Blog

Yesterday, while on the phone with a friend, she mistakenly thought that I offered to give her a slap in the face.  She laughed and wanted to take me up on the offer.  After clarifying that I meant to give the holidays a slap in the face, she explained that the slap in the face might serve us better - as a wake-up call of sorts, a "snap out of it" from the stress and pressure of various things that have come to consume us, especially at this time of year.

It is a blessing to have friends we can offer to give a "slap in the face," or a gentle reminder of what's really important and how blessed we are.

What wake-up call are you needing today?  Do you need a slap in the face reality check or a gentle reminder about what's truly important?

Last night, one of my favorite shows started on NBC: The Sing-Off. It's an acapella singing competition. I continue to enjoy the music of past winners. Pentatonix (most recent winner) has a Christmas song, Little Drummer Boy, that has gone viral in recent weeks. 
I mention this show in the context of this blog since I come from a church background with acapella-only singing: the Churches of Christ. For many, the identity of the churches of Christ comes more from what it is not than what it is.  "Oh, that's the church that doesn't have instruments." True, but such a shallow perspective of who we are or strive to be as the body of Christ. 
The challenge for this Transformational Tuesday is that you strive to be defined by who you are and not by what you're not. You are a beloved child of God. You are not a comparison to what anyone else is, has accomplished, or will be able to give or do for Christmas this year.