AUTHOR: Robin Dugall DATE: 8:19:00 AM ----- BODY:

Christmas is just around the corner. About a month ago, both Vicky and I awoke to the sudden realization that we were about to face the onslaught of Christmas and the accompanying temptation, hurry and materialism. The fact is from even the most casual and optomistic of observers is that Christmas in American culture is out of control. As an author I've been reading lately, James Cavenaugh says in his book, Following Christ in a Consumeristic Culture, you and I have been systematically reduced to commodities...we are now things...labeled...pigeon-holed...stamped as grade-A "consumers". Our humanity has been stolen for a profit margin...our soul has been replaced by the next sale item or rise in consumer confidence. Newspapers and magazines have figured out that the average American is going to spend approximately $650 this Christmas. Mmmm...let me see...that figures to be about $162 Billion according to my weak math skills. $162 Billion on stuff we don't need that fills our storage units with more junk that we can't keep in our already over-packed houses because we can't figure out exactly what really will satisfy the longing of our hearts. I ran into a prayer off another blog that I read regularly...try this on for size: Saint Anselm prayed, "Lord, give me what you have made me want. I praise and thank you for the desire that you have inspired; perfect what you have begun, and grant me what you have made me long for." A thousand years ago, someone got it right! I'm going to pray that prayer this Christmas. I don't know where it will lead...but that is the point of it. Falling into the arms of the ever-present God of my life is going to take some deliberate action to move in the right direction. Maybe, if you're reading this...you should consider praying that your heart would be blessed this Christmas with what it was designed and created to enjoy. God bless you, dear friend, as you continue to walk the walk and live the journey of mystery and wonder and grace!

-------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: Mark Schreiber COMMENT-DATE:12:44 PM COMMENT-BODY:Good thoughts. I am seriously thinking that I should send all the money that I get for Christmas to someone else that really needs it. I know that we as Americans get so tangled in the the materialism of this "Holiday" season... Maybe if people in our society started to call this time of the year CHRISTmas instead of the Holiday Season things would start to change for the better.... maybe not. I love the prayer! I'll be praying it often...

Oh... and BTW... I took your Christmas present back. It's the thought that counts right? :) --------