Undercover Pastor » The World We Live In

Christmas Consumerism Overload

Steve — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 04:06:06 +0000

We try hard not to give our kids a lot of stuff at Christmastime. We let them get stuff they need like shoes, backpacks, and jackets. They also get a few fun things. It’s not extravagent, but somehow there’s always enough to blow the kids’ circuit breakers. And I guess my circuit breaker blew this year too.

I was just at Target picking up 7-Up and saltines for a sick kid, and I saw the $5 DVD displays. In the past, I’ve looked them over to see if there’s anytrhing good there, but tonight it made me sick to my stomach. If there had been a good movie there, I think I would have paid the same amount to rent it and avoid having it stay in my home.

I simply love what we do in the church at Christmas. We remember Jesus’ birth and welcome him into our lives again. Children and adults alike share their gifts. People who are very different serve side by side to make sure that thigns go smootghly and everyone receives a warm welcome. And my family had a great Christmas breakfast together and a wonderful dinner with my parents and my sister’s family. I even received some stuff I can really use! But the gift exchange felt out of place to me. And I’d be happy not to buy anything for a long time.

I am thankful for my family and my life. I’m grateful that God loves me enough to come into the world for me! I need to pay the bills, and make sure my kids have what they really need, but it’s a lot less than I sometimes believe. I’m going to pray to hang onto this perspective.

What has your experience of Christmas been like? Do you feel the overload? Or are you looking at it from a completely different perspective?

Bacon Salt

Steve — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:22:24 +0000

Sorry vegetarians, I have to agree with J&D’s – “Everything should taste like bacon.”

My Post-Christian Son

Steve — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:10:02 +0000

I’ve noticed a big difference between the assumptions my 6-year-old son makes and the ones I made at the same age. I used to assume that everyone went to some kind of church. Johnny is surprised to learn that someone goes to church. He realizes that he lives in a post-Christian world.

I hadn’t realized this until my wife was radio “channel surfing” this morning. She came across a Christian radio station and they mentioned “the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Is that a CD mom?” he asked.
“No. It’s on the radio.”
“Yeah, but is it the iPod playing over the radio?”
“No, it’s really on the radio. It’s a Christian radio station.”
“It’s about time!” Johnny replied.

My kids have an innate awareness that this isn’t a Christian world in a way that I never did. It will be interesting to see how that affects the way he sees being a follower of Jesus along the way. He’ll probably help me learn to be a pastor in a post-Christian world too.