Christians and Christmas

And the Christmas program at Church last weekend was packed as usual.

 

Hank,

I have given you the FACT that you live in a country that has specific Consitutional and State case law that makes this a country with specific freedom of religion, and from religion, with regards to our public govenrment institutions and legal standing.

This FACT cleary bothers you, so you quote me some Christian religious passage from an 18th centuty maritime treaty, as if this has some kind of modern, magical, legal precedence over our First Amendment and voluminous case law.
Please...Practice any religion you like, I could care less, just don't try and pretend it has some legal standing or import over any other, or none. Get over it.

Again, your best bet would be rounding up some modern day Protestant pilgrims who think just like you, and setting sail for a new land, where you can conquer the weak indigenous peoples, restablish your particular religion's monopoloy, and once again subjugate women and non-believers to your willl...good luck with that. I believe Jim Jones tried it a few decades back...

Somehow I'm guessing that your not quite as committed to your cause as he or the first Pilgrims were...

 

And sorry to say I could not attend my grandsons CHRISTMAS PLAY at his PUBLIC school because they now live in TX.

 

Yeah...and so was the mall...point?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eLDvM7eSq0&feature=related

Celtic Woman-O' Come All Ye Faithful

Merry Christmas

 

Our program was great. Of course the kids choir was a big hit. They were all holding these battery-operated candles & one boy ~6 yrs old I think was whipping his around like a light saber. It was a hoot! Then there was the time when one of the main characters forgot her mic was on & whispered something about how she'd forgotten her lines.

 

When my sons were little I attended their Christmas plays at church...I thought they had those in Texasa?

 

And for those of us who like a bit more contemporary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J820DMrPvZI&feature=related

Joy To The World, Third Day

 

I love Third Day!

And while we're at it, Newsong's Christmas Shoes ... sappy but getting to be a great traditional Christmas song.

And oh my gosh ... "Mary Did You Know" ... that one really gets me.

 

Whew! I forgot for a minute what the topic was about - but then most topics at some point spread beyond the subject.

Chritsmas has been a slow progressive Holiday that we celebrate today as opposed to what was celebrated at the beginning, way, way back in the day. It's good to see so many people from so many religions celebrate this day as a day of joy and togetherness. I wonder how we'll be celebrating in centuries to come...

 

I would like to get away from the hostility and share something personal and positive. As some of you know from my posting on another thread, I have an adult daughter who is an addict. She has been an addict for over 5 years, but, praise the Lord she has been clean for 2 months now and is doing awesome. When she was using drugs she was living with her abusive boyfriend and did not participate in any family activities. Now she is going to family functions, the most recent was a family reunion/Christmas party at one of my relatives homes. When my daughter was young she was very very close to one of her (and my cousins). This cousin is about 6 years older than my daughter and is married with two children,. My daughter would spend weekends with her and was a bridesmaid in her wedding 5 years ago. After that she never saw her cousin again for 5 long years because of her addiction. She recently saw her at the reunion and this past week she spent three days with her. The day after my daughter returned home, she came with me to go shopping. While in a certain store she saw something that she wanted to get for her cousin because it reminded her of the cousin. I bought the gift for her (she has no money because she hasn't found a job yet) and she took it home and wrapped it up nice. It didn't cost that much but it meant alot to my daughter to get this gift for her cousin. The next day we stopped by our cousin's house and my daughter gave her the gift. She was so thrilled and happy to receive it and my daughter was so happy that she did something nice for her cousin. Another thing my daughter did yesterday: A while ago a friend of hers gave her a gift that she never opened. She brought that gift back to the store yesterday, got a credit for it and bought her sister a christmas present. My point: As a Christian this is what Christmas really is all about and I think God would be pleased that my daughter thought of someone else beside herself (something she hasn't done in 5 years). I know some don't believe that Christians should celebrate Christmas and that is fine, but, in my heart what my daughter did in those two instances says it all and I think God would be well pleased with her.

 

Wonderful story of redemption in the season of redemption, all afforded by the opportunities that arise from the Christmas holiday. Continued peace and recovery to your daughter and family as a whole. Thanks very much for sharing.

 

Thank You Henry,
I appreciate that so much and thanks to you and everyone else who have been praying for her and, by the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

amen gmcdnh- God forgives big for our huge mistakes

Meerry Christmas and prayers still

 

YES! Great story about your daughter! Praying that she stays strong.

 

Thanks so much Aladdin. Mery Christmas to you as well!!!

 

Thanks so much joy. Keep the prayers coming. They are working.

 

On an unrelated note, David and I just watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special. The original, unedited from 1965... There was a time when I would have preferred the politically correct version, but now I'm glad to see this one. I'm not particularly religious, but I do believe in God. The original version I think captures the spirit much better, but doesn't bash you over the head with it. I hope that makes sense. At any rate, it puts me in a much better mood, and helps me feel the spirit of the season more, which is a tough thing this year without my mom.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Tara. I'd like to see it again myself. When I.was a kid, I always enjoyed Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. Ringle, ringle, coins as they jingle make such a happy sound...If it came on TV, I'd probably watch it. Do you ever watch 'It's a Wonderful Life?'. I try to watch that one each year too.

 

I have never seen it. I've never been into old movies. I may watch it.