I feel a bit guilty for not doing my part to bolster America's economy on the busiest shopping day of the year (I did purchase an Entertainment Weekly and some green apples, but I don't think that really counts.) To atone for my lack of shopping, I thought I'd post some gift ideas that will encourage my readers to spend their hard earned cash and hopefully eliminate some of the stress that comes with the search for the perfect Christmas present. I'll post a variety of suggestions over the next month. Here are this week's picks:
A Measuring Gaggle: About a week ago, I was unwinding on my couch with a copy of the latest Anthropologie catalogue when I spied this adorable quartet of goose shaped bone china measuring cups. I actually exclaimed, "Oh my goodness, those are so cute!" (talking to yourself is one of the delightful/disturbing things about living alone.) Your mom/sister/girlfriend/wife would probably never think of buying something as frivolous as goose measuring cups, but just imagine how darling they would look resting on her kitchen shelf. And how they'll add a touch of whimsy to even the most mundane culinary chores. And they're microwave and dishwasher safe. Sheesh, I've convinced myself. I think I'm going to order a set tonight.
Artwork: This gift requires a solid grasp of the giftee's design aesthetic, but can be a fun and unexpected present. For some unique ideas, check out etsy.com, a website where thousands of artisans sell their handmade wares. I'm fond of John Golden's digital prints, especially the By Order Of The Management series, Lunastrella Record Player, Lowtops On Baby Blue, and Mind Your P's And Q's.
Personal Stationary: I was raised by one of the most gracious women I know, yet somehow I can't seem to write a proper thank you note. I understand that lack of cute stationary is no excuse for my rudeness, but perhaps I'd be a bit more on the ball if I had some lovely cards to send. Personal stationary is a great gift because it's a luxury most people wouldn't think to buy for themselves, it's practical, there's a plethora of options, and people will enjoy it regardless of their shoe size, taste in music, or 2008 diet plans. I'm particularly enamored with Paper+Cup's OldSchool Numbered Note Card and Framed Silo Note Card and Erin Condren Design's Sugar Spots Note Card (they even come with matching return address labels!)
A National Geographic Magazine From The Month And Year They Were Born: This gift comes across as incredibly sensitive and thoughtful, yet all you really have to know is the giftee's birthday. It's always fun to look back on the events and trends of your birth year and it may spark some fascinating stories on Christmas morning. Check out National Geographic to learn how to order back issues.
On Top Of The World Globe: This globe won't be everyone's cup of tea and it's fairly expensive, but it could be a super buy for any vintage lovers or travel enthusiasts on your list. Restoration Hardware's nifty replica is modeled after globes on the desks of 1950s travel agents and would look gorgeous on a coffee table.
Happy Shopping!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
We Gather Together To Read This New Blog Post
On this Thanksgiving day, I'd like to take a moment to express my gratitude for the following things that are consistently excellent: Christopher Guest movies, Bittersweet Cafe hot chocolate, my mom's jokes, Stephen Sondheim musicals, Martha Stewart DIY projects, my dad's sermons, Zachary's deep dish pepperoni pizza, Tim Keller Bible studies, Anthropologie sweaters, discussions at my small group, Project Runway, Amy Butler textiles, Tim Goodman's column in the SF Chronicle, service at San Leandro Honda, Safeway, Mimi's buttermilk spice muffins, Spark on PBS, Disneyland, Discount School Supply products, and Isaac Watts' hymns, including "Is This The Kind Return." I thought it was particularly appropriate for today. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Is this the kind return,
And these the thanks we owe,
Thus to abuse eternal love,
Whence all our blessings flow?
To what a stubborn frame
Has sin reduced our mind!
What strange rebellious wretches we,
And God as strangely kind!
On us He bids the sun
Shed his reviving rays;
For us the skies their circles run,
To lengthen out our days.
The brutes obey their God,
And bow their necks to men;
But we, more base, more brutish things,
Reject His easy reign.
Turn, turn us, mighty God,
And mold our souls afresh;
Break, sov’reign grace, these hearts of stone,
And give us hearts of flesh.
Let old ingratitude
Provoke our weeping eyes,
And hourly as new mercies fall
Let hourly thanks arise.
Is this the kind return,
And these the thanks we owe,
Thus to abuse eternal love,
Whence all our blessings flow?
To what a stubborn frame
Has sin reduced our mind!
What strange rebellious wretches we,
And God as strangely kind!
On us He bids the sun
Shed his reviving rays;
For us the skies their circles run,
To lengthen out our days.
The brutes obey their God,
And bow their necks to men;
But we, more base, more brutish things,
Reject His easy reign.
Turn, turn us, mighty God,
And mold our souls afresh;
Break, sov’reign grace, these hearts of stone,
And give us hearts of flesh.
Let old ingratitude
Provoke our weeping eyes,
And hourly as new mercies fall
Let hourly thanks arise.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
You Can't Judge A Carol By Its First Verse
I'm not a fan of Christmas carols like "Angels We Have Heard On High" or "The First Noel" that simply tell the Christmas story with no additional teaching or insight. You know, the carols that start "there were some important people in a special place," followed by a chorus of "alleluia" or "noel," followed by a second verse that explains "some other important people came to see them," followed by another chorus of "alleluia" or "noel," followed by a third verse that tells how "some other neat stuff happened," and finally closing with two rousing choruses of "alleluia" or "noel."
For years I foolishly grouped "Once In Royal David's City" with these types of carols, only to discover that it may be the sweetest children's song ever written. Cecil F. Alexander included it in Hymns For Little Children in 1848 and it's the first time I've seen Hebrews 4:14-16 specifically applied to children. I teared up when I read the lyrics today and I hope they encourage you as well.
Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
He came down to earth from Heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.
And, through all His wondrous childhood,
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.
For He is our childhood’s pattern;
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in Heav’n above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in Heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.
For years I foolishly grouped "Once In Royal David's City" with these types of carols, only to discover that it may be the sweetest children's song ever written. Cecil F. Alexander included it in Hymns For Little Children in 1848 and it's the first time I've seen Hebrews 4:14-16 specifically applied to children. I teared up when I read the lyrics today and I hope they encourage you as well.
Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
He came down to earth from Heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.
And, through all His wondrous childhood,
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.
For He is our childhood’s pattern;
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in Heav’n above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in Heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.
You Kids Today Are So Spoiled . . .
In my day we didn't have any of those slick "Veggie Tales" videos with catchy songs and Monty Python inspired quips. All we had was the crudely animated "Flying House" series. And we had to walk five miles in the snow to watch it. Barefoot. Uphill. With wolves chasing us.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
I Think I Should Take This As A Compliment
This morning in Sunday school, I received one of the greatest accolades a second grade girl can bestow. Cassie looked at me and said, "You look a little bit like Hannah Montana."
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Merry Reformation Day Eve!
I know what you're thinking. "Reformation Day is less than five hours away and I still haven't bought Aunt Betty's gift! And I don't have any activities prepared for my child's class party! And I have no idea what to serve for dinner!" Never fear, oldlutheran.com is here to help. Check out their 2007 Reformation Party Kit.
Or, you could simply read "In The Bonds Of Death He Lay," an amazing hymn by Martin Luther.
In the bonds of death He lay,
Who for our offense was slain,
But the Lord is risen today,
Christ hath brought us life again;
Wherefore let us all rejoice,
Singing loud with cheerful voice.
Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son,
Came at last our foe to smite,
All our sins away hath done,
Done away death’s power and right;
Only the form of death is left,
Of his sting he is bereft.
’Twas a wondrous war I trow,
Life and death together fought,
But life hath triumphed o’er his foe,
Death is mocked, and set at naught;
Yea, ’tis as the Scripture saith,
Christ through death hath conquered death.
Now our Paschal Lamb is He,
And by Him alone we live,
Who to death upon the tree
For our sake Himself did give.
Faith His blood strikes on our door,
Death dares never harm us more.
On this day, most blest of days,
Let us keep high festival,
For our God hath showed His grace,
And His sun hath risen on all,
And our hearts rejoice to see
Sin and night before Him flee.
To the supper of the Lord
Gladly will we come today;
The word of peace is now restored,
The old leaven is put away;
Christ will be our food alone,
Faith no life but His will own.
Or, you could simply read "In The Bonds Of Death He Lay," an amazing hymn by Martin Luther.
In the bonds of death He lay,
Who for our offense was slain,
But the Lord is risen today,
Christ hath brought us life again;
Wherefore let us all rejoice,
Singing loud with cheerful voice.
Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son,
Came at last our foe to smite,
All our sins away hath done,
Done away death’s power and right;
Only the form of death is left,
Of his sting he is bereft.
’Twas a wondrous war I trow,
Life and death together fought,
But life hath triumphed o’er his foe,
Death is mocked, and set at naught;
Yea, ’tis as the Scripture saith,
Christ through death hath conquered death.
Now our Paschal Lamb is He,
And by Him alone we live,
Who to death upon the tree
For our sake Himself did give.
Faith His blood strikes on our door,
Death dares never harm us more.
On this day, most blest of days,
Let us keep high festival,
For our God hath showed His grace,
And His sun hath risen on all,
And our hearts rejoice to see
Sin and night before Him flee.
To the supper of the Lord
Gladly will we come today;
The word of peace is now restored,
The old leaven is put away;
Christ will be our food alone,
Faith no life but His will own.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Great Taste Is What It's All About
At least that's what Thomas Keller thinks. The chef and owner of the French Laundry, considered by many critics to be one of the best restaurants in the world, had this to say about my favorite eatery:
"I really respect a company that holds its ground when there is so much pressure to follow the "what’s next, what’s new" trend. In-N-Out’s quality lies in the simplicity of what it promises and delivers. To be able to do something over and over with integrity and excellence, even if it is fast food, is something to be truly admired."
"I really respect a company that holds its ground when there is so much pressure to follow the "what’s next, what’s new" trend. In-N-Out’s quality lies in the simplicity of what it promises and delivers. To be able to do something over and over with integrity and excellence, even if it is fast food, is something to be truly admired."
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Halloween And Christmas: Part 3
The third in last year's three part series about the similarities between Halloween and Christmas and thoughts on how Christians celebrate each holiday.
There are positive aspects to both holidays.
Pros for Halloween include:
1. Neighbors spend time together and get to know each other as everyone opens up their homes for one night. It's a prime time to build relationships within the community.
2. Children experience the fun of planning their costumes and dressing up. It's a delightful tradition that they look forward to all year long.
3. Parents bond with their children as they take them trick or treating.
Pros for Christmas include:
1. It encourages people to reflect on Christ's birth, which is always a good thing.
2. In our frantic individualistic society, Christmas is a holiday when people actually spend extended time with their family and friends.
3. Christmas encourages the development of family traditions, which can bond families and bring joy to children.
4. Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolates.
There are also negative aspects to both holidays.
Cons for Halloween include:
1. An emphasis on witchcraft and the devil.
2. Frightening and evil images on television, in the movies, on people's front lawns, and on first graders.
3. Some people use this day to celebrate things that are evil.
Cons for Christmas include:
1. Disrespect for the Bible including: children's stories told from the donkey's point of view, countless Christmas cards with pictures of a lily white Jesus and angels that look nothing like their description in the Bible, and the presence of wise men in every nativity scene when they weren't actually present at Jesus' birth.
