The Reason for the Season

My favorite holiday is over. Now comes the season I most dread every year. With all the media hype about how the 'left' is trying to steal/destroy Christmas, I thought I'd share my own personal feelings with you. Just in case your interested.
Did you know more people commit suicide during the 'Christmas' season, than any other time of year? More people suffer from depression during the 'Christmas' season than any other time of year. More people spend money they don't have and can't afford to spend between now and December 25th, than any other time of year. For millions, probably tens of millions this 'season' is a miserable, lonely, desperate time of year. Trust me when I tell you I can understand why many, many people would gladly see Christmas just go away.

Now, you may think I hate Christmas. I don't.
The truth is I love Christmas. I love the feeling I get when I walk into a church and see the manger, with Mary, Joseph, and the animals. I love the story of the birth of Jesus. I love the idea that a poor and simple young girl, could be chosen by God to be the Mother of his son. That a young man could have such deep faith that he would accept this young girl and her child, that he could love and care for a child not of his own seed. This is a story not only of faith, but of love, trust and hope. Myth or reality, it may be the most beautiful story ever told.

HowEVER, THIS NOT the Christmas celebrated by the vast majority, and certaninly not by corperate America. They use this special day/season as an excuse. An excuse to encourage/shame us to shop, shop, shop, charge up credit cards, go into debt, and spend more money than we make, buying toys and whatknots for kids and adults already far too spoiled by way too many toys and whatknots. Women (and i'm sorry if that insults women but I don't know too many men who do so) will start their shopping as early as July or August, just to insure their kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews/husbands/friends,ect get the best presents. These days Christmas is all about the glorification of the almighty dollar and greed. It is no longer about the birth of Jesus, or the celebration of a great Christian event. If it were, there'd be a whole lot fewer people celebrating. Ask yourself, in your many preparations for the 'season', when was the last time you seriously gave thought to Jesus?

Even worse is that Christians are as responsible for the desecration of this holiest of holidays as the secular in our society. I wonder how many even read the story of Christ's birth to their children or families on Christmas eve or Christmas day? Do their children even know who Jesus is, or what he represents? Or why this day is set aside to celebrate his birth?
At least with Halloween there's no denying that it is what it is. Which may explain why so many in our society have turned away from the 'religious' connotation of Christmas. We should be ashamed for using the heart of Christianity as an excuse to display our greed.

If you have the means, and can afford to do so, by all means, go out and spend to your hearts content. Shop until you drop. Charge up those credit cards, buying more toys, more clothes, more gadgets and dodads, for people who already have more gadgets, dodads, socks, ties, shirts, sweaters, and toys than they know what to do with. It's your money, you earned it, you have a right to do with it whatever you please. But don't call it celebrating Christmas because your not.

If you genuinely want to 'celebrate' Christmas, then do it by doing something that honors the memory of the man who's birth it represents. A man who stood for love, compassion, and forgiveness. Do something for someone who REALLY needs it. Buy clothes for children who have so few. Buy the ingredients for a meal and give them to someone who has little hope of having one. Help out at homeless shelters. If you need to buy toys, try buying them for the children who have no toys. If nothing else try cleaning and boxing up some of the many toys (or clothes) hardly played with by your own children and donating them. Look beyond your own family circle and you will find a world of people you can help. That is after all the true Christian spirit is it not?

I suspect when Jesus looks down upon us during the Christmas season, he probably feels much like the writer of the following [now famous] email did.
"The majority of the world [still] has different practices other than "christmas" which is an ancient tradition that has its roots in Siberian shamanism[search]. The colors associated with 'christmas' red and white are actually a representation of the aminita muscaria mushroom[search]. Santa is also borrowed from the Caucuses[search], mistletoe from the Celts, yule log from the Goths, the time from the Visigoth and the tree from the worship of Baal. It is a wide wide world."
Most of all "HE" knows what's in your heart and why your celebrating. Call it whatever you wish, "HE" knows what it really is. The celebration and glorification of greed.

