This year I have been learning more about the traditional Church calendar. It honestly is something I know very little about as it is not something that is talked about much in Evangelical world.
Honestly growing up not understanding or knowing the Church calendar I thought that it was weird when other denominations did things according to the Church calendar. I thought they were being ritualistic... when you don't understand the meaning behind why something is done it is easy to discount it.
However this year I started following several people on Twitter who follow the Church calendar and I have learned so much. I have new respect for so many things!
This doesn't mean that I am going to start following everything on the Church calendar however it has made me start to think about the things in my life that might be wise in my life.
I found it interesting to learn about the 12 days of Christmas ( click here and click here to learn about the 12 days in the Church calendar and the song).
I am a person that typically on Christmas night feels a little sad because it feels like the party is over... Christmas is done... back to midwest winter which seams a lot less magical after Christmas. There is so much build up and anticipation for Christmas and then its over.
I think part of that is cultural for us here... we build up big things but then once its done it needs to be over... think about it... Valentines day is already filling the isles at Walmart but the day after that stuff will be cleared out fast!
Its traditional in some places not to take your tree down until after the 12 days of Christmas... and guess what is still up at our house...
This year also just looked different with traveling in December and there were many things that we did not get done before Christmas... I was feeling rather sad that I had not had a sugar cookie all season... but culture says that is done on December 25th... but guess what we did here tonight? We made sugar cookies to celebrate like the feasts of old
Honestly it felt a little freeing to have twelve days after to think about what Christmas really is... to savor the moment. Advent is about the waiting... the twelve days after you celebrate Who came...
My plan is to take the tree down tomorrow.
Sometimes learning history makes things more rich...
I am still very far from an expert on the 12 days... I got a very beginners Twitter course on it, but learning new things is interesting especially when they make you stop and see the beauty of God and why the Church has chosen to do different things.
And honestly the quote I have thought of the most these 12 days was something else I saw on Twitter...
"For all we know we are the early Church"-Brian Zahnd
In the cultural context right now where our government is doing some specific things in hopes of ushering in the end times (if you don't know what I am referencing here, please take my love for learning and go read about this, if you live here you need to understand why we are doing some of the things we are doing, this isn't a hyperbolic political statement... people have outright said we are doing some things for this reason) it has made me pause to think about if we are living in such a way to create disciples (not check box Christians) that will carry the Church on for generations or are we so focused on it all being over that we are willing to sacrifice people? Are we practicing and creating solid teachings? What if we still are the early church... are we building it on a solid foundation or on flashiness? What are our eyes fixed on?
Honestly I think if we are focused on true discipleship and building firm foundations that we will be ready whenever that time comes... but if we focus so much on the end we will miss doing the building up now and could have a very weak foundations if faith is build on apocalyptic teachings instead of the gospel.
Some pics of our 12 days (minus Christmas because I already shared those)
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