Party!

“Let’s party” seems to be the byword for a good time, and the signal that party time is the only way to have fun. The unspoken thought behind the words, at least in my culture, is that alcohol must be a part of the night’s revelry, otherwise it’s a waste of time. But does it have to be that way?

In our young, immature years, we think that some wine, beer, or spirits will unlock the door to fun, and happiness. Sadly, many have to learn the hard way that this is not true. Ask the young girl who ends up with the choice between having an unplanned baby, or an abortion. Ask the young man who has picked a fight with his best pal, and maimed him for life. Ask the nurses at A&E. Ask the Police who have to literally pick up the pieces shed on a good night out. Ask a parent who lies awake praying that their son or daughter is safe and will come home unharmed.

We can’t be too hard on our teenagers, when we remember our own youthful escapades. We may have got out of our youth unscathed physically, but many of us bear the unseen scars mentally and emotionally. That is the very reason parents, and yes grandparents too, worry for their own because they have been there, and even now may live with the uneasy consequences. So the next time your mum or dad says, “be home by …”, “stay safe” or “keep good company” or “don’t be on your own”, it’s not because they want to be a kill joy. On the contrary, they want you to avoid the pitfalls they almost fell into, and they know that the unintended bad memories stay real and vivid for a long time. Maybe for ever. So next time you hear the words, “let’s party” try to keep in mind the things that are important. The things that will outlast your years, way beyond any (bad) decision you may make for the short term. Oh, and for the record you CAN have fun and enjoy yourself without alcohol. It’s true!

“Then he said, ‘I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns! I will put all my wheat and good things together in my new barns. Then I can say to myself, I have many good things stored. I have saved enough for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!’ “But God said to that man, ‘Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So what about the things you prepared for yourself? Who will get those things now?’ Luke 12:18-20

Grand Old Duke

You might just remember playing the party game and singing this song:

“Oh The Grand Old Duke of York

He had ten thousand men

He marched them up to the top of the hill

And he marched them down again.

When they were up they were up

And when they were down they were down

And when they were only halfway up

They were neither up nor down”

Now we find ourselves between Christmas and the start of a fresh new year, and after the events of the past year, possibly feel in “no man’s land”, or “neither up nor down”. Join the club, because this can be a dead week. Neither the fun of Christmas giving, nor the wonder of what lies in store for the year that’s yet to unfold. These can be down days.

We need to be reminded that although for us, every day is not the same, and our feelings go up and down, blow hot and cold, feel dark and depressed, our great God is none of these. It is important that we stop feeling, and start thinking and taking God at His Word. He is not subject to whims of feeling, but a sure and certain God in His dealings with us. So faithful pilgrim, when we feel down, remember, and hold on to these words which will get us through:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

A Tale Of Two Christmases

I love Christmas, with the glitter, tinsel, artificial trees all lit up, santa in the mall, the smell of cinnamon candles, and the laughter of children, wide eyed at the wonder and magic of gifts received for no other reason than the love of parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and loved ones. Then there is the best part for me. The gathering around the family table to enjoy the traditional dinner of turkey and all the trimmings. That’s my Christmas, but sadly, it is not the Christmas of many. But above and before all of this festive fun, is the realisation that the reason for the season is the virgin birth of the Saviour of the World into a lowly stable manger in Bethlehem, as prophesied.

Then there is the other side of Christmas, mainly peddled by businesses who want your money, and for those 30 pieces of silver, promise a good time, in fact the best time you ever had by maxing out your credit card. Christmas has become something else. The media in the UK, and in our other ‘civilised’ western cultures, warn against hedonism. Of course they don’t call it that, so they give out other more PC warnings which are for your own benefit.

Police having to increase their patrols, on the lookout for drivers who take a chance and drink to excess before getting behind the wheel, putting their own lives at risk but also those younger innocents. The medical profession warning about the risks of spiked drinks, especially putting young party women, out for a good time ‘at risk’, and all that entails. Domestic violence hits a high, due to increased alcohol intake. Young drunken men and girls, out for a ‘good time’ at all and any cost, without a thought for the consequences to them or any others.

What have we, the civilised societies, done to the season of Christmas? It goes deeper than just being an expensive time of year. It goes to the heart of our humanity, by trading the baby in the manger for a lifestyle which is as far away from the meaning of Christmas as you can get. We have changed the definition of the word ‘party’ to a drunken orgy, instead of a celebration of goodness, based on the life and example of the Son of God. I ask again, what have we done with Christmas, and is it for our good?