Our President's State of the Union Address

I wanted to give my response to President Trump's State of the Union address with Godly words and wisdom. But, instead, I will give you Dr. Jim Denison's words that pack-the-punch that I wanted to provide. Thank you for allowing me to step back for Dr. Denison to tell us how we should react as Christians:

Yesterday (Monday) was unusually chaotic even for American politics. Democratic Party officials announced partial results from the Iowa caucuses at 5 p.m. EST showing Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders in the lead. Their statement came nearly a full day after the results were delayed due to reporting issues. Four hours later, President Trump began his State of the Union address. He became only the second president to do so while under impeachment. The atmosphere in the room was unusually tense and partisan.

The president handed copies of his speech to Vice President Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She extended her hand, but he turned away without shaking it. She then introduced him, but not with the customary, “Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States.” Instead, she said simply, “Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.”

During the speech, the president honored a Tuskegee Airman and his grandson who intends to become an astronaut. He welcomed home a soldier who reunited with his family for the first time in months. The speech recounted remarkable economic good news and called on Congress to make progress on a variety of fronts. Then, at the conclusion of the speech, the Speaker of the House stood, took her copy of the address, and tore it in two. She said later that she destroyed the speech “because it was the courteous thing to do considering the alternatives.” She added that she was “trying to find one page with truth on it” but “couldn’t.”

My purpose in responding today is emphatically not to advance a partisan agenda. I would offer the same response to last night’s divisiveness if the president were a Democrat and the House Speaker a Republican. In such a bitterly divided culture, my purpose today is to consider biblical ways to deal with disagreements as a nation and as individuals.

~ One: Honor the position if not the person
First, we must honor the position even if we disagree with the person. Peter instructed us: “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good” (1 Peter 2:13–14). Paul agreed: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1). Note that the emperor to whom they referred was Nero, one of the most despotic tyrants in Roman history.

In light of God’s word, it was wrong for Republican Congressman Joe Wilson to cry out “You lie!” when President Obama was delivering a joint address to Congress in 2009. (The congressman soon apologized, and the president accepted his apology.) It was also wrong for Speaker Pelosi to rip up President Trump’s speech. Congressman Wilson and Speaker Pelosi obviously disagreed with the presidents whose speeches they protested. But Scripture teaches us to honor the position, even if we disagree with the person.

~ Two: Initiate reconciliation
Second, God’s word calls us to go to those with whom we disagree. Jesus was clear: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). Conversely, our Lord also taught us: “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23–24).

Whether someone sins against us or we sin against them, we are to go to them. We are not permitted to speak about them before we speak to them. When we discuss public figures, we must avoid slander (Psalm 101:5; James 4:11) and gossip (Proverbs 20:19; 1 Timothy 5:13), only saying about them what we would say to them. These commitments break the cycle of retribution and initiate the process of healing. If the person will not respond to our initiative, we will know that we have done what we can.

Three: Love our enemies in prayer
Our third principle may be the hardest: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). “Love” translates agape, the unconditional commitment to put the other person first. We demonstrate this commitment when we pray for “those who persecute you”—the Greek syntax is translated literally, “for them as they are persecuting you.”

You know that you love your enemies when you pray for God’s best for them regardless of how they treat you. Such forgiveness obeys God’s word and will (Mark 11:25) and models his grace to a graceless culture.

Imagine a culture living by biblical forgiveness. Discussion of the divisiveness on display during last night’s State of the Union is likely to continue for days. In response, let’s model Christian behavior for a post-Christian culture. Let’s choose to honor the position of those with whom we disagree. Let’s refuse to slander them, speaking to them rather than about them. And let’s pray for God’s best for them as we share the forgiveness we have received.

Imagine the difference in our country if everyone followed these biblical principles. Now let’s model the behavior we ask others to exhibit. With whom will you begin today?

Would You Be Impeached if You Were President?

