While I’m At It…

I didn’t want to do this. Well, I sort of did, but I was putting it off, thinking the whole things would go away. I figured everyone has seen it circulate on Facebook and that’s well enough. My thoughts are my thoughts and I’ll just keep them to myself. I know what you could be thinking, “Great! Finally! For once!”

Well, today’s not that day.

Today is a blog hopping, link clicking day related to giving gifts at Christmastime. These are other’s thoughts feeding into mine. So while I’m in the middle of it all, I thought you might want to join in.

Start here with Jen Hatmaker’s latest blog installment- A Christmas Conundrum. (psst… you can’t really get the rest of my blog post if you don’t read it.)

See what I mean? I was actually glad she wrote it all. It says to the world “Hey, we ARE doing this! We know, we look weird, we’re okay with that. Want to join us?” I do. I really, really do!

So last night the kids made out some wish lists. I tried the idea on them, gently, nonchalantly. My kids have a high sensitivity to their mom’s crazy ideas, so I had to act cool. Something you want, something you need, something to give, something to read. All went well until the something to give- mostly, I think because they aren’t quite sure how to think about it. Questions came popping up like “Do we all have to give towards the same thing?” “Why do we have to buy an animal or whatever? Can’t we just give money to the organization?” I didn’t have answers for them (except the last because, really, what organization is going to refuse money?). Their questions are a part of the thinking through process. And it’s also a part of the wrestling with selfishness process.

But you know how when God wants to get your attention He just sort of puts reminders in front of you time and time again? Yeah- so today’s mail contained Aunt Denise’s December prayer letter. Turkeys are a means to the gospel in Africa. I waved the little card to them from the couch. “This could be it!”

Popping in on a favorite blog, I was stopped in my tracks. So head over to Ann’s blog for When Christmas Gets Radical. Be sure to read it all. Then follow the links she has at the bottom. (Since I don’t want you to miss them, here they are: The Rich Family in Church and this one is a 10 minute video clip- The Gospel Demands Radical Giving.)

Wow! Bold statements! Radical thoughts!

So whatcha gonna do? I don’t know but I did read through the comments left on Jen’s blog and one person asked what she should do. She said she was full in the whole thing- could she jump ship mid-stream? Jen’s response encouraged her to start in some way and go from there. She said her own family’s process has been four years in the overhaul. For Ann’s it has been ten years in the making. You don’t get there overnight.

I’m not even sure what it’s going to end up looking like in our own family. It will undergo many changes, I’m sure. But while I’m at it, won’t you join me?