Bumper Stickers and Traditions....

Hey All,

For as long as I can remember, people have been slapping bumper stickers on the back of their vehicles for a number of different reasons. Some are funny, some support a cause or candidate, and others are not worth repeating. Maybe this craze came out of the 70’s and is not as popular today, but none the less, I have never been a huge fan of the bumper sticker except for one: “Keep Christ in Christmas”. This little sticker has been on the back of my truck for at least 10 years. It also came out about the same time we, as a country, were considering taking “in God we trust” off currency and eliminating “One nation under God” out of the pledge of allegiance. Pardon me for chasing a couple of other squirrels, I will go back to Christmas. At that time, the girls were still in school, and their party changed from a “Christmas” party to a “Holiday” party. Also, I began to notice more cards coming in the mail with Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. As we all know Jesus is the reason for the season, I did the unthinkable, I placed the “Keep Christ in Christmas” on the back of my truck. Over the years I have to say I think that little sticker has made me a better person. When I get mad in traffic, I seem to always remember that sticker on the back of my truck and think: How will people think of Christians if I don’t show some love?

Traditions

I know many people struggle during the Christmas season with a range of emotions. The older I get, it is clear to me that every family has some portion of this dynamic happening that causes extreme stress. Loss of loved ones, financial stress, family dynamics, schedules, and over commitments are just some of what people are burdened with each year. What we see on the outside though is a smile to ensure all the traditions are kept up with: the lights are on the house, the decorations are just so, everyone gets something, and don’t forget we must have those special treats that we only eat once a year. Please understand I am not saying that all these things are not nice, but it takes me back to the bumper sticker. A little picture of the manger with a simple saying: “Keep Christ In Christmas”. Have you ever really thought about how simple Christmas could be if that is all we focused on? For me, that is what frustrates me the most. Growing up in our household, Christmas was always a stressful time. My parents did the best they could with what we had (just as we all do), but that certainly didn’t always make things perfect because no house is perfect. I can share some great stories and some horrific ones but what I struggle with every year is when I see ungratefulness, stress over gifts, and stress over commitments. This just dredges up a lot of mess inside of me. This year I found solace in Chris’ sermon on surrendering to God. It was a reminder to me that rather than taking God out of everything, Christmas, schools, and our currency, that we need to be surrendering everything to Him.

So to wrap up

Are we looking for opportunities, during this Christmas and New Year season, to help others that are hurting?
If we are are struggling for an hour, a day, or the whole season, are we surrendering our feelings and lives over to God to let Him fight our battles? Are we talking to others in our community to help?
Is Christ the main reason for our season?

So I only have one bible reference for this week: Romans 12:2 where it says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you will prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Father I pray that each of us will not be conformed to this world and that we will surrender our lives to you. Let us see the pain and stress in others lives during this time and be bold to share your love to them so that they also may find peace in you. Father you know all the hurts and pains, and I ask you to be with each one to find a solution, your solution for them. AMEN!