Merry Christmas to all

The Christmas season is remarkable. For Christians, the holiday is meant as a commemoration of the time Jesus entered into the world as a baby. Despite His importance, His entrance was in a very unlikely way.

Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah who came into the world to act as a sacrifice for our sins, and then be gloriously resurrected.

Whether a person is a believer or not, there can be no argument that Jesus is the most important figure in our world's history. For believers, His importance is obvious. For non-believers, His teachings have impacted them in ways they likely do not even realize.

In spite of His significance, His entrance into the world was in just about the most humble way possible. With no lodging available, He was born in an animal stable.

While His birth was re-created in Christmas pageants all across Coffee County in recent weeks, none of them did the event justice.

This is not meant as an insult to any of the organizations that did this. I am sure they were all tastefully done and appropriately emphasized the importance of the event. It is just that this is one of those times where it is impossible to recapture the power of the original event.

The circumstances of His birth must have been difficult at best and should be a lesson for us all. In our world, the emphasis is often on wealth and events that are cosmetically beautiful.

Frankly, a homeless child being born in a stable is an event that most of us would go out of our way to avoid. In our current day, it is like seeing a homeless person approaching then stepping to the other side of the street to prevent interacting with him.

Again, that is not meant as an insult. It is just part of our human nature. Simply put, there are times we do not want to deal with situations like that.

It is horrible that we sometimes do things like that, but it would be worse if we ignored that we do it. When we do this, it is the opposite of what the Christmas spirit is supposed to be.

If we all believe that everything happens for a reason, then there has to be a significant reason why Jesus entered into the world the way He did. I am sure there are lots of reasons, but I keep going back to the humility of it all.

If there is one characteristic lacking from America’s celebration of Christmas, it is humility. We live in a culture where bigger is better, and our approach to Christmas is an example of this.

The overemphasis on commercialism during the Christmas season is a primary culprit in all this. In most stores, decorations go up well before Thanksgiving in an attempt to get us in the spending mood.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, there are far more news reports on the spending habits of people than the actual reason the holiday is being commemorated. I agree that spending is important from an economic point of view, but what does it really have to do with the essence of Christmas? Nothing.

The words I just wrote are nothing new, and I could point to countless examples that back that up. For example, all of us have watched 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and one of its themes is searching for the meaning of Christmas in a sea of commercialism.

And that show was made in 1965.

If nothing else, I want all of you to be in a more reflective mood about this holiday.

Do not let the accumulation of 'stuff' stand in the way of a true appreciation of the holiday.

Take off the rose-colored glasses and see it for what it really is.

Merry Christmas to all......

Luke 2:1-20 (NIV): In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Please go listen to 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' soundtrack

If it's the Christmas season, then it must be time to listen to the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas.

This is probably my favorite Christmas album. Propelled by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, the music put a memorable stamp on the cartoon and nicely fit the love and melancholy the storyline produced.

Among other things, one of the major statements the cartoon made (remember when cartoons actually had something to say?) was that commercialism was ruining Christmas. Keep in mind, the cartoon was made in 1965 so it really was ahead of its time when it comes to this subject.

As a boy, I quickly learned to love the Peanuts comic strip, as well as many of the films and television specials that came from this franchise.

Obviously, this is a CD you must own.

Retailers offering good deals this Christmas season

For those of us on a tight Christmas budget, the good news is that retailers are offering a lot of good deals to encourage spending. Last Saturday was the first day I devoted to Christmas shopping, and I was pleased with what I found. In Manchester and Murfreesboro, there were deals to be had. This was especially so at the Manchester Walmart and the Murfreesboro Books-A-Million. I like Books-A-Million’s new location in Murfreesboro. I could go in there and stay all day.

Be patient with economy

The all-important Christmas shopping season is under way, and most merchants are afraid of the impact our slowing economy will have on sales.

These fears are legitimate. It seems like every week there is another bank that needs bailing out by the federal government, plus unemployment continues to rise.

Money is tight for most families. We’ll find out in the coming weeks just how much that will impact spending.

The holiday shopping season either makes or breaks many businesses so the stakes are high. If most households pull back the reins on spending, the impact could worsen an already wobbly economy.

If spending is good, then maybe our problems won't be as deep or as long as they appear to be right now.