2. Rampant materialism and greed. We spend hundreds of dollars and rack up credit card debt on things we don't need or will soon throw away, often while ignoring the basic needs of others.
3. A confusing collection of traditions and stories combined into one holiday so Santa and Jesus have equal standing.
It seems that Christians often want to abandon Halloween while embracing Christmas. Yet both holidays share roots in paganism, a fairly secular history in America, and can at times blatantly disrespect God's Word. When both holidays have so much in common, it seems inconsistent to heap praise on one and condemnation on the other. I think we may need a more balanced approach - making sure we don't throw the baby out with the bath water in the case of Halloween and making sure the baby doesn't drown in the bath water in the case of Christmas.
For example, Halloween is a prime time to build relationships with our neighbors. Christians are called to share the gospel with our community and Halloween provides a fun and natural way to connect with others, whether by trick or treating together or greeting people at the door. Maybe Christians should stay in their homes, hand out candy, and get to know their neighbors on Halloween. (Disclaimer: While people often see Halloween as simply a fun evening for children, the holiday can have demonic connotations for others. Those whose consciences are troubled by involvement in Halloween activites should absolutely not participate.)
There are some Christmas traditions that we might want to rethink, such as overspending. Instead of going into debt for presents, what if Christians donated their money to people in need? I know of a family that adopted another family that was struggling financially. When the parents bought their children Christmas presents, they made sure to buy presents for the kids in their adopted family as well. We could also be more careful of how we communicate the Christmas story, especially to children. We can make sure we focus on the facts of the Bible (not adding extra characters like the mean innkeeper or the little drummer boy) and make Jesus the main character (as opposed to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the talking cow in the barn, the littlest angel, the star who could never do anything right but on one special night got the chance to shine . . .)
Halloween and Christmas share checkered pasts and some less than admirable traditions. They also present great opportunities to further God's Kingdom. I believe that if we approach each holiday with thought, care, and biblical conviction, we can use them to show love to our communities and bring honor to God.
There are positive aspects to both holidays.
Pros for Halloween include:
1. Neighbors spend time together and get to know each other as everyone opens up their homes for one night. It's a prime time to build relationships within the community.
2. Children experience the fun of planning their costumes and dressing up. It's a delightful tradition that they look forward to all year long.
3. Parents bond with their children as they take them trick or treating.
Pros for Christmas include:
1. It encourages people to reflect on Christ's birth, which is always a good thing.
2. In our frantic individualistic society, Christmas is a holiday when people actually spend extended time with their family and friends.
3. Christmas encourages the development of family traditions, which can bond families and bring joy to children.
4. Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolates.
There are also negative aspects to both holidays.
Cons for Halloween include:
1. An emphasis on witchcraft and the devil.
2. Frightening and evil images on television, in the movies, on people's front lawns, and on first graders.
3. Some people use this day to celebrate things that are evil.
Cons for Christmas include:
1. Disrespect for the Bible including: children's stories told from the donkey's point of view, countless Christmas cards with pictures of a lily white Jesus and angels that look nothing like their description in the Bible, and the presence of wise men in every nativity scene when they weren't actually present at Jesus' birth.
2. Rampant materialism and greed. We spend hundreds of dollars and rack up credit card debt on things we don't need or will soon throw away, often while ignoring the basic needs of others.
3. A confusing collection of traditions and stories combined into one holiday so Santa and Jesus have equal standing.
It seems that Christians often want to abandon Halloween while embracing Christmas. Yet both holidays share roots in paganism, a fairly secular history in America, and can at times blatantly disrespect God's Word. When both holidays have so much in common, it seems inconsistent to heap praise on one and condemnation on the other. I think we may need a more balanced approach - making sure we don't throw the baby out with the bath water in the case of Halloween and making sure the baby doesn't drown in the bath water in the case of Christmas.
For example, Halloween is a prime time to build relationships with our neighbors. Christians are called to share the gospel with our community and Halloween provides a fun and natural way to connect with others, whether by trick or treating together or greeting people at the door. Maybe Christians should stay in their homes, hand out candy, and get to know their neighbors on Halloween. (Disclaimer: While people often see Halloween as simply a fun evening for children, the holiday can have demonic connotations for others. Those whose consciences are troubled by involvement in Halloween activites should absolutely not participate.)
There are some Christmas traditions that we might want to rethink, such as overspending. Instead of going into debt for presents, what if Christians donated their money to people in need? I know of a family that adopted another family that was struggling financially. When the parents bought their children Christmas presents, they made sure to buy presents for the kids in their adopted family as well. We could also be more careful of how we communicate the Christmas story, especially to children. We can make sure we focus on the facts of the Bible (not adding extra characters like the mean innkeeper or the little drummer boy) and make Jesus the main character (as opposed to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the talking cow in the barn, the littlest angel, the star who could never do anything right but on one special night got the chance to shine . . .)
Halloween and Christmas share checkered pasts and some less than admirable traditions. They also present great opportunities to further God's Kingdom. I believe that if we approach each holiday with thought, care, and biblical conviction, we can use them to show love to our communities and bring honor to God.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Halloween and Christmas: Part 2
The second in last year's three part series about the similarities between Halloween and Christmas and thoughts on how Christians celebrate each holiday.
There are several more similarities between Halloween and Christmas.
Neither are mentioned in the Bible.
Christians have opposed both holidays.
European immigrants brought their Halloween traditions to America during colonial times, but most of New England refused to celebrate the day due the Puritan influence in that area. Many Christians also oppose the celebration of Halloween today.
