Citizen ATX
Citizen ATX
Christmas Crossroads: Feast vs Famine
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We all have felt the hustle and bustle of Christmas. We want the best Holiday experience possible for ourselves and those around us. The hoops we have to jump through can lead us into a season that feels like a Feast or one that feels like a Famine. Whichever camp you find yourself in, know that you're not alone. During this season find ways to spread some cheer to those around you. Our team here at, CitizenATX, wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas! See you in 2026.
Hello there and welcome to the Citizen ATX Podcast. You have reached the last episode of 2025 as we are ending our Christmas crossroads series. Each week of this three-week series, we have been talking about the different kinds of crossings we have with various issues during the Christmas and holiday season. And today we are going to end with the idea of feast versus famine, talking about the inevitable financial issues that we see come up during the holidays. And so with me in the theater today, our studio as it were, is uh Jonathan Spencer. Hello, Jonathan. Howdy, Matthew. And also Stephen Vaughn. Hello, Stephen. Hello. So let's go ahead and start the just with some observation, I guess. So when you look out in the environment, Jonathan, that we live in at the moment, what are some drivers that you see that would be that would that are currently pushing people into difficult financial situations at as we get it to the end of 2025?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think uh there's a lot of people that have been financially struggling for years, and obviously that's nothing new. There's always tough financial times. I think and I'm not an economist or a financial analyst, so I don't want to predict and ramble like I know things I don't, but at the same time, I think when you look at the economic outlook, some are doing really well right now, um, you know, in the stock markets, et cetera. If you're at a certain area or a certain age or tier of income, then there's a lot that are really struggling after that. Um, and there's a pretty wide gap there. And so uh it's just an interesting time where I think some people are really strapped. Um, even I saw a jobs report came out today and and jobs went up, but unemployment actually went up too. And so there's there's just you know, there's always the hardships that come with that. That when you get into a season like this and people are always told to give money and be charitable and also buy gifts for other people, yeah. That can become a real stress point for those if they're not doing really well. And when you're on the other end, also then you're celebrating. You're looking back at a great killer year and you're, you know, rejoicing, and others are saying, Well, it wasn't so great for me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, and I think also since we just went through a federal government shutdown, which was the longest one in our history, I think. Um, you know, that's a considerable amount of people that are all were number one already reeling from the instability from that, and also the fact that the bill that was signed is only good until I think the end of January. Yeah. And so you have that kind of pressure of I don't know what my job might look like in the new year, especially if if there is a ongoing thing of trying to cut government jobs, yeah. Um, alongside all these tech companies that continue laying off a lot of people.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and on top of that, with the shutdowns, it's affecting all other things too. I mean, gift prices are up. And I know us personally, like we were we were looking at plane tickets to try to fly. Yeah, and we waited just a little bit too long after that shutdown, and things just going up when a hundred bucks a day is easier.
SPEAKER_00Right. Well, and even with inflation down comparatively to where it was in the last few years, if you look at it, some would say it's 25% up from pre-COVID, you know, from where we were pre-COVID, we're up 25% on a lot of things. And so you think about a five-year delta there of like how much more people are spending just to get by. That's crazy. And then you look at the resentment that's also out there, especially as a guy. I'm an older millennial, but it's become a fad for millennials and Gen Z for us to whine because there is some there is some credibility in that in that home ownership is more difficult at our age nowadays. You know, prices, the wages have not caught up with the market in real estate. And so, because of that, there's a lot of people, especially in the younger generation, that they're just frustrated. They feel like they feel like they work hard, they're not experiencing the American dream, they don't have the house they thought they'd have at that age, you know, all those things. And then when you come to Christmas to that point where spending becomes at a very high point during this month, it just it it increases that tension.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And it can be hard too, like when you see an older generation that's able to give a lot better gifts than you are. And that I think for for some of those who are young parents, they're looking at what they're able to do versus what their experience was as a child. And if they're if they're not level, there can be this idea of, well, I guess I'm not doing a good enough job, or you know, the inevitable when uh when you inter interact and go into family situations at the holidays, why don't you have any kids yet? Why aren't you married yet? Why don't you have a house yet? Why did Chr what did Christmas look like for you? And I mean, it there is a tremendous amount of social pressure that comes into that of needing to achieve and and demonstrating that achievement through prosperity in the holidays. Um and so I don't know, I mean, I know I know that's a hard situation to work through.
