After and during a rough patch in my life, I really like to listen to music. I mean, I like to listen to music all the time, but when life is kicking you down, melodious tunes are especially healthy. I like to think it's an even better medicine than laughter (though that's pretty helpful too). Sufjan Steven's Songs for Christmas albums are by far my favorite daily "pill". His banjo playing, sweet singing, groovy moving songs put a smile on my face in seconds. They also get me really thinking; I've been trying to get into the Christmas mood, you see. And it's been very difficult. So last night when I couldn't sleep, I turned on Sufjan's beautiful voice and got to contemplating. I feel like people only picture the commercial, materialistic Christmas. That Christmas makes me want to throw up. So, like any self respecting Lutheran, I tried to grasp the real meaning of Christmas. I started by reminding myself that in the Christian theology, Jesus is not really the genetic offspring of God, as that would be physically impossible (seeing as God the Father is an invisible, higher power entity with no reproductive organs). Many people fail to realize this, and forget that Jesus is God. He is the human manifestation of Him. So why do we celebrate Christmas? People say it's for family, for compassion, for giving, for forgiveness, for loving... Well it's for all of those. Jesus came to Earth during a crazy time. The rulers of his day killed toddlers just to try and destroy the most powerful human being ever, for pete's sake (well, King Herod at least)! God saw the destruction, and gave himself to the human population. We just kept on sinning. He forgave us for all of the messed up shit we did daily. He loved us because He made us, just like a mother or father loves any of his/her children. We are a family. Christmas is a time to celebrate the whole family. God's family.
I sound like a preacher.
I guess that's ok.
Merry Christmas.
P.S. If Jesus is supposed to return to judge the living and the dead, especially when we have gone "awry", then I guess we can expect him soon. Ha.
