The Propspect of Home

“I’ve waited too long for this!” Said the Prospector upon emerging from his box. Why is the Prospector the villain of Toy Story 2? What about him screams “nasty” and “mean”? Why do we feel a great victory when the Prospector is shipped off to that foreign land, never to see the rest of his gang again? I mean think about it... Woody is the one who is breaking up the famous “roundup gang”; the Prospector thinks that he is being the hero by being and protecting what he thinks they are meant to be: figures, objects of devotion from admirers. The Prospector is not even the hero of the gang in the olden days, he was just one of those characters that played a secondary role, or even the dumb one who frequently finds himself in tight predicaments. This was his shining moment to knock some sense into the other fools who want to go and be... played with.
Jesse said that “he's mint in the box, never been opened.” Why not? How come everyone else was opened? What is different about Andy’s love than the love that you would receive being admired from behind glass? I’ve asked a lot of questions and now, hopefully I can answer a few of them. First off, I do not think there is much difference from going to Tokyo and being admired from behind glass, and the admiration the Prospector had received because he has always been behind glass (or whatever that plastic film the covers the front of the box). The point is, he can only be admired for his looks (which aren’t great, mind you), for what he represents and stands for, and for being a member that made Woody a favorite play thing.... he has never been loved.
We cheer for Woody, the hero, and greatly desire him to win and gain victory over the Prospector, but the truth is, we are Prospectors. We are constantly pushing for the way in which think will make us feel the most loved. The only time that we emerge from our box is to stop the loved from finding the lover... because the lover is too good to be true. Andy treasures and cares for the toys, he gives them purpose and meaning, and in a way he is a God figure to them. The toys are there to bring pleasure to Andy and for Andy to love them. The Prospector can’t fathom this so his heart is set on being loved to some capacity and instead of being buried inside a cardboard box, meaningless without the presence of the rest of the gang, being stared at and “admired” from a distance is what the Prospector thinks is enough to fill his Andy-shaped hole.
Why do we feel a great victory when Andy and Jesse and Bullseye (who listen to the call of love) escape the villain ways of the Prospector? Because they are going home really home to the place where they belong.
Maybe this is all a big stretch, but I don’t think so. The Prospector even shares his own desire to be loved... he shared of his suffering as he sat on a “dime-store shelf watching every other toy being sold.” But not every owner picks and chooses and discards the unwanted, there are good owners like Andy. The Prospector was given an opportunity to be loved by Andy, but he did not trust his love. So, he became embittered toward Andy’s love for Woody and then, when Andy’s love was great enough to draw them back home, the Prospector would not have these toys, drawn by love, take away his opportunity to be loved (or distantly admired) in the way that he thought would make him fulfilled. And that is why we cheer in the end: for love that is stronger than any other, for purpose because of this love, and for a homecoming that is more beautiful than before because they conquered the fleeting fulfillment that this world tells us will satisfy.

Christmas.

Warm cozy attire, classy holiday songs, aromatic christmas kitchens, colorful holiday decorations, creative christmas greetings and family photos, special secrets and surprises, hugs and kisses all around, and nostalgic traditions that make each year a new memory yet strangely tied to every other memory. Are these the things that make Christmas, Christmas?

Technically speaking, it is not really Jesus' birthday, the kings from the east didn't really come to worship that night, just a couple shepherds. We gather around every year and read "the Christmas story" but does this season really have any ties to the miracle of God incarnate?

Nope, not really. Then why do we celebrate? Why do we even have Christmas to begin with?

I do not know about you, but I celebrate Christmas because it is a time set aside specifically to reflect on what it means that Jesus entered into to the refuse of humanity in such a lowly way when he came from a state of eternal blessedness up in heaven. This past semester we had to memorize Philippians 2:5-11 for one of our Pull Questions. If I remember it correctly it goes like this:

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow on heaven and on earth and under the earth and ever tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." But how do you reflect? How do you "celebrate this"?

Veggie Tales tell us in "The Toy that Saved Christmas" that the true meaning of Christmas is to give to others and not be selfish because God gave us the greatest gift of all. Maybe this is true.

But now, we have three different messages of what we are to do about our christmas. On one hand we have the world telling us that Christmas is about sipping a glass of eggnog as we sleepily dance to some Crosby and dress up as santa and kiss under the mistletoe, on the other we have Christians telling us that we are to be celebrating Jesus' birth, and our children are being told that Christmas is about giving. Who is right? What makes Christmas, Christmas? Or maybe the better question: what ought to make Christmas, Christmas? Should we even think about this?

What if we are doing too much eggnog sipping and not enough reflecting? What if we are doing too much reflecting and not enough dancing? What if we are doing too much giving and not any receiving?

Gratitude, my friends, gratitude. Take joy in all things and be thankful for every good and perfect thing. For the gifts both given and received, for God incarnate, and for joyful memories. I know that's not an answer for the question of what makes Christmas, Christmas, but it's good enough to remind me not to caught in the trap of stress, unmet expectations, and the red and green christmas appearance.

May the Lord shine light, warmth and love on your Christmas!

I've Gone and Done It.

I made myself promise that I would never get a blog and put my thoughts and opinions out there for the world to see, but see now, I've done it. I have created a blog just like the other millions who think they have some two cents to add to this world, and, so far, I'm off to a plagiarized start: I stole the name for my blog from an old song I used to sing from the 1840's.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

(Insert slew of other verses)

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

How refreshing to hear such specific praises with joy and thanksgiving in midst of such a pessimistic culture. This is one of my goals for this blog and the merry Christmas break seems like a perfect time to start! My friends, my hope is that, through the writing and sharing of my thoughts, opinions, and experiences, I will be able to think harder, articulate more clearly, express more beautifully, in a manner that will inspire myself and others to seek the cross of Jesus Christ ardently. I did not want to write a blog before now because I never enjoyed writing. I still do not enjoy writing but it has been on my heart that, whether or not I enjoy the task, I must practice practice practice writing and communicating persuasively, graciously, and with passion so that I may know how I ought to answer each person.

Merry Christmas!