Monday, November 25, 2019

Out of the fire!

"He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace..."
Daniel 3:19-20

This was the reading on Pray-As-You-Go this morning and they made a startling comparison. They suggested that the white-hot furnace the king threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in to punish them was similar to the commercial machine we are about to be thrown into at the end of this week. Since they are in the UK, they didn't connect the dots to the fact that our fiery furnace comes one day after we give thanks in this country, but that's not even true anymore--we start buying hours or minutes after we give thanks! The over-commercialization of the season is getting harder and harder to stomach for me, so I've decided to consciously head it off at the pass this year. Maybe some of my ideas will help you, too. Then, together, we can also dance around in the midst of the flames like our friends here and not be consumed or even scorched by the fire of the commercial frenzy.

First, I will not purchase anything from anyone on Thanksgiving Day! Or the day after, either! I will support Small Business Saturday, however and visit local shops in Boise. I will take advantage of holiday bazaars and support local artists who put their love and creativity into gifts I am so happy to give. I will show my appreciation to others by pulling out the old molasses cookie recipe and making something to give that shows my love, too. Giving with love seems to be the difference to me. Lovingly gifting instead of just buying stuff may keep us out of the flames--Let's try it! Love, heidi