It's the most wonderful time of the year

Below is a copy of a post my brother has on his blog...I thought he said it so well himself that I had to share it as he wrote it. So without further ado here it is my brother's post on "It's the most wonderful time of the year"





Is the schmaltz just a little too much?

You know, I am a born cynic, somewhat sarcastic, and a bit of a grouch at times, so you would think I would not get into Christmas. You would think that I would be totally against the glitz, the holly, the "sleigh rides"... oh wait I live in Florida... no sleigh rides... but you would think the sight of fat guys in red suits with white beards and patent-leather boots would cause me to hurl. And because I'm a Christian I would have the excuse that the holiday is way too commercial, and we have forgotten the "Reason for the Season".

But the fact is, I'm not like that at all. I love Christmas, I love the cheesy music, the schmaltzy TV movies, the huge huge Christmas sales, the lights, the decorations, you name it... I'm all over it. Ask my wife it is quite true.

I'll admit it can be a bit overwhelming, and the season is undoubtedly stressful, but maybe the corny, over-the-top stuff is just what we need. Here's what I mean. We... and by that I mean adults... give this holiday to the kids. We think that all the parades, flash and pizzazz of Christmas is just a winter diversion for them, but what if we embraced it too? What if we let ourselves be children about the holiday? I'm not alone in my cynical, sarcastic attitude toward life... that's our culture. To be honest, it's negative, and that's not really godly. So, what would it be if we put aside our attitudes, our anticipation of the stress, and just enjoyed this time for what it is?

Jesus said, if you don't enter the kingdom of God like a little child you can't enter it. I think we can see that children don't have a problem enjoying the "commercial" aspects of Christmas and the understanding that Christmas is about Christ. They get excited about the Charlie Brown Christmas Special (as do I) and the Nativity reenactment because they get that it is all a giant celebration.

Do some people miss place their joy onto the gifts and the stuff more than they should? Sure. But that doesn't mean we have to.

So, here's my advice... be a kid for a change. As the song says, "to kids from 1 to 92" Embrace the schmaltz, take sometime to listen to cheesy Christmas music, drink pepperminty drinks with lots of chocolate... see what happens.

PS: If you like his thoughts you can read more on his blog at zmcgowen.blogspot.com

It's the most wonderful time of the year

http://andthisismypart.blogspot.com/2007/12/its-most-wonderful-time-of-year.html

"WEAK-MINDED"?!?!?!?! or Why I am the way I am. (Originally posted onFriday, September 14, 2007)

I reposted a bulletin on MySpace entitled "My Best Friend", and the response I've gotten in some ways has just shocked me...some people just reposted it...others didn't...others responded to me personally with their thoughts and still others questioned me and my "weak-mindedness". It is the latter of that list that shocks me.

Anyone who knows me personally, knows that I am a Christian, but they also know (or at least I hope that they know) that I am not judgemental of them. I always try to see things from another person's point of view, AND above all I always at least try to be kind and considerate to others.

That being said, the reason I am shocked is that I simply put out there what I believe and am thought to be "weak-minded"??? I was raised in a Christian home and I am a preacher's kid. It was in that home that I was taught to do unto others as I would have them do unto me. It was also in that home that I was taught that no one is perfect and everyone deserves a second chance. I was also taught to try to live a "Christ-like" life, which I don't even claim to have come close to doing, but I do think I've done well in the being kind, giving and considerate to others department. I have friends of so many different faiths (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu,Wiccan,Taoist) and I work in an environment where people are not easily offended, because they cannot afford to be, and do their jobs properly...if the tone of the post "My Best Friend" came across as preachy, then it is for THAT...that I am sorry. I am NOT, however, sorry for the content.

If I were to go off the handle at someone for saying to me "Blessed Be" or writing encouraging words to me such as "Compromise to please others is not as good as integrity that annoys others. Rather than be praised without being good, it is better to be slandered without being bad. " (a Taoist teaching) Where would my "Christ-likeness" be in that? Instead I just take the encouraging words for what they are...encouragement.

My friends and I have been known to get into discussions about faith where we ultimately decide that we need to "agree to disagree". Now are they "weak-minded" for not further sharing their beliefs...or am I for NOT becoming the stereotypical, tyrannical, fanatical Christian that people fear, but instead remaining the caring Christian person I profess to be?

OK, I'm getting preachy again so I'll back off..

Basically, I'm a preacher's kid who later became a chaplain's kid and then later as an adult had some life experiences that shook me to my core and made me STRONGLY QUESTION my own beliefs...(for more on those just ask...that's another story all in and of itself). The only things that got me through were my faith, my family, and my friends. If what I believe and how I believe it makes me "weak-minded" then so be it! Maybe the world would be a better place if we all were so "weak-minded" that we "agreed to disagree" when necessary...and took the passing on of others thoughts and beliefs as simply them exercising their 1st Ammendment Rights...but there I go getting on my soap-box again...

"WEAK-MINDED"?!?!?!?! or Why I am the way I am. (Originally posted onFriday, September 14, 2007)

http://andthisismypart.blogspot.com/2007/12/weak-minded-or-why-i-am-way-i-am.html