Today’s church service was just awesome. They used the message from Polar Express as a metaphor for faith. Kids performed, there was free hot chocolate, and it was a lot of fun. I’m hoping it gets put online so my family in other places can hear/see it. It reminded me once again of how lucky we are to have found a church where we feel at home and are able to worship in a way that makes us comfortable. We had really been turned off by the various churches we’ve tried over the years and BCC is finally what we’ve been seeking. It’s been a hard year for us, but I feel like I’ve rediscovered my faith through the messages we’ve heard there!
But back to the more trivial stuff, Polar Express is one of my favorite stories. I’m a big believer in Santa Claus myself and I dread the day when my kids might decide they’re too old or cool for him. I’ve seen debates lately where people who do the Santa thing are called liars and worse by those who do otherwise. For some ridiculous reason, this makes me angry. Because I’m not lying…while I may not believe in the fat guy in the red suit part of it, I totally believe in the spirit that he embodies. I understand people who forgo Santa due to religious beliefs and I respect their convictions. But it seems like so many (who have no religious beliefs at all!) are doing it out of some high and mighty need to be the “better” parents. Please. What’s wrong with a little magic and a fairy tale or two in childhood? Isn’t that what all of the kid’s books and movies are about? Who really believes there are talking vegetables out there or a blue dog who plays a silly game? And if you’re keeping your kids isolated from those things, are you not reading fictional books to them at all? The oldest children’s stories are make believe! Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin…these are all fairy tales and make-believe.
So yeah, I can hear the bell. So can my kids. And I hope they’re able to for a long, long time.
