New Song: I see me when I'm sleeping. Or something like that!

Welcome to my version of "Show and Tell" for a Monday morning on this December 6, 2010. I had myself one heap of a busy Saturday and Sunday where I spent a fair amount of time lifting children onto my knee. The recently passed new federal law inspired by the food police is supposed to improve nutrition for our children and also attack the runaway obesity that grips our youngsters today. That being said, it should make Santa's job a little easier with the lighter children of the future. Don't hold you breath. But I digress. It was a wonderful experience over at a fund raiser for Broadway Elementary School on Saturday (300 children!), and the always wonderful birthday party for Jesus at our local fellowship on Sunday. After finishing up at our Church I went over and spent the afternoon with my brother in the rehab hospital. He continues the fight and is making slow, steady, and sure progress. I will finish off my three day Santa schedule by showing up at a Chick-fil-A for a couple of hours of photos tonight. We also had our Sunday Bible Study Class Christmas gathering last Friday evening. It was a wonderful time of feasting and fellowship. Thanks so much to Sister Pat for opening her home and being such a wonderful hostess. It was a blast. And, last but certainly not least, we had one of our dear young men return Saturday from Afghanistan. We were not able to be at the airport but I was able to share lunch with him along with his welcome home crew over at the restaurant. We've known this young man since the day he made his appearance here on the planet and I've lost count of how many deployments this makes for him, but it is our privilege to offer our sincere thanks to him for his devoted service to our nation. Welcome home Ryan! 

I've always been told you can be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a large pond. I know this has some type of scholarly application in describing success in an either challenging or less challenging environment but it has always sounded rather fishy to me. I would suggest that I am a pretty big fish when I don my gay apparel, (I guess you can still say that), and climb into that seat where children await their turn to share their heart.. As to whether it's a small or large pond, I actually think it to be one of monumental dimensions because it's made up of folks all over the world, from one to ninety-nine, and perhaps some even into their 100's. I tried to find out how many folks are involved in being one of Santa's helpers but haven't been able yet to get that number. There has to be a sizable number but very small when you consider that we now have 311 million folks officially counted as citizens and then there are the others, but I'm staying away from politics today. And, after all, Santa loves all the boys and girls regardless of the color of their skin or their immigration status. One thing is clear, while doing this can be very tiring, you would have to look long and hard for something that brings such joy to so many including the dude sitting in the chair!

You may have heard about the big flap where the Smithsonian had a display depicting Jesus the Christ in a very dishonoring manner. We pretty much pay the full bill out of our taxes to support operations of the Smithsonian and people, Christian leaders and ordinary folks, that would be those paying the taxes, raised a big stink and the exhibit was taken down. I read one critic who was absolutely beside himself because he considered this Christian uproar to be censorship. He went on to say that he hated everything about the Norman Rockwell exhibit down the hall from the offensive display. He went on to say that Rockwell's paintings are insulting to him because they depict American life as ideal or they show who we desire to be, something he believes to be a sham. His reasoning was if he can tolerate Norman Rockwell, why can't Christians allow their Savior to be publicly mocked? Okay. I'll try to stay calm. Let me just say that I am very happy they took down that blasphemous exhibit. They sure didn't have any that disgraced the Muslim faith or any others. Just our Lord. As for Norman Rockwell's idealized view of our America, I love all of his paintings. I dearly love them because they show a glimpse of who we have been, at times, and who we can be again. We see and read about that America everyday, no, not everywhere, but it's still there when we see sacrifice, caring, and courage where people are making a difference. My prayer is that we will strive to be more of the kind of nation Rockwell painted than one where perversion rules in the name of artistic freedom. I think I've said enough for one day. May God bless you all. Amen.        ......More later.