As to this Fwd, I typically don't read them and I rarely do I respond or pass them on. However, lately I have been thinking about what is really important to celebrate at Christmas, so I chose to respond. Actually it was more like I felt like going on a rant. Don’t think this is reactionary to this particular forward rather it is the result of what I have been thinking over recent weeks.

I hear the secularization of Christmas songs amongst a politically correct society. The phrase "Happy Holidays" replaces "Merry Christmas." I also here outrage amongst nominal Christians in response to such things. But it seems to me that their focus is misplaced. What is it that is important about Christmas? Should we rally around the symbols of Christmas, saving them from oppression?  Should we fight for nativity scenes on courthouse lawns? Should we battle for an office "Christmas" party rather than an office "Holiday" party? Let us consider these Christmas symbols.

The Christmas tree, for instance. Actually, this tree has more to do with the pagan celebration of the winter solstice during the time of the Roman Empire than it does the birth of Christ. Evergreens were a symbol of life in the harshest of season, completely secular at the time. But the Roman Empire wanted to unite all religions so they Christianized it. Even the dates were changed. It is widely believed that the birth of Christ actually took place in the springtime. I don't think we need to abandon the Christmas tree because of this. But also I don't think we should get in an uproar about this image returning to a pagan symbol.

And the Nativity, to a certain degree, this symbol is quite inaccurate. First of all we see a pale-skinned, straight haired mother, Mary. Mary was a Jew. These are not the Physical characteristics of an ethnic Jew living in Israel. The same is true for Joseph and the Shepherds. The Wise Men however were not even present for the event and may not have shown up until two years later. The text says in Matthew 2,  "After Jesus was born ..." You must remember that information traveled very slowly as did transportation.  "On coming to the house..." they weren't at the stable and didn't appear until much later. They only show up in Matthew's Gospel. It is also not stated whether or not Mary rode a donkey into Bethlehem. I'm not suggesting that everyone throw away his or her Wise Men and paint Mary olive skinned. But why are we so focused on inaccurate symbols? Should these be the center of our celebration?

 I do think that celebrating the idea of Emanuel (God with men) is one of the greatest joys we have as Christians. The idea of the infinite becoming finite, the immaterial becoming material, the creative power of the universe and all that is becoming the creation itself, and all this to be with us is mind blowing at the least. This should be celebrated. But I think that idea is quite separate from our Christmas celebrations. As far as the way in which Christ chose to come into the world (i.e. the Christmas Narrative), it is only recorded in two of the four Gospels, Matthew and Luke. However, what is included in all four Gospels is the event of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.

We often put too much emphasis on how he came and not enough on why he came. He came simply to be reunited with His lost children. Imagine God putting your picture on thousands of milk cartons, patiently waiting for some response. But His efforts were much greater. Too often we are guilty of worshiping Christmas, rather than worshiping Christ. We need to repent of that.

The point is that symbols let us down. And that is ok. A symbol is only a representation of a greater, deeper truth. It is not the thing itself. It is poetry designed to bring us to an understanding of things outside of our experience. And the point of these Christmas Symbols is to point us to what God came to do for us. Focusing on the symbols themselves will only confuse and distract. At that point they become idols much like the Golden Calf with the Israelites in the wilderness.

Well, I finally did it.

I asked....

And then, we made out! Woo hoo!

I guess that means yes.

The quiz to beat all quizzes has finally been created. Which Kannady member are you?

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=2664&first=yes

So, I guess my profile pic could use a bit of an explanation. Oddly enough, Allan's guess was right on the money. ( for a short version see the first comment.) I cut my leg up going rock-hopping. But this was no ordinary hopping of rocks, as Ben Paddock could tell you.

It was the sring of '03. Ben Paddock, L33t Tucker, Brian Chadwick, and I decide to take a trip to Florida for a "Week of Ease" trip. Though there were a few snaggs along the way we made it to the Sunshine State realtively unskathed. We had a great time lazing about at the beachfront hotel that my mom rented for us for two nights. The rest of the time was equally relaxing lazing about my mom's house. Still there were no real mishaps.

We came to the last day of our trip and decided to take on last trip out to the beach. This beach was different than the one we had gone to in previous days, but one I had been to many times in my youth. My favorite part of this beach was this 1/2 mile long pile of rocks that stretched out to the bussom of the sea (a jetty). The first tenth of this jetty is flattened of with concrete and is easy to walk on so that people can fish there.

Now most of my freinds really like to rock-hop. Ben is probably the greatest of rock-hopping enthusiests in the group. So we decide to see how far we could get on these beach rocks. All four of us started out with no problem. Again, the first tenth is more or less a raised sidewalk. We got a little past that, when things started getting a little more dangerous. The rocks were getting wetter and slipperier because of the waves. So, Lee and Chadwick decide to turn back. I cannot fault them for this decision in lght of later events.

Ben and I pressed on. I though we could probably get fairly close to the end before the rocks got to far apart.  We did end up getting pretty far out. Too far in fact. Not having realized that it was low tide when we went out, i began to notice a steady increase in the size and strengthe of the waves that beat against the rocks. That was when it became really dangerous. And if you know anything about Ben and I, you know that more danger equalls more fun.

This was the most extreme rock hopping that had ever taken place in the history of the human race. Everytime you saw a wave coming you had to brace yourself against its force or else be ripped away from the rocks only to be smashed back into them seconds later. Man it was so freaking awsome!

After a few close calls of almost getting thrown into the meat grinder of jagged rock cristened with barnicles and oyster shells, we decided to call it quits. minutes after deciding to head back I knew we had lingered too long. The waves began to get even bigger as we made our retreat. We had to time our moves from rock to rock so that we could brace our self for the ocean's next attack.

We hadn't got very far on our way back when i noticed an unusually large wave barreling towards me. Ben was about 20 feet ahead and in a much more strategic spot. I, however was in a very low spot and was to take this monster wave at full force. I braced my self think that my position was stable. And it would have been stable enough if it weren't for the growth of algee that had overtaken the rock on which my back leg was perched.

The wave hit and hit hard. My back leg slipped down to a lowwer rock and I didn't think much of it until i pulled out my leg out of the water covered in blood.The hole my leg had fallen into was lined with oyster shells. It looked like a surgeon had taken a scalpel and sliced a 10 inch insicion into the side of my leg. It didn't hurt at all. It felt like someone was squeezing my leg. I called for Ben and he helped me back to shore which was still a great distance away. Ben took his shirt off and I tied it around my leg. Though it held back a lot of the bleeding, my shoe still filled up with blood.

We finally got back to shore and tracked down the other guys and went to the hospital. And after 3 hours in the ER and 20 stitches in my leg. We returned to my house and had a big freakin party.

THE END