Originally Posted by UntoHim

Really Mr. E? Christians celebrating Ramadan? Ramadan is a Muslim holiday. Your wisecrack is not only in bad taste, it's off topic. Please start engaging your mind before you engage your keyboard. Fair enough?
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Originally Posted by Evangelical

If your Christian brother celebrates Ramadan what do you do then? And sometimes Muslims return the favor, they celebrate Christmas themselves and support Christians celebrating it.

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

So, for the first time since I was born, I will be celebrating Christmas. I am headed with my family to my mother-in law’s tomorrow on Christmas Eve. My wife and I want to use this holiday to share the Gospel with our kids and create new family traditions centered around the importance of our Messiah coming into the world.

As a kid I was told that we just don’t celebrate Chtistmas. I don’t even recall the reason given for not celebrating it. Just a big void around that time of year and feeling abnormal.

How have you guys felt about celebrating Christmas since you left the LC and who is celebrating it this year?

Originally Posted by clever sister

Is this a States thing?

Originally Posted by Nell

WHAT??? No football?

Nell

Originally Posted by clever sister

My first Christmas outside of LC I was living in a country where my only family member was a cousin who was never in LC. I asked him if I could spend Christmas holiday with him and was kindly allowed to join his wife's family celebration. Christmas eve we went to a Christmas service, which was the first time I had been to anything Christianity related since leaving LC. When I woke up on Christmas morning at the breakfast table was a make-shift stocking my cousin and his wife and filled with a few presents for me. My first Christmas stocking in my life! We then headed to his wife's sisters house and I was made to feel like part of the family. Several of her family members gave me presents even though they had never met me before. It was so delightful, I was only indirectly related to these people but they showed me what the "Christmas spirit" is all about.

And so the second Christmas I had away from home I invited a friend who was also away from home to spend the day with me. We had great fun, making a ginger bread house, cooking meals together, watching Christmas movies.

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

So, for the first time since I was born, I will be celebrating Christmas. I am headed with my family to my mother-in law’s tomorrow on Christmas Eve. My wife and I want to use this holiday to share the Gospel with our kids and create new family traditions centered around the importance of our Messiah coming into the world.

As a kid I was told that we just don’t celebrate Chtistmas. I don’t even recall the reason given for not celebrating it. Just a big void around that time of year and feeling abnormal.

How have you guys felt about celebrating Christmas since you left the LC and who is celebrating it this year?

Originally Posted by Evangelical

If each person has a big mansion each it will seem rather isolated and lonely and what would we do with all the empty rooms.

Originally Posted by Evangelical

Jesus never celebrated His birthday. It was more customary to celebrate a persons death in Judaism.

The reason is that no one knows what a person will be like in future good or bad. Even Hitlers parents celebrated his first birthday im guessing but I think they wouldnt have if they knew who he would become.

This view is reflected in the bible..
Ecc 7.1 the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth.

To celebrate the good things a person has done over their lifetime is better than celebrating an unknown future.

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

I am excited to see what God has in store for us in eternity.

I tell my wife that the LC version of eternity is a giant hotel conference room where everyone sits in their Adirondack folding chairs and stares into an endless blue chalkboard. LOL.

Originally Posted by Ohio

Bible never says we will have "mansions." Bad KJV translation, gives the readers a wrong impression of what the Lord said.

If some Belair mansion in the hills of LA comes to your mind, then you really need to rethink it all to include Santa Anna winds and forest fires.

Originally Posted by JJ

I try not to let “Christmas” be a distraction, but focus on enjoying the opportunity to appreciate the Lord’s first coming while looking forward to His second coming.

Christians in the community churches I’ve attended since 2000 mostly get that, and messages along those lines are shared every year.

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

So, for the first time since I was born, I will be celebrating Christmas. I am headed with my family to my mother-in law’s tomorrow on Christmas Eve. My wife and I want to use this holiday to share the Gospel with our kids and create new family traditions centered around the importance of our Messiah coming into the world.

As a kid I was told that we just don’t celebrate Chtistmas. I don’t even recall the reason given for not celebrating it. Just a big void around that time of year and feeling abnormal.

How have you guys felt about celebrating Christmas since you left the LC and who is celebrating it this year?