Could You Be Impeaced if You Were President?
I'd like to take the credit for this blog today -- meaning, that God had given me this insight. It rang so true for me and I wish I had seen it a couple of days ago when I was defending my President with what he has done for our Country and someone challenged me about him -- in fact, calling him "Satan in the flesh". But, this speaks so much louder to who and whose we are. This is a post from a powerful godly woman, Janet Denison. I hope you get out of it as much as I did:

"I remember seeing the video of President Nixon entering the helicopter and waving at the cameras with his famous two-handed peace sign. It was 1974 and I was a sophomore in high school. I remember when the impeachment proceedings were initiated against President Clinton. It was 1998 and I was trying to steer my two sons away from the ugly descriptions in the television news. My boys were both in elementary school. Last week, I couldn’t help but wonder what my grandkids were hearing. I wondered if my oldest were asking, “Dad, what is impeach?” How would you answer that question?

Impeach is a verb and means “call into question the integrity or validity of (a practice).” The word is used most often in America to “charge (the holder of a public office) with misconduct.” From my limited knowledge of politics, I would ask this question: Who in Washington D.C. isn’t impeachable?

In my memory, integrity has not really been a standard we use to measure our leaders. If that were the case, we wouldn’t have slanderous campaign ads that flood the airwaves and that continue once they are in office—and especially once they campaign for office again. Would we have the problems in Washington today if we had voted for leaders who believed that integrity was a high standard for their campaigns? Can a person of high integrity ever win? Is winning more important than maintaining personal integrity?

It doesn’t matter which teams you root for in this world. Integrity should be a standard we value more than winning. We look for integrity in our preachers, teachers, and medical professionals. We would appreciate integrity in our lawyers, but we demand integrity from the lawyers on the other side of the table. We want integrity in our bankers, but do we require it of our tax accountants? We want the service industries to help us with integrity, but what about the realtor negotiating the sale of our home?

We are angry with the baseball teams that cheat their way to the top. How would we feel if it were our team that had won the trophy? I remember when Tom Brady was suspended for several games after “deflategate.” He won the Super Bowl that year and another two years later. It’s possible, even probable, that deflategate cost his team a title the year Brady was suspended for four games. But, did Brady’s suspension change his sport or just the way footballs are checked on snowy days?

I loved a letter to the Astros franchise that a friend posted on Facebook. He is an avid fan who is greatly disappointed in his team. But, he will still be a fan—if they clean up their standards for winning and return to a place of integrity in their sport. His Facebook post prompted this blog post. Washington DC didn’t change because of Watergate and Brady’s suspension didn’t cause everyone in sports to stop cheating.

If winning matters most, then people will continue to compromise their integrity to win. If God matters most, then people will continue to aim at integrity. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Lost people will always act lost. The real point of this blog post is to ask us: Will Christians act saved? We need to choose to love God most and be called to his purpose, especially this week. Like it or not, Christians are the light in this culture. We tend to get angry at lost people who act lost more than saved people who act lost. We have grace for the saved because, after all, that’s our team.

Americans are all part of the fallen human race and therefore we are all flawed. But there are a lot of us who are also part of God’s eternal family. When King Solomon was commissioning God’s children, he spoke for God, saying, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

King Solomon was a faithful, strong, and flawed leader. Maybe that’s why God chose him to deliver some of the most important words in Scripture. The key to 2 Chronicles 7:14 is found in the first three words of the verse: “If my people . . . .” The integrity of our culture is not the fault of, nor the responsibility of, the lost. God’s people are supposed to be “the light of the world.” We are supposed to humble ourselves, turn from our mistakes, and pray and seek God’s face.

God’s promise of blessing was not contingent upon the lost people doing the right things; it was contingent upon God’s people doing the right things. Whatever “team” you are on in politics, remember that you are there to love God and serve his purpose. Romans 8:28 is the responsibility of every Christian so that God can redeem all things to his great and perfect purpose.

Will we humble ourselves, pray, and seek God’s face? We are God’s people, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 explains that his blessings are a direct response to our obedience. Christians are the light of the world because the light of the world indwells us. Don’t let the world shove your light under a basket. This is an important time to shine. Humble yourself, seek God’s face, and turn from the wrong words and ways that will be easy to slip into this week. Please God if you want to win.