SPEAKER_00You want to hear a funny thing, actually. I this happened earlier today. So my kids are all in school and they've got white elephant party, you know, gifts that we have to buy, which normally when I grew up, it was like find something out of the pantry, you know, and like something incredibly stupid.
SPEAKER_01Exactly.
SPEAKER_00It was like the most it was the worst gift. It was like the work, the the more terrible your gift was, the better the gift. It made it more hilarious. And now it's like I was hearing like, no, nobody does that anymore. It has to be at least X amount of money. And I'm like, man, times have changed here. I know. I was like, teenagers are no fun anymore.
SPEAKER_01That's not how it used to be. The best white Christmas gift I ever gave was a crow decoy that I found at uh Academy. I thought it was awesome. Because who doesn't want a crow decoy? And then everybody fought over it because, hey, who doesn't want to grow?
SPEAKER_02I gave away a potato that was in a box, in a box, in a box, in a box, in a box.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. The hot potato, literally. The reality is that as minute we get this push from businesses as they're trying to finish out their fiscal year successfully, individuals also are trying to figure out how much are they gonna owe on taxes at the end of the year while at the same time feeling that press of the charitable gift. Um and you know, there's I think there's also the I don't know if you've ever heard this uh statement though, but of uh well, I want to give my kids better than I got for Christmas. Uh and I I know that drive that drives a lot of people, right? I mean, yeah, that idea of I did not I did not enjoy my Christmases growing up because we didn't have much, and I'm gonna make sure that my kid doesn't feel that same way.
SPEAKER_00Right. And it leads people to go into debt for Christmas where you're paying off this Christmas till the next one because you're buying stuff that you really can't afford, but you're trying to achieve that that quote dream you're pointing towards.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And then I think probably the other thing that is just so major. I know we're kind of laying out this just laundry list of terrible things, and I hope we're not uh depressing you, dear listener, as we're talking about this. But I mean, the other thing that that is actively involved in this is just what the role of comparison is, right? That we have pushed in our faces all the time, not just the stuff that people are giving their kids, but also the experiences that people are having. You know, uh for some families, you can find yourself in that gap where it's uh first first Christmas with kids, and you see some of your uh unmarried or childless kids, uh childless friends uh going on these big trips and things like that, and then on the flip side, people who see, oh, look, all the happy family stuff and all that, and I don't have it. And so, I mean, what this can do is just put a major bummer on you for for the Christmas season. And so then what does it look like, Jonathan? As we as we you know, we've we've recognized, you know, there are these very real issues out there, um, and that because money is always so close to people's minds uh in their their planning and strategy, that it can really get people down. So what what how then at this Christmas crossroad do we maneuver from living in that disappointment of financial difficulty and move into contentment around it?
SPEAKER_00I it all starts with just perspective. I think that's where you have to start because all the problems, if like I know we listed like to your point, like 20 Debbie Downers, and if if one of those Debbie Downers, you know, struck a chord and you feel that, you can choose to stay focused on that or you can focus on something else. And so part of it's disciplining our mind and reshaping our perspective, and it makes me think of you know Hebrew Hebrews chapter 12, verse two, that we're told to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. And and that is the calling of the Christmas season, is obviously to fix our eyes on Jesus. And so if you fix your eyes on other people constantly, which is what the world will tempt you to to do, and that comes through marketing strategies and social media and all that, if you're in a financial hard time, you're gonna be you're in a hard time, you're not gonna enjoy it. So part of it, I think, Matt, is just developing some of those rhythms of of reorienting your mind daily, uh, giving thanks for that which you have, uh, and and trying to remember him through those basic spiritual disciplines. Without that, I think you will be lost as a goose if if you're if you're struggling with all these areas.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it's also just remembering that a lot of the stuff that we get upset about don't really matter at the end of the day. Yeah. Like buying presents is is fun and all that, but like that's not the reason why we celebrate Christmas.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I I think we gotta be careful though with that too, though. If you're trying to console somebody who is upset about their inability to to maybe per purchase anything, right? Right. Because I think uh one of the words you one of the things you said in there, Jonathan, that idea of giving thanks on things, I think sometimes that falls on kind of hard ground for people because I'm supposed so I'm supposed to give thanks for being miserable, right? Um it's like, oh, I'm so glad that I have uh I have an overdraft in my bank account right now. I am so glad that I've spent down my entire health savings account because kids just keep getting sick. Yeah. You know, the I but what what I've been personally challenged than this recently because there is I was talking to somebody about this and um you know the question was, well, if you're you kind of get into these cycles of just feeling down and being upset or angry or