Why Holiday Feasting Is A Spiritual Act

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Are you still feeling guilty about over-indulging at the Thanksgiving table?  And what about the cookies, pie, and chocolates that invade your home, office, and social activities this time of year?

If you’re like me, the holiday feasting has just begun.

Why fight it?  Holiday guilt is for wimps. 

Which is why I’m going to manage the feasting.  Physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

Will you join me in embracing the spiritual aspect of holiday feasting?  Simply put, God loves a good meal.  

I started thinking about this before Thanksgiving.  Pastor Eric set the stage by taking a closer look at Jesus’ infamous miracle – the Feeding of the 5,000.  Did you know that this is the only miracle of Jesus to appear in all four Gospels?

I’ve heard this story dozens of times.  And I’ve always focused on Jesus, the boy with the loaves and fish, the disciples, and the crowd. 

I’ve never really focused on the food.  Nor have I focused on the paramount role of food in the story of salvation.

• The feeding of the 5,000 looks back to the Exodus.  When Jesus directs the crowd to sit down in groups of 50, we flash back to the Israelites in the wilderness.  The similarities – God providing bread and meat to a hungry crowd – is nothing short of divine.  When the Israelites are without food in the wilderness, God provides both manna and quail.  Could it be that Jesus smiles, knowing He will repeat this miracle a few thousand years later?
• The feeding of the 5,000 looks forward to the Eucharist.  Jesus isn’t just filling empty stomachs.  He is giving of himself – the bread of life.  In remembering his death, we celebrate the ultimate feast.  His body.  His blood.  Poured out on us. While Jesus takes comfort in feeding a hungry crowd, He tells his disciples of a greater feast.  “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.”

Something about food gives us spiritual understanding.  Is it the smell?  The texture?  The satisfaction?

Something about God loves to feed us.  Which means your holiday feasting is a spiritual act.  

Let's get over the guilt.  When you raise your glass this Christmas season, will you join me in looking back to the Exodus and forward to the Eucharist?

Should You Ask God For A Sign This Christmas?

It's the season of signs.  And the virgin birth is one of the greatest signs of all times – foretold over 700 years before the birth of Jesus.  So, how did this sign come about?  Did somebody ask for it?

Just the opposite.

Back in the 8th Century BC, when the virgin birth was foretold through the prophet Isaiah, God actually tells King Ahaz to ask for a sign.

Ask the Lord your God for a sign. (Isaiah 7:10-11)

Remarkably, Ahaz blows God off.

“I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” (Isaiah 7:12)

On its face, it sounds like a pretty good answer.  After all, who wants to test God?  Maybe we shouldn’t bother him by asking him for signs.

But deep down, Ahaz didn’t want a sign.  Underneath his pious answer, he was probably thinking, I don’t need to hear from God.  I already have it figured out.  I'm going to get out of this mess without God's help.

Let’s just say God wasn’t very happy with his response.  The prophet Isaiah scolds Ahaz, “Will you try the patience of my God also?” (v. 13b)

But God doesn’t stop there.  He goes on to reveal his master plan.  He tells Ahaz about the sign of all signs.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (v. 14)

But Ahaz misses it.  He acts against the counsel of Isaiah.  He strikes a deal with his enemies, the Assyrians.  They turn on him.  And history tells us that it costs him his kingdom.

All because he wouldn’t ask for a sign. 
The good news?  God doesn’t stop with Ahaz.  Some 700 years later, he brings the sign to pass through a young virgin.  With or without Ahaz, he continues his plan.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to be like Ahaz.   Maybe it's time to ask for a sign.

Why not ask God to show up this Christmas? 

Suffering From Holiday Guilt?

Something has gone terribly wrong.  Christmas – the sacred holiday that is supposed to celebrate freedom and grace --  has become poisoned with guilt.  And I’m not just talking about ordinary guilt.  I’m talking about deep-seeded, lingering guilt that keeps people up at night.

Here are a few recent examples.

