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Providence Is Growing!!

Creathminster Confession of Christmas I (Christmas Origins)

Hoping to establish a more perfect understanding of how we can best celebrate Christmas we find it necessary to give the definitions and origins of this holiday. The word "Christmas" originated as a contraction of "Christ's mass." It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase coined around 1038. The root of this word, "Christ", gives us the central theme for which to filter through our celebratory traditions.

As for the origins of Christmas we hold that the happenings found in the chronicled accounts of Matthew and Luke can be, and have been, incorporated into our observances of this event. These accounts give inspired detail into Christ's coming into the world and how this would ultimately lead to Him making atonement for His people. We believe this to be the original foundation and focus for why we, as believing families, observe Christmas.

Historically, Christmas, has been celebrated on the 25th of December. It is said that in part, the Christmas celebration was created by the early Church in order to entice pagan Romans to convert to Christianity without losing their own winter celebrations. It is also said that the most important gods in the religions of Ishtar and Mithra had their birthdays on December 25. Various traditions are considered to have been syncretised from winter festivals including Saturnalia, Natalis Solis Invicti, & Yule. As with any attempt to reform there will be concerns to keeping the traditional dates and details of precedented holidays. However, we hold that the Christian family should remember historically why we celebrate not when we celebrate.

For the Christian all festivities and observances should bring to mind Christ and His glorification. (1 Cor 10:31).

Creathminster Confession of Christmas Introduction (from "Fiddler on the Roof)

For the first post, here is a icebreaking tool to help us in our thinking when it comes to "Tradition". Since the practice of our traditions is the primary way we celebrate Christmas, or any holiday for that matter, we believe it is necessary to reflect on what our current traditions have been and see if they result in the glorification of Christ. We recently watched the famous musical "Fiddler on the Roof" and I got to thinking of how the lyrics and dialogue in this song really mirror our own traditions and customs - some we shrug our shoulders and say like Teyve "how did this tradition get started? I'll tell you. I don't know" - some we recognize have helped "keep our balance for many, many years" - and some we practice but are are superfluous in the subject for which we celebrate and they only end up confusing and distracting us away from central reason for establishing traditions in the first place.

Here are several questions useful to determining our positions on traditions:

1. What purposes do our traditions serve?
2. Do they attract us to, or distract us from the true and central reason for establishing them?
3. If our traditions do not serve the central theme for establishing them in the first place, do we annul or replace them?
4. Do we take joy and find spiritual satisfaction in practicing them?
5. Are others encouraged by our traditions?
6. Could others trace the reason for our tradition back to Christ and His glorification?

Hopefully these questions can at least get the ball rolling when it comes to deciding on what traditions to follow and what traditions to let fall by the way.

The Creathminster Confession of Christmas

Due to the time of year that we are in and due to the misconceptions that many have about Christmas and due to the fact that the Creath's are interested in reforming the meanings, conceptions, and traditions of Christmas we hereby declare that in similar fashion to our count down to Thanksgiving posts, we will be posting our thoughts and reflections on the real and true meaning of Christmas from our perspective. We will include original and non-original ideas of how to celebrate Christmas in such a way that we put "Christ" back into Christmas. This is merely a introductory post and will not be considered Chapter 1 of our Creathminster Confession of Christmas. Chapter 1 will be posted tomorrow and the following chapters will be posted in the ensuing days leading up to the 25th of December (I doubt we will have 33, but you never know!)

Merry Christmas!

Were Having Lots Of Fun In The Snow!!!!

Here is what the Creath's do on Saturdays - we take walks in the snow and take pictures!

The Creath's Campaign Sign

Mike

Elijah Killed How Many People?...

This morning the Creath's read 1 Kings 18. This is the chapter where Elijah comes out of hiding for three years, goes before Ahab and challenges him to a duel where they will see whose God is the real God. Though I have read and heard this story many times I think I was still visualizing this story through the eyes of an illustrated children's book perspective. The children's book I had growing up had all the nice pictures and focused on the events that took place on MT. Carmel (God's power being miraculously poured out before the people of Israel) but didn't have anything to my remembrance on what proceeded afterwards in the Valley of Kishon (God's vengeance and wrath being angrily poured out upon the blasphemous Baalic prophets.) "Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there." This is no small execution. This is a slaughter! And who is instigating this? God's prophet Elijah! This is the man who one chapter back is (in my mind anyway) gentle and merciful to the widow and her son when they were under much distress. Now he is heroically slaying the sons of iniquity and in a violent manner taking back the country of Israel for the Lord.

I don't know why the reality of this event hit me like it did but it just made me sit back and say "Wow". The inspiration I took from this passage is that the God we serve is a Mighty Conquering God. I was also reminded that even though there are times that we seem to be in that "three years of drought" it just means that we should be expecting and preparing for the "Mount Carmels" and yes even the "Valley of Kishon" experiences. It is these types of events that should provoke in us a desire to live a life that is being used by God - that way when God decides it is time for a Mount Carmel or Valley of Kishon we can be as Elijah and be right in the midst of it rather than sitting on the sidelines like the rest of Israel.

That Is My Thought of the Day!
John

SNOW????

   I had almost forgotten what the white world of winter in the north looked like. For those of you who don't remember here is a picture. The forecast says 28 degrees, but feels more like 17. Plus there is a steady wind outside. Yeah, SNOW!!!

What not to say to your pregnant wife...

After feeling my stomach this evening, John was commenting on the size of the baby, and the fact that you can feel the width. His comment was something along the lines of "the baby is this big already" (implying that baby has a lot of growing to do before February).  My reaction was that of tightly shut eyes, and a wrinkled nose. John was quick enough to realize his mistake and apologize immediately. We both laughed. I didn't take offense to the comment we just both found it funny.