8 comments (Add your own)

1. Da Sciple wrote:

As I reflect on the message JB unpacked for us yesterday, and the conversation the wife and I had on the ride home a little while later I can think of a big "Christmas dissapointment" that -if I may- Jesus brought into my families life.

As most of you can agree, the world has done a grandiose job at putting santa claus at the forefront of this holiday. If I may digress a bit further - The Church has too! Anyway...


4 Christmas' ago my daughter was attending a Christian pre-school. On Christmas eve they sent her home with a bag of ?reindeer food? (dry oatmeal) and had her all excited about placing it on the porch for the reindeer to eat when they came that night with santa.

[I think I should add here that I (Steve Ross) was still in the state in which Bill shared with you all a couple of Sundays prior of being nominally a Christian and not yet a follower of Christ... selah].

Without drawing it out too long i'll just say that yes, the next morning my daughter found the porch spotless and celebrated santa and his reindeers' coming.

Fast forward through repentance and faith. My families Jesus disappointment wasnt so much due to the fact that santa was a myth -we knew that already- it was moreso the fact that our eyes had been opened to the deception that had/has crept into the church. Furthermore it was really disappointing to have to explain to my daughter that I'd lied to her.

The reason this is directly related to Jesus' saying to me "I love you" but "you're not ok" is because for the past few years as I attempt to teach my children the real meaning of Christmas as we celebrate Advent.... I'm constantly working to tear down the idols I placed on the altar of their minds...

Mon, December 8, 2008 @ 3:39 PM

2. Tonya wrote:

Just for fun, my best Christmas "gift" story ever: In 6th grade, my (odd) grandmother gave me a box filled with 9 pairs of panty hose. Sincerely. Dare someone to top that!

Mon, December 8, 2008 @ 4:33 PM

3. Bill White wrote:

Tonya, i must admit, that is more disappointing than any gift I ever got. Although close was was the picture my aunt and uncle sent us. it was 6 feet tall - life sized - and plastered on cardboard. It was a picture of them. Hmmmm.... a bit odd. That was to my parents - i still don't know where they put that. That was the same year, at age 14 or so, they gave me an inflatable ice bucket. Hmmm.... a bit disappointing.

But, frankly, I experience disappointment more acutely now that I'm a parent. It breaks my heart when I see one of my kids spend their hard earned money on some chinsy piece of plastic and wrap it up to give their mom. I stand by and let them do it - they are doing it out of true love. But it kills me that they don't see how the real gift is their care, not the item in question. I wonder how often I do the same thing, entangling materialism with true love, unable to articulate the real love I want to express without using some worldly form of doing so.

Mon, December 8, 2008 @ 7:22 PM

4. Ben wrote:

My biggest Christmas disappointment was flying into Los Angeles on Christmas eve after spending 6 months in Kathmandu, Nepal. My family there had one small nightlight sized bulb that they could only be turned on for a few seconds to put on their shoes when going out to the outhouse. Living conservatively for 6 months with a family that could hardly afford one light and then flying into Los Angeles Christmas eve night with the billions of Christmas lights hurt. It really hurt.

Tue, December 9, 2008 @ 4:17 AM

5. Almita wrote:

After reading your comment, Bill, I am also reminded of the way that I, as a child took my parents (and their gifts to me) for granted and perhaps without the gratitude expected or deserved. As long as I can remember, I always requested a bicycle for Christmas which I never received. Inevitably, the gift was always roller skates. (Big disappointment!) However, when I became a parent, not only did I realize my error in thinking about my parents, but my even bigger error in taking the blessings of God for granted. There is nothing like parenthood to awaken one to her/his wrong thinking about the blessings that are received from the Lord because of His great love for those that are His.

Speaking about being disappointed with God, though, I can understand why the people of the days when Jesus walked the earth were so disappointed in Him. I have often wondered if I would have been able to see beyond His humanity and earthly beginning - and therefore to be able to recognize His divinity and His words as those of God. Perhaps those people had an excuse for their disappointment - but I don't. The only Jesus that I have known is the Glorified One, who proved His deity and words by His death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven.

When I experience circumstances that are difficult, unanswered prayers, and questions of "why" that are unanswered, am I disappointed with God? In all honesty - yes - but only in the fact that His reaction to my circumstances and prayers are not what I wanted. I can never be disappointed in who He is or in His demonstrated character of love, compassion and mercy - because of the cross. As I consider the magnitude of what He has purchased for me (knowing the true and living God and Jesus who made this possible), my disappointment takes on a new perspective - one that is temporary and not very big after all.

Tue, December 9, 2008 @ 8:52 AM

6. Alecia wrote:

Panty hose and inflatable ice-buckets??? Yikes, you guys have weird relatives! Here's one that rivals for biggest disappointment--and weirdest relatives, too! Each year we exchanged gifts by mail with cousins in Iowa. I remember shopping with my mom so she'd be sure to get something cool for the girl close to my age. We'd wrap those gifts as cute as could be and tuck them into a big box for their Christmas Day, all the while expecting to get equally cool gifts in return. And what delightful treasure did I receive when we opened our package from them? Deodorant! Yes,quite an affirming message to a 13-year-old girl, don't you think? My mom,ever the diplomat, tried to put some positive spin on it all--something about how this was a special, expensive brand of deodorant--and actually made me write a thank-you note! I have not thought deeply enough about this to extract any spiritual lesson from it. Insights, anyone?

Tue, December 9, 2008 @ 10:31 AM

7. Jason Brown wrote:

I still get deoderant -- lots of it -- from those closest to me! I've suspected they were trying to communicate something to me. Just not sure what it is.

Anyway, thank goodness I have yet to receive any pantyhose like Tonya. Those of you who just read that and are starting to plan . . . stop right now.

Tue, December 9, 2008 @ 12:09 PM

8. Monica wrote:

Interesting that sometimes we ask for "signs" (like a beautifully wrapped package) and yet, we choose not to see, (or use) when they are right in front of us! LOL

Wow Bill, how is that possible that "we" put all of our time and money into meaningless, insignificant, "stuff" and all the while all we have to do is tell one another how we feel! Yet, we have set ourselves' up to believe that the more you spend on that person, the more you love.

I know God loves me and wow how wonderful that feels... It is the other part that is difficult to hear “But I'm not ok! That means “I” have to do some work internally. That got me thinking, what a true statement that is. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be able to re-evaluate what I need to change, to think beyond me and myself.
Thanks for that to be so honest with so much love, Thanks Jason, for a hard message to hear but so needed.

Sun, December 21, 2008 @ 6:41 PM

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