The Reason for the Season - 2 Perspectives

I sent this in an email to a few friends this morning, so if you received that email, I'm sorry for repeating myself. I was just really moved to use my brain this morning by the following chain of events.

First, I received an email from my sister-in-law. The title of it was "Shout Merry Christmas". OK, what's this about? The text is below. I read it, and it annoyed the bejesus out of me on SO many levels. What's Al Franken ever done to you?! It's so political and... well ... annoying. Sorry, mister dictionary has failed me again.

Here's the text:

*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a "Holiday ".*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
; * Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

Shout
MERRY CHRISTMAS,
Not
Happy Holiday!

So, yeah. Annoyed?

30 minutes later, I received an email from my mom, who had also received the above from my SIL. The subject line of Mom's email was "A Letter From Jesus". Also a forward. My first thought was, "Ugh. Here's another one." But I read through it.

Here's the text:

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just get along and love one another.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to a church or charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am Jesus and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

So. Yeah. Mom's getting a little unafraid to speak her mind the older she gets. Hmm.

Now, for those of you who may be annoyed/offended by both of these. I apologize. Except it IS my blog. So....

I just found it interesting that both of these emails were, supposedly, started and sent around by "Christians".

What do you think?

Whew!

Well, apparently the medication hasn't helped me blog more often.

It did help on Thanksgiving Day though. I think.

It was an odd day. My parents got here Wednesday. Mom and I prepped a little Wednesday night, then cooked on Thursday morning. We told everyone we'd eat at 2:00. So, Mr. Swizzle's mom called to see what time they needed to be here. He told her, "Well, we're eating at 2, but you can come over as early as you'd like." They got here at 2.

My brother and his crew got here a little later, but had called to warn us they were running a little late. So, we probably ate around 2:45. No problem. Twinkle once again this year, asked if everyone could please just be quiet and eat. She cracks me up.

Everyone got along. Mr. Swizzle and his sister talked non-stop, as usual. After we ate, I sat with my brother and my dad on the couch watching football. I watched so much football over the holiday weekend, it's amazing. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

While we were watching the Cowboys' game, we saw some snow falling at the stadium. Hmmm. That's odd. The brief mention of this made Mr. Swizzle's mom declare that it was time to go because the roads were icing over. Of course, it was close to 40 outside and had been in the 60s the day before but, hey what do I know? Then she said, "Well, we needed to leave by 5:30 anyway, because we have to drive back home tonight (2 1/2 hours away)." Why? Why can't you spend more than 4 hours at our house interacting with your granddaughters? Because they had to get back to pack for their cruise. That they left for yesterday. Yes. The cruise left 6 days later, but ....

Anyhoo. My family stayed around until the end of the game and a little past that. Twinkle received an invitation to go spend the night with her cousins the next night. My parents took her with them when they went to spend a couple of evenings with my brother's family. We went to pick her up on Saturday evening and all went to a hockey game. She had a blast at my brother's house and at the game and wasn't ready to come home. Of course, she fell asleep within 5 minutes of leaving the hockey game.

All in all, it was a pretty good, not very stressful weekend. We didn't hit any stores on Friday, 'cause I just don't do that. I got to hang out with my family, sit in front of the fire, and relax.

Not bad at all.

All Signs Point to Yes

Is the medication helping?

I'd have to answer this question with a resounding yes. Last week, Monday-Wednesday at least, I felt fabulous and accomplished several things that I really can't imagine having done a few weeks ago. The latter half of the week was OK, I just didn't do as much. I even went to the gym on Wednesday. Sparkle wasn't thrilled about that, but she'll get there.

The weekend was pretty nice, though I couldn't tell you right now what all I did. Hair appointment. Furniture shopping. Y'know, stuff. I DID make it to church Sunday, so, cheers.

This week is going well. Twinkle doesn't have school all week. We've watched Night at the Museum about 50 times since this time last week. My parents are arriving tomorrow and Mom has taken charge of all the food for Thursday except "my" mincemeat pie. I guess the true test will be the mixing of my and Mr. Swizzle's families on Thursday. Wish me luck.

My family is quiet. His family - not so much. Last year when it was just his family here for Thanksgiving, Twinkle, my loud, carefree, talkative Twinkle actually said at meal time, "Can we all just stop talking and eat?!" Yeah. They all talk at the same time and never stop. It makes me batty. Of course, MY family makes Mr. Swizzle batty because we can all sit in the same room watching a football game and not feel the need to speak at all. We all get along. We all love each other. We all know this. No discussion needed. Politics? Religion? World peace? (I typed that three times as "world peach") We have no need for them. We are a simple folk and enjoy each others' company talking or not.

So, yes, Thursday will be the true test of my medication. At least my family will be here to be a buffer for the loud ones. It'll be a good time, I'm sure.

And just you wait for the stories that will come out of it!

I Promised I Would

MB over at Terrapin Station, in a blatant attempt to get me out of my blogging slump, tagged me to do the following:

Here is my kitchen window:
What's in there? Hmmm.

From left to right we have: a pottery bud vase, plant food, a collection of Twinkle's sand art, two small pots that Twinkle brought home from Kindergarten last year with something in them that was supposed to grow.

Behind the faucet (which is new BTW) is a small pottery dish with tea light candles in it.

Next is a pot that Twinkle painted and put a flower on using paint on her fingers when she was 3. It didn't get sealed, so if you water the plant, the paint comes off. Now it has a fake plant in it.

Next is a box of hummingbird food, and various lotions.

Finally, hanging on the window is a green glass sun catcher with a Celtic cross on it.

And it's not a bad view, to boot.