At the time of the Reformation, the Protestants refused to celebrate Christmas because they considered it a holiday concocted by the Catholic Church. The Puritans also opposed the celebration of Christmas and often with good reason. In England, people would dutifully go to church and then celebrate the holiday in a drunken, Mardi Gras like atmosphere. In 1645, Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans wanted to rid England of her decadence and Christmas was cancelled until the reign of Charles II. The American Puritan settlers did not practice Christmas and the holiday was actually outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. Anyone showing Christmas spirit would be fined five shillings.
The American incarnations of each holiday bear little resemblance to the original religious celebrations.
Interestingly, the American incarnations of each holiday were not embraced out of religious convictions, but rather because of their supposed benefits to the community.
European immigrants brought many of their Halloween customs to America and the flood of Irish immigrants in 1846 helped popularize the holiday. Americans began to dress up in costumes and go door to door asking for food and money. This practice waned during the nineteenth century when the holiday was primarily celebrated with parties in homes, but became popular again between the 1920's and 50's. By this time, Halloween had lost most of its religious undertones and became a secular and community centered holiday directed primarily at children. Today most children have no concept of the religious origins of dressing in costume or trick or treating. Witches do still cast spells and perform rituals on October 31st, but it is in celebration of Samhain, not Halloween.
The celebration of Christmas in America was not widespread until the 19th century (it wasn't even a federal holiday until 1870) and the celebration of the holiday was greatly influenced by two authors: Washington Irving and Charles Dickens. Both wrote Christmas stories which emphasized charity, goodwill, and kindness to the poor and evoked old English Christmas customs. This struck a chord in a time of great class conflict and the Victorians saw the benefit of celebrating the holiday.
Both holidays are essential to America's economy.
Halloween is America's second largest commerical holiday and Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion a year. Christmas is America's largest commercial holiday and Americans spend over $200 billion a year.
Each holiday has its own heartwarming Peanuts special involving Linus discovering a great truth.
All right, this isn't really relevant. But it's true.
Check back tomorrow to find out the problem with nativity sets.
There are several more similarities between Halloween and Christmas.
Neither are mentioned in the Bible.
Christians have opposed both holidays.
European immigrants brought their Halloween traditions to America during colonial times, but most of New England refused to celebrate the day due the Puritan influence in that area. Many Christians also oppose the celebration of Halloween today.
At the time of the Reformation, the Protestants refused to celebrate Christmas because they considered it a holiday concocted by the Catholic Church. The Puritans also opposed the celebration of Christmas and often with good reason. In England, people would dutifully go to church and then celebrate the holiday in a drunken, Mardi Gras like atmosphere. In 1645, Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans wanted to rid England of her decadence and Christmas was cancelled until the reign of Charles II. The American Puritan settlers did not practice Christmas and the holiday was actually outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. Anyone showing Christmas spirit would be fined five shillings.
The American incarnations of each holiday bear little resemblance to the original religious celebrations.
Interestingly, the American incarnations of each holiday were not embraced out of religious convictions, but rather because of their supposed benefits to the community.
European immigrants brought many of their Halloween customs to America and the flood of Irish immigrants in 1846 helped popularize the holiday. Americans began to dress up in costumes and go door to door asking for food and money. This practice waned during the nineteenth century when the holiday was primarily celebrated with parties in homes, but became popular again between the 1920's and 50's. By this time, Halloween had lost most of its religious undertones and became a secular and community centered holiday directed primarily at children. Today most children have no concept of the religious origins of dressing in costume or trick or treating. Witches do still cast spells and perform rituals on October 31st, but it is in celebration of Samhain, not Halloween.
The celebration of Christmas in America was not widespread until the 19th century (it wasn't even a federal holiday until 1870) and the celebration of the holiday was greatly influenced by two authors: Washington Irving and Charles Dickens. Both wrote Christmas stories which emphasized charity, goodwill, and kindness to the poor and evoked old English Christmas customs. This struck a chord in a time of great class conflict and the Victorians saw the benefit of celebrating the holiday.
Both holidays are essential to America's economy.
Halloween is America's second largest commerical holiday and Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion a year. Christmas is America's largest commercial holiday and Americans spend over $200 billion a year.
Each holiday has its own heartwarming Peanuts special involving Linus discovering a great truth.
All right, this isn't really relevant. But it's true.
Check back tomorrow to find out the problem with nativity sets.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Vintage Blog Schmog
Over the next three days I'm going to repost last year's series on Christmas and Halloween, and lest you think I'm just being lazy, check out the four rock solid reasons supporting my decision:
1. The holiday season is fast approaching and it's good to ponder these issues.
2. Since my readership has doubled over the past year, there are probably two people who haven't read this series yet.
3. I started my blog last October and reposting is rather nostalgic.
4. I'm lazy.
So, without further ado, here's "Halloween and Christmas: Separated At Birth?"
At first glance, it seems that Halloween and Christmas couldn't be more different. After all, Halloween appears to celebrate death, evil, and witchcraft while Christmas celebrates the birth of the perfect Savior of the world. But when you think about it, Halloween and Christmas share some striking similarities.
Both have roots in paganism.
The roots of Halloween date back to about two thousand years ago. The Celts who lived in what is now Ireland celebrated their new year on November 1st. This heralded the beginning of winter, which was commonly associated with human death. The Celts believed that ghosts of the dead returned to earth on October 31st and their presence made it easier to predict the future. During this holiday the Druid priests made predictions and the Celts built huge bonfires where they sacrificed crops and animals and dressed in animal heads and skins. When the Romans conquered the Celtic territory in A.D. 43, they incorporated two of their festivals into Samhain.
