Merry Christmas to everyone. Thank you for coming here and checking out my rants, randomness, and rhetoric. I have noticed many things while traveling through this holiday season. Many of the places I have gone and people I have met have wished me a Merry Christmas. I drove through McD's yesterday and the young man taking my order and payment wished me a very Merry Christmas and then the young lady that handed me my order (which was exactly what I ordered, Thank You very much Apache Junction McDonald's) also wished me a Merry Christmas. It is odd how for the last several years we have heard Happy Holidays, Season Greetings, and the like from the media and advertisements from companies. But when you walk into an establishment the people working there most often wish you a Merry Christmas.
I like the thought that people have gone against the grain and shown that the media has not driven Christ out of America and we have given into the minority. I understand this is the land of freedom and all people are welcome to worship their religions on this piece of land our forefathers brought into existence. The very Constitution that allows you to practice your religion states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" and the Declaration of Independence states "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." This means I have a right to worship anyway I want (within reason) and to say Merry Christmas because I am a Christian and believe Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, my Messiah, was born, lived, and died for me so that one day I may stand before Him and His Father in judgement and be granted entrance into the gracious and loving warmth of His heart and kneel before Him and praise His sacrifice. That same document allows you to say Happy Hanukkah (Chanukah) or Happy Kawanza or any other holiday or non-holiday greeting in response. Please do not feel offended when I say Merry Christmas, because I do not feel offended when you respond in some other way because of your religious beliefs. I cherish the right for all of us to worship freely, or even not to worship at all. That is YOUR choice. Just like the choice you, or your family, made to come to this great land and live a life better than anywhere else on this planet we call the third rock from the Sun. At no time will I tread on your faith because I feel it is beneath me and I would like the same respect. I will judge you by your actions, not by any other means.
I find that in some insistences people have fallen away from the Christian values of Christmas and the commercialization that has taken over has precedence. I find this disheartening at the least. I watch as children line up for Santa Clause with visions of Barbi, XBOX, and/or whatever the latest fad toy or electronic is this year. Parents have lost the tradition of explaining who Saint Nicholas was and why we celebrate his life in the Christmas season. I asked a woman, who happened to be my age, standing in line with her young daughter (6) and son (4), what is the significance of Santa Clause? She explained to me that Santa is the man who, one night a year, flies around the world and delivers toys to all the children of the world. I queried "even Muslim and Hindu children?" She looked at me as if I had just slapped her across the face and told her she was a bad mother (the thought crossed my mind). I told her and her children, with her permission and the assurance it would not scar her brood on the image of Santa Clause, the story of Saint Nicholas. Her children were amazed and even more eager to speak with Santa. She thanked me because the 25 minutes we were standing there flew by without so much as flinch or whine from the kids. Her daughter, who mind you did not want to sit on Santa's lap, broke from her mother's hand when her turn came, raced to Santa, and jumped into his lap. She began to rattle off the story of St. Nicholas to him and state she wanted only one gift, a Barbi of unimaginable spectacle. Before she left she asked him to bring one to an orphan girl for her. Her mother cried because her daughter had never asked for anything less than every toy and gift in the mall without a flicker of care about anyone else (including her younger brother). The woman walked over to me with tears in her eyes and hugged me and wished me a Merry Christmas. As she walked away she smiled and pulled a name off of the Wishing Tree and headed off to purchase a gift for that child. My sons grew up knowing that Christmas stands for more than what you get under the tree. It stands for faith in GOD and Jesus Christ, love for your fellow human, sacrifice of your self, compassion for those less fortunate than you, and celebration of family. If you do one thing this year think of those who have nothing and say a prayer for them. Because we have so much to be thankful for and blessings so abundant that we lose focus of why we celebrate Jesus Christ's birth. Jesus gave the greatest gift he could for us, His life.
One last note, our soldiers are risking their lives all over the world right now. Some have given their lives freely to protect us here at home, to fight those people who would do us harm. There is no greater gift then that, so pray for our troops, police officers, firefighters, and medical personnel today when you sit down with your family. They give without thought of reward.
GOD BLESS each and every one of you. Merry Christmas and all the blessings that come with it. Have a happy and prosperous New Year.
Big Daddy
12/25/2010
