In Sex, Lies and Religion, Randy Elrod gains my attention by asking “Have you ever had an experience with God that exceeds your most wild and fulfilling sexual moment? If the answer is no, you are not alone.”

I’d have to admit that for most of the first half of the book, I was lost as to where Randy was truly going.  I thought maybe he was saying that without having real sensual sex, one could not understand true intimacy with God. This might be a problem with singles who should believe that sex outside of marriage is sinful.

The book was in part a history of the lies that culture and religion have created that bends the truth about sex.  It was in part a description of how to have good sex.  It was in part a theology of seeing the body as important as the soul and the injustice religion and culture have put on the value of the senses and the body.  Throughout the book, he interweaves sex physically and spiritually with your mate and with God.  He says that our desires for sex is our desire for God. I felt that it was written from the assumption that the reader is a Christian married person and only mentions briefly what singles are to do.

In the end, the book was more about how sexual lies affect more than our sex lives, they show up in what we believe about God and visa versa.  Ultimately, the intimacy that is lacking in the marriage is also probably lacking with Him.  The last 40 some pages, in my opinion, would have served great at the beginning of the book.

The book has a lot of material and concepts in which 134 pages cannot do justice to the thought. For more on the book’s ideas, check out http://www.sexliesandreligion.com

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Christmas day has come and gone.  Our family went to several family and friend Christmas parties.

On Christmas day, the boys opened up presents from my parents Christmas morning.  They played around, had some breakfast and we read the Christmas story.  We then got dressed and drove over to the elderly home where we walked around meeting people who didn’t have any visitors for Christmas day.  We gave them slipper socks, body washes and some cross word puzzles.  All seemed really moved at our gesture.  We were only there for about 1 1/2 (normal visiting hours).  We even had a lady hit on me and begged my wife to not let me leave.  Too funny. We weren’t there very long, but it was definitely something that made me feel good about our family.  The boys did great saying “merry Christmas” and shaking their hands and the elderly people seemed excited that they had a someone come visit them on a very high expectancy day to get something.

Afterwards we went to my wife’s mom’s place and let everyone open up some more presents.  We had a great dinner of lasagna and then we all played Wii for hours (mostly Evan, my 6 yr old, my wife and her brother played because they are so competitive and I cleaned up the house to give me something to do).

Sunday, we had cancelled our services (first time ever doing that on purpose) in order to reward our volunteers who serve every weekend the whole year long.  Our family had a Christmas lunch with Turkey and the trimmings at my wife’s brother’s house for Christmas with her father and other family.  Evan received his own Wii (okay, Tina and I play too) and our littlest walked away pretty good as well.

In the end, the boys walked away with plenty of Christmas gifts, and I’m still putting things together.  My wife and I didn’t spend a dime on the boys and I don’t think the boys we disappointed at all.  I’m very appreciative of all those who did get them things to play with as well as those who donated to our cause of giving the elderly home a visit of Christmas cheer on Christmas day.

For some reason Christmas’, starting a couple of years ago, have really been bothering me.  One of the things I’ve learned about myself is that I have the strength of Restoration and Consistency, which means I like to concentrate on those things that need work and make sure all levels are on the same playing field.  It also means that I sometimes push down those things that rise too far, those things that keep the balance unlevel.

It could also do with the fact that a few summers ago, I went on a mission trip to Mexico to help build a “home” (more like sheds to us Americans).  These people used whatever they could just to have shelter.  They still had to have water trucked in and most had outdoor toilet facilities.  It could also have to do with that since my wife and I got married, we really haven’t had much money and are use to opening 1 or 2 or zero presents at Christmas. And that’s the way we liked it.  We also have the rest of the year to get ourselves in financial trouble the way it is .

What gets to me the most is to hear so many people get bent out of shape over throwing Christmas parties, having to do all this shopping, complain how they got this and that and not this and that, complain how much money they spend, complain how they don’t have money to spoil everyone (a.k.a. put themselves on a worship table of “look how awesome I am for you…”), this charity and that charity asking for money during this season more than using the other 340 days of the year to get our awareness of the need.

This year, my family has asked for our family members to just get our kids two gifts (I can’t remember more than several gifts I received my entire childhood) and then to consider a donation to the charity of our choice.  This year we are visited those in the elderly home who will not get visits on Christmas day and bring them some cool things like slippers, body lotions, and small house plants.  Did you know that this season of this year specifically is the lowest attendance of all time for elderly home visits?

I don’t say all this to say, “look at me, I care about people more than you do.”  There are people doing stuff like this more than me every year, every day of the year, I’m sure about that.  I’m sure you can jump all over my thinking behind all this with the kids and even challenge me that I only do good for others around Christmas time.  I hope my kids see and understand that they are extremely blessed already year round and we need to put our eyes open to those in need year round, but even more specifically during this already heightened season of expecting cheer, joy, peace and emotions of feeling alone or left out.  I hope I grow more passionate about making myself and the world around us aware that the playing field is far from level.

Does any of that bother you as well?

Ever found out some news that didn’t sound so great? After Jesus’ birth on earth, his parents take him into the temple according to the Law of the Old Testament.  While there, an elderly man, who was righteous and devoted to God named Simeon, spoke of Jesus’ greatness to come to Mary and Joseph, Jesus’ parents.

The end of his speaking he says this: “Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed– and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!” (Luke 2:34-35).

As we look back on this, we can see the significance of this statement.  Jesus’ coming was the redemption for all people, but it was not without completely dividing the old order of things for Judiasm and being hated by many and being murdered in a public spectacle.  Jesus was not very well liked by his brothers either.  For Mary and Joseph, this great news of Jesus’ arrival also brought some great parental distress.

In 20/20 hindsight, as Mary saw Jesus sacrificed on a wooden cross, with a crown of thorns on his head, blood dripping from open brutalizations, she felt that sword that would “pierce her own soul as well.”

Sometimes we need people in our lives to just tell it like it is, to warn us of the pain and suffering we will endure that comes with these moments of great rejoicing.

I’m sure Mary wasn’t comfortable with Simeon saying those things.  And in the end, perhaps she wish she never knew what he said (as though it came true because he spoke of them). But I would have to believe that experiencing great sufferings without expecting them, makes it hurt even more.

Do you have people like this in your life? Are you being called to be that person to someone else?

Last week at Life Group, a parent asked other parents what they tell their kids when it comes to Santa Claus.  We all shared as well as what we were taught when we were kids.

There is always a lot of talk about Santa on Tv and at school from other kids.  There also a lot of talk on radio and blogs about this seemingly battle between embracing Santa and covering up Jesus, or “killing” Santa in order to keep Jesus at the center.

What do you do as parents? Is Santa versus Jesus a real battle? In one sense, I don’t think it is.  I mean with America always finding more and more politically correct reasons not to have “Merry Christmas” signs hung on public buildings, not calling Christmas break Christmas break, but Winter break and the list goes on and on, I’ll embrace letting my kids watch “Santa Claus is coming to Town”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, and “Frosty the Snow Man.”

Most of us don’t think twice about hanging a Christmas tree up or hanging candy canes upside down (they were created to display as a “J” for Jesus, but turn it upside down and use it as a hook).  We have the ability to embrace some traditional festivities as well as put Jesus in the center.  We also have the ability to take the easy road of letting Santa create all the excitement and leave Jesus on the mantle.