What I Don't Need for Christmas

More stuff. I know the traditions. When family gets together we're supposed to get each other presents and it's good and fun and I like it. But, I live in this apartment that doesn't hold much stuff and I sit around and study for most of my day, so how much stuff do I actually need?

I could probably use a couple winter shirts (I could give away about 30 more that I never wear) and maybe a gas card to help finance getting to and from school. So Christmas is about Christ emptying himself by becoming a baby, but for me Christmas is about getting things. I'm sure much of this will change in the future when I start making some money and actually begin to buy presents for family members and children. But, shouldn't I stop asking for things that I don't need and maybe ask my family members to channel some of that away from me and towards those who are truly in need.

My mom being the planner and wonderful mother that she is always asks me weeks in advance what I want for Christmas and I can never think of anything. Why? Because I really do have everything I NEED. Wouldn't it be more in line with the Christmas spirit to spend the money to the marginalized and the oppressed of the world rather than asking my in-laws and parents to keep all resources in the family. (Now, to all who are reading this and have already bought me a present don't think I am not grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Really, thank you. I love presents, I'm just questioning why I love them so much.) My materialism and selfishness is the problem. I often think even my petty needs are more important than other's actual needs.

Anyway, I'm resolving as of now that while my resources are slim (and this is a very relative statement) I'm going stop asking for stuff, start buying more gifts for people, and ask those who would buy me stuff to give it to a charity. Not only is this better for the world as a whole, it will also give me and my family members who store my stuff more space in their closets and attics.

Any thoughts? Am I sullying the goodnesses and wonder of the gathering around the Christmas tree and opening presents? Well, this is my attempt to be somewhat provocative.

Life is Good

Right now I'm sitting on in my living room icing my ankle and watching Sportscenter with a stack of books and magazines that I've been wanting to finish or start since August. I'm fired up about a lot of things right now. To begin, I passed my first semester of med school. I think I put more time into studying this semester than I did in all of college, it was insane. The thing with med school is not intelligence, it's endurance. If anyone is willing to learn this crazy medical language and is able to sit and study for 10 or 11 hours a day it's no problem. I guess what my dad said about hard work making up for what is lacking in intelligence is true. (He didn't necessarily mean that I was lacking intelligence (I don't think), but that I just need to work hard if I want something.

Next, Meg and I are heading to Memphis on Thursday for Christmas break. So here's all the anticipated highlights of the week: Erling Jenson (sp) apparently an amazing restaurant that the Johnsons are taking us to, going to their cabin out in the woods to play with the niece and nephew and look for deer, turtles, bugs, hawks, and all the wildlife you don't see in the suburbs, of course Christmas day and all of its wonder, seeing my sister again for the second time in a month, catching up with old Memphis friends, not cooking our own food, not hearing the people above us walk around like sumo wrestlers, not studying, reading some books for pleasure, seeing Meg more than 3 hours a day, going to the beach for New Year's, seeing Meg's Aunt Ethleyn (sp), and, not that this list is extensive, but watching college football bowl games.

Another bright note is that Meg and I joined our church yesterday. This is the first time I've ever become a member of church without my parents. I was kind of against the whole membership thing for a while. My argument was that why do I need to join a church, it doesn't have any real significance in my relationships with people or with God so why do it. But I can see why it matters now. For one it's kind of like a marriage ceremony, you don't need it to be married but it's more celebratory and it's a formal, public way to commit yourself to someone else. I think too many people (myself included at one point) date their church instead of commit to it. That's why people move around so much because once you get mad at each other for some little offense you break up. Dr. Johnson said it well, (I paraphrase or change completely), "Churches are like attorneys the closer you get to them the less you like them." Of course neither one of us think this is completely true but it pretty indicative of many people's experiences. I didn't mean to give you a rant about ecclesiology but I guess I'm trying to explain my change of heart. Anyway, it was a good experience and we really love our new family here in Birmingham.

Well, I'm really excited about the next couple of weeks and the fun it's going to be to see all the people I love. So, I guess I'll be blogging a few times this week 'cause I don't have much to do so I'll say something more provocative tomorrow.

Top 10

Alright, so apparently I've bored most of you with my silly interests in narrators, Michael Jordan, and fried turkey so let's get some interaction. The assignment is: this year's top five books that you've read. (A few rules: You can't say the Bible, a map that helped you find your way, Wikipedia, or this blog.)

My 5 in random order:
1. All 7 Harry Potter books (that's right) by J.K. Rowling
2. Wampeters, Foma, and Granfalloons by Kurt Vonnegut
3. The Heart of a Servant Leader by C. John Miller (sounds campy but its not)
4. Animals (a huge pictoral anthology) by Don E. Wilson
5. The Conformist by Italo Calvino

Alright your turn.....