disappointed or just generally gloomy. Um and the the response of the person was, well, should I t should I tell you things that you should be thankful for? Or or or should I and point out all these things, or should I ask you, you know, what what is something that you're thankful for in the midst of this? There's now they sound really similar, but the first one if you're uh if you're like me, pushes me toward guilt of oh, I feel bad, and you know, it's the whole you know starving kids in China business of that more that's how parents have gotten their kids to eat their dinner from time immemorial. Well, you little jerk, you won't eat your you won't eat your food, so guess what? You just killed a kid in the other side of the world. Congratulations. But it but we we we do that, we say, Well, you you really ought to be thankful for this. And that's that's more of a function of shaming than anything else, of you're an you're an ingrateful person, and how dare you, right? Yeah, the other side of it says, all right, because you to your point, Stephen, about the perspective part of this, is it does tell you, okay, have you really analyzed the situation that you're in? And instead of looking instead of looking at it of I wish I had more, what is it, what is it that you already have that you may or may or may not have deserved to have, right? The relationships that are around you, the um the various capacities that you have, because uh you know I find that people are able to to build on those kind of foundations and and grow versus looking at the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Um and so I that that's been a pretty major mind shift for me, where trying to get away from feeling bad about not being thankful for things and instead really starting to analyze and consider what does it mean for for me to survive in this world? What does it mean for what what is actually happening in my world and how does how is it something beyond me of a good gift?
SPEAKER_00I think also some advice I'd give to that person if somebody's financially struggling too is we're talking about perspective, so that's the internal reflection. But I think externally there has to be some kind of connection where you're being vulnerable with somebody out there. Like when you share that burden, and this is more the spiritual lesson that we're told to cast our anxiety on the Lord, but also to bear one another's burdens in the church. And so if you're carrying a big financial burden, part of your resentment and bitterness, but that that will increase just strictly through isolation. Like if you're the one that you feel like you're the one that's being smitten by God, everything's awful, to your point, Matt, all those, you know, horrible thoughts, those those intrusive thoughts, if you're the only one that's processing that, that is not a safe place. Um, but when you bring other people into that, God shines light into that situation where He He might not immediately remove all your financial woes, but you have somebody casting that burden, um, carrying that burden rather with you. And so I would encourage you, if that's you, let somebody else know. Like they might not be able to write the check and just fix everything, but just simply not being alone in your misery is a huge deal.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And sometimes it's less apparent to people than you would think. Because I I when we this is it's this way with any kind of sin or difficulty that we think we inevitably will think we're the only people going through this. And there's nothing new under the sun. And you know, people do tend we we think people will shun us for any some kind of weakness or something like that. But in the reality, they they want to help and they want to speak into it and they want to be a part of that thing. Um and so yeah, the vulnerability piece is hard because it hits our pride, and we just don't we don't want to have to need anybody's help.
SPEAKER_00And most people too, I think maybe I'm wrong, but I think most people in the world have some experience in this. Like maybe they haven't lived in poverty their whole life, but they've had some financial struggles. I know there's some that never have, and you can talk about that top one percent. But even like I've known people that have had money in their lives that have been pretty affluent. And even them, they could reflect back on days when they were broke, you know, they remember those days. So most people understand that pain is kind of my point. Um, I think even to my own uh upbringing, there were feast years and famine years in my own childhood. I remember actually I could point towards tapes of family home videos looking back in the day, and we would even kind of joke about it later in life because you look at the Christmas tree in the background in the living room, and it was just real skinny and you know, Charlie Brown. It was very Charlie Brown, yeah, it kind of was. And we and we'd call those, you know, that was that was a skinny Christmas tree year, you know, that kind of thing. But it was it was symbolic of, yeah, there was some financial turmoil then, but there also was joy in the home, and we were happy. And at that phase, as a kid, I wouldn't have known the difference anyway as a kid. But but my point is it's like most people get it, most people know what a tough year is, and it's okay to be vulnerable that way.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and to your point, also, I think most like it's good to find those people that have been in that place because they can give you some good advice, you know, on on some of that stuff, and it's good to seek that emotional and spiritual counseling as well from from people you can trust in that. But I think also you just have to come up with a plan. Like if that's something that stresses you out a lot, what what are your goals? How are you gonna get to the next level? What are you gonna do? Because if you don't have that, you tend to freak out even more.
