Night at the Cinema: Frozen

Warning: this post will contain spoilers.

Hi, I'm Sarah, and I like warm hugs!  Just kidding, don't hug me.  Anyway, if you have been out in public or on the internet in the past few weeks, you have probably heard of this movie called Frozen.  It's Disney's newest animated movie based on the fairytale "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson.  Frozen was nominated for 22 awards and had 28 wins.  It won both a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award for Best Animated Feature Film.  It was nominated for two Oscars as well.  In addition to the film itself, it also has an incredible soundtrack thanks to its Broadway voice cast.  Idina Menzel's song 'Let It Go' has climbed straight to the top of the Billboard and iTunes charts.  The entire soundtrack has remained as the #1 Soundtrack for quite a few weeks.  While the awards and music are all very well, it's the storyline that really drew me in.

In Disney's adaptation of the story, two sisters get in a fight. One thing lead to another and the entire city of Arendelle was doomed to an eternal winter.  Just kidding, let's go a little deeper.

It starts with two royal sisters: Elsa and Anna. Elsa is the eldest sister with the ice powers.  Anna is the youngest sister who does not have powers.  As young girls, the two enjoying playing in the snow created by Elsa's powers.  One night, the two are playing inside the castle.  Elsa accidentally hits Anna in the head with her ice magic.  The entire family rush to a group of trolls.  They are able to heal Anna, but Elsa is warned that fear of people finding out about her powers will be her downfall.  The trolls remove Anna's memories of Elsa's powers.  Elsa locks herself in her room, shutting Anna out of her life.  Anna continually reaches out to Elsa, trying to win her sister back.  Despite the continual cold shoulder from Elsa (hehe), Anna determinedly persists.  Unfortunately, their parents die at sea.  This only causes Elsa to retreat further into herself.

Finally, Elsa turns 21.  She has come of age for the throne.  It's coronation day!  The gates of Arendelle are finally open after many years.  Anna meets Hans whom she believes is her soulmate.  They rush to Elsa to ask for her blessing on their marriage.  Elsa says no because obviously you cannot marry a man you just met (DISNEY FINALLY UNDERSTANDS).  Anna gets upset, Elsa gets upset.  Elsa accidentally uses her powers and reveals her identity to the people.  She retreats to the mountain and builds an ice castle for herself (she LET'S IT GO while singing brilliantly and looking sassy in her new dress).  Here's where I want to discuss some deeper things.  Anna, despite everyone's warnings and protests, goes after her sister.

This is where things get interesting.  On her way up the mountain, Anna meets a man named Kristoff.  Anna demands he take her up to see her sister, to which he agrees.  Despite the cold, a wolf attack, and an interesting snowman named Olaf, nothing stops Anna from reaching her sister.  She is determined to prove to Elsa that someone still loves her.  She wants to show Elsa that she does not need to fear any longer.  Unfortunately, Elsa does not share Anna's views.  She tells her sister to leave her alone.  Elsa wants to love Anna but she's afraid her powers will hurt Anna again.  And they do.

Elsa becomes upset and sets off her powers by accident.  An icy shot hits Anna's heart.  Anna still refuses to leave, despite the icy force that begins to freeze her from the inside.  She sees the good in Elsa.  She refuses to believe that her sister has become a monster.  Speaking of monsters, here comes one now.

Since Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf refuse to leave, Elsa builds a huge, angry snow monster to chase them away.  (For those of you who are asking the question "Why is Elsa all about protecting her sister one minute and then creating a snow monster to chase here away the next minute?" This is my response, "Clearly you've never had a sister.")

So now that Anna is turning into an icy statue, Kristoff takes her to his family: the trolls.  When the trolls see Anna and Kristoff together, they immediately assume that it's meant to be.  They burst into song about how Anna and Kristoff should be together.  In this song, Kristoff yells, "Enough! She's engaged to someone else, okay?!"  Let's talk about this quote for a bit.

Did he say, "It's not like that!" or "I'm just here to help!"?  No.  He's stating a fact.  He's putting Anna's priorities first.  If she is engaged to someone else, she is off limits to Kristoff.  You can tell he loves Anna, but he's so selfless he would never say anything to compromise her engagement.  He's a simple ice delivery man.  How could the princess love him?  He's not pointing out her engagement to the trolls.  He's pointing it out to himself.  He has to remind himself that she is off limits. End of story.

Meanwhile, Hans has lead a mission to rescue Anna.  He finds Elsa's castle, where he kidnaps her and places her in Arendelle's dungeon.

