There’s a question that’s been consuming me lately. I’m going to share it with you in hopes that you’ll take a minute to contemplate this one. Are you ready? Here it is.
Are you living a rhythm of life that restores God’s wonder in you?
Here’s what makes this question so difficult, it’s a yes or no answer.
Most of you know I love Christmas. It’s hands down my favorite time of year. But regrettably it’s a complex season to navigate. There’s shopping..baking….office parties…family gatherings…therapist appointments (just kidding, kind of).
But I don’t believe this Christmas has to be a rushed, frenzied stressed out time of the year for you. What if we seek an alternative to the insanity our society calls the Christmas season? Possible? I think so.
This week at Cross Point we’re going to start a new teaching series entitled Rhythm. The hope is that our conversations over the next few weeks will help you unwrap a rhythm of life this Christmas which restores the wonder and awe that God originally intended!
Whether you attend Cross Point or not I would love to offer all of you the advent devotional Pat Rowland, our pastor of family ministries, put together for individuals and families to use this Christmas season. It’s a great first step to help you find your rhythm this Christmas.
CLICK HERE to download the free Advent Devotional.
Just wondering. What are you doing this Christmas season to restore God’s wonder in you?
Good post and question Pete. Last year we participated in Advent Conspiracy (http://adventconspiracy.org/) but only “skirting” it. This year we are doing it full-fledged. I have prepared 4 messages that go along with the theme. We are encouraging people to not send Cmas cards but to sign the big card and then take the postage money and give it to AC. I have been deeply affected by The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. It has changed how I want to look at Cmas this year. Finally, I personally am listening to Pastor James MacDonald’s CD series (1/week) on Feasting on Christmas. Listened to the first one yesterday. I am really looking forward to enjoying this season and putting the wonder back into it. Sorry to have answered so long.
.-= Bill (cycleguy)´s last blog ..Are You an Extremist? =-.
Really been reflecting alot on this topic lately…my wife and i leave tomorrow for China to go get our new daughter. We leave three biological kids here as we travel. Have had some real good talks with my kids lately about “Christmas” and their new sister and what it all means….SO much more than just gifts and lights, it is very easy to get caught up in all that. I think this Christmas, for me, i will experience God’s wonder in my life when I look into little Sophie’s eyes the first time.
Merry CHRISTmas!
Pete,
I think what has most restored God’s wonder for me this season was a change in how I “do” Christmas. In the past, I’ve been concerned about my multiple families–getting the right gifts, spending enough money, shipping things on time, etc. And this year, I made a big change. We’re not giving gifts, and have asked for no gifts in return. Instead, our money is going to World Vision to sponsor kids, and we’ve asked that any money spent on us be given to a charity (the kids will still have presents–but they are getting involved too).
This decision changed everything. We are fully in the Christmas Spirit this year. We’ve decorated (usually don’t), and we’ve found several other places to give of our time any money, when usually there is neither to spare. Thanks for this great reminder that when we look for God’s wonder in things big and small, our outlook can change dramatically.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..The War of the Arrows =-.
This Christmas I’m more committed then ever to being fully engaged in the moment wherever I am and with whomever I’m with. Giving your spouse, kids, friends or neighbors the gift of time is something that all of us can give.
.-= Pat Rowland´s last blog ..The First Sunday of Advent =-.
I know it sounds silly, but my first rhythm change came in the outside decorations. In my neighborhood at least, there seems to be this nasty “light” competition. Even before Thanksgiving the houses were lit and visible from the space station.
This year, I made 3 simple white crosses, hammered them in the front yard, and put one single spot light on them. The Christ of the Cross is the Light of the World. And every evening when I drive up, I am reminded of that.
Great message, wish I could sit in on that one!!!!!
.-= Lauren Kelly´s last blog ..An abudance of thankfulness! =-.
@Cshell, how cool!! I’ll be praying for you trip to China and what this all means to your family. So excited for you guys.
i’m looking forward to listening in by podcast. i was just thinking this morning how I want to embrace every single day of December and not let this favorite time of year get away from me.
This is the first season of Advent where I’m trying to live in a rhythm to anticipate and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
It’s HARD! But it’s such a great experience. And thanks for the devo, I’ll definitely be working through it.
.-= Jon Smith´s last blog ..Advent is not a type of medicine. =-.
Got to be honest here.. Christmas is not my favorite time of year. My wife calls me a humbug but it’s not that I go out of my way to put a kibosh on Christmas, I just don’t get into the decorating thing or the gift thing.
But I feel that I am compelled to because everybody else expects it.
Last year I wrote a post (it was deleted when I tried to get away from blogging for a while) about how difficult it is to see the beauty of the stars when you are standing in the middle of the city. All of the man-made light washes out the sky.
I feel like that person that wants to get out onto a mountain somewhere in order to see the stars in their brilliance but everyone else is inviting me to visit the city because they say that is where the beauty is. And so, I walk the streets wistfully staring at a sky that’s lost its wonder.
.-= Tony York´s last blog ..Learn to Breathe =-.