SPEAKER_01Well, you will, you absolutely will, because that was our kind of our second point on that list that I have that talking about setting your own goals and limitations. Um, yeah, I mean the reality is if you don't set a goal, then you'll never hit that goal and you'll never uh this is kind of a weird space that we get into where we think it always could be better, right? Yeah, it always could be better, and that you're gonna be miserable with that fact that that it could be better, but you don't know what that means. And um I think it's important to you know it's good it's a good thing you said, Steven, the idea about planning as a part of that, because you know, the the cliche is plan uh a failure to plan is a plan to fail. And um once you get to the Christmas season, understanding what is the plan gonna be for when we intend to spend these things and when we and I'll again admit that I'm a problem I have a problem with this. I'm a little bit impulsive when it comes to gift giving. I see something cool and I think, well, that'd be good. I might as well go ahead and get it before I forget about it. Um but having an actual plan uh really does help with controlling those kind of impulses and urges. And I will say this too, setting your own goals instead of somebody else's goals. I I think sometimes we look at that kind of thing and we say, well, I'm just gonna take I I look at what I'm looking at what this person's doing, then I'm gonna do that. Well, their situation's not the same as yours. They don't have the same income streams, they don't have the same potential issues or family dynamics or things like that. And so it does require a little bit of self-contemplation and introspection to understand what is my what is our goal gonna be.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it probably goes without saying, but for the married folks listening, that means our plan. Yeah, both of us together agreeing on what we're getting for the kids and what we're getting for mom and dad and all that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, that that can certainly be hard. Yeah. Um, another thing that I've found, especially when you're going through seasons of financial difficulty, um, when you consider the kind of gifts you're giving, instead of just thinking about prestige or um oh, what's the word? Um, when you have a a gift that is a status symbol, uh looking at it from that perspective, instead of looking at the gifts and and infusing them with purpose of, okay, why are you giving this to this person? What does it say about how you feel or what you think about them that you are deciding to give them this thing? I I always used to laugh when I would go to like an extended family birthday party and I'd you know, I would inevitably every year would get the old navy fleece, right? It is the most vanilla gift you can possibly give. Well, you know, I don't know who you are, but here you go. Um versus you know, there are people who give gifts that are just you know, they're ridiculous and they're funny, but they speak something to, oh wait, you know this about me. You care. And sometimes those kind of things can be the goofier and funnier gifts, stuff that nobody could ever possibly need, but it fits your personality, and it's something that's like, ah, well, that's that's that's a that's a fun thing. And so thinking about it that way, that maybe the most expensive gifts are not the are not the best expression of what it means to love and care and think about that person. Um and also just getting out of that that churn of status symbols, like you know, why do you have to get your kid a Stanley Mug? And I mean we're already past that, I think. But I think weighed like 30 pounds, it was huge, it doesn't fit in backpacks. It's just like what what are we doing here, guys? Yeah, what are in this not Zumba, what what are these uh these dumb little monster doll things that are I have no idea. I sound like a million years old, but there's like these little monsters in bunny costumes that are like really popular. Haven't even seen that and it's awful. It is awful anyway. Yeah, infuse your gifts of purpose, don't just buy the brand.
SPEAKER_00Well, and the cheapest gift you could give, financially cheapest gift, is your words. You don't even you don't even really have to give anything. That will cost you nothing, then once again, just a little vulnerability because you actually have to think about what you're saying. And and that gift of words, I think sometimes, especially uh as you get more resources in life and you can purchase things, sometimes to your point, Matt, the thoughtfulness of the gift diminishes because you can just let the extravagance of the gift, you know, do all the communication. But that kind of cheapens it sometimes. Don't get me wrong, we all like expensive things. But at the same time, you know, some of the most memorable gifts I've gotten uh just from people, whether it be church members or uh whatever, family and friends, it's just a note or a letter, just handwritten that's that's actually from the heart. There was some substance in there and some thoughtfulness. Those things ring true and and resonate more oftentimes than than gifts. And so I would just encourage whoever you are, if you feel like you got nothing to give, you do have that. You have your words, and and that can bless someone in a tremendous way.
