My hometown hosts a Christmas Parade on the first Saturday in December. It is a very BIG deal with lots of participants, floats, candy, and spectators. Main Street is jammed with babies, older people, and everyone else in between celebrating this wonderful Christmas tradition!
The Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce and the City of Ellsworth have NOT caved to the vocal minority and re dubbed it the "Holiday Parade". Nope. It is still called the Ellsworth Christmas Parade.
Although the state of Maine is one of the top "unchurched" states in the United States, I don't believe that this statistic reflects a true disbelief in God. I do still have faith that the majority of my fellow Mainers, and especially my fellow Ellsworthians still have a fear and respect of God despite the fact that they don't attend church. I would bet my bottom dollar that a true majority of them believe in the gospel message, but don't accept it for themselves for a variety of reasons. And that is what they must do to come before God: accept it for themselves. Trust Jesus for your salvation. That is what makes a Christian a christian--a personal relationship.
As we made our way down Main Street to the toy store for a quick visit, I heard christian music being played from one of the businesses there! Amazing! So that is where we stayed to view the parade.
The parade contained the usual participants of military, cartoon characters, boys and girl scouts, bands, business, floats, fire engines, and, of course, Santa! Over and over again people were shouting "Merry Christmas!" There were at least three floats representing area churches. This year, for the first time, another organized religion entered a float in the parade: Downeast Humanists and Free thinkers.
hmmmmmmmmm
They were quoted as saying that they wanted to be represented in the community in what they referred to as the "Holiday" Parade.
okaaaaaayyyyyyy
So, hey! It's a free country, right?
On the side of their float was a sign that said "Happy Winter Solstice." Pretty harmless. After all, I do believe that there is a shortest day in the year. But here is the deal people:
It's the Ellsworth Christmas Parade
not the "Winter" parade
not the "Holiday" parade
not the "solstice" parade.
THE CHRISTMAS PARADE!
but.....for how long? They are a small group of sad looking older folk, but in my experience as an American lately it seems the small minority has the loudest voice.
Sooooo...................
They were handing out bookmarks with candy attached (of course) Written on these was :
The Axial tilt is the reason for the seasons.
Are you kidding me?
Okay humanists and free thinkers everywhere...........
LISTEN UP!
WE KNOW THAT ALREADY!!!! lol
However,
We give glory to God, creator of heaven and earth for designing and creating this wonderful system--the earth being hung perfectly in space to provide the conditions necessary for mankind to thrive here.
Can I get an Amen?!!!
I feel sorry for humanists and free thinkers. They have so much to learn. Their eyes need to be opened to their need for God. They must have a massive amount of unanswered questions about themselves and the world they live in. The "whys" can be overwhelming for a christian, can you imagine the pressure of taking it all on yourself, only believing in yourself?
Earlier I referred to the humanists and free thinkers as an organized religion.
Humanism is a religion, and Satan is it's god. We must pray for their salvation and the wisdom and patience and love necessary for us to live alongside them in this world, in our communities.
Being a church goer will not impress the world.....or God. So statistics are meaningless. Shining Christ's light and love onto those around us............Now that will be impressive!
Merry Christmas!!!
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 4, 2017
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
the prequel and the sequel to christmas
my post from yesterday
about christmas
actually flowed right out of me while i was writing in my journal on christmas morning
i'm going to share what i wrote
*christmas morning
up at 5:30 to water the chickens
quiet in my room (my bubby cave)
kitty & coffee
looked at internet
a video on Voskamp
i need a techno break
right. now.
there is too much of the world that comes into my life through SCREENS.
i. can't. handle. it.
today.....
church. i'm not feeling like going. i would much rather go off into the woods.
God is with me.
i don't need to go to church to find Him.
i don't need to go to church to satisfy a legalistic need to participate in organized religion.
yep. i wrote that. then my post from yesterday just flowed out onto the paper.
sometimes you just need to write it. get it out. some things are worth sharing. most is not, and thankfully i don't.
So.
what i wrote above.....about church........
it had NOTHING to do with church.
it had EVERYTHING to do with ME!
i get people overload.
i get situational overload (i may have just made that up but its real, people)
can i get an amen?
in the woods i can talk to God. i can sing, i can pray, i can cry! or i can do nothing at all and just sit quiet before Him.
let's face it.
the boundaries are there. the line you have to toe. everyone likes to pretend it's not, but it is.
the judgments are there. everyone likes to pretend they are not. but they are.
we are all human. i get it. and i'm honest. at least here.
so, when i'm already emotionally drained......
church is the last place i need to go!
again, i'm talking about me. i'm talking about what i know is best for me.
when i go to church i have to "put my game face on"
anyway,
this post is NOT about church
yada, yada, yada
i get it
don't preach it to me
fellowship
don't forsake it
i don't
i just don't crave it
........maybe if i lived under a rock from monday through saturday and had no contact at all with other christian people............
but i don't
.................................................................
this seems rambling and all over the place but i'm getting to the good stuff, i promise.
this morning i went back to my regular bible study in the morning. i had been studying isaiah before the advent break.
i opened my bible to where i needed to begin again
isaiah 29
v 1 what sorrow awaits Ariel, the city of David. year after year you celebrate your feasts.
v2 yet I will bring disaster upon you and there will be much weeping and sorrow
i won't go on.......
i found this passage interesting
ironic even
in light of my brain dump about christmas
God works in mysterious ways.
about christmas
actually flowed right out of me while i was writing in my journal on christmas morning
i'm going to share what i wrote
*christmas morning
up at 5:30 to water the chickens
quiet in my room (my bubby cave)
kitty & coffee
looked at internet
a video on Voskamp
i need a techno break
right. now.
there is too much of the world that comes into my life through SCREENS.
i. can't. handle. it.
today.....
church. i'm not feeling like going. i would much rather go off into the woods.
