The holidays are messy. Families are messy. People are stressed and in perpetual pursuit of the recreated perfect memory that really was not, but has become idealized. We do this to ourselves — debt, guilt, grief, depression, worry, frenzy, and then the lights go out, the trash packed away, and the tree comes down.
Memories of special occasions, vacations, holidays are conflated in our faulty memories. "The perfect" Christmas is a compilation of memories, sights, sounds, smells, feelings.
My brother found a Christmas picture when I was 17. I don't have a memory of this. I have a pouty teenage angst look on my face. What struck me though was my mom, she was looking over my dad's head at me and my brother with an expression of proud happiness.
The Manger scenes at churches are carefully curated. You provide important context, barns and corrals are not neat and tidy. God chose to humble Himself not only coming to the earth as a defenseless baby but being born to a common family in a manger.
Just incredibly well written. I marvel ( in a good way!) at your gift to speak strongly to issues of our day, yet you possess the compassion and humility to speak with such insight and kindness. Grace my friend.
Thank you I needed that. Might I add to what Mr. Erickson said. Go to church. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services are absolutely beautiful. Its chicken soup for the soul so to speak. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Merry Christmas everyone. God bless you all.
I so appreciate your take on all things political, but in all honesty, I subscribe because of posts like this. It's a weary world and no amount of understanding will ever be more important or impactful than what happened on that "noisy, messy, confused, bloody, and glorious" night. Thank you for consistently reminding me - us - of the bigger and more joyful picture. God Bless you and Merry Christmas!
Your message hits home Erick. Thank you for the little reminder. While I know in my hear the reason for the season, we also tend to get hung up in the traditions, the commercialization, and the small things that simply do not matter in the bigger picture. I look forward to this time each year, because it means family time, even though parts of my family are a mess, and at odds with each other. This time does get noisy and messy. I need to work on making it less noisy, and more meaningful for me and mine. GOD BLESS and MERRY CHRISTMAS (low key)!!
I have to admit I've been spending more time listening to Pandora lately than to paranoia.
(Not saying that you're paranoid, but I thought that was catchy.) I blame YOU Erick for telling your audience to, "Take a break at times." I'm glad I'm subscribed and happy for the podcasts and the e-mails, and I do need to call in occasionally, but in the meantime, I'll probably only dabble in your show until the Christmas show to which I will listen intently. THANK-YOU Erick for all you stand for. One of my very left of center friends I work with even says when he listens to you he doesn't find you to be "off the rails." This is a liberal who honestly believes if Trump is elected he will push toward a one-person dictatorship where he's in charge. LOL. People really believe that. Trump derangement syndrome is REAL.
So much of our communications these days are absolutely worthless wastes of wind. But it is always so amazing to rehear the most important message ever communicated among mankind.
Memories of special occasions, vacations, holidays are conflated in our faulty memories. "The perfect" Christmas is a compilation of memories, sights, sounds, smells, feelings.
My brother found a Christmas picture when I was 17. I don't have a memory of this. I have a pouty teenage angst look on my face. What struck me though was my mom, she was looking over my dad's head at me and my brother with an expression of proud happiness.
The Manger scenes at churches are carefully curated. You provide important context, barns and corrals are not neat and tidy. God chose to humble Himself not only coming to the earth as a defenseless baby but being born to a common family in a manger.
Thanks for the reminder and the perspective. I knew you were going to be someone to listen to from the first time way back when.
I’m happy for the success you’re having and I wish you much continued success and a Merry Christmas.
Living in a Happy Mess, thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Just incredibly well written. I marvel ( in a good way!) at your gift to speak strongly to issues of our day, yet you possess the compassion and humility to speak with such insight and kindness. Grace my friend.
Thank you I needed that. Might I add to what Mr. Erickson said. Go to church. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services are absolutely beautiful. Its chicken soup for the soul so to speak. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Merry Christmas everyone. God bless you all.
You're becoming my new Linus.
I so appreciate your take on all things political, but in all honesty, I subscribe because of posts like this. It's a weary world and no amount of understanding will ever be more important or impactful than what happened on that "noisy, messy, confused, bloody, and glorious" night. Thank you for consistently reminding me - us - of the bigger and more joyful picture. God Bless you and Merry Christmas!
Your message hits home Erick. Thank you for the little reminder. While I know in my hear the reason for the season, we also tend to get hung up in the traditions, the commercialization, and the small things that simply do not matter in the bigger picture. I look forward to this time each year, because it means family time, even though parts of my family are a mess, and at odds with each other. This time does get noisy and messy. I need to work on making it less noisy, and more meaningful for me and mine. GOD BLESS and MERRY CHRISTMAS (low key)!!
Have a Mary Christmas...not a Martha Christmas.
I have to admit I've been spending more time listening to Pandora lately than to paranoia.
(Not saying that you're paranoid, but I thought that was catchy.) I blame YOU Erick for telling your audience to, "Take a break at times." I'm glad I'm subscribed and happy for the podcasts and the e-mails, and I do need to call in occasionally, but in the meantime, I'll probably only dabble in your show until the Christmas show to which I will listen intently. THANK-YOU Erick for all you stand for. One of my very left of center friends I work with even says when he listens to you he doesn't find you to be "off the rails." This is a liberal who honestly believes if Trump is elected he will push toward a one-person dictatorship where he's in charge. LOL. People really believe that. Trump derangement syndrome is REAL.
Religion is man's attempt to reach God.
Relationship is God's attempt to reach man.
It really is that simple. God bless.
Thanks Erick.
So much of our communications these days are absolutely worthless wastes of wind. But it is always so amazing to rehear the most important message ever communicated among mankind.
I guess we are back to the weird bug of defaulting to comments being turned off. Sorry. Fixed.