Sunday, December 25, 2011

IS THERE A TRUE MEANING IN CHRISTMAS?

Traditions change from year to year. For us, one daughter and her family missing.
Ken made an amazing beer, his best so far. It has a hint of rosemary and wonderful bitter herbs. He and his family visited his wife, Laurie’s siblings in Lodi because her brother and his wife flew redeye to their son’s wedding in Korea this morning. Its 2011. What varied lives we live.
We spent most of the day playing games, walking the dogs, and stuffing ourselves silly with party foods. It warmed enough for the kids, Owen and Theo, to jump on the trampoline. The weather has been unseasonably warm this December. Dry, too.
I made Chili Verde for dinner, made with chicken rather than pork. I’ve wanted to try it that way for years, and it was very good by all accounts.  (It will never be as good as my friend Norma Tapia’s authentic verde with pork, though.)
The kids were allowed to open one present and the adults wanted to watch a Christmas movie. The kids were so busy  with their new lego games, we ended up watching The Help, a movie about black maids and their horrible treatment by employers in Jackson, Mississippi.  The kids soon got interested and are old enough to question what was going on between the races. For them it seemed unreal that people treated blacks so shabbily.
It was within our lifetime, not that long ago. It amazed  me how “good Christians” could justify treating anyone the way they did. So, on this very Christian commemorative, the reason for the season, as we hear chanted, may Christians around the world pause and consider the true meaning of Christianity, as in love thy fellow man.
Well, that was yesterday, on the Eve of Christmas. I HAVE AN IDEA. LET’S ABOLISH WAR TODAY, ALL LEADERS OF THE WORLD, AND HAVE A REAL MERRY CHRISTMAS. AND LET US REACH OUT A HAND TO OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS IN LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. AS INDIVIDUALS, LET’S NOT SPREAD HATE.

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