However, whatever happens, I have one piece of advice when it comes to our economic problems: Be patient. When it comes to economics (and most things in life), there are periods of advancement and periods of regression. We will have times when we prosper and times when we won't.

This isn't a new concept. In the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, the writer cautioned us that there is a season for everything, and that would include economics.

Lots of other writers have built upon that theme over the centuries, and they are right.

Now, does this mean this will be easy? Of course not. If a person has been laid off from their job, I can understand how it would be difficult for them to be patient right now. He or she needs to earn a living, and the immediate future does not look bright.

For a person in this situation, this time of year can be especially frustrating. A key part of celebrating the Christmas holiday is giving gifts to loved ones to show them how much they are appreciated.

A person won't be able to do that to the degree they want to, and this will cause a lot of frustration. In most cases, frustration will conquer patience.

However, we have to remain patient and look at the big picture. Throughout our country's history, there are repeated examples of how our economy tumbled, but we worked our way through it.

Our nation made it through the Great Depression of the '30s, and if we can do that, then I feel good about our chances now.

We didn't get into our current economic mess overnight, and we won’t be able to pull out of it quickly. But, if we commit ourselves to a disciplined approach, we will work through this.

For example, look at how we responded to the gas crisis we experienced last summer. Prices soared to $4 a gallon, and there were sporadic shortages that tried the patience of everybody.

I even predicted in this column that we would be lucky to see $3 a gallon prices, and that prices of $2 a gallon were a thing of the past.

Well, obviously I underestimated the American public. We adjusted our driving habits, and we have seen prices drop to $1.60 a gallon throughout the area.

This is specific proof that economic difficulties can turn around if we adjust what we do and remain patient.

As for right now, this might be a good opportunity to focus more on the true meaning of Christmas. Materialism has cut into what Christmas is really all about for several years.

Since we won't be able to spend as much as we like, maybe we should re-connect with the reason this holiday is celebrated in the first place.

Too much, too soon by stores trying to encourage Christmas spending

Last Saturday, which was the day after Halloween, I walked into my local Wal-Mart, and the first thing I saw was a Christmas tree standing near the front door. As I walked in, I heard Christmas music, and the store was covered (for the most part) with Christmas decorations.

Don't get me wrong; I love Christmas. However, I think a lot of stores jump the gun when it comes to using the holiday as a tool to sell its merchandise. I understand that a lot of retailers are concerned about Christmas sales being down this season because of our country's economic slowdown.

However, pushing Christmas merchandise this early is a big turn off. It seems like in recent years the importance of Thanksgiving has gotten lost in the shuffle as many folks sprint toward Christmas.

Let's hope that doesn't happen this year.

Merry Christmas to all

Luke 2:1-20 (NIV): In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Christmas won't be merry for everybody

We are now only a little over a week away from Christmas, and all the anticipation for it is building.

Just a casual tour in my community shows that a lot of folks are really caught up in the holiday.

I can't remember when I have seen so many homes decorated with outdoor lights. Some of the homes are quite beautiful and the owners should be commended for dedicating so much time to recognize the holiday's importance.

And, of course, about every business a person visits right now is buzzing with activity as people try to pick out that perfect gift for their loved ones.

Even though Christmas has become ridiculously over-commercialized, it is always heart warming to see the lengths some people will go to show folks that they love them.

Though many people look at Christmas from a secular viewpoint, it is important to remember that people of faith look at this day as something much more than an excuse to exchange gifts.

Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on this holiday, and sometimes this can get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season.

From a spiritual point of view, Christians have it really good in America. Governmental repression really isn't a factor when it comes to a Christian's decision to go to church. All he has to do is get out of bed and go.

However, this fundamental freedom that we all enjoy is often taken for granted. I know I take it for granted, and many times, I am simply too lazy to take advantage of the right we have to publicly worship.

A holiday like Christmas certainly helps a person's spiritual mindset.

Wars have been fought to preserve this fundamental right. Yet, it is easy to become passive when it comes to this. Religious freedom is easy to take for granted because we have so much of it.

However, there are folks all around the world who do not have this right. For many Christians worldwide, their observance of this holiday will be nothing like it will be here.

For some of them, they will be risking their lives by publicly celebrating the birth of Jesus.

For example, consider the plight of Christians in Iraq.

