Some of my readers may remember that we do not celebrate Christmas. A couple years ago I put up a post on this blog with a link to a page on the Home Maker’s Corner where I explained why we don’t celebrate Christmas. Partly this was to help readers understand why there wasn’t any “Christmas cheer” on this blog. :-)
Last December I felt compelled to start something a little different, namely a challenge to those who do celebrate Christmas to start putting their actions where their claims are and really transform their celebrations into something that glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. The challenges include a variety of difficulty levels to help people at least make a start.
This year I wanted to address the Christmas tree – that sacred cow of all Christmas traditions. It seems like it’s one of the hardest things to get rid of for many people. It was for my own family, in fact. I’m posting this before Thanksgiving for obvious reasons. :-)
So, here is the new Holiday Challenge – Challenge Number Four: Get Rid of the Tree.
I realize that some people will refuse to read this simply because of the title. The very idea of not having a Christmas tree is so stressful or appalling to them that they can’t even deal with the thought, let alone the information. Sadly, this attitude sound more like idolatry than true love for the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope there will be those who are strong enough to at least read it and consider what I have to say, even if they don’t at first agree with the idea.
I admit to being very thankful to my parents for never having begun a Christmas tree tradition, and for ending the Christmas 'tradition' of gift-giving etc, many years ago. Yet, I can understand how difficult it is to put an end to some traditions that are entwined with much sentimentality or memories.
ReplyDeleteClara, so many people stand to make a lot of money on the holiday, so it's no wonder that the natural sentimentality and nostalgia of the it is played up in such a huge way in advertising and by Hollywood. I think the thing feeds on itself because of that. Pictures and books I've seen/read from the past don't make it seem that Christmas was the extravaganza that it is now.
DeleteI am so happppppy to see that someone else does not celebrate "christmas" that is a Christian! I have NO TREE and next year will be an end to the celebration of any of it! I have been stressing about this every since the Lord start showing me answers to my questions about this "holiday" (I have a catholic background...I DID! Another testimony!) One night I was weeping because of all the things I thought were truth turned into a lie according to God's Word....I asked the Lord what He wanted me to do with this information....And this is what I "heard" BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.....so as I KNOW WHAT HE SAID TO BE TRUTH IN MY HEART-I AM STARTING TO BE STILL and each time not fretting because GOD'S WORD is TRUTH-HE is who I believe in not a MAN MADE holiday! So I CAN be still and stand on His truth with NOTHING to argue...because there is NO arguement to God's Truth!
ReplyDeleteI believe in Jesus and I celebrate HIM everyday! HE is the greaest gift ever! God saved me from suicide when I called out to Him not even thinking He knew who I was or that He would even care! Why should He? I was so blasphemous...along with MANY other things that go with this world...
Thank you! I am so happpppy I came across your site through another one!
God Bless You! ~ Elizabeth
Well, praise the Lord. :-) Yes, there are some of us out here who don't celebrate. :-)
DeleteYour testimony here is interesting. My brother-in-law was talking just this week about how as Christians we should be living peaceful lives and when we don't see something in the Bible and don't have peace about it, it's generally a tradition of man that we don't need. We should be seeking to live peace-filled lives, and the Christmas holiday definitely involves too much stress for that! 1 Peter 3:10-11 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
We should be peaceful yes-knowing that what our GOD says is truth....we get to REST in that...it has taken me time to figure out what that means but now I know! There are times the "old man" trys to creep back in and cause disruption but I CAN PRAISE GOD FOR HIS TRUTH that won't let me get back into the "old man's ways"! I am not perfect that's for sure! A note here! I truly enjoyed Violet's Story! I shared with several people. We have 7 children and lost 4. Our last "gift of children from God" is a set of twins. What is REALLY special about these twins is they are Down Syndrome! I can HONESTLY say God always knows what He is doing. I started searching the scriptures in a KJV Bible for the truth as to what I had "done" to have made these babies "like this"....YEP! He showed me John 9!!! Which then started leading me to other questions...which then LEAD ME OUT OF CATHOLICISM! I LOVE GOD...NOT BECAUSE i LOVED HIM FIRST..BUT BECAUSE HE LOVED me FIRST! I am so happy to have Him lead me to your website!!! Thank you for your truth and honesty!
DeleteThanks for mentioning that you enjoyed Violet's Story. I'm not sure anyone has ever commented on that story before. I can't remember now. :-)
DeletePraise God for His amazing ways! It's a real blessing to hear how He led you out of Catholicism.
Romans 11:33-36 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
I always tell everyone when I tell them what God had done for me on that particular night of saving me from suicide and what He has done for ALL through the LIFE-DEATH and RESURRECTION of HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON JESUS- that if HE could change me and my hard heart HE CAN CHANGE ANYONE!!!
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