Black Friday Indeed

Black Friday Indeed

Each year around this time, I start to wrestle with two warring voices in my head. The one that says, "Time to make my list!! Let's see... Xbox 360?... iPhone?... Tickle Me Larry the Cable Guy?" -- and the quieter, prophetic one that warns of the onslaught of consumerism headed my way.

I'm not going to lie, I LOVE getting presents. Sure, I like getting new things... SHINY things... things with BUTTONS and bright LED screens! But more than all of that, I love the look on my wife's face when she realizes that she picked out the perfect gift. I love the look on my parents' faces when they get to spoil their little... er... big boy.

But when I hear stories like this, I just want to be done with the whole dang circus that is the Holiday Season. I'm sure there was a time when this season really was about giving... loving... Peace on Earth... Good Will Towards Men and whatnot. Can we get back to that time?

what have we become?



A Ture Conspiracy

• Did you know that on average, Americans spend $450 billion a year on holiday gifts?! That's $450,000,000,000!!
• Did you you know that NOTHING kills more people every day than lack of clean water?!
• And did you know that the estimated cost to bring clean water to EVERYONE ON EARTH is only $10 billion?!

I'm not saying that we forgoe the gift-giving festivities. I'm NOT saying that giving gifts is evil or wrong. But look at those numbers... something is wrong. What if we changed our priorities this year? What if we all gave up one gift and spent the money on something else?

It's called the Advent Conspiracy


Here are some great ideas!!


What are some of YOUR ideas?! How can we GIVE?! How can we change the world?!

6YearMed: Dayenu

I love stories. I love telling them... I love hearing them. That's why the 'blogosphere' has such a draw to me. All over the world, stories are unfolding. And all over the world, people are desperate to share their stories with whomever will listen.


One particular blog that I follow is written by a woman named Danielle. She is currently a "6th year med student." She is currently working in a Neonatal ICU. She is a deep and passionate and gifted writer. As a doctor, she is close to many beautiful, or heartwarming, or funny, or sometimes tragic stories.

Dayenu

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is by far the most emotionally charged placed I have ever stepped foot in. The highs are high and the lows are devastatingly low. It is the first time since becoming a physician that I actually feel like someone's doctor. My parents will see me in the hall and wave, and every family member who visits their respective isolette asks to shake my hand. "So YOU'RE Sophie's doctor! Nice to meet you."

I recently discharged a baby boy home to his parents who had been waiting years for a baby. They struggled with infertility and multiple pregnancy losses until one day, they found themselves pregnant with twins. Two boys, who they gave strong, Biblical names. And then one day, and many weeks too soon, they met them. And while all I could think of was how unfair and sorry I was that they would only take one baby home from the hospital, their mom, a strong and compassionate woman with happy eyes, came back on Monday with a basket full of cookies. She brought them to the front desk, and asked to see, me, her boy's doctor.

She was thankful for all the care they received, and for her one baby who was home asleep on his daddy's chest. And for the moments she was allowed with her other son, right here, in this very hospital, before he had left us.

If I would have become a mommy, even for a moment, it would have been enough, and we are thankful.

But now I have one son, and he has blue eyes and perfect, kissable cheeks.

Dayenu.

If I had been born in the most prosperous country in the world, it would have been enough.

If I had been given shelter and food and education, it would have been enough.

If I had been raised by loving and gentle parents, it would have been enough.

If he had recovered from cancer, it would have been enough.

If I had been granted a job and friends and stability, it would have been enough.

But it's always more.

It would have been enough, and I am thankful.

Worst day of my life...

... not really. But it apparently was for these young ladies!!

(okay okay, I promise this will be the last pointless post for a while. I'll try to contribute to the conversation in a more substantial way... thanks for reading!!)









(I'm not sure what's sadder, these videos... or the fact that I always find them!)

I'm sorry...

... but this is way too cool not to share. You will call me a nerd, but I won't care!


John Williams A-Capella by Corey Vidal

What I was trying to say...

