Christ

the other day i watched talledegga nights. it seems like the new popular movie to watch. i really did not enjoy the movie. i really love will ferrell but was disappointed this time. anyways during the movie bobby would pray the blessing to little baby Jesus.

this made me ask myself how do i picture my Christ. obviously during christmas we picture him as a baby born in a manger. during easter we picture him beaten bloody and hanging on a cross, whose body was laid in a tomb and three days later resurrected. but there are also other ways we can picture Christ. we can picture him as a 12 year old teaching in the temple. we can also see him as a 30 year old rounding up the disciples.

we can also see him with different emotions. we know Jesus cried when he knew his friend lazarus had died. we know he was upset when people turned his Father's house into a market. we can also read that he felt alone and forsaken when he was dying on the cross.

Christ also showed human characteristics. we know he was hungry when he fasted for 40 days.

we know that before he came to this earth he was with his Father. he was there from the beginning and was involved in creating everything. yet gave that up to come to earth as a baby, obviously humble. as a baby he relied on mary to feed and change him, to keep him clean. he depended on her for life.

after life here on earth he went back up to heaven to be on the right side of his Father.

we can see him as a good teacher, prophet, rabbi, mentor. we can also see him as a revolutionary, challenger, and a leader. he was seen as a healer and a friend. we today can see him as Lord and Savior. we can see him as a God who was and still is love. we can see him as all these things and guaranteed more. at all these times there were people who followed and others who walked away. there were pharisees who confronted and disciples whom accepted. Christ was loved, followed, betrayed, denied and yet still forgave, loved and accepted.

bobby saw him as a baby. he probably only went to church on Christmas. how else do you see Jesus?

how things become distorted

st. nicholas was one who used his inheritance to assist the poor and needy. he was one who looked over the interests of himself and gave what he had to those who need it. today santa claus has come into many homes giving gifts of luxury to the already wealthy families. and by wealthy i mean approximately 95% of homes in the united states. we all own things we do not necessarily need or even want. this past november jenny and i went through and donated a lot of things to care and share; a community wide free thrift store that our church holds every year. and yet we still excess.

this year more then any other i wish i were like the kranks (movie--christmas at the kranks) who swore off christmas. they didnt want anybody to buy them gifts and vice versa. they were just going to skip the day all together. this past weekend i went to our church christmas party. it involved maybe 50 participants of the ever infamous game known as white elephant. what it should be is a time for people to come together and have community; which did happen. however what it ended up being was people swapping $5 useless gifts that will probably end up in care and share next year.

but this is what i have found out christmas has become the swapping of gifts with each other. i have a limit on how much i spend for each person whether they are family, a friend or a coworker. but i find that the person that i give a gift to usually ends up spending appoximately the same amount on me. usually on something i dont need or specifically want. what if we used all the money that we would have spent this christmas to act like saint nicholas and give it to a family that is in need. i know i do not need more crap in my house.

what started with good intentions of brightening up someones day has become a day of selfishness and desire. and if we do not get what we want we just box it up and take it back to the store the next day and exchange it for something else we do like. saint nick would be disapointed in all of us in how something out of generosity and love for the poor become so distorted.

oh and did i mention what i want for christmas. i would like a nintendo wii.

top ten christmas movies

there are a lot of great christmas movies out there. just for my entertainment and yours i put together a list of some of my favorite holiday flicks. in no particular order these are the movies that put me in the christmas spirit

a wonderful life-- always makes me reflect, this is one i watch every few years just because it is so long and somber.

the grinch who stole christmas-- (the cartoon) funny movie that puts you in the christmas spirit

the christmas story-- a leg lamp, a bb gun, and chinese singing deck the halls. this is a must every year

a christmas tale-- the muppets take on the popular ebeneezer scrooge story

home alone-- well it did take place over the christmas season

national lampoons christmas vacation--a movie to show me that my family is not that screwed up

charlie browns christmas- one of the few movies that actually tells the original christmas story

polar express- the best animation possible to show you "just believe"

elf- the combination of belief and will ferrel

and my favorite

rudolph the red nosed reindeer- taken from the popular song with rudolph, hermie, and the island of misfit toys, shows we can all have a purpose.

any body have any to add. or to just express your favorite