Frankly I'm thinking of starting a movement. I'll call it taking the Santa Factor out of Christmas. I'm guessing Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, JC Pennys, credit card companies, ect. aren't going to like that idea one darned bit. But if it works, there will be a lot more people ready and willing to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.
And a to you and yours from this Bama Belle's house!

Oh Yeah!!

You scored as Captain Jack Sparrow. Roguish,quick-witted, and incredibly lucky, Jack Sparrow is a pirate who sometimes ends up being a hero, against his better judgement. Captain Jack looks out for #1, but he can be counted on (usually) to do the right thing. He has an incredibly persuasive tongue, a mind that borders on genius or insanity, and an incredible talent for getting into trouble and getting out of it. Maybe its brains, maybe its genius, or maybe its just plain luck. Or maybe a mixture of all three. Captain Jack Sparrow 67% Batman, the Dark Knight 58% Neo, the "One" 58% Maximus 54% The Amazing Spider-Man 54% Indiana Jones 50% William Wallace 46% El Zorro 38% James Bond, Agent 007 33% Lara Croft 33% The Terminator 21% Which Action Hero Would You Be? created with QuizFarm.com

Come on tell me, who's your action hero? You know you wanna!

Darned President!!

You know, I really wish George (W.) Bush would please stop screwing up my life. Just when I think he can't do anything else to annoy me, he goes an grants all those darned turkey 'pardons'. And wouldn't you know he'd just happen to pardon the very turkey assigned to my house. So, of course we had to have a ham. Does anyone other than me wonder why he never pardons pigs? Why is that? Are pigs second class citizens? Are they not worthy of pardons? I guess I'd better shut up, because if he should decide to start passing out pig pardons, we'll be eating meatloaf for Christmas!
Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway) we had ham for our Thanksgiving dinner. I'm here to tell you, I don't care what other people say, for me it just ain't Thanksgiving dinner without turkey. You can bet your bippie (or whatever you wanna bet) this ole southern belle will be having a turkey next year. Just because the majority wins, doesn't mean they get to rule ALL the TIME. I'll just be sure to grab one up BEFORE GDubya passes out those pardons.
Hope everyone had a happy FULLfilling day!
No, I did NOT go shopping today. No way in hadies would I even go near a department/grocery/mall store today. NO WAY!!

Oh Happy Day!!

May your day be filled with love, peace, compassion, family and friends.
May your mind, body and soul be filled by the love you've so kindly shared with me.


I know it's customary to list all the things we're thankful for, but I know my list would only mirror most of yours (God, family, friends, ect.), so let me simply say, that of the many things in my life I am thankful for, the people who inhabit my virtual community are on my top ten list.

May God bless each of you this Thanksgiving and throught this long holiday season.

Oh Hell!

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Third Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Moderate
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Moderate
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Moderate
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

I think maybe that question about whether or not I'd rather give up sex than good food, might have been my undoing. Well, I do love good food! ;)

Oh What A Day

The Tigers played in the Tide and swam away the winners! [Auburn Beats Bama, Again]
Unranked Georgia Tech spanked No. 3 ranked Miami, and ended their hopes of a shot at the national title. [GA Tech takes Miami Down]
The No. 14 ranked Bulldogs (GA) assured their trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game (most likely against LSU, who whipped up on Ole Miss 40-7) with a 45-13 win over Kentucky.[GA Clinches trip to Atlanta]
No.1 USC racked up their 33 straight win, all but guaranteeing a face off with Texas for the national title.
Can you tell we watched us some football here in Podunt yesterday?

So, did your favorite team win?

Have Mercy!!

I wholeheartedly agree!!

People magazine's SEXIEST MAN ALIVE!




The only thing wrong with this delightful, sexy, sweet, guy (who incidently calls his MOM every Sunday) is the woman on his arm and in his bed. That skanky Penelope [already been with half the men in Hollywood] Cruize, is so NOT the right woman for Matt.
The right woman would be ME!!!

I need a makeover NOW!!

God, Are You there?