The trolls tell Anna that only an act of true love can save her.  Typical love story, right?  She just needs to get back to Hans and kiss him and everything is peachy keen, right?  Let's see.

Anna is halfway to her icy fate.  Kristoff wraps Anna up and hops onto his reindeer Sven's back.  With Olaf by their side, the gang begin rushing back to Arendelle.  When Anna reaches Hans, Kristoff leaves with Sven.  Anna is with her true love, so he is no longer needed.  Hans turns out to be a sneaky, conniving, two-timing jerk.  He only pretended to love Anna in order to get Arendelle's throne.  He locks Anna in a room with Olaf and leaves her to freeze.  He goes to tell Elsa, only to discover that she has blasted her way out of the dungeon.  He goes looking for her while Kristoff senses something is wrong.

Kristoff feels like something is wrong.  He hops on Sven and begins rushing back to the castle.  There Anna realizes Hans was not her true love: it was Kristoff.  She escapes the castle to search for her love. Meanwhile, Hans has found Elsa.  Because Elsa is angry and upset, she has created a terrible blizzard.  Hans tells Elsa her sister is dead.  Elsa falls on her knees, devastated.  The blizzard stops.

Kristoff has returned!  He sees Anna struggling to walk outside, the ice almost consuming her.  He runs towards his love, determined to save her.  Anna looks behind her and sees Hans standing over her sister with a sword.

Anna's entire life has been filled with losing people she loves.  She lost her sister when Elsa shut her out.  She lost her parents at sea.  She lost a man she thought was her true love.  She can't lose her sister for good.

With Kristoff too far away, Anna rushes to save her sister.  She stands between Hans and Elsa as his blade comes down.  As Anna transforms into a statue, Hans' blade falls on her solid ice form.  The blade cracks, and Hans flies backwards.

Elsa looks up and sees the face of her frozen sister.  Horrified at what she has done, Elsa hugs her beloved sister.  Kristoff stops running a few feet away.  His one true love is gone.  He hangs his head in despair.  True love's kiss didn't happen.  Anna is gone....or is she?

Since when was the act of true love a kiss?  When was it between a romantic couple?  Why can't the act of true love be between two sisters?

Anna selflessly sacrificed herself for her sister.  Anna's act was the act of true love she needed.  Sisterly love was the saving grace.  This is why I love Frozen.  It shows that men and 'true love' isn't what always saves us.  Sometimes it's the love between family and friends.  It's the love between sisters.  And the thing that I love most about the ending is when Anna and Elsa hug.  Elsa never touched anyone because she was afraid her powers would hurt them.  This is her first hug in years.  Now that she can finally control her powers, she can hug someone: her beloved sister and best friend.

I love my sisters more than anything in the entire world.  I think this is why Frozen is one of my favorite movies.  The love that sisters have is powerful.  Yes, we drive each other crazy.  Yes, sometimes we wish we didn't have sisters.  But at the end of the day, we love each other and we would go to the top of a frozen mountaintop to prove our love for our sisters.

Stay warm and remember: sisters before misters!

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Let's Be Real: Hide-and-Seek

Alright, let's be real, we all love the game of hide-and-seek. We've all played it at one time in our lives. One person is the 'seeker', and the rest are the 'hiders'.  It's a simple childhood (or adulthood...yes adulthood..be honest) game, but it can also relate to the Spiritual battle between Satan and Jesus.  Let's dive right in:

       Life is a game of hide-and-seek between us, Satan, and Jesus.  We want to hide from Satan while seeking Jesus. Satan is seeking us to lead us down the path of destruction. Jesus is seeking us to lead us down the path of righteousness. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." We should be hiding from Satan, but we can't take this verse out of context.  Christians are so focused on hiding from Satan they believe that they need to stay cut off from the world.  They believe they are doing what God commanded but in reality, they are doing the opposite.  Yes, we need to stay hidden from Satan but we also need to be seeking out others.  Other believers and nonbelievers.  Seek and save the lost. Preach the gospel in all the nations.  Satan will eventually find us, but we need to trust that Jesus, who has been seeking us all along, will help us resist Satan.  Be in the world; in the world preaching and bringing others to Christ.

