Christmas gift thoughts

It's the day after Christmas and I love everything I received. Among the many gifts I received, two stand out for very different reasons. The first notable gift is Optimash Prime. Now Darth Tater has a companion on the shelf. The second gift worthy of comment, and by far my favorite (but not for the reasons you expect), is my Obi-Wan Kenobi light sabre. The gift of the light sabre actually has a few spiritual applications. In order to understand those, you'll have to read the whole story.

Earlier in the fall as my family began making Christmas lists, the one thing I put on my list was the aforementioned weapon of choice by one of the greatest known Jedi knights. They only cost about seven or eight dollars, so I figured this would be a shoe-in. My wife knows I like to get toys and she also knows how Star Wars seems to dominate our family's life at times.

My hopes of getting this light sabre disappeared when a local sporting goods store began clearancing out its camping gear. We had the opportunity to buy a nice family sized tent for only 40% of the original cost. We gave our boys a choice. We could a) spend our entire alloted Christmas budget for Mommy & Daddy gifts on the tent or b) give the boys the money to buy individual gifts for us so they could have the opportunity to go shopping. They chose A, so my wife and I received our Christmas gift in early November. We bought a tent that is literally the size of our bedroom.

Now, it must be added that we reminded the boys they had their own money they could choose to spend on Mommy and Daddy if they wanted. Of course, we did not expect them to. In the meantime, I had been planning to buy a light sabre with my own money after Christmas so that the boys and I could have some Jedi fun whenever we needed to burn off some energy.

On Christmas morning I was surprised to receive the very thing I wanted most - my very own Obi-Wan Kenobi light sabre. It was a gift from my boys and it warmed my heart so. Not only was I surprised at the gift itself, but I was surprised they had managed to keep it a secret, especially my youngest.

While pondering this wonderful gift, two important lessons came to mind. First, the boys bought this with their own money. It was something they really wanted to do because they knew how much I wanted it. They actually demonstrated some level of selflessness and thinking beyond themselves for a change. For those of you who have wondered if your children will ever get there, take this as hope that they will. My boys aren't completely selfless, but this was a step.

In order to appreciate the second lesson, you must hear the rest of the story. My boys sent their mother out shopping for the light sabre. All she knew was it had to be a blue light sabre. Much to her dismay upon bringing it home, she was told very quickly that she had bought the wrong one. She had bought the Anakin Skywalker light sabre. As you can see from the picture above, they are vey different (Obi-Wan is on top, Anakin on the bottom). She was not aware that such a distinction existed. She was able to return the wrong one and exchange it for the proper replica.

Here's the lesson, and despite all premises, it's a deep and important one. Lots of people "buy" what they think is real Christianity. They find something that resembles what little they know about it. Sometimes that's not a risky choice; sometimes it is. Some people don't even know that light sabres come in different colors, let alone may have different handles. Some people don't know that Christianity is not just like all the other religions. All religions do not lead to the same place.

So what do you do if you are one of these people that knows very little about faith in general but you are searching for authentic Christianity? At some point you have to become familiar with the product. As I always say here, never do it alone. Go to the Bible to find out the details on the story. Begin your search with another group of people. Make sure there are people like yourself AND people who already have the answers in that group. Keep yourself open to the direction of the Holy Spirit. If you get off track and bring home the wrong model, the Holy Spirit will redirect you.

The most important thing to do is to do something. You'll never be a real Jedi by wishing you had a light sabre. You'll never know more about God or have a real relationship with him by just thinking it would be a good thing. And if you get the wrong color or the wrong handle, keep looking and keep open - he'll make sure you get it right.

A Survivor Christmas

Last night was the finale of the 15th edition of Survivor, the reality tv show where contestants must outwit, outlast, and outplay their opponents to win $1 million while at the same time being dropped off in a remote jungle. Last night's winner was Todd Herzog, a 22 year old flight attendant from Utah. In all my years of watching the show, he probably played the best strategic game of all.

One thing that is always a constant in this show is the scheming that continually takes place on the cameras but not always in front of the other contestants. Part of that scheming is trying to determine against whom you will have the best chance of winning $1 million. In the end, people you may have lied to, tricked, etc. have to vote on whether or not you get the prize compared to the other one or two final contestants. In previous editions, there has been much talk about which contestant's life demonstrated a greater need for the big prize. This year was no different.

Enter Denise, a 40 year old happily married mother of three who works as a school lunch lady for $7 an hour. Or at least she did work as a school lunch lady. Upon returning from the show and to work, she lost her job because her employers felt her presence might be too disruptive to the school. She now works as a janitor. Denise had made it to the final four. Those four contestants had banded together early and stuck together all the way to the end. However, Denise was always at the bottom of the totem pole of four. When it came down to deciding which of these final four contestants would be voted off, the one contestant who held the swing vote regarding keeping Denise in the finals and giving her a chance at the prize deliberated continually over Denise's financial situation.