Well, I think to restore God’s wonder in me I have to be moving at the Rhythm of God.
I move at my own Rhythm (and it is ugly, I am white) all the time and can lose the wonder.
I am trying to slow down and move at God’s Rhythm.
My challenge for the month is to spend 30 minutes in prayer for 30 days. dreaming with God through prayer.
.-= Kyle Reed´s last blog ..Twitter Follow Strategy =-.
Pete – You are so amazing! My family has been coming to Crosspoint about 2 years now and we absolutely LOVE everything about it. Your post today really has hit home for me and my family. As we contemplated last month what our Faith, Hope and Love pledge was going to be and how (on a tight budget with 2 small kids, daycare, etc) we would be able to be a part of something we believe so strongly in – we decided to live simple for the next year! There are many extra “things” in our daily lives that we have come to love and felt were a necessity that will be affected by this decision (cutting home phone service {really, no one ever calls us on it}, downgrading cable and those types of things) we also decided to go simple at Christmas time and let it be about the children. Growing up and even now, Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I love giving gifts and seeing others get excited about something that I spent hours thinking and picking out the perfect gift to give. I loved the wrapping of gifts and going shopping with my mom, it was always a special and fun time with her and no matter how much I love my wonderful husband, shopping with him is not the same. My mom suffered a debilitating stroke this year and is semi-paralyzed – she is not able to wrap gifts or go shopping like we did for so many years. So as I was trying to get excited the upcoming holidays, I wondered how I was going to be able get through it without my mom, by my side, doing what had come to be tradition for us. So early on I knew this year was going to be an especially hard year for me. With that being said, our pledge has so much meaning behind it for me and after seeing your post today – it’s exactly what are doing – going back to what Christmas is supposed to be about! It’s not how many things are under the tree, not about how much money is spent (that most really didn’t have to begin with), it was not ever meant to be stressful. It’s very rewarding for us to put money we saved on Christmas and other things into our “Faith, Hope and Love pledge pot”. As I relaxed in the mountains this past weekend with family – I looked at my husband (and I should also mention it was Black Friday – my favorite shopping day of the year) and told him how great it was not be stressed about Christmas. Our children are still small (ages, 5 ½ and 22 months), but I know they will thank us one day for what we are teaching them. Thank you for what you’ve done to get me and my family in such a wonderful spiritual place – it is a great feeling!
I’m trying, but to be honest, this is a hard time of life for me. But I had a long heart to heart with God last night and I’m determined to just soak it all in this Christmas. I’m not working, per se, or at least I’m not in charge of services for the first time in 15 years. So I’m going to go to a Christmas concert, make cookies, visit my grandmother, sit by the fireplace and have my devotions, etc. I’m going to slow down and enjoy it all.
Who knows? We might come up and hang out at CP one Sunday this month.
.-= Jan Owen´s last blog ..Embrace the Gift of Limits =-.
@Ginger, I’m so excited for you guys. It’s been so exciting over the past few weeks to hear stories just like yours that have been the result of our Faith, Hope and Love time.
Can’t wait to see what else God is going to do through your family during this time.
@Jan, I’ll trade you roles on Christmas Eve?
I’m a little like Tony…I don’t care for the “Christmas season.” Don’t like “Christmas” music, don’t like to shop for gifts and don’t like the fact I can’t get fast food on December 25th.
Your first question bit me because my answer without even a second thought was “no.” I really don’t know how to get into a rhythm to restore God’s wonder. Good thing I’ll be there on Sunday.
.-= Jason´s last blog ..The gospel of "suck it up and move on" =-.
I’m so glad to hear your take on this. I came home from a missions trip to Cambodia a few weeks ago, and I have a complete shift in my thinking regarding Christmas and really life in general. I’ve been praying the Lord would take my new attitude and spill it out to others, especially my family, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I’m confused about Christmas. It’s never quite “enough”…. never quite as fulfilling as one thinks it’s supposed to be.
I go to a great church that emphasizes giving to others and provides avenues for that. I teach my kids the “right” things and I try to not just indulge in the consumer version of Christmas.
I want something so real. Perhaps I expect too much. (or not enough?)
Your post yesterday bothered me. This post bothers me too, and yet I loved the advent devotional that you so graciously shared to even us non-crosspointers and I shared it on my FB page, confident all my other friends with kids will LOVE it.
I can do all this, play the part but in my heart I just want more.
.-= Torybee´s last blog ..Tradition =-.
This is something that has been needling in the back of my mind for awhile, but for me it’s not really about Christmas. Honestly, I LOVE Christmas, but there’s no bustle here and my parents will come for a few hours Christmas Day, but other than that I’ll be alone. I’m good with the “slow down and embrace the meaning” thing.
For me, it’s wondering if I’m too comfortable with Him in my every day. When I go through my “very serious sick” times, which are getting more frequent, I lose all sense of rhythm in terms of DOING for my spiritual life. I trust Him completely, I talk to Him constantly, but sometimes I wonder if it’s possible to be too comfortable. If it’s possible to lose some of the awe of Him because I lose the moments of running to Him.