      Hide-and-seek is tricky game. In this game, you want to stay hidden from one seeker but be found by the other.  If you trust in Him, you can count on Jesus to find you first, but only if you want Him to find you. If you cut yourself off from Him, Satan will find you and attack.  You will fall.  If you accept Jesus, He will help you prepare for when Satan finds you. When he does, Jesus will be standing behind you.  The devil says, "I found you, you're mine", but Jesus steps forward and says, "Over my dead body." We can always trust Jesus to be on our side when we play the game. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”  Jesus will always be by our side.  He died to prove that.  Can we ask for anything more? I certainly can't.  I love my Jesus, and I am unashamed to say it!

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

I Stand with My Sister

I'm going on a long rant today.

So I was just scrolling around on the internet and I saw this.

Someone had posted it with the comment "I'm dying of laughter". Clearly this sweet little girl has Down Syndrome.  Anyone could tell that she has some kind of disability.  Is this what the world is coming to?  We're starting to laugh at the kids with disabilities?  I know that lots of people have laughed at them for a while, but this made me extremely angry and upset.  Oh, I'm sorry, I guess this is just called freedom of speech.  What a cruel world we live in.  I look at this little girl and I see Hannah. I'm extremely protective of Hannah and if anyone talks bad about her I'm going to say something. If someone talks bad about anyone with disabilities, I'm going to say something.

For those of you who don't know, my little sister Hannah (14) was born with Down Syndrome.  She spent the first 7 months of her life in the hospital.  When she was born, her esophagus was not connected to her stomach so she had to be rushed into surgery the instant she was born.  They managed to connect the esophagus but it left a hole so thin no food would be able to pass through it without Hannah choking.  This meant she needed a g-tube. A g-tube goes into your stomach with a port on the outside where liquid nutrition is pumped through.  Hannah gets all her medicine, water, and formula through this g-tube.  She has never eaten by mouth and probably never will.  She also needed a trach, which is a tube in her neck that helps her breathe.  Thankfully she was decannulated (her trach was removed) a few years ago.  She still has her g-tube.  All this stuff left her with a very weak immune system.  She was sick probably every month.  When Hannah gets sick, it's not an easy thing to deal with.  She usually needs to be placed on an oxygen tank, sometimes needing five or more liters of oxygen.  Since the oxygen tank we had at home only went up to five liters, if she needed more than that it was time for a hospital visit.  These visits could last for two days or two weeks.

I remember that me and my sister always had a bag packed in case we needed to be woken up in the middle of the night and get picked up by my grandparents because Hannah needed to go to the hospital.  We would get passed off from grandparent to grandparent to aunt and uncle to neighbor.  Sometimes we would wake up and my parents and Hannah would be gone and my grandmother was sleeping on the couch.  It was all normal for me because I was two years old when Hannah was born.  I didn't know any other way.  That's why it was so hard for me to understand why people would stare at Hannah when we went out in public.  I didn't see anything different about her.  She was my little sister.  I didn't see the Down Syndrome.  I didn't see the trach and the g-tube.  I didn't see all the tubes hooked up to her when I went to see her in the hospital.  I saw a beautiful little girl who always had a smile on her face.  Even in the hospital, you would never see her without a bright smile on her face.  Even the hospital staff would come in and ask "Is this girl actually sick? She looks so happy."  I think my sister is the only person who would thank the nurse after she changed Hannah's IV.  You would never guess that she was in pain or on ten liters of oxygen.  She was the happiest girl around.

Can you see why I get so upset when I see offensive pictures like that?  Why I get so upset when I see people stare at my sister?  Why I get mad when people call others with disabilities 'different'?  Just because they look or act a little different does not make them any less of a human being.  They were created by God just like you and me.  Why should an extra chromosome change how you view them?  I like to say that the extra chromosome that comes with Down Syndrome makes those people kinder and happier than anyone else (also much more stubborn).  So don't be so quick to judge.  My little sister has gone through more in the first few years of her life than most people have to go through in their entire lives.  She's so precious and I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.  I wouldn't trade the disabled kids I work with for anything in the world.  Every single person is special.  We were all made in the image of God.  Period.  No matter what they look or act like, everyone is a precious child of God.

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Love Your Life: Skinny v. Healthy

This one is going out to all my ladies out there!  Boys, this kinda applies to you but I'm focusing on the girls.  Sorry.  In this post I would like to discuss the difference between being skinny versus being healthy.  There is a HUGE difference that society seems to ignore.  I'm going to sort out the grey matter between the black and white.

Society has defined a woman's beauty by her facial features, fashion sense, and of course, her weight.  Skinny women are complimented while "fat" women are reprimanded for not following society's standards.  Whose to say what's pretty and what's not?  The same people that rate the "Most Attractive People of This Year" and release pictures of both men and women half-dressed?  I think it's inappropriate and degrading to everyone.  Why do some people think they have the right to set the standards of what's beautiful for the 7 billion people on the planet?  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it becomes a problem when people try forcing their ideas on others.

