Bcuz I kin

Thanksgiving is over for another year...and beginning today, we are privileged to view the crass commercialism that has become the holy day of Christmas.

The media calls it black Friday. Stores open their doors hours earlier than usual, in hopes of people going there before going to work. Starting today, many stores will be extending their hours to accommodate the shoppers looking for that one of a kind gift for someone special.

Perhaps I am getting old, and crotchety...I find more, and more, a difficulty in getting into the season because of the craziness the media seems to enjoy whipping up in the masses.

To my military mind, Christmas is a reminder of the great gift God gave to this world by laying down His right as Almighty God, creator and sustainer of this world, to be made in the likeness of man, and to come to this earth to bring salvation to mankind.

In its inimitable way, the Church, trying to win more people, infused Christian holy days with pagan celebrations, giving us the ability to turn the holy days into crass commercialistic crazy days.

So many people look forward to Fat Tuesday, and Mardi Gras, or Carnival, as a high holy day. A day of gluttony, and drunkenness, and wanton sexual acting out.

Yeah, it is the day before Ash Wednesday...go ahead and get all the sinning out of your system cuz, tomorrow, you have to pray, and repent, and go to church and receive the ashes to demonstrate that you are devoted to following God and being a godly person.

What a teeming bucket of hog wash...

Holy Scripture informs us that God neither sleeps nor slumbers, and He looks upon the heart and the intents of our thoughts. The Christmas tradition tells us that Santa Claus is watching... he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake.

We have effectively transferred deity to a manmade effigy.

Jesus said that the truest test of love is that a man lay down his life for a friend...and today we expect others to give it all up, to benefit me, me, me!

I have found, through my long and few years on this earth, that there is common conception that delineates, if I buy you a gift, then you must reciprocate with a gift of at least the same cost if not more expensive.

Bah, humbug!!

You want to impress me with a gift? Come and give your life to Christ, and dedicate the rest of your life to serving God Almighty, and bringing His love and salvation to this tired, needy planet.