The elephant in the room.....bring on the holidays!

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"Elephant in the room or Elephant in the living room is an English metaphorical idiom for an obvious truth that is going unaddressed. The idiomatic expression also applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss.[2]
It is based on the idea/thought that an elephant in a room would be impossible to overlook."
In the spirit of holiday sarcasm and my bent on things less cheerful, I am compelled to take note of this.  The elephant in the room......I've know about him for forever.  Because of how God wired me I have always know about him.  It is the unspoken thing....the obvious absence.....the huge presence that no one will address.  Today is Thanksgiving and many of us, if we are lucky, have spent time with family and/or friends to celebrate.  We gathered and gave hugs.  We laughed.  We shared memories.  We avoided talking about certain "hot topics" because we wanted a nice day, not a day full of fighting and tears.  Families do this.  I know they do.  Mine does, for sure.

When I was younger and more fueled with fires of righteous indignation, I was passionate about the elephant in the room.  I hated it.  I hated the two-faced way we did things as we danced around him but didn't ever address him.  I thought the grown ups were weak and fearful to allow him to come to the celebration but refuse to acknowledge him.  

I am older now.  Wiser, maybe.  Or more overwhelmed by his presence and how to handle the uninvited guest that always comes.  This elephant is what we don't want to deal with in our families....and even though we all know he is there, we just move around him, dishing up our food, having casual conversations, and smiling.

I don't know how to remove the big elephant in the room of my family gatherings....I have thought about just naming him.  Wouldn't that be scandalous?  Hi everyone!  I've invited "so and so"  He is the big elephant in the room that we will not talk about.  He will stay until the guests have all left and then he will disappear.  Greet him if you dare.  Tip toe around him if you don't want to confront him.  Avert your eyes if you want to ignore him.  Nonetheless....he is here.  

This elephant.....he is a part of family.  Hear me.  He is part of US.  He comes with the flawed way that humans do life and relationship.  He comes with our courageous attempt to gather and love in the face of sin and hardship and broken-ness.  We will continue to gather because we must.  My children need to know what it feels like to have holiday traditions and generous hosts and hard work to make a special place to gather.  I expect them to one day do the same.  I want them to become familiar with the big elephant that will show up uninvited.  I think he matters.  I think if we don't know he is there.....we will have missed something important.  

Equally present will be the Holy Spirit.  He is formless, He is life-giving, He is everywhere all the time.  He, too, knows the big elephant.  Heck.....maybe He invites him!  If you gather with akward moments with family this holiday season and you can find the big elephant in the room that no one is talking about, also look for the presence of the Holy Spirit.  I'm pretty sure they travel together.


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