God can and will redeem anything for his good, if his people are called to his ways. That is our role in the impeachment proceeding.

Living Our Christianity Out-Loud -- "One Another Living"

Yesterday on FB, I saw this first photo of two family members with opposing opinions about who our next Texas Senator should be. The caption read: "This Longhorn fan prefers Ted Cruz. This Aggie fan prefers Beto. We may not agree on political candidates, but we definitely agree that relationships matter more than politics. Our families play games together, break bread together, drink wine together, float rivers together, and love a great party with other friends and neighbors. We treat each other with respect, disagree agreeably (and often with humor), and try, although not always successfully, to show our kids how responsible adults who don’t agree on everything should act. Be civil. Have conversations with people who don’t think like you. If everyone thought the same it would be boring anyway. And love your neighbor.”

I loved those sentiments enough to pass the message on. Remember the battle cry of the Three Musketeers? "All for one and one for all"! That sounds like a lofty goal, especially in light of the many different, opposing groups of people. If ever Christians needed to become "All for One and One for All", it's today. What does that mean? It means that our lives should become so "Light" bearing, that it is completely obvious who the Christians are. People need to see Christians who manifest the character of Christ, speaking the truth in love with courage and compassion. The more bitter others are, the more persuasive OUR witness will be. Right now is a great opportunity for Christianity. If we actually lived our faith and actually lived Christianity it would be extremely attractive to people. It differentiates Christianity from all that’s going on in the world.

In Galatians 5:14, Paul wrote, "For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” I think what Paul is talking about is the kind of love of neighbor that the Musketeers had for each another. We can learn from their unity and loyalty. As followers of Jesus Christ, not only do we strive to serve, protect, and love God, but we are also called to serve, protect and love each other.

Today, I'm thinking of ways that we can join our hands and hearts together to be a part of something greater than "my four and no more" -- greater than "What's in it for me?" What if we began to pray and humble ourselves to become God's servants who live a life of ONE ANOTHER LIVING? "What can I do for you? What can I do for the cause? What can I do for the team? What can I do for others that helps them to win?" Let’s live our faith. Let’s let people know we are Christians – not by screaming it out off the rooftops. If we know anything about this culture, they’re screaming at Christians “Don’t tell me. Show me." Let’s live our Christianity and teach others how to do the same!”

Making Love and Peace -- Not War

Last week, I saw my 4-sisters cousins' photo of them in front of the Colosseum in Rome while they were on a trek through Italy. I quickly found my photo when I was there last year because it stirred up a passion to share about the end of a barbarous era when hate and violence killed at least 400,000 gladiators (slaves, criminals, Christians) and a million animals for “sport”. The Colosseum was eventually shut down because someone refused to stay silent about the atrocities. He paid a high price for his passion and courage, but that price changed the course of history.

Telemachus, a monk, lived in a cloistered monastery in the 4th century. He sensed God saying: “Go to Rome” so he packed up his possessions in a sack and went there. As he arrived, people were crowding the streets. He asked why all the excitement and was told that this was the day the gladiators would be fighting and killing each other in the Colosseum, the day of the games. He thought to himself, “Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?” He ran to the Colosseum and heard the gladiators saying, “Hail to Caesar, we die for Caesar” and he thought, “This isn’t right.” He jumped over the railing, went into the arena, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said: “In the name of Christ, STOP!”

The crowd protested and shouted, “Run him through. Run him through.” A gladiator hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, “In the name of Christ, STOP.” The crowd continued to chant, “Run him through.” Another gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the monk’s stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, “In the name of Christ, STOP!” A hush came over the 80,000 people in the Colosseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome.

That, is what I call heroism and St. Telemachus is who I call a hero. He gave his life to make peace. Peace often comes at a high price. Four centuries before, Jesus Christ suffered a brutal death of crucifixion on a cross – as One Who died because His destiny was to exemplify His peacemaker's heart.

