It’s estimated that Americans spend $450 billion on Christmas every year.* And for what? For a gift that he/she MAY like? How long are they actually going to use that? How long until it’s being sold at a garage sale, given to a church or homeless shelter, or worse, thrown away? My wife and I have decided that this year, we are going to go minimal on the consumer type gifts this year, and instead try to do something a little more helpful to those in need.

I want to mention a few organizations that have really got me thinking in the last year.

TOMS Shoes

One of them is TOMS Shoes. I love the “One for One” model of business they represent. With every pair of shoes we buy, they give away a pair to a child in need. Sustainable giving to help. I love it.

Trade As One

Another is one I recently learned about is called Trade As One. Trade As One is an organization that sells “fair trade” products. In case you don’t know about fair trade, let me give you my version of it. Fair trade employs workers in poverty stricken areas of the world to produce quality products while being well paid. Fair trade helps fight poverty in developing nations by giving opportunities for enterprise and sustainable business. From the Trade As One website:

There are two crises that keep us awake at night. First, the crisis of extreme poverty that defines much of the developing world. Second, the empty consumerism that has left much of the developed world bereft of meaning and purpose. We believe Fair Trade is a way to alleviate both.

Advent Conspiracy

The last is probably the most spiritual, and I think really hits the heart of consumerism at it’s peak moment. Advent Conspiracy was started a few years ago by a group of pastors who were fed up enough with the consumer version of Christmas that they decided to bring the story of Christmas back to it’s roots. Instead of spending hundreds of billions on gifts that will most likely be tossed aside, spend less on those gifts, and give gifts that people REALLY want. Gifts of relationship, hope, and life. And the money that wsn’t spent? Give it to really help some people. What started as a few churches in the first year giving $500,000 to build wells in Africa, turned into $3 million the second year. And it’s continuing to grow.

This holiday, lets not forget what they are REALLY all about. Worshipping God the way the shepherds and wise men did. Giving like the wise men gave. Loving like our God did.

*From adventconspiracy.org

My incredible soon-to-be fiance wrote this, and I thought it was worth sharing.

Human beings have such an ugly tendency to be selfish. It’s not news. We all know that selfishness winds an invisible thread throughout the essence of every person. The holiday season broadcasts the selfish weakness of God’s creation with a resonance of a boom microphone with messages like, “What do you want for Christmas?” And “you deserve_________”.

I believe what was once intended to help celebrate the glory of God’s most definitive act of mercy has become a tool to skew our line between need and want, desire and necessity. Commercialism has taken the name of Christmas, the representation of the purpose of Christmas, and fluffed up the most significant moment in human history. Somewhere lost in the glitter of our tinsel, garland, little lights, massive inflatable snow globes and amazing food, lays the message of God’s love for His creation. The message is hidden, but it’s a message of giving. It seems as though we’ve become caught up in giving with the purpose of receiving something in return. In reality, God gave the first Christmas gift: a life. He only longed for relationship from us. Not a watch, expensive perfume or cashmere, etc. rather; He desired us. He so longed for communion with us that He gave.

How often do we give, just for the sake of giving? It doesn’t have to be monetary; it doesn’t have to be expensive. But, how about just a note letting someone know we care? Or baking an extra 12 cookies for someone? Giving doesn’t have to be expensive. Giving just has to be sincere.

My prayer this year is that with all of the economic turmoil, that we would re-focus the purpose of giving. That my own giving would be consistent and that I would remember the faces of people who have nothing. I pray that God will burn the image of a person on each of our hearts, so that we can offer up a prayer and perhaps, a meal or warm blanket. I pray we won’t lose our purpose in the frenzy of commercialism. I pray that Christians will begin to act instead of gossip, pray instead of scowl and hug instead of turn away.

Christmas can [still] change the world. This year, Give Presence.
- Taken from Advent Conspiracy

A friend of mine introduced me to this, and I felt it was not only appropriate, but much needed in our modern day consumerism society.

Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by worshipping Jesus through compassion, not consumption.When Christ was born the empire was threatened and as a result Herod, who was one of the more powerful kings of the day, ordered the killing of all the boys two years old and under who were in Bethlehem. The reason for this was that he hoped to take out the child-King that posed a threat to his kingdom.While we are not living under Herod’s reign, there is another empire of consumerism and materialism that threatens our faithfulness to Jesus. Jesus brought with him such an extraordinary Kingdom that is counter-culture to the kingdoms of this world.

Part of saying “yes” to Jesus means that we say “no” to over-spending. We say “no” to overconsumption. We say “no” to these things so we can create space to say “yes” to Jesus and His reign in our lives. The National Retail Federation was forecasting that Americans would spend approximately $457.4 billion at Christmas in 2006. The American Research group estimated an average of $907.00 per family to be spent at Christmas in 2006. After the Holiday we work for months to get out of debt, only to find that the presents we bought in the name of Christ furthered a consumerist mentality in us and our children and took our focus off of the greatness of Jesus. As Christ-followers, the Advent Conspiracy starts with us resisting a culture that tells us what to buy, wear and spend with no regard to bringing glory to Jesus.

So the last thing I wrote about was about making another switch. Things are still progressing towards that, but I don’t want to divulge any details until they become solid.

Christmas time was great! I spent the 6 days off that I had with my family, and it was a great time! I thoroughly enjoyed it (although for about half of that time, we were at either my aunt or my sister’s house). I spent some time with my dad, which is always a treat. We played some Xbox, talked about games and movies and computer stuff (typical). For gifts, I got a lot of clothes. I learned a long time ago that my family doesn’t quite get me, and never knows what to get me for Christmas or birthday. So I started making a list and emailing it out, figuring that would make things easier on them. Less stress.

New Years came and went, pretty non-eventful for me. I actually did nothing. It was relaxing.

Switch started back up, with Jeff and Tracee at the reins, and I am no longer involved. I hear it’s going well, some changes were made that suit Jeff and Tracee more, and that is great! I love to hear that a ministry is still moving without me. It tells me that I built it right, and that my heart is right as well. It isn’t MY ministry, it never was. It is God’s ministry, and He gives and takes as He sees fit. It is simply my job to obey. Thank you Jesus!

Last weekend, I was in San Jose for the annual Youth Worker’s Congress. It was an awesome time of teaching, relaxing, and having fun. Tim Cravens came with us to eat on Thursday night at the Cheesecake Factory, and had our intern girls laughing amazingly hard (not that I wasn’t laughing as well). At the Congress, we got a special hour+ of mentorship time with Pastor Bret Allen, and it was tremendous! I love that guy. He has inspired and motivated me in so many ways, it’s incredible. Thank God for men like Pastor Bret.

That about sums up the highlights! I have nothing more to say!