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Recently I dropped into a local store to pick up some essentials. As I walked in, the centermost part of the store was filled with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorations. It was borderline overwhelming. I was a bit stunned.
Most environmentalists will tell you that the most impactful thing that you can do to protect the environment is to consume less. Our growth economy, on the other hand, feeds us constant advertising that bombards us everywhere we look; it insists that we must spend to grow the economy, despite any “regrettable” harm that may cause to the planet or the rest of creation. And the holiday season seems to bring out the worst.
This holiday season, as I remember the impact of the many recent disasters from storms, flooding, and tornadoes, I want to challenge us to consider consuming less and giving space for remembering and helping those who may have lost everything they have. In our home, we will leave an empty chair at the Thanksgiving table to remind us of those who will not have such leisure, abundance, and family time; we will donate to a food bank and find ways to keep our meal simple.
Similarly, at Christmas, this year we will commit to empty stockings. I know that filling stockings for children can be great fun. But, as adults, there is little that we are lacking, and we often fill our stockings with unnecessary items. What if we hang those empty stockings as a symbol that we stand in solidarity with the many who are banding together to help neighbors rebuild and restore. We can take that money that we would spend on frivolities and donate to Episcopal Disaster Relief fund.
I encourage you to be thoughtful or creative in making plans to promote simpler living and a much simpler holiday experience. We can model for our children and impacted neighbors that we are all in this together, that we need each other. Our witness this holiday season can be letting people know that we are doing this out of respect for God’s creation and Jesus’ command to love our neighbors, especially those who are displaced and struggling to survive.
The Rev. Joy H. Blaylock, PhD
Missioner for Discipleship
Dean, School for Ministry
Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
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