New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have the total opposite effect on me as Christmas.
I love New Year's.
Sometimes I get all dressed up and go out. Some years, like this one, I go to a party (or two!) There have been years in the past where I went absolutely nowhere by choice, and stayed home. . .alone.
I love that.
You see, I've always used New Years as a devotion to prayer and meditation and journaling about the past, present and future. I will delve into renewal of the mind and heart, reflect on the past, and dream of the future.
I will get deep, then get deeper.
There have been years when I embraced the future with optimism and hope. Other years I felt the release of the past leave me, exhaustingly.
This year, well, God's working something out for me. What it is, I don't know. I just know it's something. So this New Year's Eve I'm devoting to faith.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Being Thankful
Inasmuch as I slammed the traditional Christmas. . .there are quite a few things that I'm thankful for. First and foremost, I had my own little Christmas miracle.
Thank you Jesus.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following for making my Christmas special:
Rich F for the Christmas card. See, he does listen.
Rich H for the friend request on fb. That made me laugh uncontrollably.
My mom. . .who even in the midst of high drama knew how to make me smile.
My beloved Aunt, who in her Christmas card noted how much she missed me. (I miss her terribly too!)
Thank you Jesus.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following for making my Christmas special:
Rich F for the Christmas card. See, he does listen.
Rich H for the friend request on fb. That made me laugh uncontrollably.
My mom. . .who even in the midst of high drama knew how to make me smile.
My beloved Aunt, who in her Christmas card noted how much she missed me. (I miss her terribly too!)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Well, After All Is Said And Done. . .
I have to go back to grinning and bearing it, this hate for this stress-filled materialistic, meaningless Christmas.
Poor Joanna. I think I through her in a state of shock.
Leslie, not so much.
ha ha ha ha
So, in goes the opinion, my thoughts and verbiage on the matter. I would never want to kill anyone's alleged joy, and how joy is found in this season. . .go figure. . .
And yes Joanna. . .you should keep your Nativity scene up all year long.
Poor Joanna. I think I through her in a state of shock.
Leslie, not so much.
ha ha ha ha
So, in goes the opinion, my thoughts and verbiage on the matter. I would never want to kill anyone's alleged joy, and how joy is found in this season. . .go figure. . .
And yes Joanna. . .you should keep your Nativity scene up all year long.
So I Went And Voiced My Opinion About Christmas:
"Am I bringing back your Christmas present?" Leslie asked.
"Grinchette." She then called me.
"Don't blame Christmas!" Joanna scorned.
"Did you have bad Christmases?" Leslie then inquired oh so sincerely.
"No!" I reply. I just don't do materialism, global lies and hypocricsy very well.
"Grinchette." She then called me.
"Don't blame Christmas!" Joanna scorned.
"Did you have bad Christmases?" Leslie then inquired oh so sincerely.
"No!" I reply. I just don't do materialism, global lies and hypocricsy very well.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
I Hate Christmas
There. I said it.
It's true.
"Why Renee, aren't you a Christian? How does a Christian hate Christmas?" Some may ask.
"Isn't that sacrilege?" Others ask.
No, it's not sacrilege or anti-Christ in anyway.
Truth be told, I worship Jesus' birth, life and death EVERY DAY in my personal prayer life and EVERY SUNDAY I worship Him in church. I DO NOT NEED ONE DAY A YEAR TO PRAISE HIM!
Christmas isn't about Jesus anyway. It's a marketing/money making scam that this country's retail businesses live for. Christmas is what makes and/or breaks any store. . .It's a dream for the materialistic, the shallow and those who believe it's the things in life that mean anything. It gives the conceited permission to brag and our children the wrong impression about life.
It's a lie. Santa is a lie that the entire world is in on.
And what about the poor people? Yeah, what about them? Inasmuch as I don't like the materialistic drama and lies of this Holiday season, I put a grin on and bear it for the sake of my child and there have been many times that I've endured many blessings and miracles manipulating my paycheck to cover this costly mess. . .but what about those who can't?
How mean is this?
