Hope

  The town has taken down the Christmas decorations, or holiday decorations depending upon your view of that. There was certainly no reference made to anything Christian on town properties. It was mostly about the Grinch. That appears to be the trend. Goodbye Jesus, the Grinch is taking your place. The real reason for the celebration is being pushed aside, slowly transitioning. A lot of transitioning going on these days. Nothing new in that as the commercialization of Christmas has been an ongoing thing for many years now. I recall the Sears wish book from my childhood and that was certainly a commercial enterprise. Well, the season is over although many will keep their tree up for some time still. My daughter in law put valentines on hers last year. A new trend. Well, he was a saint, so there's that.

  This year Christmas came and went for me quickly, without fanfare or flourish. I never did get into that festive mood I've enjoyed in years past. In just a few days I will be a great grandfather and perhaps with that some of the magic will return. I do believe the magic of Christmas is carried by the children. I recall my church having a birthday party for Jesus. It wasn't a Christmas party, it was a birthday party that ultimately even Santa Claus would attend. Still the focus was on that birth. I wonder if my church continues that tradition today. I haven't been there since the Christmas of 1970. It'll be a few years before my great grandchild will be old enough to begin to understand any of that and I intend to teach her. 

  It isn't that I don't enjoy the gift giving, the celebration and all of that but I am concerned that the meaning is being lost. Christmas is a Christian holiday! It's in the name. The removal of any reference to Jesus and his birth is simply wrong. It must be remembered that here in the United States we allow the building of every other religions buildings, churches, synagogues, mosques or whatever on our land. Simply because the land is owned by the government is no reason to ban the displaying of Christian references. A simple recognition by government is not an endorsement. In fact, it is a display of respect! Because we have chosen not to have an official state "religion" does not negate the fact that we are indeed a nation comprised, in the majority, by Christians. According to census bureau figures a full 70% of the population identify as Christian. Seems like we should be keeping Christ in Christmas to me. Without that what is the reason for Christmas? National gift giving day? 

  The miracle of birth. That is what we are celebrating. In particular the birth of hope. I'm no preacher but isn't that what Jesus offered the world, hope? By following his instructions, his teachings, we may all learn to live together. The hope being to create a world for our children better than the one we are in. Man has no idea what happens after death, simple as that. That too, is all based on hope. But we all want better for our children, for that future, even though we won't be there.

  Everything has to start somewhere, doesn't it? That is what man believes because we are not capable of understanding anything else. Understanding the universe? Now, that's laughable. We don't know. We are not going to make a better world by simple gift giving! The only way that will happen is by giving of ourselves through self sacrifice. Doing the right thing. Yeah, doing what Jesus told us. You do know that all the others say pretty much the same thing when you get right down to it. Learning to accept the gift is far more important than giving it. And that is what Christmas is all about. The gift is the children, the next generation, a new beginning, another chance, hope.