For many years, people were frightened that they might encounter a ghost if they left their homes, so they wore masks after dark in hopes that the ghosts wouldn't recognize them and believe they were fellow spirits. People also placed bowls of food outside their homes to keep ghosts from entering.
Pagan midwinter festivals existed long before Christmas. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia the week before the winter solstice and the festival lasted an entire month. This holiday honored Saturn, the god of agriculture, and included drinking, feasting, and the closing of schools and businesses. The Romans decorated their homes with boughs of evergreen to illustrate how Saturn would soon make their land fruitful. The Germans celebrated the god Oden during this time and the Norse held a celebration called Yule, which involved burning large logs.
Both were established by the Catholic Church.
The holiday known as Halloween was actually created by the established Church. Christianity eventually spread to the Celtic lands and in the seventh century, the Church instituted All Saints' Day or All-Hallows on November 1st. This day was set aside to honor saints and martyrs and some believe it was the pope's attempt to replace Samhain. October 31st was referred to as All-Hallows Eve, which eventually became Halloween. In A.D. 998, the Church designated November 2nd as All Souls' Day, a day to remember and pray for souls in purgatory. Some say that dressing up as devils, saints, and angels was a common practice on this day and the celebration also involved bonfires and parades.
The tradition of "trick or treating" most likely stems from All Souls' Day parades in England. During the celebration, poor citizens would beg for food and the wealthy would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for a promise to pray for the family's dead relatives in purgatory. Eventually, children took up this practice and traveled to different houses where they received food, ale, and money. This custom was referred to as "going a-souling."
Christmas was first celebrated in the fourth century when the Church chose December 25th as the date of Christ's birth. No one is sure why this particular date was chosen, but some believe it was due to the fact that this was already a public holiday for pagan celebrations. This would increase the chance that Christianity would be publicly embraced. The celebration spread to Egypt in A.D. 432, to England in the sixth century and to Scandinavia by the end of the eighth century.
Both tend to distort the truth.
Halloween turns witches and the devil into cute and cuddly characters and chubby cheeked toddlers seem to have no qualms about trick or treating dressed as Satan. Christmas takes the frightening, harsh, and beautiful story of Christ's birth and transforms it into a cozy little tale about a cheerful barn, some happy animals, and a little baby who didn't cry.
Check back tomorrow to find out what else Halloween and Christmas have in common, including their connection to Linus Van Pelt.
1. The holiday season is fast approaching and it's good to ponder these issues.
2. Since my readership has doubled over the past year, there are probably two people who haven't read this series yet.
3. I started my blog last October and reposting is rather nostalgic.
4. I'm lazy.
So, without further ado, here's "Halloween and Christmas: Separated At Birth?"
At first glance, it seems that Halloween and Christmas couldn't be more different. After all, Halloween appears to celebrate death, evil, and witchcraft while Christmas celebrates the birth of the perfect Savior of the world. But when you think about it, Halloween and Christmas share some striking similarities.
Both have roots in paganism.
The roots of Halloween date back to about two thousand years ago. The Celts who lived in what is now Ireland celebrated their new year on November 1st. This heralded the beginning of winter, which was commonly associated with human death. The Celts believed that ghosts of the dead returned to earth on October 31st and their presence made it easier to predict the future. During this holiday the Druid priests made predictions and the Celts built huge bonfires where they sacrificed crops and animals and dressed in animal heads and skins. When the Romans conquered the Celtic territory in A.D. 43, they incorporated two of their festivals into Samhain.
For many years, people were frightened that they might encounter a ghost if they left their homes, so they wore masks after dark in hopes that the ghosts wouldn't recognize them and believe they were fellow spirits. People also placed bowls of food outside their homes to keep ghosts from entering.
Pagan midwinter festivals existed long before Christmas. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia the week before the winter solstice and the festival lasted an entire month. This holiday honored Saturn, the god of agriculture, and included drinking, feasting, and the closing of schools and businesses. The Romans decorated their homes with boughs of evergreen to illustrate how Saturn would soon make their land fruitful. The Germans celebrated the god Oden during this time and the Norse held a celebration called Yule, which involved burning large logs.
Both were established by the Catholic Church.
The holiday known as Halloween was actually created by the established Church. Christianity eventually spread to the Celtic lands and in the seventh century, the Church instituted All Saints' Day or All-Hallows on November 1st. This day was set aside to honor saints and martyrs and some believe it was the pope's attempt to replace Samhain. October 31st was referred to as All-Hallows Eve, which eventually became Halloween. In A.D. 998, the Church designated November 2nd as All Souls' Day, a day to remember and pray for souls in purgatory. Some say that dressing up as devils, saints, and angels was a common practice on this day and the celebration also involved bonfires and parades.
The tradition of "trick or treating" most likely stems from All Souls' Day parades in England. During the celebration, poor citizens would beg for food and the wealthy would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for a promise to pray for the family's dead relatives in purgatory. Eventually, children took up this practice and traveled to different houses where they received food, ale, and money. This custom was referred to as "going a-souling."
Christmas was first celebrated in the fourth century when the Church chose December 25th as the date of Christ's birth. No one is sure why this particular date was chosen, but some believe it was due to the fact that this was already a public holiday for pagan celebrations. This would increase the chance that Christianity would be publicly embraced. The celebration spread to Egypt in A.D. 432, to England in the sixth century and to Scandinavia by the end of the eighth century.
Both tend to distort the truth.
Halloween turns witches and the devil into cute and cuddly characters and chubby cheeked toddlers seem to have no qualms about trick or treating dressed as Satan. Christmas takes the frightening, harsh, and beautiful story of Christ's birth and transforms it into a cozy little tale about a cheerful barn, some happy animals, and a little baby who didn't cry.
