Mmmmm, seafood.

From today's Anniston Star story on the new Three Dudes Fresh Seafood store open in Anniston:

"We were all in Vegas last year for a Jimmy Buffet concert when we said hey, let's open up a seafood market in town," said Whittington.

Now that's a business plan.

TUBES!

Wow - I am actually posting something that is more personal update, less deep thoughts. Normally I do this sort of thing in 200-character status statements, but I have been under-using my blog for way too long. So on to the update:

The Wee has to get tubes put into her ears on Tuesday! She has had ear infection after ear infection in the last seven to eight months, and this should lessen the problem. It's a really short and easy procedure, and they don't have to run an IV, but she does have to be anesthetized. I am already debating the ethics of videotaping her in her loopy stage, but I imagine the idea will seem much less funny when I'm drowning in nerves at the hospital at 6am.

I feel I should already be more nervous than I am, but then again, it's not a big deal as surgeries go. However, if you would like to bring us brownies for comfort, we will not object.

It's Easter Already?

Around October, we all start thinking about Christmas. It's on our minds for months. I start listening to carols on the radio at the beginning of December. We all shop in advance. It takes over our lives, most of us, for a good long while.

And yet Easter is this Sunday, and I keep forgetting. I have picked up a little Easter gift or two this week. Haven't gotten my daughter anything yet. I think I may need to buy a dress, but I haven't shopped or even looked around.

The birth of Christ is monumental and important. But plenty of historians believe that Jesus existed; the existence of the person doesn't make our faith. The resurrection of the Son of God is what made our salvation. Where's the pageantry around this holiday? Where's the excitement? Isn't this where joy to the world really belongs?

Where's my own sense of celebration?

Re: Doubt

So I've been thinking a lot about doubt in Christian faith lately. Actually I think about it a lot all the time. Today I was doing a Bible study that pointed me to Matthew 14:28-31, when Christ calls to Peter to walk to him across the water and Peter does, but then, seeing the waves, begins to sink.

When I read this earlier in my life, I saw Christ's response, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" as a severe chastisement, or worse, a condemnation. How could you not have known better? Haven't you figured it out by now? What do I have to do to get through to you? Peter doubted. Peter sank.

But that's the thing. Peter didn't sink.

"... beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." ³¹Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him ..." As soon as Peter cried out for help - immediately -Christ saved him from the waves and took him safely to the boat. Sure, he might have been disappointed. He might have been upset. He also might have been laughing. I don't know. I just know he saved him.

And Peter's doubt didn't end there, so it wasn't doubt Christ saved him from, it was peril. In spite of his doubt, Christ returned to Peter again and again in the gospels to encourage him, guide him, and use him. I think I can take solace and even joy from that.

Let's All Get Nothin' for Christmas

I imagine that if I went into a room of eight-year-old Sunday School students on Christmas and asked them, “Why is this day different from all other days?” their first answer would be “PRESENTS!” Then, with a little prodding, they’d all probably be able to explain that Christmas is the day of the birth of Christ, who came into the world to save us.

Kids who are raised in the faith – and while I know there are exceptions, I think this goes for the majority of Protestant American children – they know what Christmas is supposed to be about by rote. But that’s not really what it’s about for them. And why should it be? It may be what they’re told by their churches and their parents, but it’s not what they see in their culture, or, in many cases, in the behavior of their families.

They see an American Christmas, whose central icons are Santa Claus and the Christmas tree. They sing Silent Night sandwiched between Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. They gorge on TV commercials telling them what their friends will be getting for Christmas. Television, radio and movies take for granted that children will wake up Christmas morning to piles of brightly wrapped, beribboned boxes under the tree. Children watch their parents stress about how many people are coming over for Christmas dinner, who they’ve forgotten to buy for, and what the credit card bill is going to look like next month. In church, they see the nativity on one end of the sanctuary and the Christmas tree on the other.

Now, I know that Santa Claus is supposed to have been derived from St. Nicholas, who was truly a worthy man who gave all he had to help the needy and the suffering. And I know many people say that the Christmas tree is a symbol of the evergreen love of Christ, the lights the host of angels, and the star atop it the Star of Bethlehem. Whatever these icons have been or have not been, in America today they have come to symbolize receiving, not giving, and certainly not Christ.

When I think of a Christmas tree, I think of presents. When I see an image of Santa Claus, I think of presents. And they’re not presents for other people. They’re presents for me. I’m not alone in that. Most of you, and most of your kids, and your neighbors’ kids, and your nieces and nephews, would probably have to say the same.

Our kids have learned that the American Christmas is a special season of the year when they are allowed and even encouraged to fixate on things they want but don’t need and to compare their spoils with those of others who may have more or less. It’s that special time of year when the worst imaginable crisis would be not getting that one, expensive, begged-for gift.

