Let the Who-bilation Begin!

Have you watched any classic Christmas movies yet? I saw a lot of folks posting on Facebook last night about watching the classic Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. I missed it. I can't handle it. When the other reindeer won't let him join in any reindeer games....too painful to watch!

I caught a little bit of Home Alone 2 tonight and I've already seen a little bit of Elf. (Don't you just love the part when Buddy the Elf is in the doctor's office and he starts eating the cotton balls? What about when the doctor pricks his finger and Buddy says his finger has a heartbeat? That's classic! My kids like it when Buddy tells the cheap department store Santa Claus that he sits on a throne of lies.)

For years, my youngest son loved The Grinch movie with Jim Carey. We watched it all year round. We memorized most of the lines in the movie. In the movie, the Who's in Who-ville love Christmas and the biggest Christmas party of the year is the Who-bilation on Christmas Day. The Who-bilation, is a big, "over-the top" celebration in which everyone wears their most outlandish Christmas finery.

One year,  my children and I were sitting in church during the Christmas Cantata and I kid you not, I looked up and one of the choir members had on a sweater that looked just like the one that the Grinch wore to the Who-bilation. I got a little tickled thinking about it and my son asked me what I was laughing about. I whispered,  "Miss Susie" has on a sweater that looks like the one that the Grinch wore to the Who-bilation.  What was his reply? He said "Who-bilation, Who-bilation, Who! Who!" (Which is a cheer from the movie). Well, I was really tickled at that point. Further down the pew, my daughter asks, "What are ya'll laughing at?" So my son whispers in her ear, "Miss Susie" has on a sweater just like the one that the Grinch wore to the Who-bilation.' And what would be my daughter's reply? "Who-bilation, Who-bilation- Who! Who!" The same exact cheer from the movie that her brother had just said. My son and I lost it. We were laughing so hard I thought we were going to have to go outside!

Though I enjoy Elf and I have memorized The Grinch, neither are my favorite Christmas movie. Would you like to venture a guess as to my favorite? Perhaps a classic like A Christmas Carol, the quintessential It's a Wonderful Life, or the heart-warming Miracle on 34th Street? Nah. None of those. My all-time absolute favorite Christmas movie is.... (drum roll please) ......National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It just isn't Christmas until I have seen Cousin Eddie roll up in the RV with his dog named Snot. I have so many favorite scenes...when the Christmas tree catches on fire because of the cat, when they cut into the turkey and the whole thing falls apart into nothing, when the Aunt says the Pledge of Allegiance instead of the blessing, when the old guy lights the cigar after the sewer gas has been leaking....good times, good times.

Now, I know that's some pretty low-brow comedy and certainly has NOTHING to do with the real meaning of Christmas. I know that...but the reason that I love the movie is because the harder that Clark and the other members of the Griswald family try to have the perfect Christmas, the worse things get. Nothing turns out as planned. I think I just relate to that movie more than any other Christmas movie. Have you ever tried to have one of those perfect family Christmas moments that turned into a big flop with the kids arguing and fussing and nothing turned out as planned?  I think everyone has. I love those Christmas card pictures where Santa is smiling on cue and the little kid he is holding in his lap is screaming bloody murder...you see nothing but tears and tonsils. And you know the kid's poor mother spent hours picking out his little Christmas picture outfit so that everything would be just perfect.

Well, sometimes our plans for everything to be just perfect don't exactly work out. Maybe you are not looking forward to Christmas this year because of some situations in your life that are not exactly perfect right now. Perhaps even your whole life has not turned out as you had planned.  You may be wondering, "How did I end up here?" "How did this happen?" or "How did I end up with "Him" or "Her"?

God still has a purpose and plan for your life. Have you ever prayed to God to ask Him what your purpose is for being here? Have you ever sought God as to HIS plans for your life. The Bible has some things to say regarding our plans versus God's plans.

Proverbs 16:9   In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 16: 1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

As you wrap up 2011 and start thinking about beginning a new year and maybe even making New Years Resolutions...start seeking God regarding His plans and His purpose for your life. Maybe even pick up a copy of "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren.
 
Commit your ways and your whole life to Him and you will be blessed!

Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Psalm 37:5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

Seek Him, Trust Him, Praise Him...and let the Who-bilation Begin!