Since the beginning of time, peace has been fought for and here we are in this 21st century and the brutality, anger, animosities, hatred, and violence is still happening because of the one common theme of trying to silence the voice of peace and love. It’s a real tug of war between hate and love and this world is far from peace. The accounts of unsteadiness are abundant.

Since the beginning of time, peace has been fought for and here we are in this 21st century and the brutality, anger, animosities, hatred, and violence is still happening because of trying to silence the voice of peace and love. It’s a tug of war between hate and love and this world is far from peace. We are surrounded by a war between love and hate. Like St. Telemachus, I want to reach my arms out between both sides and say: "IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, STOP!!!"

Franklin Graham said: "I have no hope in the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. The only hope for this country is God." The solution that we as citizens have control over is how we respond to these conflicts. We must do our part on a daily basis to not get into word wars because the only thing that can fight hate is love. We have every right to fight for what we believe in; it's our right as citizens. But it starts with love.

Whatever message we should be conveying -- in good AND bad times -- boils down to one primary theme...LOVE. We are faced with a choice. We can let the horrible tragedies weigh on us until we are angry and in fear and we ask..."How can LOVE be the answer when there are those who are filled with so much hate, bitterness, sick minds, and spirits?" It's the same answer when they killed and crucified our Savior: "Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do." That is the love we should all desire.

On Sunday, my pastor spoke these words of St. Francis of Assisi. If we took these words, meditated on them and sincerely prayed them with all our hearts, just maybe we could be the catalyst for change:

"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. Amen.

I’ll Admit It. I’m a Jesus Freak!

While in the waiting room of my doctor’s office, I noticed these first three photos of wall-hangings and plaques AND Christian music was playing in the background. What a comfort it was to know he is a man of faith. Then, on Saturday, I went for a haircut and I noticed, right away, these next wall hangings that surely indicated this gal’s faith. I said, kiddingly to her: “You are definitely a Jesus freak!” She admitted she is, and so am I.

The term "Jesus freak" was originally used to demean or insult Christians involved with the Jesus Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. It was primarily directed towards those who were especially aggressive in their evangelistic efforts. The core meaning of Jesus freak was a person who is so dedicated to following Jesus that it seemed there was nothing else the person could talk about. A Jesus freak is basically a person who is obsessed with Jesus.

Yep. That was my husband and me back in those days, and that is still me today. My hair stylist told me that people will come into her shop and right away, they’ll start their conversations with her by saying “I love your wall hangings. You are definitely a Christian aren’t you?” And she said other people will come in and they’ll notice the hangings and not speak of them or they don’t even notice them at all. I’m proud of her. What a great way to say “I believe”.

Sometimes it’s NOT a piece of cake to start talking about our love for God. We want to share about that love and oftentimes it feels awkward or pushy and even, Jesus freakish, but just because we possess more enthusiasm, passion, and excitement about a certain thing, in this case, a certain SOMEONE named "Jesus" doesn't automatically make us "freaks" does it? Why is loving someone so unconditionally as we do our Savior has to be something society is threatened by? We're simply passionate about someone. It would be like calling an aspiring actress an acting freak. Or someone who really loves the products they sell a "selling freak"? It's simply our overwhelming love for THE ONE Who gave His only Son to us that we would have life now and forever. We are often embarrassed to talk about the One who lives in us and who has given us so much. I am a “Jesus freak” because I can’t help myself. There aren't many conversations that I have with anyone that God’s name isn’t mentioned. If you knew where I came from and what I’ve been through, you’d know the reason why I love Him so.

Not long ago, the kindest man who was formerly the mastermind behind the City of Frisco's Water Wise program and who is now retired but does sprinkler system repairs, repaired mine. He was diligent, efficient and low-priced so I just had to tell others in my community about him on our NextDoor app. He got lots of new business from my recommendation. Why would I not share something good so others can be blessed? If I knew the cure for cancer, why would I withhold it from others?

