The ULTIMATE Secret Santa!

My office just had one of those "Secret Santa" thingys, but couldn't NOBODY touch the Ultimate Secret Santa. Wow! How inspiring is this guy!?!

Off for a while to travel and enjoy the holidays, so I won't be on the Internets to blog for a while (you can thank me,later :)).

Until next time, I thank you so much for reading...and wish you and yours a most blessed and peaceful Christmas.

God bless!!!
:)lance

Who Would Want to Kill "A Charlie Brown Christmas"?!?

Those blockheads at CBS, that's who! This great article about the initial reaction to A Charlie Brown Christmas is way interesting. The "mastermind" TV executives hated it because, among other things, their was no laugh track (Ha! Ha!) and the characters read from the Gospel of Luke. (Gasp!)

Linus forever!

Why Kids Rule

Is it any wonder that in Matthew 19:13, Jesus says that in order to experience Heaven, you must become like a child? It's because kids get life in ways that we adults have a hard time figuring out. Jesus is saying that you must become child-like (not child-ish) in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I love this.

The honesty, openess, wonder and love that kids live their lives by is an inspiration, as these pictures attest. Thanks to multi-talented faithblog reader, Craig Bates for sharing the pics.

Eat, Pray, Love

Not to go all Oprah Winfrey, but this here's a must-read book, y'all.

A writer friend of mine told me about Elizabeth Gilbert's latest book Eat, Pray, Love a while back. This friend of mine is a tremendous writer herself, so I definintely intended to check it out. Stuff happens, so I'm just now getting around to reading it. My bad. Should have gotten to this one sooner.

Eat, Pray, Love is a travel memoir of Elizabeth's spiritual journey. Her amazing wit, humor, intellect and perspective make this as entertaining as it is enlightening. In her early thirties, Elizabeth had everything a modern American woman was supposed to want—husband, nice home(s), successful career—but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she felt consumed by panic, guilt and confusion. Following a painful divorce, end of a second romantic relationship and crushing depression, she set out on a spiritual jouney to "find herself" and God, in the process. Her journey takes her to spend a year abroad, visiting Italy, India and Indonesia (what alliteration!). It's an amazing page-turner that really resonates with all of us seeking and stumbling along our individual spiritual path. Check it out.

Enjoy the Waiting

Tom Petty had it right. The Waiting IS the hardest part.

As this season of advent begins, I can't help but think about what Jesus would say about our modern approach to celebrating his birth. The season of advent is supposed to be a time of patient waiting. Solitude. Reflecting. Growing closer to God by pondering the wonder and act of amazing love that it took for Him to take human form here on Earth.

What it often feels like is a Mexican shoot-out.

I was recently reminded of this in reading articles about "Black Friday." You know, the day after Thanksgiving when people go completely spastic over all the shopping that can be done. For one, I learned that this day is called "Black Friday" because it's the day that supposedly puts all retailers "in the black" for the year. You'd think they come up with a more positive sounding slogan.

The article went on to say that many of the big retailers were opening at 4 a.m. this year. (You know, because being open at 5 a.m. JUST ISN'T EARLY ENOUGH!!!)

A friend of ours, who used to work at one of these retailers, tells an amusing story about working on "Black Friday" one year (back when this store opened at 5 am.) She said that people were in line around the building at 3:45 a.m.!! And when the doors opened, everyone SCREAMED AS THEY RAN DOWN THE AISLES in search of "the best deals of the season."

Really!?! Is this what Jesus would want us to do to celebrate his birth? Run through stores screaming at 5 o'clock in the morning (er, 4 o'clock now. Excuse me.)

During this month (and most others) our culture tells us to spend more. Consume more. Attend more holiday parites. Be all things to all people. So instead of reflecting we rush. And in the spirit of trying to hurry and do more, more, more...we enjoy the true Spirit of the Season less, less, less.

I have been guilty of this many, many times. But this advent, may we all slow down just a little. May we all seek out spaces of silence...to breathe....to reflect...to say thank you to the ultimate gift ever given.

And I believe that by doing so, we will discover much more about this season than speed could ever reveal.