Check back tomorrow to find out what else Halloween and Christmas have in common, including their connection to Linus Van Pelt.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Ghosts Of Halloween Past
Halloween is only nineteen days away and I have no idea what to wear. Perhaps I can draw some inspiration from the costumes of my childhood.
My very first trick or treating experience. Don't I look excited? And I love my pillowcase treat bag.
Another adorable costume sewn by my talented mother. I need a hat like that.
I completely botched the accessories with this princess outfit. While my friend Becky wisely chose refined pearls and ballet slippers, I wore very grimy tennis shoes and a homemade necklace of fishline and beads.
Again, my mom is amazing. Not only did she sew the costume (and a Raggedy Andy costume for my brother), but she made the wig too.
This costume was inspired by "Meet Molly," a book about a little girl growing up during World War II. In the book, Molly and her friends dress as hula dancers for Halloween, only to be sprayed with a hose by Molly's pesky older brother, Ricky. Thankfully, my Halloween experience was much drier.
I loved my poodle skirt, but my brother's He-Man get up may the best costume in the history of the world. "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!"
Here's an example of a perfectly darling costume ruined by improper make-up application. "Just stuck her face in a cake" was not quite the look I was going for.
I will never understand what possessed a girl who is mortally afraid of balloons to go as a bunch of grapes for Halloween.
"Aren't you a little old to be trick or treating?" Yes, but Pippi Longstocking was one of my favorite costumes. I wish I could still get my hair to do that.
My very first trick or treating experience. Don't I look excited? And I love my pillowcase treat bag.
Another adorable costume sewn by my talented mother. I need a hat like that. 
I completely botched the accessories with this princess outfit. While my friend Becky wisely chose refined pearls and ballet slippers, I wore very grimy tennis shoes and a homemade necklace of fishline and beads.
Again, my mom is amazing. Not only did she sew the costume (and a Raggedy Andy costume for my brother), but she made the wig too.
This costume was inspired by "Meet Molly," a book about a little girl growing up during World War II. In the book, Molly and her friends dress as hula dancers for Halloween, only to be sprayed with a hose by Molly's pesky older brother, Ricky. Thankfully, my Halloween experience was much drier.
I loved my poodle skirt, but my brother's He-Man get up may the best costume in the history of the world. "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!"
Here's an example of a perfectly darling costume ruined by improper make-up application. "Just stuck her face in a cake" was not quite the look I was going for.
I will never understand what possessed a girl who is mortally afraid of balloons to go as a bunch of grapes for Halloween.
"Aren't you a little old to be trick or treating?" Yes, but Pippi Longstocking was one of my favorite costumes. I wish I could still get my hair to do that. Wednesday, October 10, 2007
"What Is The Use Of A Book," Thought Alice, "Without Pictures Or Conversations?"
Autumn is here, which means the return of high waisted jeans, appointment television (Project Runway starts November 14th!), pumpkin pie, art house films, and school. In honor of the fall semester, I thought it would be fun to ponder six of the most formative books I’ve read. Some are scholarly, some are frivolous, and all have had a major impact on my life.
The Bible: I was going to make this a list of the six most formative books I’ve read besides the Bible, but decided that I didn’t want to mention the most formative book in my life in passing. I was enthralled by the story of the Golden Calf when I was five. Learning the TOPICAL Bible study method in middle school changed my life. I discovered the richness of reading the Bible in context in college. I fell in love with the unified story of the Bible as I started writing kids’ curriculum. And I’ve recently wondered how I could have missed the overarching theme of God’s Kingdom after all those years of Bible study.
Disneyland: Inside Story: My zealous devotion to Disneyland (I chose my college partly because it was fifteen minutes away from Anaheim) was forged during the Bruce family’s annual trek to the park. Each year I spent eleven months and three weeks in eager anticipation of our trip and devoured every book about Disneyland I could find at the San Leandro Library. My favorite was Disneyland: Inside Story, which I checked out countless times. I would curl up on my heater and spend hours reading about Disneyland’s history from Walt’s vision of a place where “parents and children could have fun together” to the unveiling of Star Tours. It sounds silly, but Disneyland: Inside Story had a greater influence on my vision for children’s ministry than any practical ministry book I’ve read. The concepts of paying attention to small details, creating meaningful experiences for people and making decisions based on personal passions instead of trends have definitely informed my philosophy and I think Christian Education departments should make this book required reading.
The Knowledge Of The Holy: I read A.W. Tozer’s classic during my senior year of college and it changed the way I view God, the way I praise God, the way I pray, the way I teach children, and the way I read the Bible. Although I read many of the "great books" in college, The Knowledge of the Holy is one of the few that I'll still reread.
The Penny Whistle Party Planner: I’ve always liked planning things. I was a highly unromantic child, but spent hours designing my future wedding dress (along with the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, naturally.) When I got a little older, I wrote course catalogues for the fine arts academy I dreamed of founding one day. I started to solidify my college major as a high school freshman. One of my favorite college activities was planning my classes for the next semester as soon as the new schedule arrived in my mailbox. So, it will come as no surprise that The Penny Whistle Party Planner by Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar appealed to me when I was younger. It was chock full of creative themed kids’ party ideas (like a cheerleading party, a ballet party, and an orchestra party) with lots of do it yourself decorations, games, and crafts. Planning weekly Sunday school curriculum is sort of like planning a party (with crafts, games, science experiments, and drama activities all revolving around one theme) and I think that consistently reading The Penny Whistle Party Planner as a child helped prime the pump for my current profession.
