Bring on the Peace

I try not to complain about being busy. After all, I choose to do the things I do, and I don't have to do as many things as I do, so if I start to get overwhelmed, I realize it is my problem, not anyone else's problem. However, having said that, I will confide I have had a rather action-packed week and another few days ahead which are also filled to the brim.

So, as part of the ongoing effort to simplify my life...seeking less clutter, fewer material possessions, more time to appreciate what is beautiful and important...I'm keeping my blog entry short this morning. Because, if Jesus is the reason for the season, if we do want to "keep Christ in Christmas," we need to think about his message, his example.

Let me throw something out there for us all to consider. While it is true each of us are responsible, ultimately, only for our own actions, as a society, we bear collective responsibility that there are those who would pepper spray fellow shoppers over a game to be given to a child on a holiday which bears the name of Christ.

We have been marching merrily along the path of rampant consumerism, instilling greed in our children from a young age, for many years, creating a holiday which bears little resemblance to the teachings of the one whose birth we are allegedly celebrating.

It's time to step away, if not in one big swoop, then bit by bit, but somehow, those who follow the teachings of Jesus need to help stop the madness. Stop worrying and stressing. Don't give in to pressure to "do it all." Encourage kids to give a lot more and get a lot less during the holidays and not expect a mountain of toys under the tree.

I'm not going to take time to type the whole passage, but I encourage each of you to read the words of Zacharias the prophet, in Luke 1:67-79. He says Jesus would, among other things, "guide our feet into the way of peace." While peace in the world is not within our means, as individuals, to obtain, peace in our own lives is entirely up to us.

Be filled with joy. Laugh and love. I can't say it any better than Gandhi did, "You must be the change you want to see in the world," but here's my paraphrase: Let's bring on peace and back off pepper spray!