tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post3894538061539324104..comments2023-11-17T07:24:10.333-05:00Comments on Glory to God: Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly in 2013Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12741646073555849828noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post-58529263383799829162013-01-02T11:43:35.235-05:002013-01-02T11:43:35.235-05:00Dear Christine,
I so agree with this post...very w...Dear Christine,<br />I so agree with this post...very well-written and compassionate. I, too, have been contemplating being set apart for many months.<br /><br />My hubby and I have been diligent the past 30 years in letting our children know that Santa isn't real. And it's saddening to see so many Christians allowing their children to believe in Santa, even embellishing tales about him. Then, when the parents tell their children he's not real after all, will their children believe that the Lord Jesus is just a fairy tale, too? It is as you said, each family's decision, and it's also true that the church has one foot in the one and the 2nd foot is soon to follow. <br /><br />If the world is preaching Santa, shouldn't we, as believers, be set apart, and teach our children the truth?<br /><br />Many times, I tell my children, "If you're not sure what to do, look at what the world is doing, and then do the opposite."<br /> <br />While the world goes overboard in every conceivable way by focusing in on the fat man in the red suit, Christmas for us is.....sparse decorations and the bare minimum of gifts. It's very low-key and the focus is on Immanuel.<br /><br />Keep on keeping on, my friend. And keep looking up.<br /><br />Much love to you.<br /><br /><br />Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273301456471935137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post-53303979658831897922013-01-01T21:20:15.529-05:002013-01-01T21:20:15.529-05:00I don't disagree with you at all, Tesha. I lov...I don't disagree with you at all, Tesha. I love you dearly, first of all! :)<br /><br />If God blesses a family with enough money to help others and bless their own family, I think there is nothing wrong with blessing their own family, especially when the children are genuinely unspoiled to begin with and they don't have a sense of entitlement. When it isn't a LOT of presents, the children are less likely to anticipate just the gifts. The wonder of God being with us (Immanuel) still shines through. I just think there is so much pressure to do everything BIG, even to the point of unwise spending, and in those cases the family becomes too strapped to help those who have dire needs unmet. <br /><br />Pastors and deacons and church workers work very hard, there is no doubt about it. Ten percent of the people do 90% of the work. They need willing hearts to help make the church the hands and feet and heart of God.<br /><br />Bless you and your husband for your commitment to your flock!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12741646073555849828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post-42130323001241173212013-01-01T18:21:34.565-05:002013-01-01T18:21:34.565-05:00Christine, I think you did an excellent job in wri...Christine, I think you did an excellent job in writing this powerful, convincing post. I will tell you about our Christmas because we obviously do have presents. I got saved at 18 newly married with a baby. My husband did not get saved for three years. At first I wanted to not do presents and no longer have anything to do with Halloween. My husband not a Christian then said we would have nothing to Church that wanted to Change our family traditions. Rewind 25 years, His aunt had gotten involved with a true cult and stopped celebrating any holidays. My husband Father began to hate the Church because of the wedge it put in the family. I decided to just keep doing everything the same and teach my son (little Jimmy) the truth. When my husband got saved a few year later we talked about Halloween and Christmas. He said if his parents were ever going to get saved they were going to have to see us change without trying to change family tradition. That the reality of Jesus would make our holidays more special not delete the way they had always been done. I am convinced that my Mother-in-law and Father-in-law got saved because we were sensitive in these areas. We do lots of giving to other during the holidays and all year in fact. We often give hurting family in our congregation help during the Holidays. Single moms receive anonymous gift cards and money in their Church mail boxes. I do think presents are tricky and it requires a lot of teaching to our children to root out selfishness. I feel Christmas is a time to say thank you to my children for all the giving they do. They do not expect anything for all their hard work. Work like weekly cleaning the toilets at church because we are a small congregation and they want to help. As a pastor my husbands nevers mentions Santa and leaves that for each indivdule family to decided. I do respect your position think you are an excellent mommy and Christian leader. I hope our difference in this will not hurt our relationship. We so appreciate you act of kindness in honor of Jonathan! May Jesus bless you this year my friend!!!! <br /><br />Ps I think it is wonderful that instead of leaving your church you are working on opening eyes and hearts. All people and congregations have blind spots and we need each others help to change. If we walk away from each other how can their be reform?<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14497636907002853665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post-25435164625039905752012-12-31T18:24:01.465-05:002012-12-31T18:24:01.465-05:00And thank you for your love and prayers, Cynthia. ...And thank you for your love and prayers, Cynthia. I appreciate them!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12741646073555849828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post-73730021143868744052012-12-31T18:22:33.043-05:002012-12-31T18:22:33.043-05:00Hi Cynthia, thank you for visiting today. The chur...Hi Cynthia, thank you for visiting today. The church that Santa showed up at isn't our home church. We've taken our children to their AWANA program for years and they do a good job at that church caring for needy neighbors and churchgoers. I do like their staff and they have the right idea generally. The Santa thing seems to be something the lady who heads up AWANA likes to do. Her own children are strong Christians so some how she didn't let her love of Santa affect their commitment to the Lord. I just don't think he belongs in church at all. It's a personal family thing that each family has to pray about and decide. To have him come to church takes power away from the parents who don't want him to be anything but a storybook character to their children.<br /><br />The children's church teacher (from our home church) who asked what the children got for Christmas just made a mistake. For all I know it may have been a prompt in the curriculum to introduce the lesson. I was appalled and even angry when I first heard it, but she didn't mean any harm. So many Christians don't even think about the poor and just stay in their nice little middle-class bubble. It is safe in that bubble and that is what I want to fight against. Standing up for Christ is important work, not matter the inconveniences and people need to be taught to do it. Their eyes need to be opened to the world's poverty problem and God's message as it relates to the poor and the rich and giving. <br /><br />We do not think our current church does enough to love the poor. We are trying to change that with our neighborhood ministry, which will include some of this neighborhood's poor. And in April I will speak to the church on behalf of Compassion International. We hope to be catalysts of change because pastors and deacons can't do everything. The members of a church are just as important when it comes to listening to Jesus' heart and being his hands and feet.<br /><br />I am praying for that teacher, that she would develop a sensitivity. It bothered me most that when the first kid mentioned an i-Pod, she only said, "Cool". I would have liked her to say that the Internet can be dangerous and the kids should be sure and use it around their parents only, not around other kids because there are serious dangers lurking on the Internet. That would have been leadership I would have been proud of. But everyone is a student in Christ and God will direct her, I believe, to do better since he allowed her to have a position of leadership.<br /><br />We will definitely pray about leaving if hearts do not soften there toward the poor and a Christian's responsibility toward them. And I must continue to let my kids know that the teachers are students themselves and they do make mistakes. I need to stay aware of what they're hearing. Always.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12741646073555849828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814114731786461812.post-46537454107316236222012-12-31T16:14:28.173-05:002012-12-31T16:14:28.173-05:00I would ask the Lord if He wants you to remain at ...I would ask the Lord if He wants you to remain at that church or look for another. He will clearly direct you. I agree with your concerns. Love & prayers, in Jesus, CynthiaCynthiaJSwensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02677435502134218703noreply@blogger.com