YOU'D HAVE TO LIVE UNDER A ROCK OR IN A CAVE NOT TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE SEASON OF "RETAILERS' DREAMS"!!
FULL-PAGE NEWSPAPER ADS, FULL-COLORED INSERTS, RADIO AND TV BLARING "SONGS OF THE SEASON" AS EARLY AS THANKSGIVING - ALL INTENDED TO HELP YOU PART WITH YOUR MONEY, IN THE GUISE OF "MAKING OTHERS HAPPY"!
"WHY" DO WE SO INDULGE OURSELVES IN THIS HURRY AND SCURRY FRANTIC PACE TO SHOP, FIND THE BEST DEALS, GET THE "BLACK FRIDAY BARGAINS", ALL IN THE GUISE OF "LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE THEM"?
HUH? THE MORE YOU SPEND THE MORE YOU LOVE SOMEONE?
THINK ABOUT IT. THERE ARE 364 OR 365 OTHER DAYS OF THE YEAR TO EXPRESS OUR TRUE FEELINGS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND DO WE "GIFT THEM LAVISHLY" ON THOSE DAYS?
WHY, THEN, AT CHRISTMAS?
IS IT AN EXERCISE OF OUR "FAITH"?
IS IT HOW WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR BLESSINGS?
IS IT BECAUSE IF WE GIVE - WE'LL ALSO GET?
MORE AND MORE IN OUR WORLD, AND ESPECIALLY IN AMERICA'S ECONOMY, THERE IS LESS AND LESS "DISPOSABLE INCOME" TO BE DOLING OUT FOR PRESENTS, AS YOU PROBABLY WELL KNOW. THEN WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO?
SADLY, SOME OF US WILL GO FURTHER INTO DEBT TO SHOW OUR FEELINGS FOR OTHERS. IS THAT SMART? IS THAT HOW WE SHOULD BE EXPRESSING OUR LOVE, GRATITUDE, OR APPRECIATION?
THE POST-CHRISTMAS BLUES IS A MALADY THAT NONE OF US REALLY WANT, BUT IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO GET CARRIED AWAY BY THE PRESSURES OF RETAILERS' ADS, THE EXPECTATIONS OF FAMILY MEMBERS, OR WANTING TO IMPRESS COWORKERS OR FRIENDS - THEN WE'RE MISSING THE MARK!!
IT'S LIKE A "PLANNED CONTAGION"!
PERSONALLY, THERE IS NOTHING THAT I WANT OR NEED AS A GIFT AT CHRISTMAS - OR ANY OTHER TIME! I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIES AND SHIRTS. I'VE GOT PLENTY OF SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR. AND IF I NEED ANY OF THOSE THINGS, I'LL PICK THEM UP WHEN I DO.
AFTER SHAVE? GOT IT. DEODORANT? GOT IT. HATS AND GLOVES AND SCARFS? IN GOOD SUPPLY. CANDY, COOKIES, OTHER SWEETS? ALWAYS GOT MY STASH.
MY POINT HERE IS THIS - LITTLE TOKENS OF LOVE OR "LIKE" ARE FINE, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO GO OVERBOARD - FOR ANYBODY, UNLESS WE'RE TRYING TO WIN THEIR AFFECTION, THEN WE'RE SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT!
MY SUGGESTION: LIMIT GIFT-GIVING TO CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, ETC. SOME FAMILIES HAVE GOTTEN SO LARGE THAT THEY DO A "NAME-EXCHANGE", TO PREVENT FEELING THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO BUY SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WHEW! EXPENSIVE! AND UNNECESSARY.
NOW, IF THE "RIGHT" OR "WRONG" PEOPLE READ THIS, I'LL PROBABLY GET "ZERO, ZILCH, NADA" FOR CHRISTMAS!? THAT WOULD BE FINE, REALLY! I'LL SETTLE FOR PHONE CALLS, VISITS, HAVING THE CHILDREN IN FOR DINNER, MAYBE EVEN A CARD THAT SAYS "THINKING OF YOU".
LET'S REMEMBER WHAT THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THIS HOLIDAY REALLY IS - "IT'S JESUS' BIRTHDAY"!! "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD (YOU AND ME) THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON"!!
WE CAN'T MATCH OUR CREATOR'S LARGESS, AND WE SHOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO. LET'S SETTLE OUR EXPECTATIONS AND EXPRESSIONS TO SMALLER TOKENS OF "HIS LOVE" AND OUR LOVE.
THEN CHRISTMAS WILL BE WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO BE - "A CELEBRATION OF THE GIFT THAT GOD GAVE EACH OF US" - SALVATION THROUGH HIS PRECIOUS SON, JESUS CHRIST!!