Just look at how society has changed.  A few decades ago women were trying to gain weight because that was considered beautiful.  A few centuries ago women with full figures were admired because it was a sign of wealth and financial stability.  Now, women starve themselves to match what society says is beautiful.  I see pictures all the time of supermodel women who are nothing but skin and bones.  Their ribcages are prominent yet the press calls them beautiful and healthy.  That's not healthy.  I find it mind-boggling how people can look at an animal with its ribcage showing through and they call it starving and pitiful but when a ribcage shows on a woman it's called beauty.  It's sick!

You are trying to tell me that just because I weigh more than that supermodel I'm ugly?  That I'll never find a man who loves me because I'm what you call fat?  Let's sort this out right now.

Being healthy and being skinny are two completely things.  Being healthy means you treat your body right: you exercise and eat right.  That doesn't mean your body is going to be skinny.  If you are a healthy weight, why should it matter if you have a flat stomach or that your thighs don't touch?  If you are healthy and your thighs touch, no problem!  If you are really skinny but you are considered a healthy weight, no problem either!  Everyone's body is different.  Some people are a healthy weight but it shows.  Others are a healthy weight and they are skinny.  See, it's one thing to want to be healthy.  Personally, I don't want to be really skinny, I want to be really healthy.  If being healthy means my thighs still touch, I'm okay with that.  My body is a temple unto the Lord, therefore I need to care for it. He made me in His image.  He made every single human in His image.  We are all beautiful to God, and that is all that matters.  If I know that no one on earth finds me physically attractive but my Heavenly Father loves me for who I am, I would be perfectly happy.  God is the only one I need to please, not society.  Not the boys who called me fat.  God told me I am beautiful.  God says we are all beautiful.

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

Psalm 139:14

So remember, no matter what anyone says, there could never be a more beautiful you. No amount of make-up or starvation could change that.  God will always love you for who you are, not for your looks.  You are beautiful in His eyes, and that is all that matters.

If you are ever feeling down about your looks, go listen to one of my favorite songs by Jonny Diaz: More Beautiful You - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ks3R2BwyO0 

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Real Relationships: Being Single

All the single ladies! All the...no, let's not go there.  Hello to all my fellow single people out there!  Or maybe you're not single!  Either way, HELLO!  But, to all my singles out there, do you think your life isn't complete because you don't have a significant other?  Think again!  I'm here to show you that being single isn't all that bad!  Sure it might be lonely and the only dates you go on are the ones where you're sitting on the couch with a packet of Oreos watching reruns of Downton Abbey and Doctor Who in your sweatpants... hey, first of all, that sounds way better than having to get all dressed up and go out somewhere for a date.  If someone asks me out (probably never but that's beside the point), he'd better be cool with some dates involving my couch and sweatpants.  I think staying in and watching movies together is a better date than spending money anyway.  Okay, now that we have all that out of the way, let's get into the good stuff!

Song of Solomon, Chapter 3

All night long on my bed

    I looked for the one my heart loves;

    I looked for him but did not find him.

² 

I will get up now and go about the city,

    through its streets and squares;

I will search for the one my heart loves.

    So I looked for him but did not find him.

³ 

The watchmen found me

    as they made their rounds in the city.

    “Have you seen the one my heart loves?”

⁴ 

Scarcely had I passed them

    when I found the one my heart loves.

I held him and would not let him go

    till I had brought him to my mother’s house,

    to the room of the one who conceived me.

⁵ 

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you

    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love

    until it so desires.

This is possibly my favorite passage about finding love.  This woman is wandering around, looking for her love.  She eventually finds him, and they live long, happy lives together.  The perfect love story.  I especially like the last verse: "Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."  Hmm.  Let's talk about this one for a bit.

Boyfriend.  Girlfriend.  I love her.  I love him.  She said he said I said this.  I'm breaking up with you.

STOP.  ENOUGH.

I am 17 and I am sick of hearing this.  So many people my age are in and out of relationships so fast I don't even know who's dating who anymore.  If you are in a happy relationship with someone, congratulations, I wish you the best.  If you find someone who truly makes you happy and you think he could be the one, go for it.  The only problem I have with dating is when people date just so they can say "I'm dating."  Please, don't try to say, "You're so wrong because he's the perfect guy and we are gonna live happily ever after and you don't know what you're talking about and--" Lemme stop ya right there.  First of all, you're (probably) still in high school.  You haven't even lived 1/4 of your life yet.  You think this man...guy...boy..is the one for you even though you have so much life let to live?  I'm sorry but from what I've seen, high school relationships don't last.  More often then not the couple drifts apart with college and simply life and they eventually find someone else.  No offense to those in high school relationships, but stop and think.

