the Month before Christmas?

You know, after watching the Advent Conspiracy video, reading this little poem included below (which was forwarded to me by e-mail) makes me think that the solution for putting "Christ back into Christmas" is NOT undoing all the politically correct holiday phrases as the poem suggests. Joining together with other Christians to wish "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays" does not put Christ back in Christmas. Instead, as the Advent Conspiracy video points out, we should be putting Christ back into OUR LIVES! Surrendering our lives to Christ and loving and serving others will make Christmas (God wrapped up in human flesh) real again. It takes more than clever bumper stickers, Jesus bling from the Christian bookstore, or singing Christmas carols, to put Christ back in Christmas. "Christians" are the "Christ" who are missing from Christmas. We are to be His body, but instead of giving the love and grace of Christ to others, we are debating what we should call this season and how to spread the word. Talk and words are pretty cheap. The Word of God taking on human flesh is not. The unbelieving world aren't the ones leaving Christ out of Christmas, they don't even know Him. "Christians" are the ones who have dropped the ball on this one. We are the ones who are missing. We are to be the Christ in Christmas!

Subject: Twas the Month before Christmas...

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a 'Holiday'
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,not Happy Holiday!
All Christians join together and wish everyone you meet

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

If you agree forward, if not, simply delete.

ps. I'm going to comment on what I wrote above. I apologize if I was overly critical of folk's efforts to put Christ back in Christmas. I think they are well meaning and that the efforts will be blessed if done in the right spirit. But I don't believe that is the full solution. I believe that the solution to putting Christ back in Christmas is for us to incarnate Christ in our lives, especially at this time of year when we celebrate His Incarnation among us. Immanuel. God is with us.