Advent Conspiracy 2009…
How many days until Christmas? Strange question since it is only September. This was a question recently posed to me in the middle of one of the many chain stores that are already beginning to get in the “SPIRIT”. Whether you are ready for it or not, “tiss the season” is coming at us quickly. Target has Christmas cards out already, Cost Plus is putting up their advent calendars and Lowes has their big display of blow up Santas ready to go. We balk at this, where is the tact… Don’t they know it is still 100 degrees out here in the desert. Hello- what about Halloween?!?
The holidays are coming upon us again this year with great force from our world to have everyone buy-in to the prevailing ideals of Christmas. How will we act? How will we respond to worship the birth of our savior amidst this consuming cultural mind-set?
Last year after feeling overstuffed from another Christmas celebration we decided this year was going to be different. Advent Conspiracy 2009 is happening in our household. Check it out:
WHAT?!? Consumerism doesn’t = happiness, hope, memories. So you mean to say…
Maybe by being released from our current notion of what it is to love, bless, joy, and give we will be freed up to instead go, give, love and worship during this year’s holiday season. It’s not going to happen though if you ignore the coming of Christmas until sometime in late December. Let’s be honest, the only way you can do Christmas the eve of the 24th is materialistically driven, all the single guys reading this know what I am talking about.
Instead we want to turn our focus during this celebration season on the chance we have to WORSHIP FULLY, SPEND LESS, GIVE MORE and LOVE ALL. Together we can live a holiday season like this. Together we can prepare. Together we can conspire to do things differently this year
Each Wednesday from now until Christmas this blog will be posting about the chance we have to conspire together so that we are able to love the people in our lives, worship in the grace of our God, and celebrate a different holiday, better holiday than the blow up santa world has to offer. We will share ideas. We will usher in a season of giving and joy, to be a blessing to this world as our Lord would have it. The next few weeks we will talk through the ideas with one another, then we will prepare together through gift lists, giving opportunities, and family traditions centered upon Christ. For our joy. For His glory
Christmas thinking in September? Read more @ adventconspiracy.org
BLESSINGS
Love it, Vicky! I’m reading this while basking in the 80 degree sunshine, which is warm where we live [grin] drinking a pumpkin spice latte that reminds me of the onset of The Season. I totally want to jump on board with revamping Christmas in our house, too, to make it more Christ-centered, but not sure quite how. Your post is inspiring!
I’m tearing up.
I want to share this video with everyone I know.
Awesome video Vick.
Hi, Vicky! I just hopped over from Missionary Moms’ coffee break. I smiled at your phrase “paid missionary”. OK, I didn’t smile. I fell out of my chair laughing! ;^) Seriously, though, I’m really enjoying clicking around your site and reading about your life and ministry. You are blessed! Beautiful family, cool dog. I recommend wooden furniture…or maybe metal! (We had a lab for many years!)
Very much love the Advent Conspiracy idea. Every year we do less and less in the way of presents. We’re blessed to live in a culture where the plasticness of Christmas hasn’t totally taken over. Praying it never does!!!
Keep enjoying those twins. They grow up so fast! Have a great rest of the week!
Thanks Vicky…My husband works at the Lowes distribution center and for the past two weeks he has come home with glitter on his hands, face, and clothes…that can mean only one thing…TRIM-A-TREE (the christmas push). He told me that he loaded a “Christmas Pig” lawn ornament on a truck today…I have no comment…
Thanks for your excitement about this.
Kim, Hopefully over the coming weeks we (I say we because I am working through these issues as I write about them) can figure out what that looks like, detail wise and how we can worship the most this season.
Kammi, Christmas pig- OYE?!? That is crazy.
Oh and Chelsea, I’m glad you were encouraged. You can see other promo videos they have posted at adventconspiracy.org they are all super compelling.
I love it. I remember when you posted about Advent Conspiracy last year and it really impacted me. I am totally on board and hope our Christmas will be about Jesus and giving. I’ve been feeling weighed down by the overabundance that we have and am also hoping that “the season” will be a time to give and bless rather than to add to the weight. I can’t wait to hear what you have to share and to think through this more thoroughly. Great idea!
Ben and I have been thinking about Christmas already, too, and how we want to handle it with our little girl. I’m looking forward to your upcoming posts and reading about how your family is going to Celebrate Jesus this winter.
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