Christmas with a Capital C

   I went to a store the other day with my family; and my mom got something there. The checkout lady said happy holidays. My mom and I walked out of the store with my dad asking my mom "why didn't you say 'Merry Christmas' to the lady?"

   See ever since we heard this song by Go Fish called Christmas with a Capital C (lyrics link at the bottom) we’ve realized that less and less it has been Merry Christmas and more and more "Happy Holidays." People want to be politically correct. They don’t want to offend anyone. Or, they are at a place of employment that says they need to say "Happy Holidays." Why is that?

   I think that it is mainly because we have gotten away from the reason for the season. In the song it talks about how years ago people would say “Merry Christmas” because that was what culture said. People used to think that Christmas was so valuable people would say “Merry Christmas” even if they disagreed with the religion behind it. But, we’ve lost that as a culture.

How have we lost it? Why have we lost it?    Because people are tired of religion. They are tired of hypocritical Christians. They are tired or people who talk the talk but do not walk the walk. Christians are part of the reason why culture has lost the reason for the season.

   So, what can we do to bring Christ back in Christmas. Well an easy way is to say “Merry Christmas” back to the people who say “Happy Holidays.” You may be thinking that that would offend people; but we cannot hide who we are. I’m all for celebrating different peoples’ cultures and uniqueness; but if we hide who we are we are not spreading the gospel. We are actually slowing it down.

   We cannot stand in the way of the gospel either by not preaching it; or by being hypocrites. We cannot be people who think we are perfect because we aren’t. We need to show others our scars because by doing that we are showing our weaknesses and why we needed Christ in the first place.

   We also need to point out that we don’t practice religion. We practice relationship. We aren’t reaching up and worshiping a god who only wants things from us. God reached down to us first. He sent his son on Christmas, to die on the cross at Easter, and in three days rose again; and he is coming back for his people, for his friends, for his bride, and for his family.

   That’s why we need to say “Merry Christmas.” That’s why we need to bring Christ back in Christmas. That’s why we need to spread the gospel. God’s word is going to spread to others with or without us. Do you want to say you were a part of helping God’s family grow? Or, do you want to be a bystander?

   So are you spreading the gospel or are you being too timid? Are you being hypocritical at all in your life? Are you slowing the gospel down in any way? Are you practicing religion or relationship?

   Matthew 28:19, Luke 2:11, Isaiah 9:6

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4L9tT1R3lY  (Lyrics to Christmas with a Capital C). 

   Disclaimer; My mom pointed out to me that sometimes people say "Happy Holidays" to encompass both Christmas and New Years. I was trying to make a point in this blog that I still think we should say "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Years." But if you say "Happy Holidays" to encompass both of those holidays okay.

The Difference Between Pretty and Beautiful: The Makeup Experiment

   So, some of you may or may not know that I did an experiment on the 13^th and 15^th of December 2015. I did an experiment dealing with makeup. For those of you who don't know, I am a tomboy. I do not wear makeup. I wear athletic clothes and would rather play sports than go shopping. For this experiment I dressed up, put makeup on, and did my hair just to see what would happen. This experiment led to me asking some questions that I will pose to you here; and the results were somewhat surprising.

   Why do we wear makeup? Some may say because it makes us look professional, it makes us feel confident, makes us look healthier, and so on.

   Well, during this experiment I got many reactions. Some people (who I have known for 21 years) did not recognize me, some people just stared at me, some people said I was a movie star, people who I knew but did not talk to much made a point to talk to me, and one person even asked me for my autograph. I’m not going to lie; it did feel pretty good to be noticed by people. But it also made me question do these people not like the way I look normally? Which led to me to wonder: do some people just wear makeup to please others? Honestly when I wore that stuff I did feel more confident and accepted. But, I also felt like I was conforming to the world; and that I was wearing a mask.

   I want to be clear that I am not saying makeup is a bad thing; but I want to know why we wear it. And I do think it boils down to masks, insecurities, and imperfections. We hide who we really are and who God made us behind masks. Now, I know some people who wear makeup for work or because it makes them feel confident. But, why does it make them feel confident? Is it because people notice them more? Is it because it makes them feel more beautiful? I don’t know.

   What I do know is that God made us who we are. We need to be thankful for the attributes that he gave us because those attributes are what make us unique. There is no one in the world with the same experiences, looks, thoughts, and emotions that you have. It is amazing to think about.

   Another thing this experiment taught me was the difference between pretty and beautiful. You can look pretty and not be beautiful. Dictionary.com defines pretty as: “pleasing or attractive to the eye.” The Bible says this about beauty, according to 1 Peter 3:3-4, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” Beauty, true beauty, is not what is on the outside but is what is on the inside. God looks at the heart not outward appearance. He loves us no matter how we look, what we do, or what we own. It is true he does not like when we sin, or disobey him. But, his love for us is never ending.

