Nov 28 2008
BLACK FRIDAY
After the events of today it would seem that it was more like bleak Friday as opposed to “Black Friday”. What has become of people? Today on “black Friday”, the beginning of the Christmas holiday three people were killed in two different popular stores. This happened on either side of the US as shoppers stormed the stores to purchase their Christmas gifts. On the East Coast a temporary employee was trampled to death. On the West Coast two men shot and killed each other in Toys R Us as their women argued and punched one another. What has Christmas come to?
People ask me all the time why I do not celebrate the Christmas as a Holy holiday. I do not see that the actions of people toward Christmas are so Holy and I refuse to take part in this kind of chaos. How does participating in this kind of thing tell others the love of Christ? If I choose to give a gift to someone I want it to be from my heart not my wallet.
I pray that none of you guys were involved in anything so unrighteous today or any day. No one really wants a gift that needlessly cost a human life to obtain. such a waste. Christ gave His life as a gift to us. Isn’t that enough? Black Friday is a term that discribes a time for stores to make money. Does that mean that Christmas shopping is for the stores to make money and people to lose their lives. some how that just not line up with what I thought Christmas was all about. therefore I will not celebrate this year.
“People ask why I don’t celebrate this Holy day”
You don’t celebrate Christmas, or are you saying Black Friday is a holy day? I’ve never heard of anyone calling Black Friday a holy day before.
The way I read your blog is that you don’t celebrate Christmas not that you don’t observe Black Friday. There are many wonderful ways to celebrate the birth of our Savior than shopping,spending, giving material gifts. Donate your time at a homeless shelter, nursing home or hospital on Christmas. However and whatever I do hope you find a way to make Christmas day special and observe the day Christ was born.
I do things every day that honor my Lord Jesus Christ. I celebrate His death and resurrection because God has told us what day that He died and rose from the grave. Every person has the right and the God given freedom to celebrate any day they choose as long as they are doing it for God’s glory. i believe that everyday is for God’s glory and I do not choose to participate fully in the celebration of Christmas. When I say fully I simply mean that I am not going out shopping for all those people that I know. Not because I do not think that they deserve something but because I give gifts to people throughout the year just because God lays it on my heart to do so. The pleasure in giving an unexpected and undeserved gift is so immense that I could not begin to explain it. When you walk up to someone on June11 and say God said to bring you this. You give them a nicely wrapped new short set just in time for their upcoming trip to the beach and their birthday is not till October. They get so surprised. I put more into gift giving than you would think. I just do not do it at Christmas. Why go out and spend all that money that I do not have on something that they probably already have or they do not want? Christ has already given us the ultimate gift for Christmas. I could never give anything in comparison. I do however, do things for people in need but not always at Christmas because I see people in need year round. I don’t know if this is making any sense to those of you who celebrate Christmas or not. I know that God approves of what I do because I have a pure heart and I’m sure He approves of what you are doing as well as long as you have a pure heart as well. I sure hope this clears up some things for each of you.