We felt the rumblings months ago – the volcanologists were out on the slopes with stethoscopes and magnetometers listening carefully into the depths, and the forecast was for a most excellent eruption.
Sales would be up this year – in big box store magma as well as the internet ash cloud. The Pyroclastic flow of stocking stuffers might be down but no worries, they really don’t drive the deeper “success” of Christmas these days.
Of course, we already knew when the big eruption would hit – right after Thanksgiving Day wherein deep and meaningful gratitude had been given to our Heavenly Father. Which many of us attempted to do without marginalizing some of our family and friends.
“In Jesus blessed name? What does he really mean by that anyway?”
No matter, the ground was shaking and as soon as the last of the 5-day old turkey was given to the dogs we were picking and clicking and spending our way through either consumerism hell or gift-giving heaven depending on one’s view.
BOOM!!
Will we have satisfied our obligations and spread a little joy around in the process?
Probably. After all, the Holy Spirit can work with anything – and when it comes to Christmas in America I mean anything.
“But what about the REAL Christ-mas Dad? As in ‘God With Us?’ I seemed to remember something about that . . .”
“Well, it’s still there, son, you’ll just need to look a little harder for it.”
“I will.”