• A young mother won’t be enjoying Christmas morning with her husband and four children.  Why not?  Her mother-in-law insists on hosting Christmas Eve out of town.  Never mind that the children won’t be nestled in their beds when Santa is supposed to arrive!
• Another mother just couldn’t find the time to make homemade Christmas cookies.  She buys some store-bought dough and her husband jabs “That’s what bad mommies do!”
• A colleague in her 30’s finds herself still exchanging gifts with her adult cousins.  She suggests that, in lieu of gifts, they make a charitable donation in memory of their grandparents.  She is accused of trampling on family traditions and dishonoring the dead.
• A child is crushed when he finds out that another boy in his class has given his teacher an almost-identical Christmas present. He is embarrassed and ashamed of his gift, especially since the other boy’s gift is much nicer.
• A group of colleagues plan a Christmas lunch.  Only the “cool” people are invited, and the office nerd feels hurt and left out.  He vows to drop his unwelcoming colleagues from his Christmas card list next year!

I could go on.  And on. 

Is Christmas guilt getting the best of you this year?  If so, try replacing it with some holiday grace.  After all, Christmas is about salvation and freedom.  Start acting like it!

The Morning After

I always get a little depressed when Christmas is over.  Now what, I ask myself? 

The gifts are open.  The money is spent.  The tree is smashed.  The cookies are stale.  The food is in my stomach.  The pounds are on. And the work is piling up on my desk.

Why did I get all wrapped up into this Christmas thing anyway?

Then, as I sulk in my post-mortem, I remember that Christmas isn’t the ending, it’s the beginning.   It’s the beginning of a story of redemption.  And thank God that story didn’t stop in a stable in Bethlehem.

Nick and I were recently debating over which is the greatest Christian holiday.  Nick was torn, but he settled on Christmas.  The reason?  In his words, “without Christmas, there would be no Easter.”

He makes a good point.  And if Christmas is the beginning, that also means it’s time to move on.  When I put things in context, I’m really glad it’s the morning after.  Now that Christmas is over, we can learn from the past, but we also get to see the rest of the story unfold.

As I look toward 2010, I’m reminded of yet another beginning – a new year that lies ahead with new stories to unfold, and new mercies every morning.  So as I prepare for the new year, I plan to reflect on 2009 – the highs, the lows, the lessons learned, and even the moments of redemption.
 
What will 2010 bring for you, and what moments of 2009 deserve some reflection?

What’s So Special About A Shepherd?

I often wonder why the birth of Christ was first announced to shepherds.  Shepherds are low society.  They don’t have important jobs or drive fancy cars.  They probably don’t shower every day, and I don’t think they’re very religious.  Couldn’t Jesus have made a bigger splash if the angels would have appeared at the temple court in Jerusalem to announce that God incarnate had arrived on the scene?

If I were God’s PR Director, I would have chosen a more important venue.  A quiet hillside just doesn’t seem to do justice for the birth of a King.

Of course, I’m not God’s PR Director.  Like usual, God was a few steps ahead of me in unfolding an amazing plan.  A plan that started with a virgin woman who was probably 14 years old.  A plan that didn’t start with the educated or the political or religious leaders.   A plan that is about grace, not entitlement.

Come to think of it, I think that’s probably why God chose to first break the news to humble shepherds.  They didn’t expect it.

It’s just like God to pull off the unexpected.

As you know, I like surprises.  So this Christmas, I’m praying that God would show up and reveal his grace to those among us who least expect it.

Favorite Holiday Traditions

One thing I love about the holidays is family traditions.  Every Christmas Eve, we make homemade ravioli and have a special dinner after a candlelight service at church.  We let the kids exchange sibling gifts and this year we’re adding the tradition of reading The Night Before Christmas under the Christmas tree.  Of course, we have to get to bed early to give Santa plenty of time to arrive.

I’m always looking for new family traditions.  One of my friends spends Christmas Eve at a homeless shelter with her kids.  Another friend bakes a birthday cake for Jesus.  Others have stopped exchanging gifts altogether and instead take a special family trip together.

Family traditions tend to be as different as the families represented by them.  The important part is not how we celebrate.  The important part is what who we celebrate.  I don’t even think our celebration needs to be all that “religious.”

What’s your favorite holiday tradition, and how do you create the memories of celebrating Jesus, the greatest gift of all?

Last Minute Gift Ideas

I was running with my friend Emily last week (we meet early in the mornings for sanity breaks and a little exercise) and she told me about a Christmas gift she decided to buy herself.  Like Doug, Emily has resorted to buying her own gifts.
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The gift?  It’s a brownie pan.  Apparently it’s the rage this year for busy moms.

What’s so special about this brownie pan anyway? 

In short, you don’t have to cut the brownies.  The magic pan does it for you.

