Please don't give me ornaments for Christmas

For most of my blog posts I just take what I write for my worship leadership ensembles (contemporary 8:30 service; traditional choir 11:00 service) every Wednesday evening and take a couple of minutes to upload them. I know I have a limited readership (mostly family and friends), but I'm OK with that. This entry is just to get something off my chest so that it doesn't go anywhere else.

I have never understood year-round Christmas stores. I have been in some, but any time but late (and I mean really late) November or December, it just feels wrong to me. It even bothers me that many radio stations start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Granted, some of our most treasured Christmas ornaments have been purchased in year-round stores (specifically the very nice brass ones we bought in Williamsburg in August 1987 while on our honeymoon). They are special to me because they are quite pretty and they remind us of where we began our life together. I also treasure the ones that mark milestones in the lives of our two boys.

But please don't pick up an ornament at CVS or Wal-Mart and give it to me as a gift. It was probably made somewhere in Asia by people who haven't heard the Gospel and whose idea of the Christmas season may be only the tacky images seen in those types of decorations they export here. I'd rather you spend that money on missions. Cool electronic gadgets (especially expensive ones), however, are always welcome. Just make sure you give matching funds to missions as well. I'm not a complete hypocrite ... just a partial one.

Has my guitar shown up yet? Nope.