Son of Growing Up Christmas

Beachmas! Here's Cullen enjoying the ocean this past Saturday, with Cheryl's parents who are visiting from St. Louis. Perhaps you will consider joining us next Christmas? But there's no guarantees... for example, it's already back to a wintery 50 degrees or so today.

Back to more traditional considerations...

God was gracious to us, as he has clearly been family-wide, giving us many presents to open even though we made modest plans. And I didn't have my first laptop till I was 32 years old. Cullen has one at 16 months!

And I'm still saving up for my own helicopter. But not Cullen... he has his own helicopter and heliport.

And let's celebrate the New Year while we're at it, by reflecting on the changes a year brings.

Below: Cullen with several gifts of the past that keep on giving...

Yet can you believe this is the same boy a year ago, when he first received this gift?

It would be corny, I guess, to say that Cullen is the true gift that keeps on giving. Or that the Lord is the giver who keeps on giving. But both those ideas would be correct. We're a very blessed family.

And that includes all of us, doesn't it?

Cullen Checks In

Cullen is quietly awaiting Christmas. His Grandma and Grandpa from St. Louis are coming to visit, which he doesn't fully realize yet - he'll be very surprised when he wakes up from his afternoon nap on Christmas day.

So what's there do around here? Well, you don't need TV when you have your very own whippet zoo...


Nor do you need a TV when you have a light sabre!


It is this father's conviction that every child needs his own light sabre. If not a real one (perhaps when he's a little older) at least an imaginary one for now. There's much to learn: proper care and handling, safety features, etc...


But as always, with great power comes great responsibility!

Seriously Now (Jesus, Narrow Doors, and Money)

Yesterday I enjoyed with a friend a Chinese buffet. The most comprehensive and classy Chinese buffet I've ever experienced, by the way, and all on the cheap.

My friend's fortune cookie told him, "Keep following the narrow path for now." We found this funny, if that's the right word, since Jesus basically said, "Follow the narrow path and don't ever get off it, or you'll end up in utter and eternal darkness" (see Luke 13:22-30).

Well, my mind has been on serious matters this past week. So I recognize this post isn't for everybody. But I hope you will give it your time.

The other morning I woke up thinking about the nation's economy (who hasn't?). And I pondered God's plan (who hasn't?). I thought about how different God's priorities are than ours, and how Christians and others just don't handle prosperity well. And then, later, I read one of the many times Jesus addressed money and possessions:

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

And then:

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money [mammon]" (v.24).

And then, finally, I read the following in an excellent commentary on Matthew by Craig Blomberg (a go-to guy for all things gospels). This was published nearly two decades ago. Now I warn you, in blogging terms, these two paragraphs are going to seem long. But they are worth it!

Blomberg is commenting on the phrase "no one can serve two masters."

Against those who might protest that they can accumulate both spiritual and earthly treasures, Jesus replies that they have only two options. They must choose between competing loyalties. "Master" suggests a slaveowner who required total allegiance. People could not serve two masters in the way in which people today often work two jobs. "Money" is more literally mammon, referring to all of a person's material resources. Of course, many people do try to cherish both God and mammon, but ultimately only one will be chosen. The other will be "hated," if only by neglect...

Many perceptive observers have sensed that the greatest danger to Western Christianity is not, as is sometimes alleged, prevailing ideologies such as Marxism, Islam, the New Age movement or humanism but rather the all-pervasive materialism of our affluent culture. We try so hard to create heaven on earth and to throw in Christianity when convenient as another small addition to the so-called good life. Jesus proclaims that unless we are willing to serve him wholeheartedly in every area of life, but particularly with our material resources, we cannot claim to be serving him at all.

Jesus' words were published in 60 AD and Blomberg's in 1992. They deserve consideration today, wouldn't you agree?

Growing Up Christmas

And now I ask all readers to share their favorite Christmas memories. And if you are a Christian I ask, in addition, whether you think the giving and exchanging of gifts detracts from celebrating the birth of Christ.

For as I reflect on my Christmas memories, I would say that the first ones that come to mind involve presents. In particular, I recall the Christmas in which there so many presents that my little boy brain could hardly take it all in. Of course, I since learned that my childhood home was half the size that I thought it was, so feel free to cut these memories down to size.

On that particular Christmas, I received this:

You see, I played with Star Wars figures back when "Episode IV" was the only episode. This was the late 1970s, before many of you were born. But I didn't know a toy like this even existed - a Millenium Falcon (Han Solo and Chewie's spacecraft). And to believe that I got it for Christmas - amazing!

And I think that amazement is why that particular Christmas was so striking to me. I somehow viewed our family as not having all that much money, not able to get the latest and the greatest stuff. I don't know why I thought this, exactly, but I did. And so this particular Christmas morning brings to mind feelings of happiness and surprise, not greed and entitlement.

I just want to also note that this particular, surprising Christmas was also one when our entire family was together - which at that time was 5 kids. This was before those older siblings of mine left home for distant galaxies. But then, eventually, new memories were created... from times when younger readers of this blog actually existed:

Okay, so now it's your turn. What are your favorite memories?

Calling All Shomos - The Secret Shomo Gift Exchange!

This important announcement is for the entire Shomo family.

"Shomo family" includes anyone who is a Shomo, was a Shomo, married a Shomo, and children of Shomos. In other words, you - yeah, you.

Welcome to the first annual Secret Shomo Gift Exchange! This is a way to exchange gifts even though our family has gotten very, very big. It's like Secret Santa, but better. It's...

Secret Shomo.

To participate, you must respond by the end of the day this Friday, December 5.

These are the rules:

1. To be eligible, you must be 18 or over. However, those under 18 may participate if their parents take ultimate responsibility.
2. The Secret Shomo Gift Exchange coordinators will randomly draw names. No one else will know whose name you have.
3. You may buy your Shomo one gift or several smaller gifts, but please don't spend over $25. It's the thought that counts.
4. To help facilitate appropriate gift-giving, please create a wishlist on Amazon.com or send some suggestions to me via email (which will be forwarded to your Secret Shomo). Gifts do not necessarily have to be chosen from the list, but the lists will provide ideas.
5. Your gift must be postmarked by Thursday, December 18, to insure that your Shomo receives his or her gift by Christmas day.
6. Do not do anything that will give away whose name you have!

This will be a lot of fun. There are currently around 30 eligible "Shomos".

You may post your questions in the comments section, but more importantly...

Respond now to confirm that you'll take part!

Early Results Are In

Here are the first fruits of the new camera (and a look at Cullen's haircut). The last one is my favorite, that is Cullen asking to be put to bed :-) So long red-eye, adios out-of-focus...