I Corinthians 13 - Christmas Style

If I speak in the tongues of Christmas materialism and greed but have not love, I am only a tinny Christmas song or an out of tune choir.

If I have the gift of knowing what Aunt Agatha will give me this year and can even understand last year's present, and if I have the faith that I won't get yet more socks and ties this year but have not love, I am nothing.

If I clear out the house and give everything to charity and my credit cards are snapped in half but have not love, what can I possibly gain?

Love is patient when the fourth store you've tried doesn't have a bottle garden.

Love is kind and lets the couple with only a few items go in front of you and your bulging shopping cart.

Love does not envy your friend who gets mega-presents from everybody.

Love does not boast about the $1200 bike, the iPad, the TV, cell phone, and computer your dad gave you.

Love does not attempt to out-buy, out-wrap, and out-give the rest of the family just to impress.

Love doesn't cut Aunt Flo off your Christmas card list because she forgot you last year.

Love is not self-seeking and leaves a copy of your Christmas list in every room of the house.

Love is not easily angered when the young girl at the checkout takes forever because she is just temporary staff.

Love doesn't keep remembering how many times your mum forgets you don't like brussel sprouts.

Love does not delight in the commercial bandwagon but rejoices with the truth of a baby born in the stable.

Love always protects the family from Christmas hype.

Love always trusts that the hiding places for presents will remain secret for another year.

Love always hopes that this year more neighbors will drop in to your open house coffee morning.

Love always perseveres until the cards are written, the presents all bought, the shopping done, and the Christmas cake iced.

Toys may break, socks wear thin but love never fails.

Where there is the feeling of the presents to guess their contents, and mum going on about being good so Father Christmas will come, and searching through the cupboards to find your hidden presents, they will all stop.

For we think we know what we are getting, and we hope we know what we are getting but when Christmas Day arrives all will be revealed.

When I was a child I talked with big wide-open eyes about Christmas, thought that Christmas was all about me; I reasoned that Jesus should have been born more often. When I became an adult, I forgot the joy, wonder, and excitement of this special time.

Now we just hear about the angels, shepherds, and wise men, then we shall see them all the time. Now I know as much as the Bible says about the first Christmas, then I shall know just how many wise men there were and where they came from.

Now three things remain to be done:

To have faith that the baby born in a stable is the Son of God.

To hope that the true message of Christmas will not get discarded with the wrapping paper and unwanted gifts.

And the most important: to have a love for others like the one that God has for us.

Copyright 2001 Claire Jordan (caleb@eurobell.co.uk). 

Permission is granted to send this to others, but not for commercial purposes.

Today Is Election Day

These are my observations about this year's presidential election. I was going to say "humble observations," but I will leave that for you to decide.

1. I make no recommendations regarding who to vote for. I believe both major candidates are deeply flawed. And since I can only vote "for" someone and not "against," I don't have anyone I can confidently vote for.

2. I have good friends that have directly or indirectly told me who to vote for. Not one person has persuaded me to vote for their choice. No one. I hope we can still be friends.

3. I believe abortion continues to be the nation's greatest tragedy. Please do not ask me to vote for anyone that supports it. Don't ask me to support someone who asks me to contribute to the abortion industry with my tax dollars. I can't. I won't.

4. I believe the trans issue adds to the moral confusion that our culture is suffering. Please don't ask me to support it. To support gender transitions for children and adolescents is permanently harmful. Please don't ask me to support gender transitions for prisoners with my tax dollars.

5. I am tired of both Republicans and Democrats talking down to people who have ideas and principles that are different from them. Generally speaking, people don't change their minds when they are being insulted. Discussion anyone? Respect anyone?

6. Yes, my mind is made up about the issues above, but I won't call you an "idiot" for taking a position different than mine. I am willing to discuss them anytime.

7. It is my opinion that we have had 8 years of inadequate polarizing leadership on too many levels. I don't expect anything to change. I hope I am wrong. 

I miss Ronald Reagan.

My Takes on the Super Bowl 2024

 My takes on the Super Bowl:

1. I would have had a better time if Dondra and I could have been around people, but after both of us having the flu all week, we decided not to risk hosting our annual CA party. Even our kids had a party without us.

2. The game was not rigged for KC. Otherwise the illegal man down field against SF would have been called on their first touchdown. There will always be calls that are missed. I know this for a fact. I'm a Bills fan.

3. Some have claimed that karma didn't work because Kelce got away with pushing Reid. I say karma did work because Reid still won and Kelce got the girl who writes songs about past boyfriends (inevitably, he will be one of them - and that song will surely be a doozy).

4. Some of my friends referred to Kelce as an ape and a scumbag. I don't like the name calling and for those of us who have played sports passionately, we know that sometimes the worst part of us pops out when the contest is hot. I prefer to be gracious and I am willing to bet Reid will be too. Kelce will have to live with the ramifications.

5. Brock Purdy is a great story. I love his testimony. I love his calm demeanor. I hope he is around for a long time.

6. I appreciate the sentiment of the "He gets us" campaign. However, it misses the essential aspect of the grace and mercy that Jesus showed the woman caught in adultery when He said, Go and sin no more! There were some lines that were blurry in the pictures that were shown and easily could be interpreted incorrectly. The gospel is easy to understand, not so easy to accept. We don't need to mess with it. It doesn't need help. It is the power of God...period.

7. I did look at the "He gets us" website and totally agree with their concern that certain movements - political and otherwise - use Christianity to shame and harm others (pay attention Christian nationalists). I agree.

8. But again - I looked at the entirety "about us" section and no mention of our need of Jesus. Good grief! What are they afraid of!? Or are they universalists in disguise?

9. I saw on the news that the owner of 26 Shirts was given tickets to the Super Bowl by the Bills. They are a class act and the Decker men own lots of their shirts. Check them out if you don't know what we are talking about.

10. I like a lot of Taylor Swift's songs. Especially her early stuff and some of her most recent. I will not confess to how many albums I have of hers.

11. Taylor Swift is a marvelous capitalist. She may not realize it though.

12. Another friend found offense in Kelce pushing his elderly coach. Reid is 65. I am 65. I am offended at being called elderly.

13. The usher I prefer is the one that carries offering plates. I have a good friend whose last name is Usher. He's better than that guy at halftime and he can't sing (but his wife has a marvelous voice).

14. I wonder if there will ever be a halftime show where I will understand the words as they come out of the mouths of the musicians.

15. Reba hit out of the park with her rendition of the national anthem. I loved the simplicity and the sincerity. It appeared that she meant what she was singing.

16. No one, in my opinion, will ever surpass Whitney Houston's iconic performance.

17. Post Malone's rendition of America was moving, but I find his tattoos distracting. I had to close my eyes. Just sayin'.

18. Go Bills!