Nicomachean Ethics/Desiring God: No one should read Plato during their first year of college. As a very ignorant (and practically minded) freshman, I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. I mean, the guy was clearly crazy. All right, the cave analogy in “The Republic” was kind of cool, but FORMS? There’s really a perfect chair hovering around somewhere in the universe and all other chairs are just copies of it? This was more than my little eighteen year old brain could manage. Thus I was delighted to discover that Aristotle thought forms were irrelevant and was much more in line with my practical sensibilities than his wacky mentor. I was particularly intrigued by his position that happiness was man’s highest good and excited by how this corresponded with John Piper’s ideas about Christian hedonism in Desiring God. I’d never really thought about enjoying God before and developed a much deeper understanding of man’s ultimate purpose and God’s character by reading Nicomachean Ethics and Desiring God concurrently.
Evidence That Demands A Verdict: I became a Christian when I was three years old and never thought much about the validity of my worldview until I was a teenager. Suddenly I began to worry that the beliefs I’d embraced might not be true. My wise dad suggested I read Josh McDowell’s Evidence That Demands A Verdict and for the first time I saw that Christianity was reasonable and based on historical fact. Mr. McDowell gave me a lot of comfort and I still use his evidences for the resurrection with my kids.
So those are my six. What are some of the most formative books in your life?
The Bible: I was going to make this a list of the six most formative books I’ve read besides the Bible, but decided that I didn’t want to mention the most formative book in my life in passing. I was enthralled by the story of the Golden Calf when I was five. Learning the TOPICAL Bible study method in middle school changed my life. I discovered the richness of reading the Bible in context in college. I fell in love with the unified story of the Bible as I started writing kids’ curriculum. And I’ve recently wondered how I could have missed the overarching theme of God’s Kingdom after all those years of Bible study.
Disneyland: Inside Story: My zealous devotion to Disneyland (I chose my college partly because it was fifteen minutes away from Anaheim) was forged during the Bruce family’s annual trek to the park. Each year I spent eleven months and three weeks in eager anticipation of our trip and devoured every book about Disneyland I could find at the San Leandro Library. My favorite was Disneyland: Inside Story, which I checked out countless times. I would curl up on my heater and spend hours reading about Disneyland’s history from Walt’s vision of a place where “parents and children could have fun together” to the unveiling of Star Tours. It sounds silly, but Disneyland: Inside Story had a greater influence on my vision for children’s ministry than any practical ministry book I’ve read. The concepts of paying attention to small details, creating meaningful experiences for people and making decisions based on personal passions instead of trends have definitely informed my philosophy and I think Christian Education departments should make this book required reading.
The Knowledge Of The Holy: I read A.W. Tozer’s classic during my senior year of college and it changed the way I view God, the way I praise God, the way I pray, the way I teach children, and the way I read the Bible. Although I read many of the "great books" in college, The Knowledge of the Holy is one of the few that I'll still reread.
The Penny Whistle Party Planner: I’ve always liked planning things. I was a highly unromantic child, but spent hours designing my future wedding dress (along with the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, naturally.) When I got a little older, I wrote course catalogues for the fine arts academy I dreamed of founding one day. I started to solidify my college major as a high school freshman. One of my favorite college activities was planning my classes for the next semester as soon as the new schedule arrived in my mailbox. So, it will come as no surprise that The Penny Whistle Party Planner by Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar appealed to me when I was younger. It was chock full of creative themed kids’ party ideas (like a cheerleading party, a ballet party, and an orchestra party) with lots of do it yourself decorations, games, and crafts. Planning weekly Sunday school curriculum is sort of like planning a party (with crafts, games, science experiments, and drama activities all revolving around one theme) and I think that consistently reading The Penny Whistle Party Planner as a child helped prime the pump for my current profession.
Nicomachean Ethics/Desiring God: No one should read Plato during their first year of college. As a very ignorant (and practically minded) freshman, I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. I mean, the guy was clearly crazy. All right, the cave analogy in “The Republic” was kind of cool, but FORMS? There’s really a perfect chair hovering around somewhere in the universe and all other chairs are just copies of it? This was more than my little eighteen year old brain could manage. Thus I was delighted to discover that Aristotle thought forms were irrelevant and was much more in line with my practical sensibilities than his wacky mentor. I was particularly intrigued by his position that happiness was man’s highest good and excited by how this corresponded with John Piper’s ideas about Christian hedonism in Desiring God. I’d never really thought about enjoying God before and developed a much deeper understanding of man’s ultimate purpose and God’s character by reading Nicomachean Ethics and Desiring God concurrently.
Evidence That Demands A Verdict: I became a Christian when I was three years old and never thought much about the validity of my worldview until I was a teenager. Suddenly I began to worry that the beliefs I’d embraced might not be true. My wise dad suggested I read Josh McDowell’s Evidence That Demands A Verdict and for the first time I saw that Christianity was reasonable and based on historical fact. Mr. McDowell gave me a lot of comfort and I still use his evidences for the resurrection with my kids.
So those are my six. What are some of the most formative books in your life?
Friday, October 05, 2007
Ain't No Small Group Like A Creekside Small Group
Directing two kids' plays has recently cut into my blogging time, but I promise that soon I will post something more thoughtful than videos I find on YouTube. In the meantime, here's a promotional video that my awesome small group recently filmed for our church. Enjoy!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
YouTube Time Capsule, Part 3
It's hard to pick just one Muppet segment from Sesame Street. Guy Smiley, Cookie Monster, Meryl Sheep, Don Music - they're all fantastic. But this might be one of the sweetest clips of all.
YouTube Time Capsule, Part 2
This Sesame Street segment absolutely enthralled me as a child. I was amazed by a) the fact that this little girl had a llama for a pet and b) that this little girl was allowed to walk the streets of New York alone. After watching it again I am also amazed that the mullet was once deemed an appropriate hairstyle.
