How are an old silk hat, corn cob pipe, button nose, and boots related?? They all belong to a lump of snow called Frosty, the Snowman.
To the general public, Frosty the Snowman stands for joy. The joy of living. The joy of laughter. The joy of hearing children play. The joy of spontaneity. The joy of meaningful work. The joy of doing things with the people you love. Frosty, the Snowman symbolizes all of that. He is joy personified.
Most people, when they hear the words, Frosty, the Snowman, break into a smile. A gleam appears in their eyes. Children ages 3 to 93 identify with Frosty's playfulness and zest for life. However Frosty represents much, much more.
When the traditional Christmas story is read, it's either the Gospel of Matthew or Luke that are used. Both these Gospels contain beautifully-told pieces relating the miraculous birth involving both the Divine and the human. The authors of Matthew and Luke also seek to place the birth of Jesus in a particular historical and cultural setting. Jesus is born to poor Jewish parents, but is also presented as a descendent of Israel's greatest king, King David. His birth is given a definite time and place.
But, there is something totally different in Jon. There's no nativity, no shepherds, no Magi, no star in the sky, no heavenly hosts, not even so much as a Mary and Joseph.
John's gospel instead is some rather esoteric sounding language about something called "The Word:" "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" Several verses later you read, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us" Then, not too many more verses after that, Jesus is suddenly baptized and starts out in his ministry. If this story were all we had to go on, we might be celebrating Christmas a little differently.
What John is saying is the Word became real, became flesh, became incarnatedand dwelt among us.
Christmas is an incarnation story. It is the saga of the Incarnating Christ in all of us. It is the chronicle of our unfolding Christhood.
So what does this have to do with Frosty the Snowman? Consider this: Frosty came to life one day, dwelt among us and told us It would be back again one day. The metaphor is obvious.
Joyfulness, not struggle, is the message. Laughing and playing, dancing around in a silk hat, ball cap, boots, sandals or barefooted is the message. We are here to enjoy this Earth experienceto spend this incarnation, happily, healthily and prosperouslyTo dance and play and create and achieve until we melt away.
From Frosty, we can learn a new set of "Three R's":
I. Release any worries about the future, and focus on now.
II. Recognize the Source: It's not in your hat - it's in your heart!
III. Reaffirm Joy, no matter what!
And KNOW that you cannot be separated from your good, from God, because you and God are one! And that is cause for JOY!
To the general public, Frosty the Snowman stands for joy. The joy of living. The joy of laughter. The joy of hearing children play. The joy of spontaneity. The joy of meaningful work. The joy of doing things with the people you love. Frosty, the Snowman symbolizes all of that. He is joy personified.
Most people, when they hear the words, Frosty, the Snowman, break into a smile. A gleam appears in their eyes. Children ages 3 to 93 identify with Frosty's playfulness and zest for life. However Frosty represents much, much more.
When the traditional Christmas story is read, it's either the Gospel of Matthew or Luke that are used. Both these Gospels contain beautifully-told pieces relating the miraculous birth involving both the Divine and the human. The authors of Matthew and Luke also seek to place the birth of Jesus in a particular historical and cultural setting. Jesus is born to poor Jewish parents, but is also presented as a descendent of Israel's greatest king, King David. His birth is given a definite time and place.
But, there is something totally different in Jon. There's no nativity, no shepherds, no Magi, no star in the sky, no heavenly hosts, not even so much as a Mary and Joseph.
John's gospel instead is some rather esoteric sounding language about something called "The Word:" "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" Several verses later you read, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us" Then, not too many more verses after that, Jesus is suddenly baptized and starts out in his ministry. If this story were all we had to go on, we might be celebrating Christmas a little differently.
What John is saying is the Word became real, became flesh, became incarnatedand dwelt among us.
Christmas is an incarnation story. It is the saga of the Incarnating Christ in all of us. It is the chronicle of our unfolding Christhood.
So what does this have to do with Frosty the Snowman? Consider this: Frosty came to life one day, dwelt among us and told us It would be back again one day. The metaphor is obvious.
Joyfulness, not struggle, is the message. Laughing and playing, dancing around in a silk hat, ball cap, boots, sandals or barefooted is the message. We are here to enjoy this Earth experienceto spend this incarnation, happily, healthily and prosperouslyTo dance and play and create and achieve until we melt away.
From Frosty, we can learn a new set of "Three R's":
I. Release any worries about the future, and focus on now.
II. Recognize the Source: It's not in your hat - it's in your heart!
III. Reaffirm Joy, no matter what!
And KNOW that you cannot be separated from your good, from God, because you and God are one! And that is cause for JOY!
About the Author:
Drs. Bil & Cher Holton are Spiritual Leaders at Unity Spiritual Life Center in Durham, NC, where they practice positive, practical, progressive Christianity. Visit their website at Unity Spiritual Life Center and sign up to receive a complimentary 4-week e-course.
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