During Advent Christians have an unusual opportunity to let their faith out "from under a bushel," but too often we don't. In fact, it seems that we are embarrassed or afraid to own our faith during this most Christ-centered of seasons. Here's a great blog from Frederick Schmidt, encouraging us to live into our faith this season. http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Mortal-Flesh-Keep-Silence-Frederick-Schmidt-12-12-2011.html

How do you feel about snow globes? You know, those glass balls with some water,
some kind of white stuff and some Christmasy figure inside it. Most, in my opinion, are pretty cheesy. They have a cheap-looking Santa and poorly
painted reindeer or a red and green manger scene (seriously?). Then, every once in a while, in the midst of the cheesiness there comes one that is genuinely beautiful. We had one for years that had escaped the Curse of Christmas Tacky, beautiful snow geese, realistic snow and a nice
quality pedestal. I enjoyed looking at it for many years and was disappointed when the geese had discolored to the point that it was time to say goodbye to it.

Maybe I’m stretching here, but it seems to me that the season itself is a lot like those snow globes. Most of what we see every year at this time resembles those tacky globes—designed for a quick smile but nothing really important—and wholly without beauty. You see then everywhere,
especially in the big box stores.

Then, just when you think The Curse of Christmas Tacky has completely taken over, something of true beauty appears, something that reminds you that the core of this holiday season is not some shoddy decoration but the beauty of the presence of God among human beings. Emmanuel—God with us—is the beautiful message of Christmas, a message not gilded with fake gold leaf but wrapped in plain cloth; not boxed in paper and ribbon but laid gently in manger straw. The beauty of Christmas is simple, unadorned and bare, yet it is without equal.

Once you see the beauty of Jesus, born on Christmas because of God’s unfathomable love, you yearn for the true beauty of Christmas to push aside the singing snowmen and the second-rate snow globes, and to fill your heart with a warmth that is not fleeting but will last a lifetime.

May this Christmas season fill you with the true beauty of presence of God in the baby Jesus!
PD