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

Who told you the bible says we will not have mansions? WL? WN? Some bible 'scholar' with a 'doctorate degree'?

So.. bad translation? What is the correct translation? I have heard it's 'AN ABODE'.. when I asked to define 'abode', I got 'ABODE!!' 'ABODE'!! 'ABODE'!! The person could not define abode!

See.. if we are going to say 'bad translation'.. we should not stop there! Inquiring minds want the true meaning.

So brother 'sage'. What is the true meaning of 'mansions' and / or 'abode'?

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2 AKJ, Young's literal translation,)

There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (easy to read version)

In my Father’s house are many dwelling places: if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. (Geneva bible)

In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. amplified

Is Revelation 21:21 also 'fake translation'?
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each separate gate being built of one solid pearl. And the main street (the broadway) of the city was of gold as pure and translucent as glass.

Originally Posted by Ohio

Bible never says we will have "mansions." Bad KJV translation, gives the readers a wrong impression of what the Lord said.

If some Belair mansion in the hills of LA comes to your mind, then you really need to rethink it all to include Santa Anna winds and forest fires.

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

Why not all year? The bible tells us we are going to have mansions. I have already requested Christmas lights to decorate my mansion ! Of course, my mansion is going to look like an Ark filled with animals and a water fall too ! And LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE...GLORY LOVE OF JESUS..

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

Originally Posted by Ohio

I wish they would keep the lights on until March.

Originally Posted by Ohio

For years I heard about the pagan origins. Then one day it dawned on me that the only holiday in the LC we can celebrate is Chinese New Year. Wassup wit dat?

Did anyone tell WL about the pagan origins of CNY??? Course not.

Yet he was allowed to use CNY to worship God and preach the gospel, but we Americans could not do the same with Christmas?

Does that not define hypocrisy?

Good for you to use the holiday to tell your kids about the Savior!!!

Read the stories from the Bible.

The next town over has a pilgrimage they put on to re-enact the stories. We went one year. It was great. No one could talk, only pray silently, and relive the events.

In the gloomy midwest, I actually love all the outdoor house decorations. So beautiful.

Originally Posted by BlueOrchid

I celebrated this year for the first time with the least amount of guilt!
It was so much fun...

~BlueOrchid

Originally Posted by BlueOrchid

I remember the emptiness and loneliness as a child, waking up alone with everything closed, siblings arguing, etc. Left alone with nothing to do and nothing open. So sad! I was resentful that the training took away family time and it especially hurt at this time of year. Year after year parents sat getting "trained" while their kids were away from them. So sad.
Interesting point about Chinese New Year. I never thought about it that way and you are so right!

~BlueOrchid

Originally Posted by Ohio

I wish they would keep the lights on until March.

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

Good point. And having grown up in the Midwest too, I loved the way that Christmas lights lit up the evenings and broke the depressing hold those grey Midwestern skies had on us during the winter (seemingly half the year LOL).

Originally Posted by Ohio

For years I heard about the pagan origins. Then one day it dawned on me that the only holiday in the LC we can celebrate is Chinese New Year. Wassup wit dat?

Did anyone tell WL about the pagan origins of CNY??? Course not.

Yet he was allowed to use CNY to worship God and preach the gospel, but we Americans could not do the same with Christmas?

Does that not define hypocrisy?

Good for you to use the holiday to tell your kids about the Savior!!!

Read the stories from the Bible.

The next town over has a pilgrimage they put on to re-enact the stories. We went one year. It was great. No one could talk, only pray silently, and relive the events.

In the gloomy midwest, I actually love all the outdoor house decorations. So beautiful.

Originally Posted by LifeGoesOn

So, for the first time since I was born, I will be celebrating Christmas. I am headed with my family to my mother-in law’s tomorrow on Christmas Eve. My wife and I want to use this holiday to share the Gospel with our kids and create new family traditions centered around the importance of our Messiah coming into the world.

As a kid I was told that we just don’t celebrate Chtistmas. I don’t even recall the reason given for not celebrating it. Just a big void around that time of year and feeling abnormal.

How have you guys felt about celebrating Christmas since you left the LC and who is celebrating it this year?