My troubled relationship with my oldest son and my daughter is no secret to those who know me. Over the years I've questioned every decision I ever made in regards to how I raised [all] my children. Should I have been stricter? Was I too strict? Did I try too hard to protect them or not hard enough? Most puzzling of all was the question that I have never found an answer for. How can children raised by the same parents turn out so differently?
Then I discovered blogging. Through blogging I have come to realize there are many parents just like me out there. I've discovered sons and daughters raised by some of the most decent, salt of the earth people, have brought heartache, disappointment and sadness to their parents. The children of ministers, teachers, doctors, farmers, and plain ole ordinary Joes * Jane's, have taken the road less traveled and made mistakes that have broken our hearts.
I remember when Columbine happened, I like many others felt that in some way those boys parents were partially responsible. Had they paid more attention to what was going on in the lives of their sons, maybe so much tragedy could have been avoided. But then I read things like this [ No Easy Answers in PA. Case]. These two young people had it all. Their parents provided them with all their basic needs,both physical and spiritual. Even luxuries that many other children never have. If ever there were ideal parents it was Michael and Cathryn Lee. Five children, all home schooled, all raised in a deeply religious home. The very epitome of the all American [Christian] family. A family now torn asunder by a young man they allowed into their young daughter's life. A young man who himself came from a good Christian home and who was also home schooled.
So, the eternal question rears it's ugly head. How is it that children raised in the same home, with the same values, same atmosphere, can take such different paths in their lives?
Maybe it's not within our power to control the fate of our children. Maybe their destinies are set long before we are entrusted with their lives. Maybe despite all we do, good or bad, they will ultimately make their own choices, and live their own lives. Based not solely on what we taught them but a sum total of all that surrounds them. For whatever reason, some will choose to follow the well chosen path. The path that leads to maturity, to growth, to a deep sense of what is right and what is wrong, and to choosing the former. Others will choose the path less taken. The path littered with heartache, broken dreams, and shattered lives.
I suppose there should be some comfort in that knowledge. I find little. If we as parents can't be the strongest influence in the lives of our children, if we truly have very little control over their future where does the future of mankind stand?
Maybe in the end it really is the battle between good and evil. And all we can do is do what we can and leave the rest up to God.

Hello? God, we need help down here. God? Are you there?

Sunday's Funnies

Your Power Color Is Lime Green

At Your Highest: You are adventurous, witty, and a visionary. At Your Lowest: You feel misunderstood, like you don't fit in. In Love: You have a tough exterior, but can be very dedicated. How You're Attractive: Your self-awareness and confidence lights up a room. Your Eternal Question: "When AM I going to win the lottery?"

What's Your Power Color?

Thank You

To all those serving, in dangerous places and even not so dangerous places. I say THANK YOU. To all those who gave their lives, an arm, a leg, both legs, who gave their heart and soul and were left with tortured minds. I say THANK YOU. To every member of our armed forces who's served with dignity and honor, I say THANK YOU.

My family is a family of veterans. My father, step-father, uncles, cousins, brother, husband, brother-in-laws, and son have all served in the armed forces. Most were Army, a few Marines, and one Navy and one Air Force. All of them with the exception of my nephew and my son, served in combat. I was first a military brat, then a military wife, and finally a military Mom. To say I understand the life of the military would be an understatement.

There are those who would say that if I do not support the President, or the war in Iraq that I do not support the troops. These people somehow have the misguided concept that if I am not "pro-war" that by default I do not want the troops to win in Iraq. They are wrong. No matter what my feelings about the President, or the war, I want not only our troops but our country to be victorious.

Today I ask my husband who himself served in the first Gulf War, how could we best show our support for the troops. He was quiet for a moment then he said, "Make sure their service and their sacrifice is never forgotten and never taken for granted, and that Americans really understand what war is."

"What war really is."
I'll let Bob Geiger's words speak for me.
it's not the toy-soldier, "bring-it-on" thrill that your protected, sheltered experience would lead you to believe. It is terrifying. You're scared to death, shoot at almost anything that moves and pray to whatever deity you worship that you live see tomorrow."
***
"On this night, somewhere in Western Iraq near the Syrian border, in a fighting hole with a tarp pulled over them so the light from the match used as a birthday candle won't show, two Marines, tired, dirty, smelly, maybe scared, cut a piece of MRE pound cake with a K-Bar fighting knife. The first piece goes to a 21 year old Corporal, the second to an 18 year old PFC. Even out on the sharp end, Marines will do this small thing in honor of those who have gone before, and each other.[
Gore]

And so tonight I will light this small candle, to honor those who have served and those who continue to do so.