YouTube Time Capsule
Last Sunday I officially entered my upper twenties. Turning twenty seven has made me wax nostalgic about my blissful eighties childhood and thankfully YouTube has footage from all my favorite television shows. Here are three of the most formative clips, starting with the "Things To Do" rap from the brilliant "Reading Rainbow." It completely inspired me when I was a kid and I think we'll make bleach bottle birdhouses in Sunday school next week.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Why I Bought Boot Cut Jeans Two Years After They Became Popular
I'm somewhat of a late adapter. I still don't have a DVD player and am now forced to borrow videos from the library. When I was in college, I consistently called my cordless phone a cell phone because I’d never owned a cordless phone. I loathe text messaging. I grew to appreciate nineties alternative rock a decade after most songs were released. I just got a phone with a camera (and only because I cracked my old phone in two and that model is no longer available.) Thus, it should come as no surprise that I'm about to blog about a subject that everyone else blogged about a year and a half ago. Hey, I've got to be me.
Here are some statistics that Mark Driscoll posted on the Resurgance in May of last year. I'm sure you'll recognize them from about twenty seven other blogs that dealt with this issue in a timely manner:
*Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
*Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.
*Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
*Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
*Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
*Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.
As I drove to Trader Joe's this evening (since the contents of my refrigerator consisted of nectarines, pears, oranges, apples, peanut butter, parmesan cheese, semi-sweet chocolate chips and one miniature pepperoni pizza, I figured it was probably time to buy groceries), I listened to callers on a Christian radio show discuss pastor's wives who attend different churches than their husbands. Apparently, some pastor's wives are under so much strain that they feel they must leave their husband's church for the sake of their own spiritual health. This led the host to cite some of the above statistics.
As I listened, I began to wonder why ministry takes such a toll on pastors and their families. My warm, compassionate side (the one that cried at the end of "Ratatouille") acknowledged that many churches have unrealistic expectations of pastors since the role of the American pastor has grown to include CEO, marketing strategist and comedian, among other things. As a pastor's kid, I've definitely seen the hardships and discouragement that come with full time ministry. However, my cold, critical side (the one that laughed at the end of "Titanic") wondered if modern pastors are a bit (for lack of a better word) wussy. It's no surprise that ministry is tough. Consider Paul's description of his ministry in 2 Corinthians 11:26-29:
I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is a daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
And this was a man who was able to say in 2 Timothy 4:5-8 near the end of his life:
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure as come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Are these statistics an indictment of the spiritual maturity of churches or an indictment of the spiritual maturity of pastors? Do we need to rethink how we treat our pastors and their families or do pastors need a more realistic understanding of the trials of ministry? Or both? Or neither?
I’m an opinionated person longing for an opinion on this issue. Please help me form one by posting your thoughts. In the meantime, I need to learn how to take pictures with my phone. I still can’t figure out where you’re supposed to load the film.
Here are some statistics that Mark Driscoll posted on the Resurgance in May of last year. I'm sure you'll recognize them from about twenty seven other blogs that dealt with this issue in a timely manner:
*Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
*Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.
*Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
*Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
*Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
*Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.
As I drove to Trader Joe's this evening (since the contents of my refrigerator consisted of nectarines, pears, oranges, apples, peanut butter, parmesan cheese, semi-sweet chocolate chips and one miniature pepperoni pizza, I figured it was probably time to buy groceries), I listened to callers on a Christian radio show discuss pastor's wives who attend different churches than their husbands. Apparently, some pastor's wives are under so much strain that they feel they must leave their husband's church for the sake of their own spiritual health. This led the host to cite some of the above statistics.
As I listened, I began to wonder why ministry takes such a toll on pastors and their families. My warm, compassionate side (the one that cried at the end of "Ratatouille") acknowledged that many churches have unrealistic expectations of pastors since the role of the American pastor has grown to include CEO, marketing strategist and comedian, among other things. As a pastor's kid, I've definitely seen the hardships and discouragement that come with full time ministry. However, my cold, critical side (the one that laughed at the end of "Titanic") wondered if modern pastors are a bit (for lack of a better word) wussy. It's no surprise that ministry is tough. Consider Paul's description of his ministry in 2 Corinthians 11:26-29:
I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is a daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
And this was a man who was able to say in 2 Timothy 4:5-8 near the end of his life:
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure as come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Are these statistics an indictment of the spiritual maturity of churches or an indictment of the spiritual maturity of pastors? Do we need to rethink how we treat our pastors and their families or do pastors need a more realistic understanding of the trials of ministry? Or both? Or neither?
I’m an opinionated person longing for an opinion on this issue. Please help me form one by posting your thoughts. In the meantime, I need to learn how to take pictures with my phone. I still can’t figure out where you’re supposed to load the film.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
My Wildest Dreams Fulfilled
If you're anything like me, you've spent many a sleepless night pondering what you'd look like as a character on "The Simpsons." Well, ponder no more! Visit this fun little site and find out! Here's my Springfieldian alter-ego. I think the resemblance is uncanny.
Sunday School Bloodbath
So in the midst of a lesson about how the Holy Spirit empowers us to be good examples to others, my Sunday school class started discussing the movie "Facing the Giants." I pointed out that a church made that film and we began to brainstorm what sort of movie Creekside could make. My class decided that it should be about them. Then they decided that it should involve jellybeans. And somewhere along the way, it became the the bloodbath known as "Sunday School and the Fight with Countess Jellybean." Eleven year old Madison wrote this script and I'm impressed how she still managed to tie in the morning's lesson while killing me off.
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