Reflections on a Sunday Afternoon

I thought I would start this blog with the song :)

Christmas Carol Countdown #6 1/2: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
I think what I like about this song is the lyrics.  The tune is nice.  I guess it was written in the 12th century.  But it is these words, "O come o come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, who mourns in lonely exile  here until the Son of God appears.  Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel.  Shall come to thee, O Israel".  What gets better than this?

I read the following today on the way to church.  It really struck me.
The following is from C.S. Lewis's essay, "Is Christianity Hard or Easy?"  (it is okay to read several times because I did)

"The almost impossibly hard thing is to hand over your whole self to Christ.  But it is far easier than what we are trying to do instead.  For what we are trying to do is remain what we call "ourselves" - our personal happiness centered on money or pleasure or ambition - and hoping, despite this, to behave honestly and chastely and humbly.  And that is what Christ warned us you cannot do.  If I am a grass field - all the cutting will keep the grass less but won't produce wheat.  If I want wheat....I must be plowed up and re-sown."

The question that I had to ask myself is this: Am I cutting the grass or am I allowing myself to be plowed up and re-sown?  Why should we ask Emmanuel to come if we are satisfied with cutting the grass?