SPEAKER_02You also have your time as well. I mean, yeah, you can do things for people. I mean, there's uh one of the best gifts that I ever gave my mom, she reminds me of this a lot, actually. Um, I've given her a few different cool gifts, but uh, I heard her talking a lot one time about wanting to sit on the porch a lot and the church the chair they had out there broken and all this stuff. So I fixed the chair, but then she's like, I really, really want a bench out here. So for Christmas, I built her this whole matching bench with the footrests and cup holders and all this other stuff, and she's like, that is the best gift I've ever gotten in my entire life. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01But it's because you infused it with purpose and thought and that you're listening to her. Exactly. And one of the things that that I've battled with here recently is the trend that where people are putting together Amazon wish lists and then sending that to people. It's like, if you can't think of a gift, put this. And to me, maybe this is just because I'm kind of a jerk, but I'm like, don't tell me what to give you. I don't like that, and I'm not gonna do it. Like, I I I'm kind of recalcitrant about it. But uh, you know, the reality is I I I would rather I would rather sp I would rather spend less on a gift that I know that I that that demonstrate something I think or know about you than just filling out your own shopping list for you. It's like that's just it to me that's the height of consumerism. And I and I I get that different people really struggle on making a decision about those kind of things, but that's just something that's always kind of irritated me a little bit. Um I've just not I just won't do it. I won't participate in it. And um and ultimately what it does for me too is by not participating in that, it I I've learned that it helps me to appreciate the gifts more because they're not expected. And it's not a oh well, I'm glad you hit that part of my wish list. It's more like, oh, you thought about me, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so anyway, that's something I don't know if you all have experienced that yet, but I I'm I've been well my kids make lists, but partly because I make them.
SPEAKER_00Because it also helps me deal with relatives that that want ideas. And so part of it's for that. But I I get what you mean, Matt. Like I don't make a list myself. And and I agree with you. When I've received some gifts, like I'll illustrate with one, this wasn't Christmas, but uh I married a couple uh fairly recently and did premarital with them, all that stuff. And they gave me a nice gift afterwards, but the gift is as the couple was presenting it during our last session, it was unexpected. We didn't require a gift, and they they just chose to give it. But then he gave very specific things out of things he learned about me and Bethany, of things we like. Like he learned I like to cook, and it was all these little like boutique olive oil, you know, bottles that were from the hill country. And he's talking about how he was talking very specifically about the olive oil and what this one was and that one was. And then he heard that I like pecan pie. He had a specific pecan pie from the Favorite pecan pie place that he likes. And so it was it was things that I don't even remember talking to him about, honestly. Like I I don't even couldn't even tell you where I said it or when, but he was listening and he heard those kind of things and he filed that away and he brought a thoughtful gift basket. I was like, wow, that was way you're way nicer than me. You should be the pastor. I don't listen like that. That was pretty fantastic. But but some people are gifted that way.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I mean, and it is cool whenever you see that all kind of come together. And it can be that can be a separate kind of pressure of, you know, creating the best gift ever. But I think it really just being simple, being simple about it and caring about the person and thinking, what is it that I know and love about this person? And how can I express that by what I'm giving to them? Another thing that I would encourage in this, especially between couples that are walking through the financial difficulties, is communicating gracefully with one another about this. Sometimes you can fall into that realm of you did this, you did that, this is the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And the problem is we get real, we get real blind to our own behavior at that point and can always justify the things that we think is important to spend money on versus the things that they do. And I I find myself falling prey to this a lot with eating out that man, I just I just needed that pizza. Like I mean, the the if I didn't eat that pizza, I'm sure I would have gone to jail or do die or just fall fallen dead at my feet right then. But I I think when it comes to to growing through these things, uh if you don't communicate gracefully, you can burn a bridge by by which you could be vulnerable with one another. Um and just recognizing that that we are dealing with different kinds of perspectives, and usually people are not bad actors when they are doing this, they're really trying to do something nice and kind. And so making sure you're not burning uh burning down the bridge uh while you're trying to fix the problem. Um cutting that off. I mean, does uh y'all agree with that? You think that's some something true, or yeah, I mean I guess you wouldn't say communicate ungracefully.