Just Call Me Grinch - First Christmas Message

Daughter wearing "Dear Santa It was my Mama's Fault" Shirt.
Keep reading and you'll soon understand why.

I have never really gotten into all of the Christmas hoop la. Don’t get me wrong, I love the reason for the season, I just don't understand the need for all the decorating, cooking, gift giving, etc. If it were up to me, I’d never put up a tree, hang lights or bake.  Every year I attempt to get out of our family tamale tradition, eliminate gift exchanges, and last year I actually suggested a white elephant game in which the winner would be the person that brought the worst gift. I totally thought this would be hysterical but I guess nobody in my family has a sense of humor.

When I had my daughter I had to bite the bullet and step it up a bit.  In the ten years she’s been alive we have hung lights three times. Pretty good since before that our neighbors thought we were Jehovah’s Witnesses.  I have even put up a 3’ fake tree since she’s been born. Last year I went nuts and bought a Christmas door mat and I loved it so much it stayed up all year round.

For some reason what I did put a lot of effort into was the Santa story. You see, my sister and I had this “discussion” when the kids were born about should we or shouldn't we and I won and we did. But Jesus will forgive me because I told my daughter about how Saint Nicholas was real and a Christian. He gave all his possessions to the poor and now lived in Heaven.  Because he was so generous, Jesus lets him help celebrate His birthday and every Christmas Santa can come down and deliver Christmas presents.  My daughter got Santa letters in the mail, we did cookies and milk, carrots for the reindeer and even dirty foot prints from the chimney.  Pretty cool mom if I say so myself.  Well for those of you who know my parental skills, you can probably guess that this story is not going to end well.

Like all things Christmas related, my enthusiasm of the Santa story was starting to wane.  As my daughter grew older, she started requesting Santa gifts that were more and more expensive.  So for the last few years I implemented the “dollar limit” Santa rule.  Santa does not bring gifts that cost more than $20.  Well this brought on annoying questions as to why if Santa makes the toys does it have to cost less than twenty bucks.  Santa was hanging on by a thread, that thread being held tightly by my husband who would just not let it go.  So this year my daughter turned 10.  I figured that with double digits she really did not believe anymore and was just pretending to get more gifts.  Well the three of us were sitting down for dinner when I had another of my brilliant ideas about skipping presents all together and having one family gift.  My daughter did not appreciate this idea but then consoled herself by stating, “That’s OK. I still have my Santa gift.” Well out of my mouth comes, “No you don’t. Santa’s not real!”  Utter silence, utter shock!  You would think I killed the family dog and served him for dinner.  Complete devastation is on her face.  Instantly, I felt horrible, wretched… and a touch defensive.  She couldn't really believe still could she? Yes, my friends she could.  She didn't even cry. She just lost her appetite and slowly walked to her bedroom and put herself to bed.  I could not joke myself out of it.  I could not get her to smile or laugh.  So, I did what any person that has just shattered someone can do, I apologized, I hugged, I humbled myself, I agreed to let her pretend one more year and get a Santa gift and a regular gift. But you know, like I know, the damage had been done.

That night as I went to bed, the enormity of what I had done weighed on me. Now, some of you may think, "What's the big deal? Sooner or later she was going to know the truth about Santa."  What scared me, was how believable I had made him to her.  While I was attempting to dig myself out of this whole mess, I explained that I do believe Saint Nicolas was a real historical person and is in Heaven with Jesus. The part about him delivering gifts is just a nice story for children.  She just stared at me with those dead eyes and I couldn't help but fear, what if she thinks what I said about Jesus is just a nice story too.  I thought how do I make Jesus real for her? And then I realized that in order for me to convince her Jesus is real she has to see that He is real to me too.

Do you remember the movie, Polar Express? Those who believed in Santa Clause could hear the chimes of the bell.  Those that grew up and no longer believed could no longer hear the beautiful chimes.  Christians can be like that. When we first get saved, we hear all the beautiful praise that comes from Heaven.  Our very souls are touched by the Majesty of God.  We see His work in all things.  Slowly, life happens, disappointments, sin, distractions and before you know it all we hear is that faint sound of the chimes in a distance.  Oh, sometimes we can be at church and hear a great message or we are in our cars and our favorite praise song comes on and the bells are ringing loud and clear. Then before you know it, we've strayed again and the bells are almost lost.

Think of those bells as our faith.  There are some Christian believers who are annoyingly optimistic in their faith.  They are like the fairies or elves of the Christian realm. Their lives can be like the worst country western song. You know the ones were their dogs died, their husband left them and they are living out of their Chevy, yet they are ringing their bells loud and clear.  They are skipping along life, quoting Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”   Man, I envy them.  I want to be a Christian fairy or elf.  The other day, I was in church and I saw this boy up front that has sever Down Syndrome.  He was totally rocking out to the praise music.  He caught my attention because he was so animated that his mom had to keep ducking from getting hit by his flailing arms.  As I stared at him, I had a weird sense of longing in my soul.  I thought what would it be like to worship like that?  Because you know, Jesus really wants His believers to have child-like faith.   In Mathew 19:14, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”

Now luckily for me there is room in the kingdom for other types of believers too.  I have always been one of those people that has to have proof or evidence to believe something.  I want a sign from above, a burning bush or visitation from an angel will do.  When I first got saved in college, I raised my hand to accept Christ, then spent the next 1/2 hour with the Youth Pastor debating the evidences of creation verses evolution.  Now before you think that maybe Jesus doesn't understand or love a Believer like me, remember Doubting Thomas in John 20:27.  Thomas wasn't with the disciples the first time Jesus appeared to them after the resurrection.  So Thomas goes something like this, “I’m not going to believe unless I see Jesus’ pierced hands and side, and touch his wounds for myself.“  When Jesus appears to Thomas, he does not reject his need for evidence. He allows Thomas to touch his wounds and tells him, “Do not be unbelieving but believe.”

