Praying Hard

I rarely see a picture that has as much feeling as this one....so had to share. Can anyone be more sincere than this dog????

Bah Humbug Reformed

It has recently come to my attention, that my Blog is rather depressing and pessimistic. Hmmm I hadn't really noticed that.
My holiday spirita have, however, perked up.
Last evening I spent an enjoyable time watching The Christmas Carol (Alistair Sims) and The Gathering (Ed Asner), with my oldest and youngest daughters.
We laughed alot....chatted alot.....ate Chinese food alot.....and enjoyed each others company very much. We even tried to figure out where our family got their sarcastic attitude from....my daughter having asked the Holy Chow man if he was going to mail the food, when he asked for her postal code. Oh well.
I confirmed my feeling that this season is indeed a time for connecting with the people you love, and not worrying about anything else.
To top it off, and get me into more of a Holiday mood, I received a Christmas card and lovely note in the mail from my daughter Jenn in Bolivia. My spirits can not be brighter!!
I look forward to being in church on Christmas Eve and connecting if only in spirit with those whom I love, even though they are elsewhere. I know that they are aware of how very much they are loved, not only at this time of year, but always and no matter where they are. All in all....I am very fortunate and am thankful every day for my blessings. Merry Christmas....to each and every one.

Merry x mas or whatever you call it

I'm starting to wonder why we insist on ramming our Christmas traditions down the throats of those who do not really celebrate this religious holiday as one of their traditions. It seems like we lose our common sense at this time of year. One only has to look at the people trampled to death in WalMart to see that there is something basically wrong here.
Crowded parking lots, shopping frenzy, going into needless debt??? All because a child was born two thousand years ago in Bethlehem??? There is quite a disconnect.
The reason I write this post is....that...I received a Xmas card from my newspaper boy. Not just myself...but thousands of Toronto Star customers. I guess "the Star" felt that sending a personalized card from your carrier would make you want to send him a monetary gift at this season. The problem is.....my "paperboy" has probably never spent a Christmas season before in his life. With a name like Mohammed Yusarif....I really don't think that he knows anything about why we celebrate this time of year. Then....why are we teaching him that this holiday, which we so passionately believe in....and celebrate...is just a matter of obtaining money from wherever. Is that how we want other cultures and faiths to see our holiday???
Funny enough....he signed his card...."from you Toronto Star career". At first, I thought they were offering me a job....then...I realized he had just spelled the word "carrier" wrongly.
Yes....there is something definitely wrong with the way we present our beliefs to other faiths and cultures...and for that matter....to our children.
It is, however, not too late to change their perception. At least...I hope not.