09 December 2005 00:21
"'Tis the season", so I guess it's my bounden duty to post about it.not really, I just wanted to use the word "bounden".
(I was going to use it anyway, but I looked it up just for kicks and was simultaneously "pleasantly surprised" and "slightly disappointed" to find that it's actually a real word).
I've been expecting a post on Christmas to pop out sooner or later, but living in a third world country (and most importantly in consequence, haven't stepped foot across a walmart threshold since before the day they started selling their soul to the gods of holiday season (which was before halloween's dead carcass was even properly swept out the door with a frenetic sale of outdated candy)) {deep breath} ...living in a third world country I haven't gotten riled up enough to write a post on the issue.
As you may guess from the parenthetical statement above, such a post stood a "fairly" good chance of being "slightly" negative[5].
Today I was truly inspired to write a positive post about Christmas.
I know, I'm as surprised as you are.
My source of inspiration: The giddy feeling I got after finding "that perfect gift" for a family member. The giddy feeling was a direct result of 1) knowing without a doubt they'd like it, 2) knowing without a doubt they didn't/wouldn't have it yet, 3) knowing that I got it for [insert adjective] cheap (I'm Mennonite, cut me some slack).
Talk about a cheap thrill! (Cheap, low cost; not cheap, low quality)
This is going to require me to delve somewhat deaper into the issue of "gift giving" before I continue with Christmas. As these things go, the segment entitled "gift giving" will probably be significantly longer than the subsequent analysis of Christmas, which will consist primarily of a note saying "see 'gift giving' above".
Gift Giving
I have a unique (yes, I'm unique, just like everybody else) view on gift giving.
do you get the feeling I'm padding? I'm going to have to speed it up: 1) because it's bedtime already and 2) because this keyboard is making my wrists hurt. awwwwwwwww
History: our family has had issues in this department. Well, not issues per se, but we haven't quite done things the "traditional" way. In what has become a fairly common practice, we were each alloted $50 to buy our own presents. We'd then give them to Stephanie, who would wrap them and put them under the tree. Then Christmas morning, everybody but the reciever and Stephanie would be surprised when we opened our presents. Except of course, when Stephanie opened her present, then she was the only one not surprised. (In case you haven't surmised, Stephanie is the universally acknowledged Authority on Gift Wrapping in our family).
This usually worked quite well...albeit slightly shy in the surprised delight department.
Now though the system has faded. This is due I think in large part to the fact that there are five income earners in the household now instead of just two, and Dad doesn't feel the need to shell out $250 when "they can pay for their own just fine thank you".
And truth be told, I'm ready for a change.
That sounds rather individualistic when talking about our "family" practice, but unfortunately I don't live with my family and can't sound out their viewpoints very readily. So lets move from the family history lesson on to my personal viewpoint.
I have never liked the idea of being forced to give a gift.
something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation —gift
You'll notice the words VOLUNTARILY and WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
(These are important)
The Spirit of Christmas (according to Walmart): "Thou shalt give forth exceedingly expensive gifts to all thine aquaintences for the Holiday Season whether yea want to or not. This is because they shall give forth unto thee also gifts, for which thee shall recompense them with afore mentioned exceedingly expensive gifts in return."
okay, sorry, i was going to be positive...this won't happen again.
You will note the alarming direct contradictions between voluntarily : shalt, and between w/o compensation : recompense.
To all my friends who have given me gifts and not recieved any in return, you are now close to discovering the answer why.
...it's because I'm lazy and forgot to get you something.
oops, freudian slip
Because I strongly dislike the idea of having to give in return simply because that's the way it's done.
Look, I'm perfectly peachy with giving gifts. But my preferred system is to do it at random throughout the year--as the spirit leads, or as I find something that I know somebody will appreciate recieving. It's something I've done in the past, and something I will continue to do (if I ever find myself stateside to actually meet my friends again). Being forced or coerced to do it at Christmastime though is something that has always irked me. Well, at least eversince I entered my teenage rebellion years.
That not withstanding, I'm really looking forward to Christmas, because I hope to have good gifts (that they can actually use and appreciate) for my family. In this particular case, Christmas is actually providing a little motivation to find people nice things. I can tell you quite honestly though that if I were stateside right now the whole commercialism thing would be putting me so far off my "happy train track" (sorry, random) that it ain't even funny. This is the first year I've been removed enough from it all to actually find joy in the gift-buying process. Let me diverge into that a bit...
I walked out of one shop this afternoon in disappointment. Normally I set a random budget of say $20 that I'm wanting to spend for a particular gift-reciever. Then I'll see an item and say, great! they'll love this, and it's only $35. That's not too far outside of my budget. (I know, har har. Unfortunately it's true).
