I hate Christmas

Is it ok to hate Christmas sometimes?  I'm not talking about hating the true meaning of Christmas, but rather hating the fact that the true meaning is completely eclipsed by the business of the season.  Once Thanksgiving is over, there seems to be a feeling in the air, one of hurriedness.  Hurry and make your crafts.  Hurry and decorate.  Hurry and shop.  Hurry, hurry, hurry.  And so many commercials.

There are things about Christmas that I love.  Such as the lights, images of snow covered trees, the scents, all of that.  But the rest of it just brings me down.  I don't want to go shopping right now.  I don't want to put up a Christmas tree when its 80 degrees outside and the fans are all running.  The calendar dictates our lives to us and I don't like it.  What would make it better?

How about knowing that December 25 is coming soon and that it's a day we celebrate that Jesus was born.  That he was born humbly and quietly, although he was the creator of all that exists?  How about we then humble ourselves and plan to use this time to help others in need, those that don't have everything we have?  What would be wrong with that?

Oh yes, the economy.  Let's not forget that.  The car industry needs to move those cars after all.  I would never want a car for Christmas, as odd as that sounds.  It's NOT my birthday.  A car for MY birthday would be awesome.  But not on someone else's birthday. I know the three wise men came bearing gifts but the gifts were for Jesus.  And God the Father gave Jesus to us as the greatest gift of all.  But the business of giving gifts to each other has muddled all of that.

I always liked the story of the Grinch because after he took away all the trappings of the season, the people of the town were still joyful and still singing on Christmas morning.  If I had any say, I would take all the trappings away, except gifts for the kids, who are too young to understand, and hope that everyone else would have a sort of epiphany about the true season.

Love your enemy.  Love those that despitefully use you.  Use the birth of Christ to make amends with those you are harboring bitterness against or who maybe you have hurt in some way.  Help your elderly neighbor or the homeless person you see every day.  Be a friend to someone who needs one.  Imagine if that is how everyone spent Christmas day.  You could take the most beautiful Christmas scene imaginable and I don't think it would come close to the beauty of what that day would become.

WWJD

I remember a few years back, there was a fad where kids were wearing bracelets that said WWJD.  I think even non-Christians were wearing it because it was en vogue.  Anyway, what would Jesus do?  We never really answered the question.  And then the fad passed, as most do.  What should have happened, is we should have found out what Jesus would have done - and then gone and done exactly the same thing.  But we don't.  And the reason is, because what He would do is so contrary to what the world would do that it baffles us. 

Be kind to those that hurt you.  Forgive.  Show love.  Be long suffering.  Be patient.  Be Christ-like.  That's the real answer.  And its an answer that God sets out to accomplish in our lives, if it takes 50 years. Or even longer. 

So he brings that difficult person into our life.  He allows things to happen that shake our core at times.  He does those things because he's conforming us to his image.  What we don't realize at times is that we want to conform him to our image.  That will never happen.  We justify our actions at times and sometimes use God's grace as a safeguard but the end result is that we are going to continue to deal with the same issues until we get to the end our ourselves and then do what Jesus would do. 

And that's place where you find out, if you are marching to the beat of the only drummer that matters, and no one else is with you, then so be it.  You have decided in your heart to allow God to begin and continue that work in you, that work that began in the spirit until the rest of the world see's Christ in you.  And that's where the peace comes.  That's where joy resides.  And we think, why didn't we follow him sooner. 

Let's start to do what Jesus would do this Christmas and into the new year and see how you, yes you, will begin to change the world.

Election

This was one crazy election.  I'm so glad its over.  And I'm still in shock that Donald Trump won, even though I voted for him.  A big part of me thought there was no way he could win.  But looking at the results, it appears that this country really is sick of the same old politics.  I was never that enamored by Trump but I could not stomach voting for Hillary knowing what we know about her.  Whatever his dysfunctions are, he is not a corrupt politician.  And being a Republican and a conservative, there were the Supreme Court nominees to keep in mind.  And Obamacare is a mess. 

I read the negative tweets by Alec Baldwin, who is becoming more irrelevant every day.  And it's not just him, it's lots of others, but I guess that's to be expected.  I don't know how this country is going to unite but we'll have to find a way.  I hope Trump rises to the call and is presidential.  I hope he thinks and listens to his advisors.  I believe he will and I honestly don't think this country is going to be doomed as others think it will be.  We have to be hopeful.

Trumped

Remember when Glen Beck had his own show on Fox News and every day he would go on about the left wing progressives and how evil they were?   He had his chalkboard and all his visuals.  Everyday angry or crying about how our country is going down the tubes.  Then there was Sean Hannity who pretty much didn't hold back how he felt about the progressives.  And of course there was Rush Limbaugh, always angry about something.  Add to that Alex Jones and Michael Savage on you tube and radio.  And then there's kooky Sarah.

The party then split into the Tea Party and the so called "Rhinos."  I personally felt that because I didn't agree with the tea party, that although I have been a Republican my whole adult life, I was now deemed one in name only and therefore not a true member of the party.   So ok.  Whatever.  There was no longer any room for moderates in the Republican party. 

