“For it is in giving that we receive.” — Francis of Assisi

Good morning. We are back from a super busy last week. Lots of blessings poured out like the image on the salt container I saw growing up. That was especially true as we participated in helping make Christmas a reality for many needy children. That made our hearts to overflow with love and joy. It is Monday, December 16, 2019, and I am getting ready to get ready for the final countdown before the 25th celebration. If you are still breathing air on the planet, you are aware of how the retail world is changing. Even as I write this. The move to digital is a foregone conclusion and while there are still stores around, more and more products and services are being purchased online. There are some interesting side effects from this migration. Traffic. In our neighborhood alone, there is a steady blocking of roads by FedEx, UPS, Amazon, US Postal, food delivery, and unmarked vans of all kinds. No wonder they are looking at drones. On some days, it's hard to get from your home to a connecting street because of the jam up. Of course, add to these convenience-driven delivery vehicles, all the cable, satellite, utilities, construction, water, and landscaping vehicles and it makes one wonder, "What were they thinking?" As for me, I've been in a stare-down with those who drive the delivery vehicles but do so in an unsafe manner. I know they have quotas and time-sensitive deliveries, however, we still have children and pets in our neighborhood and stop signs and speed limits are for everyone's protection. And, if they don't like my stare-down, they can roll down their window and I will tell them exactly what I think of their speeding in our residential area. Okay. I feel better now. Progress. Isn't it wonderful?

You are right. I do seem to have a lot of pet peeves. I think it runs in our family. You know. DNA and all of that stuff. I don't want to end up mostly being the curmudgeon at large or the complainer in chief. Hopefully, I do try to present my peeves in a positive manner with even some humor to go along with it. Here's one that has become more or less in the public domain. The largest box store around has decided to force everyone to use the self check out process. How do they go about making that happen? By having next to no attended registers. I fought this transition for a long time, but, as they say, 'invention is the mother of necessity', and, I have finally succumbed to finding and scanning barcodes. My wife, on the other hand, seems, from the get-go, to really enjoy checking her stuff out. When I watch her do it, I can almost hear the music from 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', "Whistle while you work...." I must give off some kind of signal to the monitors who roam around because they often come by to check on me. I typically tell them I am thinking about what I am doing. They smile and offer to help me get it done if I don't think I can do it. Hello? The nerve! I might not whistle while I work but if I need their help I'll ring a bell or something. Man! Now you see what I am up against!

You do know I write a lot of my stuff tongue-in-cheek. (From the Cambridge Dictionary: "intended to be understood as a joke, although often seeming serious.") But you knew that already. There are other things I write about where I am as serious as I know how to be. Things that pertain to the human condition in our need of God's provision through the sending on His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer and Savior. If we don't see that in the Christmas story, then, we really do miss the true meaning. Many folks are inclined to enjoy the Child in the manger and all the sweetness that imagery entails. However, He came for a reason. That reason put Him on The Cross for you and for me. Many repel at the bloody scene described in The Scriptures where He gave Himself up for the world. That did not end His story. In fact, it preceded the fulfillment of victory as He was raised from the dead, conquering death, hell, and the grave. We can become recipients of His sacrifice in our place by simply placing our faith in Him, turning from our sin, and asking Him to save us. You may not have asked but that, to me, is the true meaning of Christmas, of His Story, and of History which ends up being His Story. That would be reflective of some of the things I am serious about. Now you know. Any other unasked questions? Good! Have a great rest of the day. May God bless. Amen. ....More later.