Christmas 2020

Christmas cards at one time were sent more and Christmas letters were more popular.  I still enjoy getting both but as time passes by, it seems to be not the same (i.e. technology sure has changed the amount being sent I think, my opinion.  But we learn continuously that somethings unexpected can really change our lives (e.g. the virus).  It’s nuttin new, history has had all kinds of unexpected events which have unexpectantly affected each of our lives.  For sure.  Soooo why are we soooo surprised! Some of you are thinking of all the unexpected bad things that have happened to you but please think about all the good unexpected things that have happened to us as well.  Soooooo many!

I had breakfast this week with a golf buddy/friend this week.  Here is a funny story related to all the bells and whistle's of technology. He was telling me that he bought a new skid loader. Everything is digital and much is related to safety.. He got it home and was testing it out, turned it off and he couldn't get out.  The door wouldn't open! It took him an hour to figure out how to get out! And this guy is smart!  But he is 76!  haha What a hoot! You have to have confidence and be a humble person to admit that.  I love this guy!

ItchieBitchie says—erv, I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t quote “Christmas Vacation” at least 10 times until Christmas.  Heather, our daughter, gave me this tee shirt a couple of years ago.  She knows how this movie just makes me laugh (i.e. as many of you as well, for sure).  Our family knows probably all the quotes and say them regularly this time of the year. What a hoot!

A friend sent me this information.  The world population is about 7.8 billion folks.  Now take 100 folks, 33 are Christians 22 are Muslims 14 are Hindus 7 are Buddhists 12 are other religions 12 have no religious beliefs. If those figures are approximately accurate, not all folks’ celebration of Christmas is the same. For sure.  And of the 33 percent who claim to Christians, they all surely don’t celebrate Christmas with the same gusto.  Sooooo I wonder how my celebration of Christmas compares to the world’s population.  How about your celebration?

I have always been amazed about the humility of Christmas which seems to be just the opposite of how the world sees Christmas and how the world operates.  It seems like the birth of Jesus and Jesus himself are all about humility.  I like that.  It makes me feel good (i.e. it warms my heart, it’s reassuring to me). 

I really like how these folks have decorated their house. It just makes me feel good. It appears to me that some folks have much more “Christmas Class” than others.  Some are just classier!  You can interpret Christmas class any way you want.  I have my idea, of course.  There is a big difference to me, between class and showy, impressive, egotistical, or agenda orientated.  A person who has “Christmas Class” just has it. I don’t have to tell you and anyone else. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that.  As a friend described a mutual acquaintance’s Christmas attitude this way—Not impressive. They had sorta kinda a stinging attitude in their Christmas message (i.e. an undertone of unhappiness and bitterness). That is really toooo bad isn’t it, my opinion.

Maybe about 45 years ago, I remember a couple of folks who attended the same church that we did and that I still do. They would only come to church when they could perform (i.e. make folks clap to glorify themselves--didn't appear to be very humble).  They really made me laugh (i.e. I still laugh at them but now I am laughing a dead folks).  WorldClassLarry says--Great people take the spotlight off themselves (i.e. they point the attention to others). For a Christian, that is what Christmas' main attention is all about.  Great folks point the attention to Baby Jesus. At least they try! That’s my opinion.

And it appears that many of those folks at the time of Jesus birth were scared to death, very humble (e.g. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Wiseman, King Harrod, even the pagans who had enough of the severe immorality of the time).  Why were they soooo scared do you think? Even if they didn’t understand very well maybe, they knew something unexpectantly big and good was happening and were shaking in their boots (i.e. ok, their sandals).  It was prophesied for many years that Jesus would be the King of kings, Lord of lords, ruler of the world, the mighty King.  Nuttin has really changed for the folks who believe that prophesy even now (i.e. the same prophesy which was given hundreds of years before Christ’s birth).  BE REAL folks!

Many folks (i.e. some of those many folks are you guys--my home fans) ask me how I am doing.  I appreciate your concern.  But, I’m not any different than any of you folks. I don’t deserve to be treated better or worse than anyone.  I’m just erv.  I humbly accept that (i.e. I think I’m humble most of the time, maybe, at least some of the time or a little bit of the time).  Some of you might think that God treats some folks better than others and you got the short end of the stick.  I can understand that it can seem that way at times.  But we don’t know now do we. SusieQ says--Come on erv, look around, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out that I got ripped off. As Ruby Sue says to her Uncle Clark in the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie—We didn’t’ do nothing wrong and we still got the shaft!

Sooo I stopped at Casey’s this week and the clerk (i.e. who I know very little but is always very nice to me) said—erv, how are you handling Christmas this year (i.e. I assumed she met without Arlene)—oh ok, but it will be different, how about you—all my family is in California and we don’t get along and my husband's family is local but they don’t get along; have a lot of bitterness, hard feelings and no forgiveness soooo it’s pretty much our little family—soooo how do you handle that—it is what it is erv.  Sooooo, many family Christmases aren’t all honky dory!  Not all like on TV. 

Dr. J says--Many great folks in history probably didn’t look soooo great at a young age.  Jesus, Washington, Napoleon, Einstein, who have become great folks but started out pretty low down on the ladder.  And then there are folks who start out pretty high on the ladder but end up on the bottom rung. Now that is crazy. JoeBlow says—erv, but we have to decide for ourselves what greatness and success are. 

Myneighberdownthestreet, friends, many of you guys, or AverageJoes might not consider themselves great or successful, but, holy cow, many of you guys have done some amazing stuff.  Much of that stuff no one even knows about or needs to know.  I realize you didn’t get recognition in church, didn’t get your picture in the paper, maybe folks didn’t even appreciate it, and it might not be even said in your obituary, but you and God know (i.e. you might not even know how great you are yourself). Bingo! Soooo, my opinion, is be humble, you are great and successful.  “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT).

Here is something to think about.  In order toooo be great and successful, you and I maybe need toooo be broken.  It’s like a horse who needs to be broken in a positive way to be really useful.  If horses can’t be broken, they are just hay eaters (i.e. useless, a pain in the butt to have around).  Soooo it is with you and I, if we are not broken of our cockiness, obnoxiousness, over-rated attitude, we are nuttin but gas guzzlers, high calorie intakers, TV watchers, space takers, money makers, egomaniacs who are pretty much useless to God’s glory (i.e. this is my opinion).  RickyRick says—"Your witness to the world will come out of your weaknesses, not your strengths. A lot of people have it backwards: They think the world is impressed by Christians’ prosperity. That doesn’t impress the world. They see that everywhere! What impresses non-believers is how believers handle adversity, not prosperity.”  C. S. Lewis said—"I look in the mirror and like C. S. Lewis, I’m appalled by what I find: ‘a zoo of lusts, a bedlam of ambitions, a nursery of fears, a hareem of fondled hatreds’.”  

I wish each one of you internal peace, happiness and joy.  If I could give that to you, I would give that to you as my Christmas gift.  You know I can’t.  You and I need to find that ourselves.  I wish you the best in your exploration and making the choices that will give you that great gift.  God be with all of you.  He loves all of you, every last one of you (i.e. no matter how you feel about yourself this Christmas).  Now that is a Christmas gift, for sure. And the angel said--“I bring you good tidings of great joy.”

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean said—'Tis the season when grandma kissed Santa and the rest is history!