advent: love is about humans, not things

we are a week into the wonderful season of Advent

and im preparing for a new kind of Christmas
in a foreign city
with only a few foreign friends
and a completely foreign way of celebrating
...
i am a little more than ecstatic!


and why?
im leaving behind everything I know
and everyone I love
at the most family oriented and home centered time of year

its because I am intrigued by the prospect that I am about to learn alot
about what home means
about what love means
and about what Christmas meant when it changed the world 2010 years ago
and what it is still meant to mean today.

no matter how much I love Christmas and how special of a time it is for being with family and friends,
come December
the stress that accompanies the joy of the Christmas season starts to trickle into everyday life
present buying
traffic jams
party hopping
and on
and on.

What if none of that stress ever stole one moment of the joy that belongs to Christmas?
Well, I'm willing to find out if its possible.

Christmas in Vienna just might entail...
enjoying presence-the best and only Christmas present I give or receive...
going to Christmas mass and truly being thankful for what Christmas is about...
not finding my mind wandering to the places I have to be, things I still need to do, presents I might receive, or traveling I have to do that day...finding my mind at peace and my heart happy because life, and Christmas is really simpler that we make it...

its about love-the love that moved God to give Himself, His presence, to the world in the form of a human child.
its about thankfulness-thankfulness for that most humble act of love
its about desire-desire to live life continually giving of oneself out of genuine love, because that is why Christmas exists.
its about people, not things.


so why these meanderings?

you can thank my aunt j for showing me this...




does it make you think? does it move you?

giving doesn't necessarily mean spending...or spending the way we are used to.

instead of money, spend time with or doing or making something for someone...

 go here ... if you want some good ideas!

and if you spend money...

rethink spending it on an ipad, scarf, or sweater. rather, spend it on clean water, microloans to help businesses in impoverished areas, or animals to help sustain a family or a village

living water international

heifer international

agros international

kiva


rethink spending it on products that exploit people, the planet, and other gifts God has given us. rather, spend it on things that respect human rights, the environment, family businesses, communities, philanthropies, and social justice initiatives

better world shopper

ten thousand villages

alternative gifts international

free 2 work 


.............................................................

from the LivingWater website about the AdventConspiracy:

"The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and revolutionary love. How did it turn into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists?

The Advent Conspiracy is a movement. It's tens of thousands of Christians around the world throwing the kind of birthday party Jesus loves.

The conspiracy is based on four simple ideas:

.worship fully.
Christmas is about Jesus. Full worship isn't about more church services. It's about everything, everywhere.

.spend less. 
Christmas is about turning love into a human, not a thing. Americans spend $400 billion on Christmas--we think a better party is possible.

.give more.
Christmas is about God giving himself away to the people he loves. Why don't we do the same?

.love all.
Christmas is about love without borders or boundaries. We're here to help your love be the same.




christmas {is} changing the world