FROM THE PULPIT: THE GRINCH CAN'T STEAL CHRISTMAS!

For the second year in a row, vandals have damaged our Christmas display in the Jackson City Park.

I'm tempted to take it personally, but things like this are happening all over our area. Is vandalism becoming the new holiday tradition?

While it's impossible to comprehend why people are bent on such destructiveness, two stories have helped me cope with my frustration and disappointment.

The first story comes from author C.S. Lewis, entitled "Exmas and Christmas." In his story, the people celebrated Exmas with excessive decorations, endless shopping trips, crammed schedules and a greedy materialism. Everything about Exmas focused on commercialization.

As you can imagine, the preparations for Exmas took its toll. Many people were exhausted from overeating and their incessant commitments. Still, Exmas had a fun side to it.

But there was another holiday celebrated by these people. It was Christmas, a holy day set aside to remember the birth of Jesus Christ.

Both Exmas and Christmas fell on the same day. Yet because Exmas was so distracting, few people could keep Christmas in its proper perspective.

The second story that helps me is Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." The Grinch believed that if he could steal all the presents, decorations and food from the little town of Whoville, he could keep Christmas from coming.

But of course, the Grinch found out that you can't steal Christmas. Christmas comes even without presents, food and decorations.

The Grinch didn't steal Christmas. He stole Exmas. He stole all the material trappings we often associate with Christmas. Despite his destructive actions, the people of Whoville would not give up their Christmas. You can't steal Christmas.

If you take away the greeting cards, trees, reindeer and stockings, there will be no Exmas. But Christmas comes. Vandalize all the Christmas displays in the park and you'll ruin my Exmas, but Christmas still comes. Exmas can be a lot of fun, but Christmas is the true meaning of the season.

Christmas is about joy, peace and the assurances of God's love that we find in the birth of a Savior. We decorate to help us remember that reality. Irrespective of your destructiveness, you can't take away our Christmas.