Gift Equity

I had a thought yesterday...and from it.....my goodness....I do believe I wrote what looks like a sermon:


Well, it is Christmas time. Let me be a red-blooded capitalist and tell you that there are X number of shopping days left. An interesting thing occurs for many people each year, and I've already talked to friends this year who can back me up. We start our Christmas shopping early...by weeks or months, it doesn't matter. By the time we hit “crunch time” which I'd say is about now.....we start to evaluate and take inventory of what we've bought, to make sure that we've been equal and fair. Brother One should have gifts equal to the monetary value of Brother Two. We can't favor Mom over Dad by spending more on her gifts. Don't even THINK about short changing an 8 year old! Two outfits do NOT equal a video game or I Pod..

In the final shopping days, the Great Gift Equity is egged on by desperate sales and promotions. Making the giving score equal requires buying more things....which in turn has a snowball effect. Brother One you spent $20 on, and Brother Two you spent $30 on....so you get something extra for Brother One....then the total is $45....uh oh!

Now in my family, this problem only rears its head on the giver side. I know in the past my mother has tried to make sure she spent equal amounts on all three kids, lest she be accused of playing favorites. I don't recall us ever keeping score and calling her on such equity.
I have found myself playing that game. It starts from a good place, wanting to do something special for someone you love. It can reach a point where the whole, point of giving, is lost. It becomes about equating love with a number.

A friend of mine was telling me of people in her family who actually do keep score. They even go so far as to call out seen inequities of gift giving. I had trouble fathoming that. I guess it's a reflection of our society where everyone wants to “get what is owed them”. Everyone is keeping score to make sure that their efforts and finances ebb and flow in equal parts.
This is when I realized that I was done with my Christmas shopping.

I try and be mindful along the way of what this is all about in the first place. The winter festival bit that we celebrate is all fun and good (the trees, the snowmen, the ho ho ho). But really, it pales in comparison to the event that we are actually celebrating. God, on earth, as a man.

We were rehearsing our kids pageant last week. I was giving some direction to one of our angels who were giving THE NEWS to the shepherds. “Aww comeon...you need to be more into it! Louder, mean it! This is the biggest news....” and I thought for a second...”the biggest news...like...EVER!”. And isn't it? God, the creator, THE giver of life......in the lowly form of a human baby. A vulnerable, child.

Talk about gift equity! “Wow, God...you gave us....your Son. You came to earth in this lowly form to tell us how we should live, to tell us how much you love us.....I got you.....a Sponge Bob tie.”
But this is the Good News. God does not work on a gift equity system. God doesn't operate in a commercial set of rules. Our God is a God of grace. There is nothing that you can ever do that will separate you from the love of God. We are sinners, we let God down all the time...but when we come back to God, God forgives us. We are expected to love God and love each other. All other good things stem from that one act of love. There's no need to pick up an extra pair of gloves, or an extra pair of slippers. Reflecting God's grace and love is enough. Just as we celebrate Christmas every year and give gifts again and again.....this one gift is one to be shared continuously.

Charities thrive during the “holidays”. Then not long after, they are struggling to meet needs. People get all warm and fuzzy doing good, when it fits in with the decorations....but forget quickly when the wreaths and ribbons come down. People throughout the world and in our own backyard are starving, need medical care, need a home, need a friend. We are called to reflect God's grace and love....to our brothers and sisters. Always. We live in the richest country on earth and so frequently we are concerned with what gets in the way of us buying a fancy car...or the latest TV....while millions far and near are concerned with what gets in the way of having food in their bellies this week.

I'm sure you've all witnessed a child (another or yourself) who got THE big gift that they wanted for Christmas. “The red super duper bike! It's just what I wanted! YAYYY!” Now. Little Suzie's parents don't expect a gift from their child. They got Suzie this gift because they knew what it would mean to her. Their gift in return is to see how their child responds to it. Love given, Love received.

God's gift is huge. There's nothing expected in return for it. Let us respond to God's gift with the same joy. “God you've given me this love, this peace.....hey everybody....look! Know what I know. Share what I share. Live as God would have us live.”

Your Christmas shopping, is done. Your calling as God's children continues.

MEMEME

Well LutherPunk tagged me....and I must obey anyone with that many tatoos ;)
Christmas Meme