I was more than intrigued.  After all, I am a chocolate addict, I love brownies, but I hate the work and the mess.  Maybe this pan is the answer to my brownie issues.

Anyway, I thought I’d share the tip.  Some of us are still looking for that special gift, and this one sounds like a winner.  (And for anyone that buys it for me, I’ll make you a pan of brownies.) 

Any other last-minute gift ideas to share?

Christmas Surprise?

I like surprises.  Which is why I never understand it when Doug buys his own Christmas gifts.  After all, I’ve known him for over 20 years.  Doesn’t he trust me to get him a present that is well suited to meet his wants, likes, and needs?  Doesn’t he want me to surprise him?

Apparently not.

I got home from work last week and he informed me that I didn’t have to buy him a Christmas gift this year.  He had already taken care of it.   After all, he was just trying to save me the aggravation of going to the golf store and finding the putter he really wanted.  (Even though he had written down the exact type and model number, he was still concerned I would screw it up.)

So, he bought the club for himself and hid it in the basement.  On Christmas, I am supposed to pull it out as a “gift” from me and the kids, and he’s going to act like he is actually surprised. 

I can hardly wait.  Unfortunately, I've never been good at faking it or going through the motions.  I like real life drama.  Sure, surprises are known to backfire on me, but it's all about the anticipation and suspense.

Should I be glad he saved me the trip?  Would you rather have the real life drama of a surprise, or is it better to play it predictable and safe?

The Shopping Mall Or the Desert?

Those of you who already have your Christmas shopping done really annoy me.  I just can’t seem to get my act together this year, and I’m running out of time. 

And when I do go out, I always seem to forget something or have terrible luck.  Like when I was in Justice, I forgot my 40% off coupon so I had to send Doug back to return and repurchase the goods.  Then, I got overcharged for my shoes at Macy’s and I had to stand in line a second time (and an extra 20 minutes) just to get my credit back. 

I’ve resorted to finishing my shopping on the Internet.  The only problem?  I’m terrified everything won’t arrive by Christmas Eve, even if I pay the extra shipping.  How am I ever going to be ready for Christmas?

Maybe I’m going about this all wrong.  What should I really be doing to prepare for the coming of my Lord?

I could take a few lessons from John the Baptist.  He didn’t seem to spend much time cutting holiday coupons or fighting the holiday traffic.  From the reports about his wardrobe, I don’t think he frequented the shopping malls.  Instead, he prepared for the coming of the Lord in the most unusual place – the desert. 

After 460 years of silence, John the Baptist spoke the first prophetic words since Malachi.  The Word of the Lord didn’t come in the cities, the marketplace, or even the temples.  All those places are much too noisy.  I for one do much better listening when it’s quiet – and the desert is much quieter than the shopping malls. 

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, some of us need the silence of the desert.   Silence clears our heads and calms our spirits.   It’s in silence that we can think are best thoughts and, yes, sometimes we can even hear the Word of the Lord.

Are you ready for Christmas this year?

Oh Christmas Tree

I prefer a real tree, but this year we decided we’d conserve resources and put up an old fake tree we haven’t used in about 5 years (Nick is on the “Go Green” committee at school, and he’s already all over my case for not using recycled wrapping paper).

The kids had been begging to put the tree up.  Even though it had been a long day at the office (and the last thing I felt like doing was decorating a tree), I decided to give in.  Doug had to run a few errands when I got home from work, and I decided to forge ahead without him.  I put on some Christmas music and poured a glass of red wine.  After all, how hard could it be?

As we pulled the fake tree out of the box, I realized the branches were completely smashed.  Not only did we have to put them together one by one, we had to untangle the needles from twisted branches with our bare hands, and I thought my fingers were going to bleed.  I decided to put on gloves.

Finally, it was time to put the lights on.  I told the kids to make sure each string was working before connecting the lights to what was quickly becoming a tangled mess.  I soon realized we had started with the wrong end, so the kids untangled the lights, and we started all over. 

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally strung the lights around the tree a second time (this time with the plug at the right end) and plugged in.  But only half the tree lit up. 

Nick declared that this was the worst Christmas tree ever.  At this point, my blood started to boil.  Where was Doug when I needed him?  I told the kids, “no one touch the tree.”  But no one listened, and everyone was arguing over who failed to detect the broken light string.  So I screamed, “everyone, out of here!”