Unlike Thomas, though, my requests for direct signs have been rejected.  Let me illustrate some of my more humbling examples. Early in my family’s Christian walk, we decide to go to a Tent Revival.  You know those holy roller ones that are held in some meadow, where everyone is talking in tongues, and the pastor is laying hands on people and people are being touched by the Spirit and falling down.  Literally rows of people are standing in line, get touched on the forehead and collapse to the floor.  Well, my mom decides to go up.  For those of you that don’t know my mom, when she first got saved she was one of the most stubborn Mexican women I know.  She was strong willed and prideful (I know like mother like daughter).  I am figuring there is no way that woman is going down without a fight.  BAM! Next thing I know she’s flat on her back. Well, I figure if the Holy Spirit can knock that woman down, I’m sure to go down too.  So I’m standing up there, waiting for my turn, thinking here it comes, a touch, a sign….you guessed it, nothing   One hit on the head, nothing, another hit on the head, still standing, OK hit me extra hard pastor. Nope nothing.  I’m mortified, shocked, depressed.  The pastor is apologizing to me explaining that I don’t have to worry, it doesn't mean anything if you don’t fall down.  As I take the walk of shame back to my seat, I’m thinking “Why me Lord, why didn't I fall down?  What’s wrong with me Lord?”

Oh, there’s more.  After I’d been saved about five years, I get this call at work from a friend in college who just got “baptized by the Spirit” at church.  You know, like the book of Acts where the apostles get baptized by the Spirit and they all break out speaking in tongues.  Well she breaks out in tongues right on the phone. She tells me she is learning to control it but it just keeps coming out and that I should try it. I’m thinking to myself, "I think it is a little inappropriate to be speaking in tongues on the phone at work."   BUT when I go home, I start praying, “PLEASE LORD, I want to be baptized in the Spirit, I want to speak in tongues”.  My friend recommended I pray and start babbling and then some transformation would happen and before you know it I’d be speaking in a foreign tongue.  You guessed it, nothing.  I just sound like an idiot!

Finally, and this just happened a couple of years ago, I am taking my daughter and my niece and nephew for burgers and we see a homeless man on the street. Literally, I feel like I have heard from the voice of God to buy that man lunch. I figure OK it will be a good example of missionary work for the kids.  I’m all nervous when I roll down my window, but I think “It’s OK because I’m doing God’s work“.  Only the homeless guy says, “No thank you”.  Seriously Lord? I just don’t get it? Am I supposed to just eat a second burger today?

A person can only have so many humiliating experiences before you figure that the Lord is trying to teach you something.  What I have had to learn the hard way is that I am not going to get a burning bush or a parting of the sea type of sign.  You see God knows me. I would just take all the miracle out of it by over analyzing it to death.  If I look in my heart of hearts, my motives for always wanting a sign are sinful.  I’m lucky that God has had mercy on me and has not told me like he told Job in chapter 38 (the Message), “Why do you talk when you don’t know what you are talking about…where were you when I created the earth, since you know so much!”  You see, GOD is GOD whether I get my sign or not.  Jesus said, if we don’t praise Him, the stones of the earth will proclaim His greatness. (Luke 19:40)  See God doesn't mind honest curiosity or our need for answers.  In Isaiah 1:18 (MGS) He says, “Come, sit down. Let’s argue this out.”   But if we are only going to believe and have faith if we get a “sign” then we are sinning.  Mathew 16:1 says “An evil and wanton generation is always wanting signs and wonders.”

So if you are a Christian fairy or elf that has already learned the lesson “Because you have seen, you believe. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe” (John 20:29), grab you bell, dance and sing praise songs. Oh yeah, I forgot you probably already are.  But if you are more like me, put that bell around you neck and roll up your sleeves because we have some work to do.  You see, we are more like the Jews of the Old Testament.  God recognized their tendency to forget His miracles so He had them build stone monuments at the site of the miracle.  These stone monuments would stand the test of time and give them a visual reminder of what God had done for them.  Psalm 105:1 says “Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. ” That is what I have had to do in my life. When I start to doubt and my bell is harder to hear, I add miracle stones to my monument.

1. God saved a Grinch like me and loves me - miracle.
2. I have a husband who loves me through “thick and thin” - miracle.
3. I have a family who tolerates my Grinch tendencies and loves me - miracle
4. God answered my prayers and saved my Dad at 65 years old - huge miracle.
5. God has blessed me with a daughter who shows all signs of being a Christian fairy or elf like her dad.  She constantly illustrates God’s love and forgiveness for others - miracle.

So this Christmas, embrace your inner child and start ringing that bell of faith.  If you can’t hear it at first, just keep ringing it close to your heart as you recall all the times God has come through for you, and trust me the chimes will get louder.  Soon you’ll hear:
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God‘s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly height, Peace to all women and men who please Him.  Luke 2:13 (The Message)

Merry Christmas,
Yolanda