Christmas Conversations Day 10-11

It was the "stirring it up" section of both Day 10 and 11 that caught my attention. Conversations are two-sided, right? Well, most of the time. I will admit to semi-regular conversations with myself, another inheritance from my mother. But this devotion book has encouraged you to not just talk to yourself, but to engage others. Use the book with family, give a copy to a friend, post a comment on the blog, ask someone a question.

I like the specific target of the question posted in Day 10: Someone you know. You don't have to be engaging complete strangers with these conversations or questions. Take the person you are closest to... a good friend, maybe a sibling, a parent or child or spouse and if you don't know the answer, then ask the question. "Have you ever read the Bible, have you opened a Bible lately, how do I start, where do I start, how do I not quit, why do you, why should I..." There are a lot of questions and I bet you don't know the answer even for the three people you would consider closest. These conversations are a great way to strengthen your relationships that are already strong. To invest more in the people in whom you are already investing and who are investing time and energy in you. Break that comfort zone and share your story!

And then maybe the answer to Day 11's question will change. Have you asked anyone about the economy lately... what they think of the housing situation, the bank bail-out, the potential for or failure of an auto-industry bail-out, high gas prices, low gas prices (haveyou noticed grocery prices that went up becuase of expense gas has not come back down?), whether a new president can solve the economic problems... again, a lot of questions that I bet you actually have been asking and building conversations around.

I didn't hear the speech but I was watching some Senate debate about the auto industry bail-out on Day 11 while I was running at the Y. The TV was muted, but the closed captioning had one senator saying this as the hope for a deal diminished, "This is going to be a very, very bad Christmas for a lot of people as a result of what happens here tonight." The senator is saying Christmas could be different if Congress acts one way or another on a piece of legislation. I understand the reality of that statement and the real economic hardships that some people are experiencing everyday. But Day 11 asks a tremendously powerful and life-transforming question, "How will Christmas be different this year if you believe that Jesus is truly the Savior, the Promised One from God?"