Now alone, I pulled the lights off the tree and sat in the middle of the living room trying to untangle the lights a third time.  Once I had a string ready, I called for the kids.   “Your job is to each take one string into the other room and test it.” 

As they were testing the lights, I heard Anna scream, “NO!”  Then Abby started crying.  I ran in the other room and asked, “What happened?” 

Nick yelled, “Abby just ate one of the lights!”  I looked over at Abby, and she was chewing. 

“Honey, Mommy told you to test it, not eat it!”

Anna kept screaming, “we’re going to have to take her to the hospital.”   Nick couldn’t watch.
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I yelled again, “shut your mouths and please just pray.” I pulled a couple of chunks of glass out of Abby’s mouth and gave her a big glass of water to wash the rest down.   Nick and Anna’s prayers must have worked, because after that last gulp of water, she quickly settled. 

Nick suggested, “Would it make you happy if we went downstairs and played princesses on the Wii?”  Abby flashed a big smile, and the three of them went to play Wii while I finished decorating the tree.

At least I could put the Christmas music back on and work in peace.  But isn’t decorating a tree supposed to be a magical moment with the family?  By the time Doug got home, I finally had things under control, but I was still bitter.  Why do I forget what Christmas is really about and let the little things get the best of me? 

What about this holiday season is getting the best of you?

Saint Nicolas In Action

Now that Nick knows the truth about Santa, he’s having fun with his younger sisters.  He even told me that he’ll help me “play Santa” this year.  After all, knowledge is power.

To get the ball rolling, Nick went out of his way to make Christmas lists for Anna and Abby.  When he ran out of room on Abby’s list he said, “Abby, you can only put one more thing on your list.”

Abby frowned, and Anna replied, “She can ask for more.  After all, Santa can afford it.”

Nick’s eyes locked mine as he said sternly, “Santa has to make it fair for everyone.”  Anna then started to explain that most of the gifts she wants are from Justice, and she’s really concerned about how Santa’s elves are going to get the goods – after all, everyone knows the elves don’t care about fashion.

Before I could respond, Nick started to explain how the elves get the Justice merchandize to the North Pole via an express train (kinda like the Polar Express), and they’ll be sure to get everything in time for Christmas Eve.  Anna looked relieved.  I looked at Nick and thought, “I’ve created a monster.”

Abby then blurted out, “Santa can do anything.”  Anna wasn’t so sure, so she asked,

“Is that really true, can Santa do anything?” 

Before Nick went on another power trip, I jumped in and responded, “Of course not, only God can do everything.”  (Moms are a distant second, with Santa much further down the list.)

Lucky for me, I have my own St. Nicolas in my living room.

Santa Baby

Nick and I went out late the other night (after his younger sisters were asleep) to get a jump start on our Christmas shopping. It was the first time we’d been alone in awhile, and I figured it was the time to break the news about Santa.

After all, Nick’s in the third grade now, and I really want him to hear the truth from me, not from the other kids in his class who will probably make fun of him if he still believes in Santa. Besides, I was ready for Nick to really get past all the presents, elves, and reindeer and focus on the real meaning of Christmas. Let’s face it, Santa is known to steal the show from the baby Jesus. One of my favorite episodes of Saturday Night Live is where the Church Lady demonizes Santa and even points out that Santa and Satan have the exact same letters. Could it be more than coincidence?


One of my friends told me about her recollection of sitting on Santa’s lap in the shopping mall, smelling alcohol on his breath, and remembering that he got a little too close when he asked her if she had been a good girl last year. She was completely terrified, and the last thing she wanted was for him to come visit her house when her parents were sleeping. Fortunately, I don’t have any Santa trauma in my past. I really don’t have anything against the guy, but it was just time for Nick to know the truth.

So I started the conversation by asking Nick, “Do the kids in your class believe in Santa?”

It was a short conversation. Nick told me that no one in the third grade believes in Santa anymore and that he really doesn’t either. I asked him when he stopped believing in Santa, and he told me that last year when Doug and I had screwed up the wrapping paper and Abby received two pairs of the same shoes, he figured out that Santa would have never made such mistakes. After all, Santa is supposed to be perfect. Parents are human.

Nick agreed that this year he’ll just focus on celebrating the birth of Christ and let his younger sisters continue to believe in Santa until they’re old enough to understand. For now, Santa Baby is our secret.