Isn't there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?

I love "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It is the classics classic! There just something about that old - mostly hand-drawn cartoon that warms the heart every year. Perhaps the best part, however, is when Charlie Brown - in anguish - cries out ... "isn't there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?" Linus steps in - "sure Charlie Brown - I can tell you ... lights please ..."

And - with a little more of the expanded story - and yes - from a different translation of the Scriptures ... here you are ....

1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

"That's what Christmas is all about."

Merry CHRISTmas!

To cry or not to cry ...

I love the movie "A League of Their Own" - in one important and well known scene, Jimmy Duggan has just "chastised too vehemently" one of his players with the well worn line ... "Are you crying? Are you crying? There's no crying in baseball."

As anyone who has watched the Little League World Series knows, that phrase just isn't true. In the last few days, many have made a point to criticize, condemn, make fun of, you name it ... a sports hero - but more importantly, a life hero because of all things ... he dared to cry on national television. It is sad in our day that a man who is vaulted to the top of a pinnacle and falls hard - how many "Tigresses" are we up to now ... and I have not seen any sign of condemnation toward him in the Facebook community ... and yet a man who wears his faith in his eyes ... well - just under them - does something as humane as demonstrate his emotions ... and an entire group - "Tearbow for Criesman" pops up. I'm just not sure I understand.

The other evening, ESPN ran the "Jimmy V" acceptance speech from the ESPY Awards in 1993. In that speech, Jimmy V said this ... there are three things we should do every day ... "number one laugh ... number two think ... number three 'have your emotions moved to tears.'"

Arguably one of the best coaches in the sport of college basketball - Jimmy V summed it up ... "If you laugh, you think and you cry, that's a full day ... that's a heck of a day ... you do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

If showing your emotions on the side of a football field ... knowing this is your last hurrah ...knowing that the better team won that day ... but knowing still that God is still God ... well ... I suppose I'd rather be sitting right there next to 'Timbo" having a good cry!

By the way ... just in case you were wondering ... this is the verse those tears were running through ... John 16:33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

It's beginning to look a lot like .......

It's that time of the year again! The music has changed ... the streets are brighter than normal ... houses take on a cheerier glow ... traffic is increased in certain parts of town ... and of course ... let's not forget the food! From cookies to cakes to pies and hams ... it is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

So why is it that during this most wonderful time ... there are folks who forget all about things like ... "love, joy, peace, patience , kindness, gentleness and self-control?" I was in a national store of some notoriety while on vacation recently and was "moved" not once ... not twice ... but at least three times by different people in their attempts to secure their precious merchandise which I'm sure their "wonderful little angel" deserved more than life itself. I have seen people battle for parking spots (while I myself prefer to park at the far end of the parking lot and walk - it's good exercise - I can say this confidently as I know my wife doesn't read my blog!!)

Black Friday ... Cyber Monday ... and don't forget ... the Post-Christmas rush to return what didn't fit ... didn't like ... wrong color ... wrong intention ... etc. Or to buy those last remaining decorations at ridiculously low prices only to store them away until next year with great intentions to use them - only to discover sometime in February of the year after that those hidden purchases!

All the more reason to ask the question ... What If ... ... That's the series I'll start December 6. I think there is one verse of Scripture that answers that question well ... it covers who, what, how, when and where! Until then ... allow me to share a verse of one of my favorite Carols ... "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas ... only a hippopotamus will do ...."

Have a HAPPY Day!!