May God bless and protect those who serve

[Note: I know this is late, but today has been, well, difficult.]

Since Brenda showed us hers, I'll show you mine.

Your Political Profile

Overall: 45% Conservative, 55% Liberal

Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Ethics: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

How Liberal / Conservative Are You?

Wednesday's Wonderings

I missed out on doing OTTO's Monday Madness, so I'm doin it today and calling it Wednesdays Wonderings.

1. Name 1 comedy movie you've seen.
Only one?? There are so many to choose from.
Shrek

2. Name 2 black and white films you remember seeing.
Gone With the Wind
Psycho

3. Name 3 dramas you thought were worth watching. Only three???
Insomnia (with Robin Williams)
Steele Magnolias
Phenomenon

4. Name 4 television shows you watch on a regular (or semi-regular) basis.
Commander in Chief
Law & Order (take your pick, I watch em all)
Out of Practice
CSI Vegas/Miami/New York

5. Name 5 things that, in your opinion, are advertised on television too frequently.
Feminine products
Beer/Alcohol of any kind
Male enhancement products
FOOD! (especially late at night!)

STUPID PEOPLE [

*looks at the current world's population* You must have a lot of frustration then.

What pisses you off?

Created by ptocheia]

That's all I got for today,maybe tomorrow too.

The stairs required careful negotiation, carrying her as he was, thin legs in one arm, her arms loosely draped around his neck and her head on his shoulder, his other arm supporting her upper back. She had never been heavy, but illness had reduced her to a stick figure, one that reminded him of the 18 year old girl he first met 30 years earlier. She had been so thin, then; 90 pounds soaking wet. His first memories of her are of thin legs and arms in shorts and a t-shirt.

The stairs were broad, but not so broad that the turn in the middle didn't require his full attention.

He slid sideways thru the door into the master bath and then set her carefully into the bath water, drawn just a few minutes ago and still a perfect temperature, just above tepid and just below hot. The tub was a two person kind of thing, one she had picked out when they built the house. It was deep and had adequate back and arm support.

She was comfortable, something that was hard to achieve anymore. Laying her head back and closing her eyes, she let the warmth ease her pain. He began to bathe her, starting with her hair. First the shampoo, then a gentle massage, slowly building up a soapy lather in her thin hair, being careful not to pull to hard and tear her skin.

Using a mixing bowl, he rinsed her hair, then picked up the soft, plush washcloth and began to wash her body. Her started with her face, being careful around the eyes and mouth, then her neck and breasts, flat now, using a gentle circular motion, reminiscent of other baths in happier times.

He lifted her arms to wash under her arms, the hollow of her arm pit almost all bone, her ribs painfully obvious. He washed her tummy and hips, and then wistfully washed her vulva and bottom. He couldn't help thinking of the old "God must be an engineer" joke because only an engineer would put a waste disposal line right thru the middle of a recreational area. He told her the joke one more time, and they both laughed.

Finishing with her feet, he massaged them as he had ten thousand times before. Her face relaxed in pleasure, as it always had. He was grateful for even this smallest thing.

He drained the tub of the soapy water and then refilled it, sitting on the edge of the tub and chatting with her, constantly checking water temperature to be sure it wasn't too hot or too cold. When it had filled, he turned it off. She told him to go write a story for a while, she was just going to soak. It was a play on words, soak for sulk. Many of their arguments over the years had been about how much time he spent writing.

He went into the bedroom and booted up the computer, opened up a blank doc and began to write whatever came to his mind.

The children and grandchildren had all been by to visit today. She had been in good spirits, and laughter and love had bubbled up all over the place. When they all made their goodbyes, she held each one close and told them she loved them.

We don't always get the chance to tell them we love them, and she wasn't going to miss it.

He thought about the children as he wrote, how the first one was the reason they married, and how, when it was all said and done, he was glad it worked out that way. Who knows if he would have had the courage to marry her otherwise, and he couldn't imagine his life happening any other way than exactly as it had.