Today I found what I was looking for, but not even I can managed to squeeze an $80 item into a $20 budget. Then again, I'm not female... ( {drumroll} he scores! --uh oh, low blow! there goes any hope i ever had of recieving Christmas presents from female family and friends =) ).
It was a rather nice $80 item actually, but knowing who it was for and what they would use it for--un hunh. I'll look for the $25 version that I know is out there somewhere.
Actually, my problem is not finding things that I know someone will like. My problem is buying in proportion so everybody recieves an equivalent monetary amount. (another problem with the way Christmas gift giving is set up).
If I didn't excercise a little self-restraint my sister would wind up with half a living-room full of presents. Buying something for her that I know she'll like is like falling off a mossy log in a rainshower. Everywhere I turn I see something that she would like. My other family members though, vary in degree of dificulty but one thing is clear. All three are harder than Stephanie.
The other trick is finding "the perfect gift" when you're living a thousand miles away in another world altogether. Fortunately, I can corroborate with other family members. They will probably tell you though, that I ain't exactly done a whole lot of corroborating just yet.
whatever. I got what, sixteen or seventeen days left? no problem mohn. {spoken nocholantly with just the faintest hint of panic showing through}
Okay, I was supposed to make a point somewhere along in here but that's obviously a lost cause.
Gift Giving (a summary):
Gifts should be:
1) Voluntarily given
2) Given without thought of return
3) Not given because you were given
4) Useful (knicknacks forbidden!)
Negative:
Fitting gift-giving into the box of Christmas is going to give it the wrong meanings.
Positive:
Christmas gift-giving at least has good intentions, even if it falls short.
Sorry that wasn't overly positive, but I distracted myself by using the word "Christmas" for some reason.
I'm going to leave gift-giving now and move back to Christmas. I feel like I missed something (maybe it was the lack of an argumentative point ;) ), feel free to commentate--I think I might come back to it.
Regarding Christmas.
I'm tempted to renege and go to bed, or give you the short short version or tell you to "see gift-giving above".
And by "tempted" I mean "have pretty much made up my mind".
I'll leave you with a quote from earlier on.
Talk about a cheap thrill!
Seriously, I was as excited as a schoolboy on the first day of summer. I couldn't wait to see the expression on their face when they opened their present, it was the confidence of victory weeks before the event will even occur. I was tickled, pleased, and happy. It was a good feeling.
And no, I won't tell you who it's for, what it is, or where I got it.
...and as you can see below, my evening wasn't entirely filled with the above.
=====
randomness, the flotsam winnowed from an evening's very failed attempt to not get distracted.
First I startled myself by using riled and frenetic. Don't know where they came from, living in Jamaica doesn't usually inspire me to either develop or excercise non-essential vocabulary words. Though I might just have to add "rile" to my essential list. I was particularly pleased though, to note the etymology for frenetic:
Middle English frenetik insane, from Middle French frenetique, from Latin phreneticus, modification of Greek phrenitikos, from phrenitis inflammation of the brain, from phren-, phrEn diaphragm, mind.I was also pleased with roil, from which rile (above) is derived:
Etymology: origin unknownrandom quote out of context from the internet: This has given credence to my prejudice. —Bill Sticker
transitive senses
- 1 : to make turbid by stirring up the sediment or dregs of; to stir up : DISTURB, DISORDER
- 2 : RILE
intransitive senses
- to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation
of course, then i had to look credence up. I love etymology, I'd never before contemplated the word's relationship to "creed", but it makes so much sense. Connecting the dots "behind the scenes" is fascinating, positively riveting.
Adams quote I'm not sure I've come across before (having only read the books, I miss a lot from the TV/radio shows): I ache, therefore I am. —Marvin
Why don't we finish with some Shakespeare? Ser, o no ser? Eso es la pregunta...
To sleep! perchance to dream: —ay, there's the rub;...when we have shuffled off this mortal coil. love the imagery. wonder why my English teachers never let me twist word meanings to my own ends.. after all, "Shakespeare did it".
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect...
But that the dread of something after death,—
The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns,—puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know naught of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; —Hamlet
okay i lied, that's not the finish. I thought I'd come up with some definitions of my own...
absentminded: turning on the window airconditioner (four feet to my left) while leaving the patio door open (four feet to my right)...for the last four hours.======
WUI (Writing Under the Influence). What I'm doing right now after imbibing on 20oz of Baskin Robbins Cappuccino Mocha Blast. synonym: jittery
dangerous macaronni: the result of using salt stored in an old spice container with no strainer in an environment that requires the use of dry rice to keep the salt dehumidified.