That’s how I feel about God. I sing because I’m happy. I’ve been blessed way more than I deserve. I live in peace because He walks and talks with me each day. He comforts me when I’m sad. He nudges me when He wants me to be better and do better. He is my best friend and confidante. He lives in my heart and is my ever-present help in trouble. How could I NOT share Him with others? I have scriptures, crosses, plaques and statutes and all kinds of symbols in my home. You would know who I hold in greatest esteem and honor. I wear a cross necklace. I listen to Christian music. I pray in restaurants, and if I’m with people who I don’t know if they know Him, I still ask if I can pray over our meal. I'm not ashamed. Yep. I’m a Jesus freak!

St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times……and sometimes use words.” Maybe it’s time we all should strive to make God famous through our example and our love for Him that cannot be suppressed…..because we just can’t help ourselves. We’re just so in love and we know He is the cure for loneliness, depression, sadness, fear, worry, and anxiety….we can’t hide it!

What Symbols Do You Hold Dear?

We are surrounded by signs and symbols in everyday life. We make decisions based on them -- traffic signs, for example. What about our American flag that symbolizes the price our service men and women paid for our freedom? What about that coin on the sidewalk that reminds us “In God We Trust”?

When I was twelve, my boyfriend (who eventually became my husband) and I went on our first official (chaperoned) date. On my 13th birthday, he bought this pictured gold bracelet and charm for me with his savings. I still have that bracelet and charm. I wore that bracelet when I served communion a couple of Sundays ago. It made me feel like he was with me, serving. That bracelet was always a symbol of when we met and had our first date AND the sweet love we shared for so many years.

I heard a man share about the time when he bought his wife a crucifix as a gift. She opened the gift and said, “I can’t accept that, because Jesus is no longer on the cross”. I thought, “What a shame that someone would think that about a crucifix." There is no symbol more dear to Christians than the cross of Christ and the Crucifix. At one time, crosses represented only torture until death. Now, the cross, with or without the Jesus on the cross, is a symbol of the price Jesus paid for our salvation, healing and victory as he conquered death at His resurrection. When I see a crucifix or a cross, I thank God for His indescribable love for you and me that He gave us His One and only Son, that if we believe in Him, we will never perish, but will also have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Now, that’s a reminder I need to see everyday! Oh how He loves you and me!

Do I worship my bracelet or do I worship the cross or crucifix I wear? Oh, no! My bracelet AND my cross are beautiful reminders. Another symbol that we see is the Ichthys which is the Greek word for fish. Early Christians made an acrostic of it which means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” The fish has plenty of references in the Bible, (for example, Jesus fed the 5,000 with 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread and Jesus told His disciples to be Fishers of Men).

In the early church, the fish didn’t attract too much attention or suspicion (unlike the cross) so it was a perfect secret symbol for persecuted believers. When threatened by Romans in the first centuries after Christ, Christians used the fish mark in meeting places to distinguish friends from foes. According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian would draw one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company and safe to admit they were Christians. Now you know the back story to the fish symbol we see used so often today. Thank God we are free to express our faith by wearing or displaying the cross or crucifix, unlike those in countries and places today, where they still must resort to secret signs & symbols.

What symbols are reminders to you of significant events, precious memories and even keep you in closer touch with God? Do you wear a wedding band? Does it represent the sacred marriage covenant you made before God with your spouse? Is your Bible just a book of stories on your coffee table, or are you reminded of God’s Word to His people that is a road map to success and victorious living if we apply its principles?

Symbols – reminders. What symbols do you hold near and dear to YOUR heart?

All for One -- One for All: "One Another Living"

Maybe we should take the battle cry of the Three Musketeers and make it our motto. "All for one and one for all"! That sounds like a lofty goal, especially in the light of how many different, opposing groups of people love or hate each other. So much bitterness and contentious words and remarks are heard daily --and not just in politics and talk shows, but in our schools, churches, homes and neighborhoods.

If ever Christians needed to become "All for One and One for All", it's today. What does that mean? It means that our lives should become so "light" bearing, that it is completely obvious who the Christians are. People need to see Christians who manifest the character of Christ, speaking the truth in love with courage and compassion. I love Rick Warren's statement "God teaches us to love by putting some unlovely people around us. It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving to you." The more bitter others are, the more persuasive OUR witness will be.

