Weekend Thoughts

It's the end of Small Business Saturday and I have to admit that I didn't buy anything from a small business. The only place I've been in the last three days is a brief visit to Starbucks today for a cup of coffee that I didn't have to make myself. Other than that, I haven't even been out of the house.

At some point in the coming days, I suppose I'll have to get our Christmas decorations out of the attic and up. It has been some time since I've really felt like being festive around the holidays. Christmas Day  isn't the same with the kids grown and moved out. Aaron and Jenny will be here around New Year's Day. I don't know if we'll wait until then to exchange gifts with Hannah and Daniel as well.

It probably sounds pretty strange coming from a preacher, but I am becoming weary of the celebration of Christmas. In truth, there is little about the season that points to the birth of Jesus (an event that happened more than 2000 years ago).

I don't think that Jesus expects a birthday celebration on his behalf. And I don't think that we give our gifts with Jesus in mind.
Don't misunderstand me -- I like giving and receiving gifts. I like getting together with family and friends. I like the parties and festivities (and food) that goes along with the season.

But I wonder what God thinks of all the celebration.
I wonder what God thinks of our make believe "war on Christmas" that people talk about as they take their kids to see Santa and put up a holiday tree (see what I did there?).
I wonder what God thinks of us as we go much of the year never sharing Jesus with our neighbors and now take offense that they don't know about Him or observe Christmas as a celebration of His birth.
I wonder what people would think of us if we turned that around and talked about Jesus throughout the year and then just celebrated Christmas like most everybody else does.

And...
I wonder if I'm just becoming a curmudgeonly old man that is tired of listening to people complain about the great life they have.

I wonder...

John <><