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I prefer being mean. Yeah, yeah. I would one other thing I would throw out there too, of an idea is make memories instead of instead of giving those, you know, always the gift, the material thing. There's a lot of things you can do to make memories that are free or very, very cheap.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um, Bethany and I had our kids, we started having them young. We were nine months uh married when we got pregnant with Emma, which was our oops, you know, child, but then we had our oops moment, and then we just started having all our kids afterwards. We're like, well, we started, let's just keep going. And so I remember especially those early Christmases, we didn't have much. We just didn't. I mean, we were pretty broke. I was in ministry making very little money at that time. And uh Bethany was just coming out of school and also not making much money. But the things it's amazing how many things you can do to make lasting memories that cost like no money. Like we load them, load kids up when they're little and just drive around, look at lights. That is pretty free. Yep. Um, you know, make hot chocolate, which is pretty cheap, and and and watch Christmas movies. Um, even things like I know as pastors will plug this, but church concerts, you know, Christmas productions, they're free, but they make lasting family memories, um, candlelight services. There's a lot of stuff I think sometimes we we miss. And you can even just Google this stuff and get creative. In Austin, we've driven around to the hill country towns like to go look at lights and small town Christmas stuff, and those things once again are are either free or cheap. And so I would I would encourage you that way too. Maybe focus less on the gift of the item and more so the gift of the experience, because the experiences, once again, can be pretty much free. They don't have to cost a lot of money.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I think one thing I would encourage on a practical way in that is considering um these folks their um their love language whenever you're giving a gift. That like we talk about the different kind the different kinds of love languages there. Now, obviously, gifts are one of those, so giving a gift that is a gift already solves the problem. But yeah, you consider quality time, you consider acts of service, words of encouragement, and physical touch. I remember as a kid distinctly, I think it was from Mother's Day, doing the coupon for a free hug to my mom. She loved it though. She was glad that she got a hug out of it. But uh, but I mean, and now husbands offering to give your wife a massage might not just better be you better be sure that that's her love language and not uh words of encouragement, acts of service. Offering to give a massage when the when the sink is full of dishes. Yeah. And I I think part of it too is that sometimes at Christmas time and holidays, we try to make up for areas where we've fallen short for a long period of time. And realistically, doing the little things over time can make this so much easier at the end of the day because it's not a out of nowhere kind of thing, but it's a pattern of caring for that person, thinking about them and laying down yourself for them. And so um, from a practical standpoint, I would say definitely make sure you're considering what is their love language and are you giving things in terms of that, or are you instead giving things that you would want to them? I mean, that's I love that joke wherever somebody somebody says, you know, for Christmas this year, I love this person, and so and they they love me, and so I gave them what I would want, and I gave them a dune buggy. And I mean, it's so funny. But uh yeah, I mean, we I think we fall into that trap too, where we push so hard uh to make a perfect Christmas and give people the things that we want, and also honestly, to get the response that we want, right? Um because we we because of insecurity or whatever other reason, and by doing so we tend to push people, and we and then if we're if we don't have an appropriate perspective of what's going on, then we'll be disappointed. Um and so that that's another thing I would say is just be very careful that you're not giving gifts based off of what you what you want and also based off of what you want to get out of that person because that's not really gift giving, that's that's manipulation. Um and so the other thing I would say too is celebrating appropriately when it comes to financial things in the season. I mean this can be it can become hard when you have a party every night, right? And you know, the I know one of the one you were making mentioned about the black the um white elephant gift thing. It's always one of those things when you go to a Christmas party and you're like, all right, everybody bring a gift. It's like what do I have to bring a gift? I don't know many of these people, like we're doing white elephant, okay, this is great. And so one thing I would encourage in that is you know, you can't avoid party invitations sometimes. And so, you know, dealing with that within reason. Uh but I would say also um that as you have ability to host and be the person that's welcoming in other people, giving them a very low bar of participation. That like if you're in one of those seasons where you can afford to host people in your home, then do it and don't put pressure on them to bring things to make it happen. Um you know, I that was one of the things that Adrian and I did early on is we recognized that there were all these young families that you know couldn't afford to go do all the big things, but we could do a Christmas light walk together. And so we would have the families