As I watched the moral quandry this contestant went through and what I believe to be real anguish on her face when the decision making time came, I began to think about what I would do in her situation. I would love to give Survivor a try sometime. If I was able to make it to this point, what would be the major factor in my decision? A lot of folks say they want to go to the end with the best in order to be competitive all the way to the end. Then again, $1 million is a lot of money. Would I be willing to lose it to someone who may need it a little more than I because it would be a wonderfully altruistic or compassionate thing to do, especially knowing that millions of people would be watching and evaluating my every word and action? Or do I want to come home with a lot of money because that is after all why I'm playing the game?

Which brings me to Christmas, believe it or not. Jesus did what was best for us. I don't believe Jesus would have been a contestant on Survivor: Dead Sea had he been given the chance. But I do know that he gave up a pretty high position of power, prestige, and reward because we needed it more. He was motivated by obedience to his heavenly father and love and compassion for us. It did not matter how much he would miss out on; it only mattered that we might be given a chance at eternity with his father in heaven.

Merry Christmas!

K.I.S.S.

It's time of the year where I ponder the material wealth that I possess. I am not rich by any means, but my family has more stuff than should be legal in the 48 continental United States. This time of year brings about such ponderance because Christmas is around the corner and that means my children get more stuff. Yea! Everyone needs more stuff! (sarcasm implied and intended)

The storage and maintenance of our stockpile of stuff is a constant topic of discussion for the wife and me. Because of everyone's busy schedules, we celebrated Christmas with my side of the family this past weekend. It did not dawn on me until we were leaving the house for the two hour drive to my mom's that I forgot the rent a U-Haul because most assuredly I would need one to get all the new stuff home. Luckily, we crammed it all in the back of the van and did not have to leave anyone behind in order to do so.

Saturday afternoon I spent a few minutes at my grandmother's. As I sat on the couch talking with her, I gazed around her house. Not much has changed in her home in the last 38 years. Some of the furniture has been swapped out. The pictures get rotated each each year as the great-grandchildren get older. Everything is pretty much the same - even the smell (and I love that smell).

I sat there reminiscing of my childhood days spent in the house. I remember the smell of coffee in the morning. I remember the taste of my own weakened cup of java she would make for me in the Yogi bear cup that had to stay at her house. I remember the tastes of the homemade biscuits she would make on Sunday afternoon and how she would always make one for me shaped like a stick man. My favorite sensory experience was always the taste and smell of the fried shrimp she would cook up for us.

As I allowed that flood of memories to sweep over me, I finished my visual survey of her home. I was struck with how simple it was. The house is not big by any means - three small bedrooms, 1100 square feet at best (and she raised five kids in that house, without indoor plumbing for many of those early years). I was amazed most at the lack of clutter, i.e. stuff, filling her home. If my memory serves me well, it's always been that way.

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid. Those of us with too much stuff are probably stupid. I know I feel stupid. We need to be constantly reminded to live life more simply. I know that I wish I could squeeze my family into my grandmother's home and we all be happy about it. The simple life sure does look good.

Thank you Granny for the best gift I received this Christmas.

Excuses

Taking liberties with some movies and great works of literature, here's a burning question:

"O Blogger, Where Art Thou?"
"Bloggero, Bloggero, wherefore art thou Bloggero?"
"Are we blogging yet?"
"The Fall of the Blog: Star Wars Episode 7"

For the last few weeks, millions of people have not cared whether or not I have blogged. Tens of you have forgotten I even had one. Two of you have wondered when I'm going to get off my lazy butt and write something. For you two faithful fans, today is your lucky day. However, all I have are excuses for why I haven't posted very faithfully for a few weeks. These are in no particular order.

1. Too busy reading other people's blogs
2. After #1, I felt inferior to their witty humor, insightful societal or theological observations, or much more exciting lives
3. I've developed an allergy to Windows XP and unfortunately can't afford a new Mac right now
4. I'm just lazy
5. I decided to live my faith journey for a while instead of write about it
6. I'm recovering from my injuries suffered when the doors opened on Black Friday and I was trampled on my way to the half priced candy canes
7. I'm trying to watch as much tv as possible since the writers strike will force early reruns
8. I just can't seem to blog when the Panthers fall below .500
9. My fingers are too jumpy because of the increased sugar intake from all those candy canes
10. My brain is too dead because of repeated crashes after all my sugar rushes wore off
11. The weather is too crazy! It's 48 degrees one day and 70 the next!
12. Blog rhymes with eggnog and I just can't mix the two
13. Speaking of eggnog, I waited all night in the barn to see if the eggnog cow would see her shadow on Dec 2 and bring us eggnog this Christmas
14. Related to #12 & 13, I spent an inordinate amount of time wondering why eggnog is only on the shelves in December
15. I'm still trying to untangle all the stinking Christmas lights
16. Developed tennis elbow doing #15
17. Spent a lot of time wondering if what Tim Allen's character on The Santa Clause is true about Santa not visiting Muslim or Jewish children
18. Practicing Neptunesday really screwed me up for a while

If I can think of some more excuses, I'll put off writing for a few more days.

Just a thought.