The saddest part about this is, I don’t have a good example of a solely Christian Christmas celebration to contrast with this. This American Christmas has become the Christian Christmas as well; though it may be diluted with Scripture and sentiment, the greed remains.

So what are we supposed to do if we don’t want our children to learn the ways of the American Christmas? The opposition is overwhelming. Everyone is in on it, Christians, non-Christians, family, friends, and we ourselves. I have always loved the “traditional” Christmas. In the face of all this, I say to myself, I can’t change anything. I can’t stop other people from buying too much stuff for my daughter. I can’t censor the references to greed that permeate everything we hear and see this time of year. I want my daughter to recognize that Christmas is not about getting stuff. But what can I do? How can I explain to her that presents aren’t at the center of Christmas?

What if we leave the tree out of our own Christmas decorating, and make the nativity the focal point of our home? What if we cut the Santa songs out of our Christmas playlists? What if we give our children a single, inexpensive gift for Christmas and take them shopping for toys to donate to needy families instead? What better way to celebrate? Christ calls us to help those who have less than we do – shouldn’t we show our kids that we value that teaching? Shouldn’t that account for the overwhelming majority of our Christmas spending? After all, it’s His birthday. Shouldn’t the gifts we get just be the party favors?

Why is this day different from all other days? Because unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

Why Obama?

My letter was printed this week, and I've had some interesting responses so far.

Many of my friends are wondering why I steadfastly support Barack Obama for president. I’m not going to start spouting misleading statements and falsities about John McCain or Sarah Palin to justify my support. I support Obama not because he isn’t John McCain, but because he is Barack Obama.

I don’t watch cable news. I don’t believe anything I read without checking sources I trust first. I can smell political propaganda, and I have grieved over the number of my dear friends who have become lost in it. I get my information from proven, responsible media outlets. I have been inundated with e-mails and notices accusing Barack Obama of ridiculous sins, and interpreting the fact that he is a black man who doesn’t pretend to be otherwise as racial militancy.

I, for one, am sick of being lied to. I am of a generation whose political views have been formed by lies, and I am so weary of distrust. I am weary of feeling that my leaders are contributing to collapses across the world and across the country, and that no matter how loudly I scream, they’ll continue to cover their ears while they press red button after red button after red button.

Why do I support Barack Obama? Because for the first time in years, I’m excited.

People of my generation, from my neck of the woods—we’re not used to feeling that. We don’t get excited. We get angry. We get snarky. We don’t feel hopeful. We feel threatened. We feel overlooked. When Barack Obama speaks, I get excited. I feel hope. I am beginning to trust this gentleman who says he wants better things for me and for my country, and to believe he will work through any difficulty to get us those things. So I fight for him.

I don’t agree with everything he says. But I believe in him, and I believe that he believes in us. I believe he has the temperament, the judgment and the discernment to make the right choices under pressure and in peace. This country is broken. Many of our spirits are broken. Somebody has to fix it. I truly think he can.

My Letter to the Editor

Usually my local paper won't print a letter to the editor unless it involves secession, atheists, or some other sort of crazy. But we're getting an earful of Palin support around here, and it really bothers me. I'm not going to stand by this election and silently watch the people around me be duped by the GOP ticket's refusal to retract the bald-faced lies they've been telling, and I'm sick of the tone of their attacks. So I decided to give the letter to the editor a shot:

I am dismayed by the exuberance with which so many good, Christian men and women stand and cheer the venomous and mocking remarks uttered by Governor Sarah Palin in her rallies since the Republican National Convention. Of course in a political race the candidates will point out what they perceive to be one another’s faults. But Christians who agree with the statements Governor Palin is making about her opponents should consider the tone of these attacks before they yell out their support.

The Sermon on the Mount makes clear that Jesus wishes us to grow as Christians by changing from the inside out, beginning with a clean heart that then becomes outwardly apparent in our attitude and actions. In Matthew 5:21-22, Christ aligns anger and mockery with murder in the eyes of God. Matthew 5:43-44 tells us to not only love our neighbors but to love our enemies. Governor Palin has made a talking point of her faith since joining the McCain campaign, but a clean heart is not shining through in her attitude. In fact, the tone of anger, mockery and disrespect that has accompanied her is damaging to the testimony of every Christian. I’m pleased to see that Senator Barack Obama, who has also discussed his faith during the campaign, has generally rebuffed her attacks with a measured and respectful tone.

I cannot and would not question Governor Palin’s faith; I fail in my faith every day. But I would like to see more Christians thinking twice before so loudly and publically cheering a display that shows perhaps her heart isn’t quite where it should be.