FULL-PAGE NEWSPAPER ADS, FULL-COLORED INSERTS, RADIO AND TV BLARING "SONGS OF THE SEASON" AS EARLY AS THANKSGIVING - ALL INTENDED TO HELP YOU PART WITH YOUR MONEY, IN THE GUISE OF "MAKING OTHERS HAPPY"!
"WHY" DO WE SO INDULGE OURSELVES IN THIS HURRY AND SCURRY FRANTIC PACE TO SHOP, FIND THE BEST DEALS, GET THE "BLACK FRIDAY BARGAINS", ALL IN THE GUISE OF "LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE THEM"?
HUH? THE MORE YOU SPEND THE MORE YOU LOVE SOMEONE?
THINK ABOUT IT. THERE ARE 364 OR 365 OTHER DAYS OF THE YEAR TO EXPRESS OUR TRUE FEELINGS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND DO WE "GIFT THEM LAVISHLY" ON THOSE DAYS?
WHY, THEN, AT CHRISTMAS?
IS IT AN EXERCISE OF OUR "FAITH"?
IS IT HOW WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR BLESSINGS?
IS IT BECAUSE IF WE GIVE - WE'LL ALSO GET?
MORE AND MORE IN OUR WORLD, AND ESPECIALLY IN AMERICA'S ECONOMY, THERE IS LESS AND LESS "DISPOSABLE INCOME" TO BE DOLING OUT FOR PRESENTS, AS YOU PROBABLY WELL KNOW. THEN WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO?
SADLY, SOME OF US WILL GO FURTHER INTO DEBT TO SHOW OUR FEELINGS FOR OTHERS. IS THAT SMART? IS THAT HOW WE SHOULD BE EXPRESSING OUR LOVE, GRATITUDE, OR APPRECIATION?
THE POST-CHRISTMAS BLUES IS A MALADY THAT NONE OF US REALLY WANT, BUT IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO GET CARRIED AWAY BY THE PRESSURES OF RETAILERS' ADS, THE EXPECTATIONS OF FAMILY MEMBERS, OR WANTING TO IMPRESS COWORKERS OR FRIENDS - THEN WE'RE MISSING THE MARK!!
IT'S LIKE A "PLANNED CONTAGION"!
PERSONALLY, THERE IS NOTHING THAT I WANT OR NEED AS A GIFT AT CHRISTMAS - OR ANY OTHER TIME! I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIES AND SHIRTS. I'VE GOT PLENTY OF SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR. AND IF I NEED ANY OF THOSE THINGS, I'LL PICK THEM UP WHEN I DO.
AFTER SHAVE? GOT IT. DEODORANT? GOT IT. HATS AND GLOVES AND SCARFS? IN GOOD SUPPLY. CANDY, COOKIES, OTHER SWEETS? ALWAYS GOT MY STASH.
MY POINT HERE IS THIS - LITTLE TOKENS OF LOVE OR "LIKE" ARE FINE, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO GO OVERBOARD - FOR ANYBODY, UNLESS WE'RE TRYING TO WIN THEIR AFFECTION, THEN WE'RE SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT!
MY SUGGESTION: LIMIT GIFT-GIVING TO CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, ETC. SOME FAMILIES HAVE GOTTEN SO LARGE THAT THEY DO A "NAME-EXCHANGE", TO PREVENT FEELING THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO BUY SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WHEW! EXPENSIVE! AND UNNECESSARY.
NOW, IF THE "RIGHT" OR "WRONG" PEOPLE READ THIS, I'LL PROBABLY GET "ZERO, ZILCH, NADA" FOR CHRISTMAS!? THAT WOULD BE FINE, REALLY! I'LL SETTLE FOR PHONE CALLS, VISITS, HAVING THE CHILDREN IN FOR DINNER, MAYBE EVEN A CARD THAT SAYS "THINKING OF YOU".
LET'S REMEMBER WHAT THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THIS HOLIDAY REALLY IS - "IT'S JESUS' BIRTHDAY"!! "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD (YOU AND ME) THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON"!!
WE CAN'T MATCH OUR CREATOR'S LARGESS, AND WE SHOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO. LET'S SETTLE OUR EXPECTATIONS AND EXPRESSIONS TO SMALLER TOKENS OF "HIS LOVE" AND OUR LOVE.
THEN CHRISTMAS WILL BE WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO BE - "A CELEBRATION OF THE GIFT THAT GOD GAVE EACH OF US" - SALVATION THROUGH HIS PRECIOUS SON, JESUS CHRIST!!
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