God has a perfect man or woman out there for you.  One day, He will lead you two to each other.  Yes, it might be in high school.  However, you can't rush true love.  You'll know when the time is right.  Don't say yes to the first boy who asks you out.  Don't ask a girl out because she's "hot".  Take your time with love.  Believe me, it will be worth the wait.

I personally have never dated.  Never be asked, never asked anyone.  Didn't even ask my best guy friend to act as my date for the prom.  17 years and always single.  But guess what?  I've been happy, happy, happy.  Yes, I've been lonely a few times, but maybe my girl Tori Kelly can help me out:

But I'd love to have a soulmate 

God will give him to me someday

& I know it’ll be worth the wait

So if you’re out there I swear to be good to you

But I’m done lookin’, for my future someone

Cause when the time is right

You’ll be here, but for now

Dear no one, this is your love song

But sometimes, I just want somebody to hold

Someone to give me their jacket when its cold

Got that young love even when we’re old

Yeah sometimes, I want someone to grab my hand

Pick me up, pull me close, be my man

I will love you till the end.

Tori Kelly - Dear No One

There you have it.  This is exactly how I feel.  Sure, I want to find my man as much as the next girl.  However, I'm not willing to give my heart to just anyone.  He's gonna be a real special guy because God will give us to each other.  Hopefully.  Lord willing I will find my man but you never know.  Love is a tricky thing, but it's beautiful.  There is someone out there for you, I promise.  Just give it time and a little patience and I promise it will be worth the wait.  Your soulmate is going to make you the happiest person in the world.  Anytime you ever feel lonely, just remember.  Remember that God knows, and when the time is right you will know, too.  Stay single and crazy until that time!  Have fun! Enjoy yourself in the singleness!  Hey, 17 years and I'm still going strong, just waiting for my perfect guy.  

The most romantic story isn't Romeo and Juliet.  It's when Grandma and Grandpa grew old together.  That's the love story I hope I have.

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

I Stand With Phil Robertson

Hey there!  It's me again.  This post is going to be a little different.  If you watch or read the news you have probably heard about Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson getting suspended, or placed on "indefinite hiatus", from filming.  If you haven't heard about this, Phil made some anti-gay remarks to GQ magazine and due to A&E's (the channel that films DD) support of the LGBT community, they removed him from filming.  Whether it is permanent or temporary, we do not know.  Here is what A&E said about Phil's comments:

"We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson's comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series 'Duck Dynasty'.  His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."

Here's what I want to know: you are filming a show about a family with strong morals and faith.  Phil has always been outspoken about his faith.  Where you really expecting him to keep his mouth shut on an issue this important?  I'm surprised he hasn't said anything like this before.  Personally, I think the Robertson family needs to make a statement and quit the show entirely.  Sure, it would be sad to see them go, but I believe standing up for their faith is more important than filming something for our entertainment.  Granted, they do provide the secular entertainment industry with family friendly, faith based content.  However, we can still buy their DVDs and watch those.  Like the family always says, it's faith, then family, then ducks.  Faith first, not TV.

Leviticus 18:22 states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."  Jesus did not stutter.  He says it plain and simple.  Homosexuality is wrong according to the Bible.  However, I want to make another thing clear: I am not judging members of the LGBT community.  I love the sinner, but hate the sin.  I'm a sinner, too!  Don't think I'm being a hypocrite.  We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  But He forgives our sin.  God loves every single person in the world, but He despises the sin.  Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression, of the law of God.  Sin is what has set us apart from God, but He offers us redemption.  Phil, do you think you could help me out?

Phil:  “I myself am a product of the ’60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs, and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

However, this is what GLAAD spokesman Wilson Cruz has this to say about Phil's comments: "Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil's lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe.  He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans -- and Americans -- who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil's decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families."

Umm, Phil plainly said he would never treat anyone differently due to their sexual attractions.  He believes we need to give them our love and leave the rest to God: “We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ’em out later, you see what I’m saying?”

Also, everyone is saying he compared homosexuals to drunks and terrorists.  No, he mentioned them in the same sentence.  He says we love them even if they are homosexuals, drunks or terrorists.  Phil is not placing them in the same category, he is just saying we need to love everyone, no matter what the sin.  