God is with me.
i don't need to go to church to find Him.
i don't need to go to church to satisfy a legalistic need to participate in organized religion.
yep. i wrote that. then my post from yesterday just flowed out onto the paper.
sometimes you just need to write it. get it out. some things are worth sharing. most is not, and thankfully i don't.
So.
what i wrote above.....about church........
it had NOTHING to do with church.
it had EVERYTHING to do with ME!
i get people overload.
i get situational overload (i may have just made that up but its real, people)
can i get an amen?
in the woods i can talk to God. i can sing, i can pray, i can cry! or i can do nothing at all and just sit quiet before Him.
let's face it.
the boundaries are there. the line you have to toe. everyone likes to pretend it's not, but it is.
the judgments are there. everyone likes to pretend they are not. but they are.
we are all human. i get it. and i'm honest. at least here.
so, when i'm already emotionally drained......
church is the last place i need to go!
again, i'm talking about me. i'm talking about what i know is best for me.
when i go to church i have to "put my game face on"
anyway,
this post is NOT about church
yada, yada, yada
i get it
don't preach it to me
fellowship
don't forsake it
i don't
i just don't crave it
........maybe if i lived under a rock from monday through saturday and had no contact at all with other christian people............
but i don't
.................................................................
this seems rambling and all over the place but i'm getting to the good stuff, i promise.
this morning i went back to my regular bible study in the morning. i had been studying isaiah before the advent break.
i opened my bible to where i needed to begin again
isaiah 29
v 1 what sorrow awaits Ariel, the city of David. year after year you celebrate your feasts.
v2 yet I will bring disaster upon you and there will be much weeping and sorrow
i won't go on.......
i found this passage interesting
ironic even
in light of my brain dump about christmas
God works in mysterious ways.
Monday, December 26, 2016
thank you Lord, its over for another year!
christmas.
think about it.
think about the excess.
excess decorations....lights.....food.....gifts......
most of it is nonsense.
unnecessary.
unneeded.
there is no "awe" in that.
if there is, then it's the "awe" of excess.
is it just americans? i think most of the world can't nearly afford this excess. and that most of the world could live...eat....have clean water and a roof for the amount the average american spends on christmas frivolity.
how do we justify this? i think it's impossible to justify it.
the "celebration" of christmas as we know it is totally about giving in to the flesh.
sure......there are some spiritual "moments"
but it is OVERWHELMINGLY a physical, irreverent celebration.
too much food is consumed.
too much money is spent.
it is about more. more things. "what do i buy so and so, what do i buy for dinner, what do i buy for breakfast" it's all about more. everything is bigger in christmasland.
the "celebration" of christmas is completely opposite of what we should be concentrating on.
more of God.
more peace.
more stillness.
more prayer.
there are two sides to the christmas dilemma. in both instances i will be talking about "christian" celebrations.
one side throws themselves into it with wild abandon. embracing and enjoying everything about christmas.
the other side shuns it altogether. they see the paganess and excesses and can't justify any of it.
then....
there are those like me.
those whose hearts and minds are torn between the physical and the spiritual aspects of this celebration.
the christmas celebration has pagan roots. there is no denying the truth so we won't argue the point. it is mostly paganism wrapped up with a shiny bow.
the santa aspect represents childhood fantasy, which i totally support. but why does santa need a tree to put the gifts under? and why does santa have to bring PILES of gifts? excess is the reason why. americans love the excess.
since the majority of the rituals surrounding christmas have roots in paganism, we must choose carefully and sparingly what we participate in.
if only christmas could be more like thanksgiving, and thanksgiving could be an every day event.
shouldn't we acknowledge daily our need for a savior? and that one was provided? shouldn't we celebrate continually that God came for us? that He came right down here to rescue us all if we only let Him?
why we set aside one day to excessively acknowledge this while feeding our own flesh is beyond me, and it is a shame.
why we only pull out the Nativity and wonder at the story once a year is beyond my comprehension. this needs to change if WE are to change.
i will tell you why christmas is celebrated once a year. it is a celebration that is tied to the pagan celebration of the solstice. it is chained to the pagan worship of the sun god.
why can we not break these chains? the pull of the "world" is strong. it is hard and seemingly impossible to do things differently than everyone else.
can we "celebrate" the fact that God came down here to get us, sent Jesus to be a man among us, die for our sins, pay the price, so we may come before God blameless, if we only choose that? can we celebrate that?
how about
every day instead of saving it for december?