According to the web site Persecution.org, Iraqi Christians "are being hunted, murdered, and forced to flee -- persecuted on a biblical scale in Iraq’s religious civil war."

Christians have been in what is now known as Iraq since the time of Jesus, but times are really tough for them now.

The CBS News’ program 60 Minutes recently reported on the situation there.

Correspondent Scott Pelley gained access to a secret worship service and interviewed an Anglican chaplain who serves the church.

According to Pelley, the room was filled with women and children, but there were no men. The chaplain said there were no men because they had been killed or kidnapped.

He said that all the original leadership in that church had been taken and killed.

To illustrate how fearful Christians are there, the 60 Minutes report stated that most churches there do not want protection from U.S. forces.

They fear that if the military openly protects them somebody will covertly infiltrate their congregations and murder everybody. Therefore, they prefer to remain underground.

Think about that. The people there are so afraid of being butchered that they are afraid to ask for protection.

I'll go out on a limb and say that most of you reading this have never faced obstacles so threatening when it comes to how you worship. Yet, these people continue to push forward despite the overwhelming odds.

There are hundreds of other examples that demonstrate the struggles many face spiritually.

As we approach Christmas, we need to remember that the rights we enjoy aren’t available to many people around the world.

Folks like the Iraqi Christians should be an inspiration to all Christians.

They should also force us to analyze our own spiritual commitment.

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty uncomfortable right now.

The Vince Guaraldi Trio swings on A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack

Yesterday, I discussed the pleasure I felt for an old Phil Spector Christmas album so it seems only natural that I bring up the soundtrack for 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.'

This is probably my favorite Christmas album. Propelled by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, the music put a memorable stamp on the cartoon and nicely fit the love and melancholy the storyline produced.

Among other things, one of the major statements the cartoon made (remember when cartoons actually had something to say?) was that commercialism was ruining Christmas. Keep in mind, the cartoon was made in 1965 so it really was ahead of its time when it comes to this subject.

As a boy, I quickly learned to love the Peanuts comic strip, as well as many of the films and television specials that came from this franchise.

I’ve written more extensively on this album before so if you are interested in reading more, please click here.

Obviously, this is an album you must own.

Phil Spector before the fall

Many things contribute to the Christmas season, and I think most of us would agree that music plays a big role in adding to the holiday mood.

Legendary music producer Phil Spector is known more these days for his dramatic personal life than for the fact that he once created some wonderful music.

My favorite production of his is a Christmas album he made back in the early 60s with several artists. Titled 'A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector,' it is one of the best Christmas albums I own.

Working with the Ronettes, the Crystals, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, and Darlene Love, he applied his Wall of Sound production technique to some well-known holiday classics like: 'White Christmas,' 'Frosty the Snowman,' and 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town.'

However, the best is Darlene Love singing 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).' For years, David Letterman had Love come on his show and sing this song each holiday season. I don't know if he still does, but she always did a great job.

If you can find this in the discount bins somewhere, make sure to buy it. It is first rate.

Take it easy on retail workers this Christmas season

The Christmas shopping season officially began on Friday and bedlam reigned at malls and shopping centers all over the country.

I guess that is good when it comes to companies making a profit, but I’m not sure it adds to the spirit of the season. From what I saw reported in the media, many folks had a take no prisoner’s attitude to ensure they got what they needed.

As for me, I avoid shopping on Thanksgiving weekend like the plague. It’s just not worth it. The rudeness. The waiting in lines. The hype. It just doesn’t put me in the mood for Christmas. In fact, it detracts from it.

Many moons ago, I had a retail job during the holiday season, and trust me, it wasn’t pretty. I worked at a J.C. Penney, and I sold men’s suits and accessories. I worked hard, but it was definitely a mixed experience.

As consumers, I know it can be pretty frustrating dealing with store personnel at this time of year. However, a lot of folks you encounter are people hired specifically for the holidays and have little training and experience.

Big companies look for warm bodies to fill a space to get them through the next few weeks, and they hope they will learn their job on the run. As we all know, some do and some don’t.

So, give them a break. They are just looking to make a little extra money to help themselves and their families.

As consumers, I know we should expect a certain amount of professionalism from businesses wanting our money, but that doesn’t mean we should forget to love our neighbors (even if it is an employee that can’t answer any of our questions).

After all, it’s Christmas. Let’s enjoy it.