'Twas the Month Before Christmas...

A politically correct Christmas poem ... sent by a friend

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away
The reason for Christmas -- no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About shepherds and wise men and angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say --
December 25th is just a "holiday."
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X Box, and I-Pod,
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanza
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word "Christmas" was nowhere to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears,
You won't hear the word "Christmas" -- it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, now Darden, now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen,
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith,
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded,
The Reason for the Season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "winter break" under your "dream tree,"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say,
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ... not Happy Holiday!

-- Anonymous Author

Victory in Defeat

Defeat may serve as well as victory
To shake the soul and let the glory out.
When the great oak is straining in the wind,
The boughs drink in new beauty and the trunk
Sends down a deeper root on the windward side.
Only the soul that knows the mighty grief
Can know the mighty rapture. Sorrows come
To stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.

EDWIN MARKHAM - 1899

It's Called Christmas, with a Capital C

Not being particularly "politically correct"... No, not being PC at all, I appreciate this video:

Recommended Reading

Not only books. I recommend Mel Duke's blog. Mel was my "spiritual father" way back in the 1960s, durng the year I was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base, in Denver, Colorado. We met at the Christian Servicemen's Center, and I spent many, many hours with Mel and his wife Mary Lou. They are now living in Estonia.

Real Christianity

William Wilberforce wrote a book, which I recommended a few weeks ago: A Practical View of Christianity. I just finished reading an abridged version Real Christianity which I also recommend.
It was originally published in 1797, with the full title A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Higher and Middle Classes in this Country, Contrasted with Real ChristianityIt is now 210 years old, but it is equally relevant in our day. I hope that the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery will help rekindle interest in Wilberforce, his life, his faith, and his book.

Amazing Grace!

Adding my praise for this wonderful book: Amazing Grace -- William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, by Eric Metaxas. I bought this book because I loved the movie, Amazing Grace, which I saw in March. Finished reading it yesterday. William Wilberforce is now definitely one of my heroes!
I believe everyone in America needs to know more about Wilberforce, and especially Christians do. I also want to recommend this book, a modern edition of a book written by Wilberforce himself: A Practical View of Christianity

Parsons at a Pizza Place

This is Rebekah, Joshua, and Jessica, taken at Chuck E. Cheese January 17, 2007.