart pierced just a tiny bit. {lie… a lot}
i you're like me… it's easy to turn away and refocus… usually right back to myself.
the holidays are looming.
on the one hand i love them…
on the other, i hate the over-indulgent nature of them.
thanksgiving… a real license to gorge on foods that are heavy laden with flavor… but oftentimes have a high caloric price.
christmas. gift giving to people who already have everything they need.
oh, i don't mean to be a scrooge… or suck the fun out of the holidays. i'll do just about all of the aforementioned activities {except for the thanksgiving meal… i'm determined to be a good little dieter with a tiny bit of indulging on the side}. and i'll resist the urge to join the teenagers rolling our eyes at the dinner table on thanksgiving as my mother in law reads about six things that she's copied off the internet about being thankful or caring for the needy… just knowing that all the food is getting cold and the kids are getting antsy.
i plan on doing some things to help others during the holidays. as a youth leader, we'll likely be doing a group activity beyond the monthly dinner serving we do at the local homeless shelter.
what i hate about myself is that i only really get convicted of this during november and december.
we have 7 weeks until christmas.
do you have some ideas of how we can turn this season from consumption into compassion?
i'd love to hear your ideas and your stories.
now please… go read the story on daphne's blog. you won't be sorry you did.
I so agree with this. I've long thought that all the presents and focus on getting have reached ridiculous proportions. So about four years ago, we stopped giving gifts to the adults and gave only to the children. The money we would have spent on those other presents, we each give to a charity of our choice and then as the kids are opening their gifts, we share about what we chose and why. This has been hugely meaningful to me, though I will gladly admit that many in the family, though they agreed when I proposed the idea, still groan and complain, and yes, sneak in gifts. "Oh, I know, we're not doing gifts, but I just couldn't resist..." Each year we revisit this idea, and get everyones buy-in. And then those, who despite sitting there and agreeing (again) that this was the way to go, complain. I just think it's a totally sad thing that what is supposed to be so meaningful has turned into, "How to survive the holidays". Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the whole year. Focusing on gratitude, and family, and not a present in sight!
ReplyDeleteI have very little, but every year I add another $25 to Kiva.org and help micro-finance a loan for someone. I never take the money out when it gets re-paid. I just re-loan it to someone else.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Thank you for sharing this, and I am off to read all about it.
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