I haven’t had yuletide goose bumps yet.  I might be too late, since my kids told me this morning that today is Christmas Eve. If I expect to get any warm soul fuzzies, I’d better get cracking.  

Sometimes the Christmas rush lasts for a month or more. The cold sky always looks bright. My kitchen is full of creativity. The children are giddy. Some years the trees are prettier and the lights along my front porch are perfectly straight. In truth, the celebratory mood often rises, not out of any profound belief in the significance of the nativity, but because happy things are swirling around me. In shorthand, good situations equal good feelings.

 Not this year. With a crisis to navigate and a dark emotional sky overhead, I have no reason to feel the joyous rush of Joyeux Noël. The ornamental displays feel like frauds, the lights swallowed up in darkness. I imagine half the world feels as I do, perhaps finding Christmas gloom and Christmas glee oddly juxtaposed.  

Our family will be stirring in the kitchen—the twins will be making their school lunches, and I'll be in the middle of my bleary-eyed coffee-making ritual—and in the dreariness of that morning moment, my son Justin will suddenly belt out in a loud and chipper voice, "I'm singing!  I'm singing!  I'm in a store and I'm singing....!"

Around my house this time of year, the one movie that gets quoted more than any other is "Elf."  Starring James Caan, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel, and a surprisingly PG-rated Will Ferrell in the title role, the movie exudes elfin charm, wide-eyed innocence, and more than a knowing wink-and-nod to the traditional Christmas classics.  Besides "Napoleon Dynamite," it may be the most quotable movie ever.  My kids and I will randomly throw out quotes at each other over dinner, during chores, or even while playing Madden.  

One of the things I like about the movie is that there is this clumsy and naive, yet unrestrained moral anchor that underpins the central character.  In contrast to the soiled and unsafe world of New York City, Buddy the Elf's morality seems quaint and old-fashioned, but ultimately—and in Hollywood fashion—wins everyone over in the end. 

There was a shooting a block from my house less than 48 hours ago.  We heard the cracks from the gun in quick succession -- bang - bang - bang - bang - bang.  Five of them.  We wanted to believe they were fireworks.  However, the with the cop car shining a light in our front yard and a helicopter spotlighting our backyard, it clearly was not celebratory.

A 22-year-old young man lost his life.  It appears that 5 gang members killed him.  His girlfriend was shot in the foot and watched him die on the side of the street. It's the week before Christmas -- all is not calm; all is not bright.

Yesterday I was trying to find news reports about the shooting and began thinking about gang violence.  Our neighborhood is generally quiet and family oriented.  There was a random shooting over 2 years ago, but the police claimed to have done a sweep of the area and locked away all those wrong-doers.  It might take me another week to walk down the street in the evening, but I do believe and know that this is a safe neighborhood.  It will, though, take us coming out of our houses to unite in peace to overwhelm the kids with the guns.

My friend wrote this for a Christmas service we were at last week and surprised me with it.  I hope that you will find a piece of what Christmas means to you in it.  

Christmas Means by, Bryan Taylor

Over 2,000 years ago, a small child came into the world.  This child was born into a family that had just started.  They had no significance, no large amount of money and no political power to speak of.  Kings and rulers did not celebrate this baby's arrival; in fact there were only animals to witness His coming into the world.  However, when this child breathed His first earthly breath, the Heaven's opened.  God intended for things to never be the same from this point on.

Today Christmas means...
Sin is no longer sitting at the controls of my life. I no longer have to be enough; I have a hope. I now can live freely and lightly.

It was my junior year of college when a roommate asked if I'd join her to a comedy act put-on by the Young Democrats. "Ben Stein" was his name, which recollected nothing for me. But upon seeing him, it took no time at all to recognize the distinct voice and features from his well-known role in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." And as it turns-out, Ben has been part of a whole lot more than just a film that dented the 80's. He was a speechwriter and lawyer for former Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and has written frequently for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, op. ed. and almost every other imaginable magazine. And I recently came across the following commentary from him, delivered December 18, 2005, on the CBS Sunday Morning news program.

"My confession:

"Silence is a form of acceptance." –Cathy Standiford.

Today is International Human Rights Day. The Orange County Register featured a fantastic story of one woman’s fight against sex trafficking in Orange County. Cathy Standiford is giving up her $20 pedicure  and donating that money to the effort of bringing the dark corners of slavery into the light. Her story is simple, inspiring and encouraging.  

Life was hectic when Jesus entered humanity one dark night a very long time ago. He brought with him light, peace, justice, mercy, salvation, hope and all things good and pure. Life continues to be hectic today. Yet this Jesus who came to us still remains all of these things and more today. Make room for justice this Christmas season because it’s here and it’s on the move.  

In the last decade a new model of community at churches has taken off – the life group.  It disguises itself with other names such as home group, accountability group, small group, cell group, etc.  As churches get bigger and people feel more disconnected, they find their connection through these groups.  I have been part of at least six groups in the last eight years.  There has been great transformation, wonderful relationships built and truly I have called most of these people family.  Heck, my whole ministry was birthed out of my living room.

I believe in the smaller gathering of people to do life together. However, in the past six months, my husband and I have started wondering what we are called to in terms of community.  As we look at our own church, many life groups are set up by interest and not location, so people gather from all ends of Los Angeles County to meet once a week to discuss God and our lives, but the needs of our communities are not being discussed.  Life isn’t happening in neighborhoods anymore.  It’s happening online and at churches in another town.  Churches are even creating satellite campuses where the pastor is beamed in every week.  This is scary when we need help and no one is truly there.