Andy's Blog

Last night, I received a text at about 11:32 pm from my friend Erin who is an Anaheim Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Angels Strike Force Girl. The text was informing me of the important news that they recently got to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at the most recent Angels game and it was on YouTube. For those who care, here is the video, she is the one second from the left.

Now, when I think of Erin I think of one thing: Christmas (and the time she shot somebody in the face with the t-shirt gun at the ballpark, but mainly Christmas). Why do you ask? Because she is the only person I know who has a countdown to Christmas and starts singing Christmas songs in August.

I moved on and decided to unpause my Comcast DVR to watch The Colbert Report and what do I see.....Stephen Colbert in a Christmas hat. I know, weird. I thought it was a rerun. But alas, it wasn't. His point: the day before was June 25th, or halfway to Christmas.

Between Erin & Stephen it got me thinking about Christmas. It actually got me thinking about two things about Christmas: 1.) how much I hate the Christmas season, and 2.) how Jesus was actually probably born in June or July (due to the fact shepherds were out in the field which would fit more in the summer months not winter).

Andy, aren't you a Christian, how can you say you don't like Christmas? I have many reasons really. I think about the materialism associated with Christmas, and Jesus' anti-materialism message, and have to chuckle, if not cry a bit, thinking about the irony.

I also think about how what a facade Christmas has become. Think about it, people who never attend church, who don't really align themselves with Christian beliefs, always seem to "have" to make it to Church on Christmas? And as ministers, we cater to the seemingly American-ingrained nostalgia associated with Christmas and we wouldn't dream of not signing carolls, putting up trees and lights, etc... I always wondered why churches didn't approach Christmas like they do, well, June. Why doesn't Christmas look like this past Sunday?

My mother became a Christian my senior year of high school. I remember having a conversation with her later on that year and she was telling me one of the things she never realized is that Church wasn't like Christmas every Sunday (and that all the Bible wasn't just like Psalms). This had a profound impact on me as I started to wonder how many people think all there is to Christianity is signing Christmas Carols, worshiping a baby, and something about myrrh (what the heck is that anyways).

True Christianity doesn't get displayed at Christmas time. True Christianity is what happens in October, March, and yes, even June.

Well I know somewhere in the O.C., Erin is appalled at me. But at least in about a month it will be Christmas season for her. Which now that I think about it, she spends 5 months of her spiritual journey focusing on Christmas, so I don't really have a problem with her - its all the rest of us ;)

P.S. They sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" wrong. It is "root, root, root for the Cubbies." The only way to sing that song.