I had a chance to chat with Aaron Ironside this morning on the Balanced Breakfast – the morning show on New Zealand’s Rhema. I have been asked to offer a reflection for the Insight slot on Wednesday mornings in the three weeks leading up to Christmas, so I have one to go next Wednesday morning. If you want to hear it, listen in at 7:40am. I thought I would take a chance here to expand [...]

Xmasitis is an epidemic disease that hits our society once a year around the start of December. Strangely our health authorities offer no medical response or official warning even though Xmasitis causes the most stressful, dangerous time of the year. Therefore it’s vital that each one of us learns to recognize the symptoms and takes measures to minimize the effects. The first symptom is an increasing sense of pressure. At work you scramble to finish [...]

The poetry in this is phenomenal and the video/music compliment its strength powerfully. It is contemporary, very relevant to now, prophetic, challenging and hopeful. Listen carefully – it will move you. Immanuel (Hope has Answered) from Mothlight Creative on Vimeo Many thanks to the creators for this amazing piece of art.

There’s a better way. Check out Advent Conspiracy. Worship Fully. Spend Less. Give More. Love All.

Yesterday in our home, we indulged in one of our Christmas traditions – we put up the Christmas tree. For me this has never been a big deal, but throw in my 3 year old daughter whose love language seems to be gifts and the whole game has changed. Putting up the Christmas tree is now a festive occasion of sites, giggles, smiles, excitement, play, learning and an amazing amount of joy just at the [...]

Boxing Day has come to be known as a shopping holiday here in Aotearoa/New Zealand (I’m not familiar with what other countries do on December 26th so can’t comment on that). It’s a day when there are bargains galore and stores flick off all the stock they couldn’t move before Christmas so that they can make way for new stock in the New Year.

Eat Less We all know it and we’ve all participated in it. We know it as simply having a good feed. It could also be known as Christmas gluttony. Christmas is a time for many of us to enjoy good food with family and friends we love. Food can be a good means of enhancing a social occasion and there is no shortage of social occassions at Christmas time.

Someone told me yesterday that it’s Christmas soon and we should celebrate. He asked me if Santa was bringing me anything for Christmas. He told me that where he comes from Christmas is a time where everybody buys presents and gives it to their family and friends.

The following was submitted by Andrew Dallaston – TEAR Fund Education Officer. A lot of kiwis have been trekking in Nepal. One notable kiwi trekked all the way to the top of Everest and then spent a fair chunk of his remarkable life helping the Sherpa people build schools and hospitals. But apart from Sir Edmund and the Himalayas most of us don’t know much about Nepal – that little country about the size of [...]

Christmas is looming up fast and with it, the usual pressures of gift giving amongst people who already have everything they need. So once again you’re going to be wracking your brains about what to give your loved ones and chances are, you’re going to spend more than you can afford. Welcome to the ghost of Christmas consumerism. As the world faces a financial crunch, many of us are probably hoping for a different way [...]