No pun intended, but LOVE trumps everything! It trumps gender and ethnic diversity. It trumps cultural differences. It trumps religious preferences. It even trumps political affiliations. We’ve gotten so consumed with being right that we’ve forgotten about being IN LOVE. That’s right! We are supposed to be in love with each other. God's love.....Christ’s love trumps all! ALL!

Back to "All for One -- One for All". In Galatians 5:14, Paul wrote, "For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” I think what Paul is talking about here is the kind of love of neighbor that the Musketeers had for each another. We can learn from their unity and loyalty. As followers of Jesus Christ, not only do we strive to serve, protect, and love God, but we are ALSO called to serve, protect and love each other.

Today, I'm thinking of ways that we can join our hands and hearts together to be a part of something greater than "my four and no more" -- greater than "What's in it for me?" What if we began to pray and humble ourselves to become God's servants who live a life of ONE ANOTHER LIVING? "What can I do for you? What can i do for the cause? What can I do for the team? What can I do for others that helps them to win?"

We're ALL on the same team -- we're God's kids, and we represent our Father Who WILL WIN, and win BIG TIME. Everyone will know us by being on the LIGHT side by our love for one another. All for ONE -- ONE for all.

Merry Christmas!

Day 312 of Photo Inspirations -- MERRY CHRISTMAS
Just look at this sweet sunbeam!  Yesterday, I walked into Reasor's Grocery Store in Jenks, the cafe side. The cashier at that side of the store, Beverly, was beaming from ear-to-ear and greeted me, "Good Morning!  It's a great day for sweaters, isn't it (I had on a sweater)?"  I have never been into that store that Beverly wasn't cheery with that delightful smile.

With my shopping done, I headed to Beverly's register. I told her "What a blessing it is to see you....always so full of joy.  You are the PERFECT one to be here at the entrance."  She promptly said, "Oh, I'm sure not perfect, but I sure try to be the best I can be!"  I replied, "There's no one perfect but Jesus.....right?"  She agreed.  Then, I whispered....."Merry Christmas", and she quickly replied, "Merry Christmas to you.  Mr. Reasor says it's okay for us to say 'Merry Christmas'.  In fact, he let's me put my NOEL sign up here at my register."  I told her that makes me want to buy my groceries there even more now.  I headed out the door and it hit me, "I know what my photo inspiration will be for tomorrow!"  I asked Beverly if I could take her photo for my blog today. Now.....you know what a sunbeam looks like.

I could go on about being a bright light to our world and if ever our world needed more Beverlys in it, it does today!   St. Francis said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and sometimes use words." Beverly is preaching the good news every day with her happy heart and encouraging smile.

My Starbucks Coffee Cup photo here was inspired by the recent "red cup without snowflakes or representation of Christmas on it" issue.  Someone got uptight about it.  Seriously?  I think that guy hangs out at Starbucks too much and too much time on his hands.  But, his uptightness (Is that a word?) has sure given Starbucks a boatload of free marketing. They've gotta love it.  But, I'm sure not going to get on that band wagon.  The cup is bright red like bright red Christmas lights and ornaments. Oh, and here's really good news for that uptight guy.  They still sell their "Christmas" Blend Coffee.  

Back to the conversation that Beverly and I had -- I won't let anyone keep me from declaring in my greetings and my spirit and my outward joy...."Merry Christmas".  I agree with columnist Rachel Held Evans when she said,  "The whole story of Advent is the story of how God CAN'T be kept out. God IS present.  God IS with us. God shows up — not with a parade but with the whimper of a baby, not among the powerful, but among the marginalized, not to the demanding, but to the humble."

Yes, it's more important than ever that Christians stand courageously and boldly for Jesus.  But it's also crucial that we do so with a positive, joyful spirit.....like Beverly's.  We know how the story ends.  We know that the Bible is true, and heaven is real. We know that the One, Jesus Christ, who came as a baby will come again as a King. And we know that one day, we will be celebrating Christmas eternally with Him!  

Merry Christmas to all.....and to all....a really GOOD Saturday!