so
what would the practical application of this celebration....all year long.....look like?
let's brainstorm
regular family dinners
inviting friends,
inviting acquaintances for coffee, lunch, dinner, to go for a walk, to talk....
turn off the screens. be more conscious of what else you could be doing. write someone a letter, a note, a card....make a phone call.....pop in for a visit......make the effort
open your eyes for everyday needs, every day.
get someone a gift or make someone a gift.......for no reason at all other than you were thinking of them.......just because......
infuse your life with Godly things: books, music, video? (oh be careful little eyes, ears, feet, etc....)
keep the Nativity our all years. light a Jesus candle every night.
make simple times special
invite God into every moment.
i pray that God will bless our efforts to excessively invite Him into our every day instead of just the one day.
think about it.
think about the excess.
excess decorations....lights.....food.....gifts......
most of it is nonsense.
unnecessary.
unneeded.
there is no "awe" in that.
if there is, then it's the "awe" of excess.
is it just americans? i think most of the world can't nearly afford this excess. and that most of the world could live...eat....have clean water and a roof for the amount the average american spends on christmas frivolity.
how do we justify this? i think it's impossible to justify it.
the "celebration" of christmas as we know it is totally about giving in to the flesh.
sure......there are some spiritual "moments"
but it is OVERWHELMINGLY a physical, irreverent celebration.
too much food is consumed.
too much money is spent.
it is about more. more things. "what do i buy so and so, what do i buy for dinner, what do i buy for breakfast" it's all about more. everything is bigger in christmasland.
the "celebration" of christmas is completely opposite of what we should be concentrating on.
more of God.
more peace.
more stillness.
more prayer.
there are two sides to the christmas dilemma. in both instances i will be talking about "christian" celebrations.
one side throws themselves into it with wild abandon. embracing and enjoying everything about christmas.
the other side shuns it altogether. they see the paganess and excesses and can't justify any of it.
then....
there are those like me.
those whose hearts and minds are torn between the physical and the spiritual aspects of this celebration.
the christmas celebration has pagan roots. there is no denying the truth so we won't argue the point. it is mostly paganism wrapped up with a shiny bow.
the santa aspect represents childhood fantasy, which i totally support. but why does santa need a tree to put the gifts under? and why does santa have to bring PILES of gifts? excess is the reason why. americans love the excess.
since the majority of the rituals surrounding christmas have roots in paganism, we must choose carefully and sparingly what we participate in.
if only christmas could be more like thanksgiving, and thanksgiving could be an every day event.
shouldn't we acknowledge daily our need for a savior? and that one was provided? shouldn't we celebrate continually that God came for us? that He came right down here to rescue us all if we only let Him?
why we set aside one day to excessively acknowledge this while feeding our own flesh is beyond me, and it is a shame.
why we only pull out the Nativity and wonder at the story once a year is beyond my comprehension. this needs to change if WE are to change.
i will tell you why christmas is celebrated once a year. it is a celebration that is tied to the pagan celebration of the solstice. it is chained to the pagan worship of the sun god.
why can we not break these chains? the pull of the "world" is strong. it is hard and seemingly impossible to do things differently than everyone else.
can we "celebrate" the fact that God came down here to get us, sent Jesus to be a man among us, die for our sins, pay the price, so we may come before God blameless, if we only choose that? can we celebrate that?
how about
every day instead of saving it for december?
so
what would the practical application of this celebration....all year long.....look like?
let's brainstorm
regular family dinners
inviting friends,
inviting acquaintances for coffee, lunch, dinner, to go for a walk, to talk....
turn off the screens. be more conscious of what else you could be doing. write someone a letter, a note, a card....make a phone call.....pop in for a visit......make the effort
open your eyes for everyday needs, every day.
get someone a gift or make someone a gift.......for no reason at all other than you were thinking of them.......just because......
infuse your life with Godly things: books, music, video? (oh be careful little eyes, ears, feet, etc....)
keep the Nativity our all years. light a Jesus candle every night.
make simple times special
invite God into every moment.
i pray that God will bless our efforts to excessively invite Him into our every day instead of just the one day.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
traditions 2
a christmas tradition i started this year with the little boys.
we used to do this with the kids when they were younger.
candy houses.
i felt that they were too young for real candy houses, so i baked really large gingerbread flat houses.
then i set up the dining room for the parents to help their littles decorate the houses with lots and lots of candy.
it went awesome. everyone loved it and they want to do it again!
julie is expecting so she got to complete one for baby sophia!
this bubby was really happy that they all enjoyed it! i look forward to doing it year after year!
we used to do this with the kids when they were younger.
candy houses.
i felt that they were too young for real candy houses, so i baked really large gingerbread flat houses.
then i set up the dining room for the parents to help their littles decorate the houses with lots and lots of candy.
it went awesome. everyone loved it and they want to do it again!
i kept it simple with canned frosting , m & m's nonpariels, gumdrops, necco wafers, mike and ikes, smarties, twizzlers, kisses, and starlights. each boy also got a candy santa.
joe wanted to eat his santa, but i don't think he did.
ethan took his work seriously.
such a fun family project!
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