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Egg Nog, hands down. Hot Chocolate is for anytime...Christmas is NOG TIME. Although as I've grown older I like the *lite* versions better....even the Soy version is okay.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Um, ...wrap them. I'm 27....I spend Christmas Day with my parents and one older brother now.....der ain't no Santa :) We have developed a lovely habit now of leisurely eating breakfast, then gifts. Then chilling.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Color, Color, Color and more Color. I'm an unusual person in that I like "classic" looking things.... or perhaps "classy".....but I also love Kitsch. I'm very discerning in which I like of both. On houses....unless you have a house that is beautiful in and of itself....lose the white. I'm like a cat...colorful and shiney and I am mezmorized.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope. If I kissed the cat, he'd bite me.....and there's no one coming into my home that I'd care to kiss.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
As a kid, I wanted things up Thanksgiving afternoon. As I've gotten older and wanted to be a little less hype-y, commercial-y I've restrained myself to at least Dec 1.....but each year I get futher into the month. This year, I've been quite sick the last two weeks and only just put any decor up...yesterday the 12th. I did have my advent wreath ready for Advent 1 though, that was easy.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I don't really know. Mashed potatoes and dinner rolls? :) Honey carrots? Mom will probably make a roast.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Hmm, picking out the tree? We always went to a tree farm. With three kids it's an adventure....in terms of the terrain and the final choice. It took a few hours. Various scarfs and mittens were scattered onto various possible tree candidates. Dad got all sappy...literally.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth? It's lies! All lies!
I don't recall really...I have two older brothers so the myth was dispelled earlier than later.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We cover the paternal side of the family Christmas Eve....so yes.....but not the "REAL" gifts...at least that's how I viewed it as a child.....the Christmas Day santa ones were not touched til morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Well, my first year in the condo I had a real tree ( my bro cut it down and put it up for me..what a nice bro). I did not manage to water it well....it shed....the cat (then a teenage kitten) hid in it and climbed it.....and I filled it with plastic ornaments cuz I feared it crashing down.

Now, I have a fake tree. My philosophy is...if it's fake....let it be truly fake. So I have a cheap white tree (that has opalecent needles in it). I light the trunk inside with white lights (for an inner glow effect)....and the outside with multicolor....I have many plastic repro ornaments that are shatter proof...and complete the retro/mod look (along with some regular collected ones). If I could find bigger bulbed lights with white wire I'd go that direction.


11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
As a kid, loved it. As an adult who has to drive...no thanks. I assume this is in relation to Christmas. If it is to be done on Christmas day,...have at it...I don't have to drive anywhere.
Otherwise...flurries only please. I hate shoveling, I hate driving in it.

12. Can you ice skate?
Much better with the roller blades. My ankles are strangely wobbly. It's been about 10 years though. I should take the youth group.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
My first CD player? My guitar (which I never learned and lent out never to be returned....parents shoulda bought a ukulele, if only they knew my musical future)? I dunno.
I do recall enjoying getting the first gameboy (remember those gray things?) that got a lot of play on that day and beyond.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Love, peace, family, friends. I seriously want to hug everyone and kiss them on the lips. I feel the Spirit my friends, I feel the Spirit.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Cookies. Chocolate oatmeal cookies.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Church and family, Church and famly....seriously.

17. What tops your tree?
A star. I was raised in a star family. It is gold wired, with a red capiz pointsetta blossom...not kitchy....but it somehow fits. I do have a delightfully tacky plastic angel, vintage from my gramma...but it's too heavy for the cheap fake tree.

18.Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving. I like receiving, but mostly I feel awkward about it.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Oh i dunno. I love the Boston Pops doing Sleighride.
Julie Andrews singing "What Can I Give Him" that gets me.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Yah...can't name favorites.......now, songs that annoy the crap out of me...where do I start??

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum, and I agree with LP..fresh only. And truthfully... I prefer the mini sized.....the larger take too long and become a sticky issue.

I tag...um...Trish, Mark, LutheranChik, and lurkers.

It's a Twister Auntie Em!

I had a dream last night. I'll try to recall it. It involved a tornado. Now to give you some back story....this is one of my recurring nightmare/dreams. Usually in the dream there is a tornado as big as the sky looming, dark and black...and I'm near my childhood home...and there's never any real destruction and everyone is safe in the end...well i think.....cuz it just ends. It's all suspense. I have always directly related tornado dreams to extremely stressful times in my life.

This brings me to last night. I was...I think in some new englandy sleepy beach/coast type town with friends...including 'soon-to-be-ordained-friend' and his home congregation pastor (who was actually a random face....with pretty robes, methodist style) and other people who i sensed as friends and friendly aquaintances. Then a storm kicked up....and a much thinner twister than I'm used to was impending. We tucked in under a staircase or something like that. Pretty robe pastor was comforting. I remember at one point being really scared....legitimately feeling it....so I prayed for God to keep us safe. And you know, things soon cleared...the sun came out. We all kinda wandered around on our own, crossing paths here and there. I remember something about an antique car and giving my dad a piggy back ride.......then it pretty muched faded.

Well, if you recall...I shared with my direct boss (who felt the same way) that I did not like my job....and we both were feeling stressed about the really negative work envirnment that we found ourselves in...and I shared with here my hopes to become a pastor. The week continued to suck the life outta me. Well....after some fun dental work today....I got a call from her....she won't be returning to the office on monday...or ever again....she quit/they didn't want here....you know...a mutual parting...unhappily. This means...I really need to split....cuz I'll SO be next. I need to work on coming in monday and keeping my cool so I don't find myself at the unemployment line for Christmas.

I'd say the dream is pretty transparent for interpretation, wouldn't you?

(oh and tonight at our youth group get together...we watched a bit of the wizard of oz...tornados.....wow).