Alrighty, this won’t be short. Let’s recap first. 1. If you need to use the bible to justify gift giving at Christmas time, you’re out of luck: No where are we told to do this. Instead of telling us to give stuff to people to honor Christ’s arrival, it implies… Read More
Archive Tag: simplicity
Going Giftless Part 3
The way my family celebrates Christmas has everything to do with how we celebrate Halloween. We’re trying to be consistent. Every October I go into the attic and pull out two large plastic bins full of Halloween decorations and one even bigger one full of costume scraps: wigs, wings, hats,… Read More
Going Giftless Part 2
Yesterday we talked about the wise men and how their story is not a prescription for giving stuff to people as much as it is an inspiration to give ourselves to God. Today, I’m suggesting that Christmas gifts are to most kids what milk is to mine. Our first was… Read More
Going Giftless Part 1
I asked a few days ago why we give presents to people at Christmas whose birthday it definitely is not. And the fingers pointed to the wise men. It’s their fault, you said. So, let’s talk about that. The word translated “wisemen” or “magi” in the book of Matthew (the… Read More
Complicating Simplicity In Seattle
Like a fighter spitting teeth in the final round, my last pair of hole-less jeans just popped a second button from its fly. I’m one deep knee bend away from a wardrobe malfunction of career ending proportions now. It’s been a year or more since I bought jeans and the… Read More
Simplifying Simplicity Part 3
First I blogged about how Becky and I are defining simplicity these days. Then, I wrote about the changes we’ve slowly made toward simplicity over the last few years. Today, the stuff we’re trying out next in an effort to take less so we can give more. Here’s that list:… Read More