I think this is just another example of people losing the freedom of speech and religion.  Oh sure, Miley Cyrus can do whatever she wants and the press just says she is going through a rough time.  But when a Christian stands up for what he believes in, you would think the world is ending.  Christians are expected to keep their faith taboo.  We are constantly being pushed back, bombarded with people saying our faith is ridiculous and useless.  We are expected to tolerate everyone else's beliefs, yet no one tolerates our own.  Apparently the first amendment only applies to everyone except Christians.  However, this should only make us Christians stand up and fight harder!  Don't let the secular world roll right over us like this!  Stand up for what you believe in!  God is always right next to you, so do not be afraid!  

Read the story about Phil here: http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/-duck-dynasty--star-s-anti-gay-remarks-spark-outrage-134231650.html

I'm not trying to offend anyone by this post.  I'm just trying to present my views and beliefs.

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21

Holiday Hubbub: Christmas

Let's talk Christmas! One of my favorite holidays!  It's also the most wonderful time of the year! Did you see what I did there?  Ha!  I'm clever like that (not really).  Christmas is such a broad topic...where do I even start?  I guess I'll start in Bethlehem.

Micah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  If you haven't read the Christmas story, you can find it in the Bible, Luke chapter 2.  Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, born Christmas Day.  Hence the name Christmas.  It was originally a sacred day, used to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and everything He did for us.  It's a long, amazing story which I can share in another post.  However, today Christmas has blown up into a huge holiday filled with dinners, decorations, and, of course, shopping.  I feel like the true meaning of Christmas has been lost.  I know that sounds cliché, but let's examine what Christmas has become.

It all starts the day after Thanksgiving with Black Friday.  It's the biggest shopping day of the year with deals galore.  The entire week of Thanksgiving is filled with sales flyers, Christmas wish lists, and preparation for the big day.  Unfortunately, the big day is no longer Thanksgiving, which is supposed to be a time spent giving thanks to God with family and friends.  The big day is now Black Friday, where people trample people in order to save a few dollars.  Is it really worth it?  We just spent the day talking about what we are thankful for, then we go straight to the stores and greedily grab everything we think we need to have.  Now, I'm not saying Black Friday is bad, in fact, I enjoy Black Friday shopping.  I just think it's getting out of hand.  With stores opening earlier and earlier each year, people are beginning to leave their Thanksgiving dinner to go stand in line outside a store.  That's pushing it way too far.  Shopping and gifts should never come between you and your family.  Thanksgiving is a special time, why ruin it by leaving in the middle of dinner?  Plus, you're wasting all that good food.  Either your family can't cook or you're crazy.  I'd say it's probably the latter.  Also, you are making the poor store employees leave their dinners to help serve you.  That's not right.  I'm not saying Black Friday is a bad thing, I'm just saying it should not interfere with Thanksgiving.

So, first we have Black Friday to kick off the Christmas season.  Then it's nonstop commercials, flyers, magazines, and emails promoting the best, lowest prices for that perfect gift.  We are constantly bombarded with material things, but what about the true meaning of Christmas?

Fun fact: You know how people abbreviate 'Christmas' 'Xmas'?  Well, I was always offended by this because I thought it was another way people were trying to take Christ out of Christmas.  The X is the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Χριστός meaning Christ. So they aren't taking Christ out of Christmas, contrary to popular belief.  Just wanted to let you know.

As a Christian, the holiday of Christmas is very important to me.  It is the birthday of my Lord and Savior.  Seeing His birthday turned into a commercialized, materialistic holiday is disappointing.  The original idea of gift giving on Christmas came from the wiseman presenting Jesus with their gifts.  While it's fine to give gifts on Christmas, don't make that your focus.  Always take time to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and everything He did for us.  Spend time with your family and friends.  Enjoy the peaceful, serene feeling of Christmas.  Don't go overboard with gifts and material things.  Remember: "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!" (The Grinch)

Keep Christ in Christmas! Because, as Kutless reminds us in their song "This is Christmas":

What is Christmas,
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger?
What is Christmas without Christ?

Remember how the story goes,
God's gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Beneath the star, one great and holy night.
The shepherds heard the angels sing,
The wise man brought an offering,
Peace on Earth began in Bethelehem
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?

This song holds so much truth.  I'd post the entire song but that would be too much, so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm_g9ix30ek  
 
Merry Christmas everyone!

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Beth

Philippians 1:20-21