In another random moment (acutally a google search for "mennonite frugal joke", which yielded no good jokes), i came across this post (which helped make up for the lack of a good Mennonite joke...something I havn't had in a while).
Mennonite Melange: Irresponsible idiotic theory (re: CPT hostages in Iraq)
Of particular interest was an article they linked to about Rush Limbaugh's view on the subject. I kinda went off in their comments section and thought I'd post it here as well (especially since I haven't written much on my beliefs in a long time):
Your analysis does a fine job of discerning the irony in this sobering albeit not surprising clash between kingdoms. I scanned the first part of the Limbaugh article--it was especially of interest to me because I used to listen to him reguarly. The sardonic in me understands his viewpoint and even agrees with certain aspects of it, but the Christian in me cannot condone it as it stands.======
This article impressed on me the irony that goes hand in hand with your post above. It is Ironic (and very sadly so) that the majority of mankind refuses to understand the fundamental differences between the way of the world and the way of Christ. I daresay that even the large majority of genuine Christians fall into this category. From Limbaugh:
"[Y]ou've met the bad guys, and you tried your technique on them, and now you're blindfolded in a room with guns pointed at you and knives at your throat. I don't like that." He then added, "But any time a bunch of people that walk around with the head in the sand practicing a bunch of irresponsible, idiotic theory confront reality, I'm kind of happy about it, because I'm eager for people to see reality, change their minds, if necessary, and have things sized up."
What people fail to grasp is that these CPTers HAVE . NOT . FAILED!!! They may not have accomplished their original personal goals, but in the work of Christ their capture, subsequent captivity, and possible death are not even setbacks! I'm getting worked up about this (and am probably preaching to the choir), but it frustrates me to no end when people cannot grasp theological truths that I have lived with from an early age (thanks to God).
I do not agree with many of the methods of the CPTers. (I recieved the regular updates from the Hebron, Israel team for about a year; so I feel qualified in that opinion). But I support them in their wholehearted effort to act out their belief on a radical level...just as Jesus acted most radically for us. The Messiah dying for the spiritual welfare of his people was the furthest thing from the collective Israelite mind as he went about his Father's business back in the day. Everything he did pointed to and built up his position as our spiritual Saviour. Political conquest of a podunk country in the Middle East paled in utter insignificance next to his goal of world domination by spiritual conquest.
In a similar fashion I agree with Limbaugh. From the world's perspective, the CPTers have gotten what they were asking for...this is reality. But from my perspective, "irresponsible [and] idiotic" are going to be the norm when you follow the man who turned down Satan's offer in order to lead twelve of the densest and most misguided men around Israel for two or three years before finally turning himself in to be executed. Folks, we have a paradigm shift and I'm afraid it's lost most of you. The new reality (although two millenia old) is Christ. It's going to confuse Rush, but although the CPTers "got what was coming to them", it simply does not matter...our goals are entirely different from what he thinks they are.
Didn't mean to go off, I just meant to comment on how nice your blog is...nice blog by the way :). I'll have to poke around it a bit more in the near future.
"...pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4
peace
Finally (for real this time), since I'm pulling writings in from other locations, I might as well go ahead and add tonight's away message for aim.
I figure I'm already in a hole with the whole female thing...I might as well keep digging =).
Since the answer to life the universe and everything has long been answered, I've wondered what the question is to the next answer. Therefore I stopped to consider whether the answer to life's most perplexing mystery (girls) might not be 43.
Unfortunately the sheer impossibility of the answer being that simple severely fried something important and I've now been in a coma for several days. Perhaps if you know the answer, my biographer can stick it posthumously in the epilogue.
However, I've decided that (if I ever miracuously arise from my coma that is) my next test equation will be to discover whether or not the answer to life's most perplexing mystery (girls again) might not be the square root of negative one...
I imagine the results might be illuminating.
00:21 email me permalink / commentary (4)
Keep Digging? I think you more than adequately buried yourself : ) 09 December, 2005 01:22 – 
Jenn Heatwole
I'm not too concerned, I hear gophers lead very satisfying lives underground. Maybe I can make some friends. 09 December, 2005 22:55 – 
If you're still looking for cheap Mennonite jokes, let me know. I've got a bunch of them.
Thanks for the comment and the link. 11 December, 2005 00:29 – William
Remind me...I've got a great gopher joke for you some day : ) 13 December, 2005 02:37 – Jenn Heatwole