Does that make sense? I want to study and learn and be more in awe rather than being used to Him. But when I’m too sick to get up, I lose the rhythm of that. Advent may be a good time to figure that out.
.-= gitz´s last blog ..Brought to You by the Letter I =-.
No. Unfortunately I’m not. Thanks for making me confess that.
.-= Aaron B. Reddin´s last blog ..How to do “Man Stuff” =-.
I’ve been focusing on and breathing the rhythms of God all fall…what a great way to shift into the Christmas season. I blogged about the “Holy Ground” of this season the other day.
Everywhere I turn I find myself slowing. Not getting caught up in the chaos of Christmas. An intentional focus on the Holy. I am excited to see what the heart of God has for our family this season.
This is that post: http://jezamama.blogspot.com/2009/11/black-friday.html
.-= jessica´s last blog ..Breathing =-.
@aaron, It’s good for you!
Usually I end up feeling overtired and somewhat resentful as I rush around trying to make Christmas happen at our house. And strangely, it’s usually Christmas Eve that saves me. That’s the day I forget about it all and spend time with my family, taking a walk through the woods or playing in the snow. We have a beautiful meal together, and we go to the late evening mass together. My husband and I sing in the choir, enjoy the candles and twinkling lights, concentrate on the Christmas readings, and just experience the feeling of community at our church. It’s the moment when the wonder and awe strike me.
Happens every year, and I pray it never stops happening!
.-= Jan C.´s last blog ..Decorate Your Desktop for Christmas =-.
To tell you the truth we were not always able to celebrate Christmas because my mum was most of the time in the hospital. But when we were able it was always about gifts and food in a way it was nice but I’ve always felt something was missing. I have to mention I wasn’t a Christian then. And I never liked christmas, all the things you HAVE to do.
Now I do it differently. I don’t even buy a tree. I do light the candles and make everything beautiful with decorations but that’s not only for Christmas because I also celebrate my birthday at the end of the year. (I don’t have children if I had I probably would have bought a tree, I’m not sure). I invite friends who say they feel lonely those days. I cook for them a nice dinner this has never been a stress for me, and I put music on and we dance. I don’t think it has to stop at Christmas. Even during the year after the service in the church when they go home they feel lonely. I ask them to come to my house for a brunch. I ask the Holy Spirit to fill my house with His peace and people always say they don’t want to leave and they are comfortable in my house. I thank my God for that. I guess it’s because I know what it means to feel lonely. But God has been good to me and still is.
This is my Christmas way.
.-= Lily´s last blog ..LilyAny: God uses people to refresh other people. He loves this kind of ministry. : http://bit.ly/51ndkC =-.
@Lily, very cool. I appreciate the unique way in which you celebrate!
Pete, it’s so funny. Christmas Eve services were soooo hard when my kids were younger. Spending all day at church on Christmas Eve was not fun for anyone at that time in my life. Now that they are grown, I don’t have any services to do and I actually kind of miss it. But I’m going to enjoy it this year. Who knows what the future holds?
Wish I could help you out but my guess is your CP family would be disappointed if they showed up and I was there and you weren’t!
.-= Jan Owen´s last blog ..Embrace the Gift of Limits =-.
I’m SLOWING down…and realizing…..it’s OK that I dont have enough money to buy EVERYONE a gift (even though, I continue to play the lottery AND pray that someday, I would win so that I CAN buy everyone a gift). It totally wigs me out that I cant buy for every single person who enters into my world… I LOVE THEM.
But alas… I am s l o w l y realizing it…hate it…but realizing it anyway.
.-= DEb´s last blog ..Merry Christmas…. to Y – O – U !!!!! =-.
This year, it is getting back to being joyful, creating memories with my child, and investing time in friends, new friendships, and being with family. The emphasis is loving others as Christ loves me.
What a challenging question to consider. Thanks, Pete.
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..We All Have AIDS =-.
I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I love it for what it truly means…I love that it brings family and friends together…I love that it opens the hearts of non-believers to potentially hear the truth of what God has to offer.
I hate the gift giving process entirely! I hate that the world has taken away the precious-ness.
Most of all, I hate it when non-belivers, whether atheist, agnostic, or believers of other religions, take on this holiday as their own and twist and torment it into some superficial and selfishly motivating time of year. It angers me!
It’s not that my anger makes me a scrooge – quite the contrary! My anger regarding the disrespect of Christmas has challenged me to do something every year that will make a difference to someone else. Sometimes it’s anonymous – sometimes not. Sometimes it’s a gift – sometimes it’s an act. But I never tell anyone – it’s something between me and God – it creates intimacy. My wonderment with God is – the delight of figuring out who that one person is each year. It often leads to so much more later…
That questions is a doozy. My answer would have to be no. I am definitely not living in a rhythm of life that restores God’s wonder in me. Thanks for posing the question and providing a goal to strive for…Looking forward to podcasting the sermon!
.-= Chrystie´s last blog ..A Grand Experience: Pushing Through The Fear =-.