Christmas rant...

i don't normally go off about my beliefs. but this year for some reason Christmas and the foundation of it is really hitting me in my heart.

chris and i both grew up in a traditional church that celebrated Advent with the candle wreath: 3 purple candles, 1 pink candle, and a white Christ candle in the middle. (for a great description of the meaning of Advent wreath see here (http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html ) Our current church being more contemporary does not do that. so this year we wanted to start the tradition at home.

well, i needed to acquire the candles and candle holder. so off i go to the store. do you know how hard it is to find unscented candles anymore? i searched 6 stores before finding one that carried unscented candles.every place has those nice scented kind in the jars but just a plain one? forget it. now i am on the hunt for a candle holder specifically one for 5 candles. i've been to two stores so far. no luck. more frustration. so i thought, ok, i'll go to Family Christian Store and get a set that includes the candles and the holder. nope. all they had was a 4 candle holder. c'mon people, seriously?? how many more stores will i have to go to?

i never thought it would be this difficult to find an Advent wreath. to find something that is a symbol of the arriving and coming of our Lord. to find an outward expression of the One that lies inside us. the "reason for the season". but yet, everywhere you look you see Santa. some dude in a fuzzy suit that drops down chimneys delivering presents. every kid knows who that is. a perpetual lie that i refuse to pass on to Caitlin. but how many kids know who Jesus is? in fact, in one store i saw one of those kid Advent calenders to count down till Christmas. and who was on this? Santa. how ironic. a false figure on a calendar counting down to the birth of the Truth.

is America really headed away from the church? i realize this may seem petty over some candles and a candle holder, but its resonating a more deeper reaction inside me. removing 'In God We Trust' is ok but telling someone Merry Christmas or having a CHRISTMAS TREE is offensive? i just don't get it. i really dont.

ok, i'm done.