   Finally, to wrap up this experiment, I want to reiterate that I am not bashing makeup or people who wear it. I’m just trying to make a point and questioning why we wear makeup. In fact, because of this experiment, I may wear makeup more. Not because I’m insecure, I’m trying to hide my imperfections, or because I do not want to be unique; but, because of this experiment, I was reminded about a quote a wise friend of mine said: “Food can be the most delicious thing in the world. But, if it doesn’t look appetizing on the plate do you think people are going to want to eat it?” Or, something like that :D

   The point is that this experiment has shown me that when I look “nice” I’m more confident. But, it’s not only an outward confidence; I’m God-confident because I know he made me and loves me no matter how I look (in other words I will not be dressing up all the time). And, because I’m more confident, I’m able to make an impact on the world by glorifying God with how I look; while at the same time being modest, and staying true to who I am. Because, I’m not trying to be pretty I want to be beautiful on the inside and out.

   So are you being true to who God made you to be, or are you hiding behind a mask? Are you trying to be pretty or beautiful? Do you have self-confidence or God confidence?

   Psalm 149:14, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Romans 12:2

The Days of Being a Princess and a Knight

   Think back to when you were little. You always wanted to play outside. You imagined that you were a princess or fighting off a dragon. You wanted to know more about the world around you so you asked so many questions. You believed that you could accomplish almost anything. And, you had faith in your family and friends.

   Now look at yourself today. You go through the daily schedule of going to school or work. Then come home to do more work, play with your children, watch television, or just relax. And finally you go to bed then start the same routine the next day. There is not much creativity or excitement in your life.

   So, which would you rather have? Would you rather be a child who has an exciting life and believes in people and dreams; or, would you rather go through the motions every day?

   See, the problem nowadays is that people think that it is wrong to be like a child. I disagree with this idea. Now, I’m not saying that we need to keep the parts where we cannot take care of ourselves, where we whine about everything, act immature, or where we throw so many temper tantrums. What I am saying is that there are certain aspects we need to keep in order to live a joyful life. I mean, think about it.

   When you were a child you were excited whenever you learned something new. Now if you have to learn are you excited about it or do you scoff? I remember when I first went into college. It sounds bad but there were certain classes I was not looking forward to, mostly because I was not remotely interested in what we were learning about. Then, after some soul searching, I realized something. I am privileged to learn about anything; because, God created everything. I should want to get to know more about my creator and His creation.

   Another aspect of childhood we should keep is childlike faith. Children have faith in people because they have to. Now I’m not saying you trust everyone in the world with all of your money, secrets, or life. What I am saying is that we need to love others and give them the benefit of the doubt. As Christians, we are called to love and forgive everyone. That means believing in people and giving them second chances.

   Now I want you to do something that children do a lot: imagine. Imagine if we all looked at our world like children. Would the world be a better place or not? Would we learn more about the world and God? Would people be kinder?  

   So are you going to look at the world like a child, or are you going to keep going through the motions?

   Matthew 18:2-6

"All For One. And One For All"

   "All for one. And one for all!" For those of you that know that is said by the three musketeers, congratulations. When we think of the three musketeers we either think of a candy bar :D or a group of tightly knit friends who save people. They are trying to make their world a better place. It is kind of like what the church is supposed to do, right? 

   However, instead of being the three musketeers, we end up being like the people in The Hunger Games. Fighting each other to survive and only thinking of ourselves. "I am right." "Things need to go my way or I'll leave church." Is this how the church should be?

   At Lancaster Bible College, we need to learn about the history of the church. One major thing we talk about are denominations. What are denominations though, are they important?

Denominations are basically groups of people who have different beliefs; but most, if not all, consider themselves to be Christian. So if we are all Christian shouldn’t we all believe the same things? Shouldn't we all be "all for one and one for all?" I mean, we all get our information from the Bible, right?

   The Bible is where we get our information, but the Bible is not always clear. Yes, it is divinely appointed, but what we need to remember is that we cannot understand everything about God. Our minds are finite and, if we could understand God, then we wouldn’t need to worship Him.

   Anyhow, my point is that Christians focus on fighting with one another over trivial issues. I’m not talking about things that are directly against the Bible, like murder. I’m also not saying that we cannot state our opinions to someone. What I am talking about how we do communion, feet washing, opinions on politics, and so much more. Is this really what we want people to see us doing? Do we want people to see us argue over trivial issues? I’m sure that these arguments will lead so many people to Christ, right?

   Um, NO! We wonder why so many people are lost in this world; and the answer is simple. We have a goal to prove to others that we are right. We argue about when to do communion because this is when we know we should do it. We argue like we are in court trying to win a case. Yes, some cases can be important to the faith; but others are just petty differences. What’s worse is when some Christians try to evangelize to the lost they start arguing with those people. Do you think that arguing will lead the lost to Christ?

   What we should be focusing on, rather than our differences in the church or arguing with the lost, is the great commission. God calls us to reach the lost. True, some people understand facts more than emotional things, so they may be led to God through arguments. But, it will not be arguments where people yell at them. That will just push them away. See God made us all differently. Sometimes we focus too much on the differences and not on the similarities. As far as I know, all Christians believe in Christ and that it is important to reach the lost. So we need to focus on that common goal. We need to use our differences to reach the lost. Because, not all people are going to be reached at the same time, place, or by the same person; and that’s okay.

   So my challenge for you this week is to stop arguing over trivial things with other Christians, if you do that. It will not help change that person’s mind if it is not out of love. I also want you to think about the lost people you know. If you haven’t been able to reach them, don’t press, but try a different tactic. Who knows? You might just make a difference. And, this way, we will be the church community filled with people who are saying "all for one. And one for all." 

   Titus 3:9, John 17:20-26