Sandra Jeffers December 20th, 2007

Right on! My best laugh of the day and brought my mind back to what Christmas is about.

Charles December 20th, 2007

Thanks for the site for us to come hang out….and Merry Christmas to you too.

Pierre Duelz December 21st, 2007

Hey you shoppers! It's that time of year.

Sing along, you know the tune…

"Tis the season to be weary, falalalala lala lala"
"Spend your savings, Max your cards out, falala lalala lalala"
"Play the big shot, Though you are not, falala lalala lalala"
"You'll be sorry in the New Year, falalalala lala lala"

It certainly appears that gift giving has become a self-serving activity to make the giver
feel worthy. We've been programmed that that's what any decent American has to do to be normal and acceptable. Buy big, buy a lot.

This will be the third year that my wife and I don't exchange presents anymore at Christmas.
Finally, after a decade of talking about it, our extended family has finally drawn names to buy a present for just one other person. Whewww… Progress and about a $500 savings!
For years I've been active at browbeating retailers about leaving Christmas out of the 'holidays'.
Then this year I've finally realized that they are right and I was wrong.
These holidays hold nothing of spiritual value anymore and haven't for decades. So why take the Lord's
Name in vain by demanding that it be associated with this materialistic orgie. I'm sure it makes Him sick!
Lets rename it "Crisis-mas". It's perfect. It describes the flavor of the season and it leaves Christ out of it !
And while we're at it, "HO HO HO" needs to change to the more appropriate "HA HA HA" sneer of creditors.
I think I'm on a roll. This may snowball into something big! Ideas are coming in a flurry…
Brainstorming, or am I just a flake!

Have fun and do enjoy your loved ones and love those who Cross your path.

Happy sane holidays.

Pierre

Daniel December 21st, 2007

Thanks for the Truth and the way you present it Steve (and Crew), you guys are truly blessings…like you say all the time Steve

"We rise up and call you blessed"…:)

But we all rise up and call HIM king!

Paul K December 22nd, 2007

You know what may be even more blasphemous? I love the whole wiry mess. The presents, lights, the irrelevant and even corny gifts, the shuffling masses, bleary faces, eager kids…and adults, and even those bell ringers. You know something else? I am not just excited about giving the gifts, I even like receiving them! God forbid I actually look forward to receiving them. I like it all. (I even like my kids who barely get IT, and often bicker like agitated vermin) Not because it is all good, but because there is such a mix of all the best and worst humanity can provide. You see nobility, greed, hope, fear, joy, sorrow, expectation, dread, arrogance, humility, peace, and pressure. And through it all an unbelievable display of human neediness and heart-hunger. It is a deep reminder to me of the wonder of the Christ-gift. A constant example of our deep need. I am never more aware of our intense need for grace (my intense need for grace) and the wonder that it was to these masses, these conflicted and afflicted masses, that He came to dwell. Ah, grace on grace! He came, not to the polished perfection of the palace, He came to live in the stinking barnyard of our hearts. Holy crap, I love this Guy. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas. I love ya Steve. Keep on trucking my brother.

Robert N. Landrum December 25th, 2007

Merry Christmas.

S. Herron December 25th, 2007

Way to go guys…another great point…let Jesus out! Makes sense! By the way from the podcast with Jeffery Overstreet and Rick McKinley…if you take steroids you are enhancing yourself beyond normal capacity but if you wear glasses or contacts all you are doing is making yourself "normal". In the case of corrective eyeware you are fighting the results of the fall but in the case of steriods you are creating an unfair advantage…just a thought! Merry Christmas.