The Who’s Christmas

I have a confession to make. When I grow up, I want to be like Cindy-Lou Who from Whoville. When faced with someone stealing one of the symbols of Christmas, her beautiful Christmas tree, she graciously accepted the lie the Grinch told her about the broken light on the tree and went right back to sleep.  As much as she loved her tree, she knew that it’s absence wouldn’t stop Christmas from coming.

Over the years, I have heard many discussions about whether Christians should celebrate Christmas. There are debates about timing of Christ’s birth, and the Christmas tree having pagan roots etc. It is not my desire to have a theological discussion about the history of this holiday and it’s origins. I’ll leave that to the heavy intellectuals. Instead, I want to talk about whats right with this picture.

One of the common arguments is that Christmas is too commercial. People shopping for things they don’t need, spending money on things they can’t afford. I think people do that all year long, not just at Christmas. What’s right with this picture is that in the midst of the commercialism, you hear more hymns about Jesus being played in the stores while people of all faiths shop. There is a sense of hope and anticipation of relationship building as people look for just the right gift to encourage a friend or loved one. Sometimes that perfect gift is about healing something that was broken, or maybe helping the relationship to grow stronger. The nervous husband asks, “Do you think my wife will like this”? Mothers of young children swap stories about their children, wondering if a toy is age appropriate. Connections are being made, even if they are just for a moment.

Even after the Grinch stole Christmas, he was astonished to hear the Whos in Whoville still singing,

Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays

Welcome Christmas! Come this way

Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays

Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day

Welcome, welcome, fahoo ramus

Welcome, welcome, dahoo damus

Christmas Day is in our grasp

So long as we have hands to clasp…

Every Who in Whoville was singing without any presents at all.

I grew up in a lower middle class family with a single mother where presents were not a given at Christmas time. What I anticipated more than presents was the sense of connection that come with the holidays that strengthened my sometimes fractured family. We came together sharing special meals; telling wonderful old family stories. We laughed and cried and connected heart to heart and hand to hand.

So if you happen to encounter any Grinches this season, just drink a glass of water and rest. Be kind, like Cindy-Lou Who. You may be the one God uses to increase the size of their heart. Because as Christians we know the real message:

 

Keep singing the Christmas carols and other songs that make your spirit light. Light your homes to create a warm atmosphere of hospitality. People will notice. Some may even slither down the mountain like the Grinch to join you in your celebration. Make them feel welcome! Like the Whos in Whoville.

Talking to Daddy

“People let me tell you about my best friend, he’s a warm hearted person who loved me to the end…”

If you recognize these lyrics it means that you are either officially getting old, or that you have parents who let you watch this special show in syndication. The name of the show was, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. As each new story began to unfold, the characters would enter the scene as the end of the upbeat song continued softly in the background, (people let me tell you about my best friend…).

I loved that show. Not growing up with a Dad in my home, I used to fantasize that I was Eddie and that Bill Bixby was my kind, sensitive, Caucasian father. I was well aware that Eddie was a little boy and I was a little girl, but those minor details did not deter me from allowing my imagination to run wild about all the things I would tell my dad when he came home, just like Eddie did.

Fathers are very important to the security of a child. Not just a Father in the sense of biology, but a daddy. The term daddy brings with it a sense of intimacy, whimsy and fun. When my children were young they used to ask, “Is Daddy home yet?” There was a sense of great anticipation in their wide eyes as the words formed on their lips. There was always something that they wanted to tell him or show him, but more often then not, they just wanted to be with him.

I grew up in a time when divorce was rare. It was a time when schools still had father/daughter events to which I would bring my grandfather whom I loved deeply. When my curious classmates asked, “how come you don’t have a daddy?”, I often felt ashamed that although I had a father, I did not have a daddy. That shame ultimately led me straight to the heart of God. Abba, and Aramaic word that translates – Daddy. When I learned that Abba is one of the names used to describe God in the bible, I felt a lifting of my lonely heart. I too could have a relationship with a daddy.

In every episode of The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Eddie would have an earth shattering problem that could only be solved by talking to his father. That is what prayer is for me. My mind is often filled with the troubles of the world. I don’t just muse about difficult situations in my own life, but as I look at so many of the heart breaking situations of our times, I somehow think I can take on those on as well; However, when I crawl into the lap of my heavenly father, I remember again that, “He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together”(Col. 1:17). Children often see their dads as the biggest and the strongest. My children are never afraid when Dad is near.

If you struggle at times with uncertainty and insecurity about your life like me, trust that Daddy knows. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He promised never to leave us or forsake us. Jeremiah 29:11-13 reminds us that he has plans for our lives. We can call him and he will answer as we seek him with all of our heart.

Prayer is not some unattainable spiritual exercise set apart for the super religious among us. Prayer is best initiated in the context of love. Brandon Cruz, the actor who played Eddie on the show, did an excellent job of portraying a son who loved his dad and knew that his father loved him. In an environment of love we can talk about anything.

Sweatin’ with the Oldies…

 

Before the Insanity exercise craze, before boot camp, palates and Yoga fitness was popular, there was a man name Richard Simmons. Baby Boomers all over the world know him well. He was one of the first to introduce the concept that exercise and the sweat that is produced as a result, could be fun. Out of this concept came his very successful, Sweatin’ to the Oldies series. What a great idea! Dancing to familiar, beloved songs and burning calories at the same time.

As I laid awake 3:00 in the morning, dripping wet without having exerted any energy at all, I began to think about how I could have my own DVD series or TV show, but I would call it,“Sweatin’ with the Oldies“! The shows concept would be based on the Titus 2 concept of teaching women how to walk out their hormonal journey together, on purpose and having fun in the process.

There is really something comedic about how for no apparent reason you wake up in the middle of the night and wake the person sleeping next to you as you swoosh the covers off and on as you alternate between hot and cold, finally ending up looking like a wet dog that someone  has just sprayed with a garden hose. Your freshly styled hair dripping wet completing the Shaggy Dog motif.

Hormones are a very real part of the journey of women, young and old. ( Men have hormonal issues as well… But that’s for another discussion) 🙂 When not properly educated regarding these things, hormones and the roller coaster effects they have on women can be a bit intimidating. When your heart starts to race for no apparent reason, we are sure that a heart attack is not far behind. So many symptoms, so little time.

Although reading about these things is certainly helpful, there is nothing like connecting with another women who has been where you are going. Like planning a great vacation, they can tell you all about the special places not talked about in the vacation brochures. A Titus 2 woman who is committed to listening and sharing is invaluable.

Older women teaching younger women to live wisely and pure…

Titus 2:5

When I was a young woman, I used to pray that God would send me an older woman who would talk with me, listen to me, and laugh with me – to tell me that it would all be fine in the end. I wanted someone to tell me that the crazies of my life were all a part of the journey.

From the onset of menses, to the post menopausal period, woman need one another. We can help each other by sharing stories and strategies to get through our various seasons with humor and dignity, never apologizing for who we are in the moment, but always striving to get better.

The bible says, two are better than one  –  Ecc. 4:9

As far as night sweats go, I’ve made a decision that I don’t want to go there anymore.

Only day sweats please… Preferably on the beach, with a cool glass of iced tea!