Blue Like Christmas

I’ve been reading “Blue like Jazz” a lot on this week before Christmas and in tandem thinking about my place in the larger story; even my place in our American culture.

Maybe it’s the ‘Holiday Season’ that gets me. The time of the year where most everyone says goodbye with a “Happy Holidays” attached. When I hear that I want to ask people, “what holiday do you celebrate?” just to hear them say, “Christmas.” We all want to be so 'politically correct' but really end up just being wimpy in how we interact with our materialistic culture. I still love these people, too often I’m one of them, so no real “bah-humbugs” here, I just wish they would either wish me a Merry CHRISTmas or just say that they don’t celebrate Christmas because they don’t believe in Christ. Or even better yet, if they would just say “merry Christmas… but I don’t believe in God and I’m just in it for the presents.” I’d be rather happy to hear their honesty yet sad to see that heart. But that seems to be the heart of our materialistic society. Why is it so hard to just pick a side? If I really think about it, it’s not the non-believers that bug me but the believers, or pseudo believers as it may well be, that send me off with a nonchalant “Happy Holidays”. Show your colors for heavens sake. It’s black or white, you’re for or you're against.

In the fashion world of late, grey is the ‘new’ black… I find that very interesting in this season especially because that fashion tip permeates through to the heart of our society. Grey is the new black in our culture. Nobody wants things to be black or white, we want a grey area. Stealing is black, “I don’t steal, I’m a good person, I follow the rules.” But downloading music online from another computer without having to pay for it… well, that’s not black… it’s grey… well, it’s ok… right? Is it?... Just give me a “happy holidays” stuff your conscious in your pocket and go download me the whole new U2 album off of Kazza for Christmas… Wrap it in grey paper for me ok? I mean why not, it’s just about the presents anyway… right? You see what I mean? I’m tempted in this and so many more grey areas, but I don’t think God sees them as grey so what do I do? Man that music one is really hard for me and I could easily rationalize it away but I've got to start somewhere right? I've got to start with myself, not because I want to look more Christian, or be more "spiritual" but because I want to live out the heart of Christ. Really be his disciple, really follow his ways. I so desperately want that in my life even though I so often fight it.

Just rambling really. I guess it is just the non offensive way of the American culture that gets me. The wimpy non-decisive lazy way that we as Americans call being P.C. I’m part of it I know, I even remember a couple “happy holidays” that I threw out to staff at my school. But that doesn’t make it right, and for me, just makes me dislike the phrase all the more.

So, I’m off to eat more chocolate, lay on the couch, read some more “Blue like Jazz”, and ponder more existential questions about the meaning of life and how little ole’ me can be more a part of the solution than I am part of the problem; it will be a life-long quest I know, but I’m in it for the long haul.

<>For your present... here are some good quotes from “Blue like Jazz”

…In talking about politics, protest and how we affect the world as Americans…

“The problem is not a certain type of legislations or even a certain politician; the problem is the same that it has always been. I am the problem.”

“I think every conscious person, every person who is awake to the functioning principles within his reality, has a moment where he stops blaming the problems in the world on group think, on humanity and authority, and starts to face himself. I hate this more than anything. This is the hardest principle within Christian spirituality for me to deal with. The problem is not out there; the problem is the needy beast of a thing that lives in my chest. “

The thing I realized on the day we protested… was the it did me no good to protest Americas responsibility in global poverty when I wasn’t even giving money to my church, which has a terrific homeless ministry. I started feeling very much like a hypocrite.” “I am not browbeating myself here; I am only saying that true change, true life giving, God-honoring change would have to start with the individual.” (Miller, 2003 p20)

Oh, and BTW... Merry Christmas!