So what did they think was going to happen?  Someone like Trump comes along and all these people that have been listening to the above named personalities glob onto him like he's the second coming.  They've been listening to the anger way before Trump came along.  So no one should really be surprised. 

But - are the things he's saying wrong?  Don't we want jobs to come back to America?  Don't we want this country to be what it once was?  Don't we have a right to secure our boarders just like every other country can? 

Today I read that Trump doesn't feel that he needs to tone down his campaign.  Of course he doesn't, its what's gotten him to where he is now.   He's even willing to act like he doesn't know who David Duke is so not to lose any supporters.  Everything he's doing is very calculated.  I think he likes the violence in his rallies.  If he didn't, he would have already directed his supporters to behave but he hasn't.  And by the way -  he has everything to do with what's going on in his rallies.  I hear pundits trying to spin that the other way but come on.  Let's just be honest. 

Clearly this country has been split for a long time but now it seems like its more quartered.  There's the leftist progressives, the radical right, the moderates and whatever the centrist democrats are called.  And I believe there are some.  We like to think that after the general election, that this country will unite but that's not going to happen. 

So what do we do?  I don't know.  I suppose keep putting the lipstick on that pig for now.

Fair Game

"How will this affect the presidential race? Trump's remarks certainly won't do him any damage in the primaries. Contrary to liberal myth, there are such things as Republican women and they tend to be just as conservative as Republican men.

 

In the general election, however, many more moderate women may find it unappealing that The Donald chooses to personalize politics by going after Bill Clinton and see his remarks as underscoring conservative hostility towards feminists trying to break the glass ceiling."

 

This is from a CNN article by Tim Stanley, view link here http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/04/opinions/stanley-bill-clinton/index.html

 

Anyway, I consider myself a moderate woman and I don't find it unappealing that Trump chooses to personalize politics by going after Bill Clinton... .  I remember being so horribly embarrassed when the news of Monica Lewinsky leaked and the full deposition transcript was printed in the paper.  I was mortified.  This country was a laughingstock.  So, its fair game really.  And honestly, I'm not so concerned about feminists trying to break any glass ceilings.  I think its more important to elect the right person, not someone based on their gender just so a glass ceiling can be shattered.  How many people voted for the current president only to have the first black president?  And where did that leave us? 

 

I like the line that says contrary to liberal myth, there are Republican women.  I suppose because of the social issues concerning women, all are expected to be liberal.   I don't meet a whole lot of Republican women but I know they are out there.  Its probably because I live in California.  But I don't like being lumped into one group just because of my gender.  I have a choice you know.  Isn't that what liberals are all about, choice? 

This is Not Life

Last night I saw a show on CNN called "This is Life."  I've seen this show before and I notice a common trend about it.  The show highlights the aspects of life that are very seedy.  Past shows were about strippers, motorcycle gangs, heroine users, etc.  Reaching an all time low, last night's show was about Satanists.  This group wanted to erect a 9 foot statue of baphomet in Detroit.  The group behind it was the same group that had the statue of the Ten Commandments removed from a courthouse in Oklahoma.  Their argument was religious freedom and not having one religion forced on people by the government. 

The host of the show, Lisa Ling, who strikes me as one big knucklehead, interviewed key individuals from the group as well as some of their members.  Then there was an unveiling of the statute of baphomet and church groups in Detroit gathered outside of the building to protest it. 

I think the thing that bothers me is twofold.  The first is that Christians are always portrayed as the enemy or as a group of "weirdos" on television.  The second is that this issue is not really one of religious freedom.  Its veiled by that cause but in reality, its so much deeper than that.  Christianity, in its truest sense and purpose, is not a religion.  It is very far from it.  Jesus did not come to create religion but rather to create relationship with God the Father.  It is through Him that we are reconciled to God from the sin of Adam. 

Satan is the enemy of your soul and those that follow him are sorely misled.  They worship the statue and engage in all forms of debauchery thinking that this is freedom.  And yet the evil they worship is the same evil we see in terrorism, hate, violence, corruption and all other ailments of the human race.  Even sickness.  What is it that Satan has that anyone would want to even be associated with him?  These people have no idea that Satan hates all mankind, is a serial killer and would slash their throats in an instant. 

Does that sound harsh?   This isn't a game, you know. 

This show inadvertently promotes evil by showing this type of "journalism."  There was the mother who's son was gay and was made fun of and he overdosed accidentally.  They show her sadness and her longing to belong to a group that does not promote a religion that rejects homosexuality.  Then they showed members of this group going into pregnancy counseling offices to secretly tape them trying to talk women out of abortion by telling them about the health risks.  And that they must be Christian organizations.  Again, Christianity is bad.  That's the message.   

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  The Bible talks about the day when evil will be seen as good and good will be seen as evil.  This must be that day.  And it will get worse.  Pretty soon, any mention of Christianity will be deemed politically incorrect, intolerant and discriminatory against anything and everything the world deems as proper.   Is the this "blurred lines" people talk about?

I am led to believe that the dangers of being lukewarm in a person's faith in God are very real.  If you are not serving the one true God, then you are serving the enemy.  You might think you are a casual observer but think again.  If you take part of this promotion of evil as good, you will have to explain it one day.  Claiming it was just journalism won't save you.  And I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.