Early Weekend Links: starting the season from the right place

Discipleship doesn't happen apart from imitation. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, but especially in terms of being a family on mission at Christmas time. Looking back at the early life of Christ (in its poverty from birth to almost immediate refugee status), He worked in His earthly dad's carpentry trade, then He was an itinerant rabbi and His teachings included Life, love, simplicity and sacrifice (to name a few) in its walk with God and others, and after His crucifixion He was laid in a borrowed tomb. Now, resurrected and coming again, He gave us the Holy Spirit to walk in the grace, power, and authority of the Kingdom, and to live our lives representing the Kingdom to the world. All this to say, in light of all this, the materialist habits that saturate the Spirit of Capitalism are pretty counter of what the disciple is called to. I want to follow Jesus - and I believe a practical way that translates into living in the U.S. in 2013 (for starters) means a life lived in simplicity (or, at this point- pursuing simplicity. I'm growing!). As a family, this is a chance to point people to the Incarnation, so this season (even more than usual) we're rethinking how our mission changes the way we celebrate Christmas.

It's interesting. You don't have to be a Christian to feel the out-of-balanced mentality that is in our culture in regards to material belongings. Black Friday has turned into kind of a frightening holiday (my wife was reminding me of when it was called the "Day after Thanksgiving Sale"). So, as our family starts getting into the swing of Christmas Advent, we're having a Friday at home getting ready to decorate our home, and some friends may come over throughout the day. Here are some readings that I've thinking about, being challenged by, and enjoying this season (so far):

Holiday Shopping. We can do better. | Becoming Minimalist

The Necessary Art of Subtraction | Zen Habits

The Gift of Not Giving a Thing | YummyMummy

Christmas: The Assumption of Consumption | The Simplicity Collective

Are Children Given Too Many Toys? | BBC News

How to Shop Ethically | The Art of Simple

8 Ways to Be More Human This Season | Soulation

If You Shop on Thanksgiving, You are Part of the Problem | The Matt Walsh Blog


And are you looking for some good Christmas music? Check out:

Justin Rizzo, Christmas
Future of Forestry, Christmas Advent vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3