Why We Do This...

If you're reading this, there's a really good chance you either have one of our family 2013 Christmas cards, or you've seen it posted here. A natural question you may have (right after, "How will they afford therapy for their kids?") would be, "Why in the world do they do it?" Short answer: I don't know either.

My best guess is we do it because we have a blast doing it. It makes *us* laugh. Maybe because in real life, real life is, well, more mundane than our pictures, serious even. So this is an outlet. Besides, it makes lots of you laugh (or so you say).

But that leaves the question that sometimes goes unasked: If they do this for Christmas photos… what do they think of Christmas? Fair question. Most of Christmas (IMHO) has very little to do with what Christmas originally was -- which was not at this time of year, and didn't involve Santa or snow men or mall parking lots. But *any* time of year is a good time of year to practice giving and generosity, including Christmas. So we give to ADRA.org as well as fund scholarships for women in third world countries to obtain higher education. More than that, we're Christian. The kind that believes that God really *does* care about the hurt and pain and injustice in this world. He cared enough to send part of Himself, His Son, on a rescue mission for us -- the real meaning of Christmas. More than that, we believe Jesus is planning to come again, not quietly as a baby, but as King. It's not just a few shepherds who will know then -- the whole world will know beyond a hint of doubt the second time. It won't be on TV, and Congress won't debate it. It will be the end of the world as we know it, and the beginning of one that was always supposed to be. I invite you to read the story yourself. It starts in Genesis and ends in Revelation. Between there is the story of a God who keeps on keeping on reaching out to us, and in love, invites us to respond. It's not fiction, and it can change your life like it has mine. So indeed: Merry Christmas.

Erik