A few days ago, I wrote a blog entitled "How Can a Thinking Christian _________?!" In it I expressed my recent disappointment with my Brothers and Sisters in the Church who have (I believe) gotten a bit off track with all of the hate they've been spewing. Perhaps my words were maybe a bit harsh (at least that's what I've been told). While I won't retract my sentiments, perhaps this will help explain my heart further... and more eloquently. I came across this article on the Relevant website. These are just excerpts, please visit the website if you'd like to read the whole article.

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Battle of Words
by Travis Mamone
at RelevantMagazine.com

"When I first became a Christian, I was excited to learn from fellow believers all over the web and share my walk with them. Over the years, however, I’ve been seeing more and more arguments, debates and name-calling. It’s either one side accusing another of being “fundamentalist Pharisees” or someone being called a “liberal heathen.” And I, unfortunately, have participated in such arguments. So much for One God, One Faith, One Baptism.

I remember one person in particular, who used to frequent a Christian community on LiveJournal.... Whenever someone disagreed with her, she accused them of not reading their Bible enough or being “liberal heathens.” This was a person who was not happy until she had proven that she was right and everyone else was wrong. ...

But is all this arguing really worth it? Are we really teaching and correcting one another, or are we just tearing each other apart? The Bible says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). I don’t know about you, but to me arguing and name-calling are not very helpful...

...I pray for a great sense of unity within the Body of Christ. May we realize that we are all learning how all of this works, and that no one is perfect. And I’m praying for myself as much as I am praying for the Church."

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Lastly, I encourage you with a word from The Word.

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. Titus 3:9-11 (ESV)

Wicked ill yo

This is me (but cooler cuz it's British)









p.s. I stole this from another blog... a COOLER one.

How can a thinking Christian _________?!

I'm not very intelligent. I'm not exceptionally wise. I'd be the first to say that I know precisely ZIP about politics. I certainly don't claim to be very aversed in all things theological. That said, I have a bone to pick with my brothers and sisters.

This election season has been called "the most important election in our nation's history." (Keep in mind that we said that about the last two too!) I'm not saying that it's not. What I am saying is that I believe many of us in the Church have once again gotten too tangled in things less important than we think. We've fixed a laser sight on the systems of this world instead of on Christ and His Kingdom (Colossians 3:1-4) ... and we've let it turn us into something entirely ungodly. I'll just quote a few of the hateful thing I heard this week.


"I don't understand how can a thinking Christian give their vote to a baby killer like Obama."

"I don't think you can be a Christ-follower and vote for a War Monger like McCain."

"It is a sin not to vote." - Show me!

"It boggles my mind how any Christian could support any Democrat..."

"If Jesus were alive today, he would certainly vote Republican." - Well, He IS alive... and as far as I know... He didn't vote.

"You voted for McCain? You must love war and killing." - LOVE WAR? What an evil thing to say about someone!!

"A vote for Obama is the same as a vote for Terrorism." - Equally evil!

and my personal favorite... "The Holy Spirit will not allow a person who is truly saved to vote for an ungodly man." - so a vote for the other guy is a sure sign that a person isn't saved?

Most of these are quotes from people I know to be professing believers.

These from the mouths of God's holy saints. Again, I do not want to belittle anyone for being passionate about their candidate. I don't think it's wrong to feel strongly about these things. But I will draw the line where we start making enemies out of those who oppose us. It baffles my heart that we (the Church) would make enemies of each other. It all but stifles my hope in the American church to hear someone openly doubt the salvation of another simply because they voted for the other guy. If anything, I would doubt the salvation of a heart capable of spewing so much hate. "Can fresh and bitter water flow from the same spring. No, bitter water cannot come from the same place as clean [James 3:8-12]."


The fact that a Liberal is sitting in the White House doesn't frighten me because Christ is still sitting on the Throne. The American President is not the hope of the world. Nor are the American people or American ideals, for that matter.


The Church of the the Lord Jesus Christ is the hope of the world.