Thursday, November 25, 2010

My grown-up Christmas list

Over the last few years I've been struggling with Christmas. I've been captured by the idea that Christmas needs to be more about proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven and celebrating the Messiah, the Deliver, the King and less about packages with ribbons and bows. The last few years as this conviction as been examined and etched out in my soul I never really had to confront it because... well I didn't have much and always seemed to be in-transit. This year was different, is different. I'm working a steady job that pays well and although Melissa and I aren't loaded we aren't scrapping the bottom of the jar for peanut butter. Plus I have some roots I have a place that is home and a community in which I plan to be a part of for awhile. So this is the year when I stop thinking about these things and do something about. I'm planning a Christmas party for the youth group with this in mind so that as we celebrate we also act.
I wish I was a goo din my own life. The other day my wife asked me for a list of ideas for her family which I was able to come up with. Yet now as I think about the list I realized that I forgot this idea. So I'm taking the chance to update my list. For those of you whom this is a little to late. I'm sorry I didn't get this sooner and thank you for the present I know that it will bring a smile to my face and joy in my life but for those that are still searching here are things that will grip my heart. Give a gift in my name send a donation to these places.

Josiah Venture
http://www.josiahventure.com/

4 Kids of South Florida:
http://www.4kidsofsfl.org/events_and_activities/Gift-of-Hope.cfm

For what I really want is the gospel to be proclaimed and the hopeless to find hope.