Month: December 2011

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advent conspiracy stories

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tapestry is a part of the advent conspiracy movement. as many of you know the idea of advent conspiracy is that we have been celebrating CHRISTmas in an unCHRISTian manner. we confess that far too often we have celebrated CHRISTmas in a manner that reflects the above stencil art instead of the real gospel of the kingdom of GOD. we therefore need to change. for us that means focusing on four things during the season of advent:

  • worship fully
  • spend less
  • give more
  • love all

we try to let those four phrases direct all that we do as a part advent.

recently i’ve been hearing some really cool stories of how people are giving more of themselves while spending less. unfortunately i can’t share them right now because that would give the surprise away for those receiving the gifts. i’ll share them after CHRISTmas. some of them are the most incredible gifts of presence i have ever heard of. if any of you have other stories you would like to share with me i would love to hear them. just email or call me – no need to post a comment and mess anything up.

it is a great CHRISTmas already.

Posted on

what is a gift?

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i am at emy j’s coffee house a large amount of time. this is why the threads jokingly refer to it as my office. in fact, i really do use it as an office. i answer emails and phone calls there. i get things done while drinking the house blend from my personal coffee cup. since i am there so much i know most of the baristas pretty well. every now and then i like to ask them questions concerning things i am thinking about or preaching about. they are wonderful people to put up with me and my questions. you see i really want to hear their thoughts on the subject because i believe it helps me to better connect the message to everyone who hears it.

anyhow, since we in tapestry are in the midst of advent conspiracy yesterday i asked mindy, the typical morning barista, if she would mind thinking about the best gift she has ever received and telling me  about it today. the photo above is the front page of her response. that’s right, there are two pages to it. how awesome is that. she said that it kept her up all night because she kept wondering what really makes a gift great and to determine that she had to start by thinking about what a gift is.

here’s my favorite part of what she wrote:

the best gifts i’ve received are things that have moved me. shaped who i am, been impactful enough to remain a memory.

awesome. simply awesome.

i can think of gifts that family and friends have given to me that have actually shaped who i am. i am very thankful for people who give like that. those gifts will stay with me for much longer than they physically exist.

i am scared that far to often i put very little thought into the gifts i give. maybe we should start every thought of getting someone a gift with the question “what does “gift” mean?” if it really is the thought that counts then i’m afraid that i’ve given some pretty cheap gifts because often there was no thought behind them.

give well my friends.

SIDE NOTE – mindy obviously gave me permission to post this. emy j’s is a wonderful place that you should all go to and you should tip the baristas very well. they are swell people.