Sure, there are organizations, businesses and churches who donate to families. . .but still. . .how could a parent possibly feel if they have to have toys donated to see their children smile at the Santa lie? How could it possibly make them feel? And there is absolutely NO WAY that every poor person in this country alone is receiving a gift.
And what about those who are depressed? Those who are alone? The elderly, the sick, the orphans. . .well, first word of advice: DO NOT LISTEN TO THE RADIO. It will only make it worse. Blue Christmas without you; Christmas Wish For You; Next Year I'll Give My Heart To Someone Else; Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy. Seriously, it's really sad to those who are alone and/or depressed.
It's a horrible season.
So what can I do? I can run around to every homeless shelter and nursing home and sing! Yeah, that'll work! Actually, the homeless shelters and the nursing homes are the places that the donations do come through. It's those in their little apartments, or in small rooms. It's those who are out on the streets who are alone and who have ABSOLUTELY no choice but to endure the painful reminders that they are alone and depressed, especially during this Holiday season.
The children. The abused children. The neglected children. The ones that the churches don't come through for because their caregivers won't allow it, or no one knows they exist.
How do they feel?
World, how are we making others feel by celebrating this false financial fiasco?
I will be celebrating the Holiday because I believe I don't have a choice. I would never have the heart to allow my child to live in this world and isolate him from the norms of society.
But I will be teaching him that Christmas is everyday. Giving should be everyday and it doesn't have to be a monetary gift. Giving can be a smile, a handshake, an understanding, some compassion.
The little things that could change the world.
Just like Jesus.
It's true.
"Why Renee, aren't you a Christian? How does a Christian hate Christmas?" Some may ask.
"Isn't that sacrilege?" Others ask.
No, it's not sacrilege or anti-Christ in anyway.
Truth be told, I worship Jesus' birth, life and death EVERY DAY in my personal prayer life and EVERY SUNDAY I worship Him in church. I DO NOT NEED ONE DAY A YEAR TO PRAISE HIM!
Christmas isn't about Jesus anyway. It's a marketing/money making scam that this country's retail businesses live for. Christmas is what makes and/or breaks any store. . .It's a dream for the materialistic, the shallow and those who believe it's the things in life that mean anything. It gives the conceited permission to brag and our children the wrong impression about life.
It's a lie. Santa is a lie that the entire world is in on.
And what about the poor people? Yeah, what about them? Inasmuch as I don't like the materialistic drama and lies of this Holiday season, I put a grin on and bear it for the sake of my child and there have been many times that I've endured many blessings and miracles manipulating my paycheck to cover this costly mess. . .but what about those who can't?
How mean is this?
Sure, there are organizations, businesses and churches who donate to families. . .but still. . .how could a parent possibly feel if they have to have toys donated to see their children smile at the Santa lie? How could it possibly make them feel? And there is absolutely NO WAY that every poor person in this country alone is receiving a gift.
And what about those who are depressed? Those who are alone? The elderly, the sick, the orphans. . .well, first word of advice: DO NOT LISTEN TO THE RADIO. It will only make it worse. Blue Christmas without you; Christmas Wish For You; Next Year I'll Give My Heart To Someone Else; Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy. Seriously, it's really sad to those who are alone and/or depressed.
It's a horrible season.
So what can I do? I can run around to every homeless shelter and nursing home and sing! Yeah, that'll work! Actually, the homeless shelters and the nursing homes are the places that the donations do come through. It's those in their little apartments, or in small rooms. It's those who are out on the streets who are alone and who have ABSOLUTELY no choice but to endure the painful reminders that they are alone and depressed, especially during this Holiday season.
The children. The abused children. The neglected children. The ones that the churches don't come through for because their caregivers won't allow it, or no one knows they exist.
How do they feel?
World, how are we making others feel by celebrating this false financial fiasco?
I will be celebrating the Holiday because I believe I don't have a choice. I would never have the heart to allow my child to live in this world and isolate him from the norms of society.
But I will be teaching him that Christmas is everyday. Giving should be everyday and it doesn't have to be a monetary gift. Giving can be a smile, a handshake, an understanding, some compassion.
The little things that could change the world.
Just like Jesus.
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