For the first several years of our marriage, Kellie and I had a rule: “thou shalt not play Christmas music in our house prior to Thanksgiving.” So while 100.3 FM (“Detroit’s Christmas Station”) always started playing it at the start of November, we wouldn’t tune in until the day after Thanksgiving.
That was the way it always was. Until a few years ago. Due to intense pressure from Faith, Evelyn, and Elizabeth 🙂 beginning a few years ago, we started locking in 100.3 FM the day they started playing Christmas music (this year it was Nov. 2nd).
And we have made this switch because it stretches out the Christmas season for us. This really is the most wonderful time of the year, and I felt like I get into the Christmas mindset a few weeks earlier because of the music that fills our home.
As I thought about how the Kopp household began playing Christmas music earlier nowadays, I realized what we do mirrors what is happening in our culture when it comes to Christmas.
Many stores will be open on Thanksgiving Day and many others began having “Black Friday” deals already (I think amazon.com started their Black Friday specials before Halloween this year!).
With this flurry of activity, it is easy to lose “the reason for the season” — the birth of Jesus Christ — in the midst of it. So I believe it is more important than ever for Christians to have a plan between now and Christmas Day on what you will do to raise your spiritual temperature… instead of allowing it to drop as fast as the thermometer outside will drop between now and the new year.
By the way, for almost 2,000 years Christians have had a “plan” how to do this. It’s the season known as Advent. And that is why every year I create an Experiencing Advent handout for my church and why I want everyone of you to have a copy as well.
(Click HERE for your free copy). Here’s a glimpse of what is inside the 2019 version of it:
- The 12 Days of Christmas is one of the most well known Christmas Carols… even if we don’t remember if there were 8 or 7 “swans a swimming”! Instead of 12 DAYS of Christmas, here are 12 WAYS of Christmas — a dozen very practical ways to live differently from the time between now and Christmas Day.
- A Bible Reading Plan. Actually two of them! Two plans to choose from that will show you what Scriptures to read on which days between Dec. 1st and Dec. 24th.
- Praying 101 and Fasting 101 during Advent.
- Ideas how to “help those who need help” who are often forgotten, especially during the holiday season.
- Discussion questions to process by yourself, with your family, your friends, or your small group.
It’s 3 days before Thanksgiving… and 4 before Black Friday… and 6 days before the First Sunday of Advent. The craziness of the Christmas season is just about to begin. May you live differently this year. May you not wake up physically exhausted and spiritually depleted on December 26th. May your focal point be Christ. May you press into the season of Advent like never before and because of that may you reach new heights on your spiritual journey between now and Christmas Day.
***At this time of year we sing Joy to the World and we watch It’s a Wonderful Life. And yet… while this *should* be the most wonderful time of the year, it often isn’t. We let our joy get robbed from us. So how do we keep that from happening? And better yet, how can we overflow with joy as we speed toward Christmas. Our all-new sermon series kicks off THIS Sunday Dec. 1st with my sermon titled, “It’s an Amazing, Incredible, Wonderful Life.” Please join us at The Mission (52767 Shelby Rd. in Shelby Twp.) at either 9:15am or 11:00am. More info at themission.church***
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