The words were coming easier by then, and he wrote of all the times they had made love in this tub or that tub. 30 years is a lot of love, and uncounted baths and showers together.

After a bit, she called out to him and said, "I love you, you know, and I am glad we were married. I would do it all again," and then she fell silent. He went into the bathroom and gave her a warm kiss, saying he felt the same way, that he was glad that she had been in his life.

The water had cooled a bit, so he warmed it up, then returned to his computer.

He heard her move around in the tub. It was hard for her, and her breath was ragged with the effort, but then she was quiet. His tears, nearly there all evening, began to fall in earnest, but he kept writing. He wrote and wrote and wrote, the words burning the screen in front of him, until he couldn't write any more.

When he had no more words, he called 911. [source]

REALity TV

I love good TV, and last night (Tuesday) we had a plethora of it.
For starters there was Navy CIS. Normally I don't watch this show, because my Gilmore Girls come on the WB at the same time, but for some odd reason last nights episode was a rerun, so I hopped over and watched that hunky, delicious Mark Harmon as Gibbs. My son just loves Abby. I think it's how she makes that whole 'Goth' thing so sexy. This particular episode was subtly about torture. Of course when the 'bad guys' tortured an American, he was left broken, bruised, and bleeding. But when one of 'our people' tortured one of 'their people', all we saw was a few tears, and an appearance of extreme discomfort. Implying that when we torture we do it nicely. I'm sure there are a good many people who actually believe that bs.
Next up was Commander in Chief. This show just gets better and better. I can't decide if my favorite part was where the PRESIDENT ask the media hounds to back off, so she could actually visit with the hurricane survivors. (Wow, what a concept, a politician NOT looking for a photo op.) Or when the President's bratty teenage daughter realized that her selfish, childish behavior had cost someone their hard earned job. "Becca, there's only one Presidential detail", spoke volumes.

Finally there was Boston Legal, which had to share my attention with Law & Order CSI. Both were awesome.
Boston Legal addressed the issue of soldiers being forced to remain in Iraq, even after their enlistment is up. As well as the issues of them being poorly equipped, and a good many untrained for the jobs they are doing. Alan Shore's closing argument about 'supporting the troops' should be plastered across every newspaper/news channel in this country. When he said, "The news channel that claims they are #1 in the country, will spend hours covering the disappearance of a teenager in Aruba, but the death of the 2000th soldier in Iraq hardly made a blip on their radar. And God forbid we show a dead soldiers coffin on TV or in a newspaper," I felt chills run down my spine.
Law & Order CSI, was equally gripping. When Marcia Gaye Hardin's character Starr, slapped one dectective and called him a 'kike', then minutes later turned and called another a 'nigger', I was stunned. If the hate spewing forth from the father's mouth wasn't awful enough, seeing what he'd raised his son to believe was horrifying. Then to top that off there was the couple who'd adopted a small black child only to have him killed for the insurance money. These weren't southern rednecks (although Hardin's character did have a distinct southern accent) folks, these were respectable New Jersey types. Anyone watching this episode came away with little doubt that racial hatred is alive and thriving in this country. Of course living where I do, I am already well aware of that.
Now tell me there isn't quality in television these days. The only problem is it all seems to come on at the same time.
Of course if you have a hankering for something a with a little less quality and a little more 'shock', you can always catch Nip/Tuck. Who knew sperm had so many uses*? If you happen to come across (oops sorry, no pun intended) Joan Rivers selling this awesome facial mask on QSV/HSC, you might want to keep that* thought in mind.

I'm a Mandarin!

You're an intellectual, and you've worked hard to get where you are now. You're a strong believer in education, and you think many of the world's problems could be solved if people were more informed and more rational. You have no tolerance for sloppy or lazy thinking. It frustrates you when people who are ignorant or dishonest rise to positions of power. You believe that people can make a difference in the world, and you're determined to try.

>

Talent: 48%
Lifer: 41%
Mandarin: 56%

Take the Talent, Lifer, or Mandarin quiz.

Wow, do these people know me or what?