Post Christmas

The Season of Christmas has been a little bit different for me. When I lived in Korea, most Korean churches have Christmas day worship services in the morning on 25th. Especially when I was in a high school choir and adult choir, we had a caroling tour for all night on 24th. Due to my church size and members were from all over area near Seoul, we rent huge buses to go to the caroling. We put the announcement in a bulletin to make routes among those people's houses which usually took all night to be covered. We started caroling from nursing homes and hospitals near the church which is located in downtown Seoul around 5:00 PM on 24th, and sang whole night visiting those houses who registered through the church. We arrived at the church early morning on 25th without sleeping but sang at the service in the choir loft for the Christmas service. The challenge was how to be awake during the service especially the sermon time. However, we managed to do all those things and came home after the service. That was my Christmas experience in early youth era. Christmas was not centered to family at all, but church.
I still remembered the first Christmas 1996 in Indiana. Jason and I were singing at a church near the campus and it was not a Korean church. We did have sing on 24th Christmas eve service as choir members, and came to our apartment. No one invited us to anything but us, and all the stores were closed, and snowed a lot. Jason was very sad next morning that even did not want to get up with this total different shocking culture of Christmas day. I made a dish for us to cheer him up but still it was lonely and different. We learned how Americans do Christmas. Following year, we joined a Korean church, and had some dinner gathering and services but it was not like "our Christmas" in Korea.
For over 16 years, I have learned many things about cultures of Christmas in the States but still could not say I have the best one.
What do I miss? and what do I look for?

While reading an article in a newspaper this morning about how much people have become anti Christianity especially in this Season, I have saddened deeply. In the time square, an American atheist group put a huge sign saying "keep the Merry, but dump the Myth" with two comparison pictures of Santa and Jesus on the cross. Also Moron put a sign nearby saying "Christmas is love family, Jesus Christ." I don't think that the signs are not representing what people believe in but still have felt heavy responsibility as a Christian.
As we all know, Jesus came to this World not in the palace, or even a common family household. He was born in an unexpected place ever. Not only the birth but also the death was in the worst place ever.And through His unexpected life style, we learn how to live as Christians. But still I don't think we get the teaching what we should pursue and live as His followers.
I have a confession to make about my dream Christmas. I truly want my Christmas to be perfect in many ways; beautiful music worship service, nicely decorated trees and poinsettias, scented candles, beautifully dressed people, candle lights, warm and cozy night, red and green papers wrapped gifts with big bows, loving family dinner, and maybe snow even. Interestingly none of those were in the Bible or especially in the Nativity scene; a cold night without heating, smelly barn, animals, inexperienced young mother and father, a baby and its crying, dirty and smelly clothed shepherds, and even a manger.
I have asked myself these questions seriously. Do I really look for the real Christian life? Do I pursue the Life that Jesus showed us?