over and then we would just all go walk the neighborhood and go look at Christmas lights. And it was always amazing to me how how m much of a gi a gift that was of just including people in my life. And um, I think one of those things that one of those gifts that we tend to miss, especially with people that in a in a community like a church or just a regular community, is that people are almost always more lonely than you would think they are. Yeah. Um and sometimes they don't need stuff, they just need to be included in what's going on and and to be wanted in the holiday. I know you gave that you you've talked about that stat before about the likelihood of someone going to a church is like they're like 80%. Yeah, would say yes if asked to go to a church service or event. And I mean, even to the extent of you know, uh are you inviting anybody into your home? Are you going out of your way at all during this season to try and help people that may not otherwise be connected find a connection and find a place? Um those kind of gifts I think can make a really big difference, just of your time and of your of creating belonging for them. So but yeah, I mean that that's kind of that's the list that I had for, you know, this this difference between feast and famine. Uh and I think a lot of it does come down to perspective. A lot of it comes down to being will being willing to be self-sacrificing, but also um not restrained, disciplined in what it is you're doing up to coming up to the event. But Jonathan, what would you recommend for somebody who is has classically struggled with this and may even as they're going into this Christmas is struggling with the on the financial side? What kind of advice and direction would you give them moving forward for how to start breaking this cycle that they find themselves in?
SPEAKER_00I'd invite somebody in. I said it earlier, I'd invite a Christian leader in on that. If it's actually been a struggle to your point, Matt, if that's the question, if somebody long term has envy issues, you know, financial uh financial anxiety, all that kind of stuff, invite somebody in. Because I think I think otherwise you're not going to break the cycle. Like we just gave like five, ten different practical things you can do that might be helpful. But if you don't bring somebody in to help you reorient, you probably aren't going to. Um so I would encourage you to do that. I mean, the two things obviously I know the spiritual answer is go to God, and yes, that's the number one answer. And and I think you can and will renew your mind if you get in scripture and you begin to uh crucify the fleshly thoughts in you. I think God will do a work in you, but that work is meant to be done communally. So I think you have to get somebody else involved in it to help you um reorient and change your perspective. But I th I really think that's probably the best action step is if this really is a plague, don't be plagued alone. And and take an action step somewhere where you just meet with somebody, a Christian pastor, a friend, just let somebody know about your inside financial situation. The other thing too, I will say, this kind of goes beyond that of the because I was talking more so about the spiritual formation of the individual. The practical side of it, if you really have needs in your life, like say somebody's really broke and they're listening to this, and they really are, you know, financially underwater.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00One reason sometimes people never get any help is because they just never ask. Like they never get and they never get any help because they never ask. They they wouldn't humble themselves to say, I really am in trouble and I need some help during Christmas. I love during the Christmas season how I've watched Christians, you know, through all kinds of different avenues, bless people during the season and help provide some of those resources and provide those experiences. And sometimes we just have not because we ask not. And so I would encourage you to humble yourself if that really is a struggle. Let somebody know so they can help help disciple you in that. But then also maybe to open up the door to blessing, if you really are in a place where you're you need to be blessed. This is the the season to bless others. So uh don't rob yourself of that possibility.
SPEAKER_01Well, and Stephen, anything, any other last thoughts before we uh close off this conversation on finances?
SPEAKER_02No, not really. Okay.
SPEAKER_01All right. Well, Jonathan, any any last thoughts? Well, friends, thank you all for being a part of this Christmas crossroads series. And in the the greater context, the Citizen ATX podcast, we love giving um opportunities to have these conversations uh about faith, about life in this world, about being a citizen of this world while also being a citizen of heaven. And it has been a joy this year serving with you in it. We do look forward in 2026 to jumping back into these conversations and would invite you that as there are things that God's laying on your heart and mind that you feel like you would grow through from a spiritual conversation from a couple of idiots like us that write uh direct message us on Instagram, uh reach out to the church. We would love to be able to help you with that and be able to help facilitate some of those conversations. And ultimately, know that if you don't have a church home elsewhere here at Awesome Baptist Church, you are welcome. We we would love to be able to walk this life uh in Christ with you. And so, friends, thank you so much for tuning in on the Citizen ATX podcast, and we wish you a very Merry Christmas.