Merry Christmas!

My eight year old son reads the Christmas story:

Merry Christmas to all!

At Least We're Not in Seattle

My friend and fellow blogger has been bemoaning the pitiful year of the Detroit Lions. At least it's not Seattle. Can you imagine? The best thing they had going was a mediocre WNBA team. I was not aware that the WNBA was still in existence. Check out this video from a beleaguered Seattle sports fan posted on ESPN. Let's all say a prayer for them.

Warm Christmas Memories

Everyone has those memories of Christmas that warm hearts.

My memory happened when I was a teenager. My mom, dad, and I had just sat down at the table for Christmas dinner when a knock on the door was heard by all. My dad rose to his feet and strode to the door. As he turned the knob to open the door, he let out a hearty, boisterous "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" that would have made St. Nick jealous. The two interlopers clear their throats and muttered an uncomfortable, "Well, uh, yes." The two members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were obviously uncomfortable as my dad engaged them in conversation. My mom was getting upset as the potatoes began to assume room temperature. My dad never shied away from engaging someone on spiritual matters.

How about you? Do you have any warm Christmas memories?

Happy Non-Sectarian, Non-Denominational, Politcally Correct, Non-Offensive, Ultra-Generic Winter Holiday(s)!

So as to be inoffensive to everyone, enjoy:

When I think about it, this video still leaves out Buddhists, Hindus, Shintos, Taoists, Communists, atheists, agnostics, Jehovah's Witnesses, and a multitude of smaller tribal--but no less "valid" in their own beliefs--religions. It does not mention Wiccans and their celebration of the winter solstice.

Lest we forget the real reason for and meaning of the season, the great theologian Linus Van Pelt reminds us:

We Got Our Daughter a TV for Her Room

For several years now, our 12 year old daughter has been begging for a TV in her room. Well, we did it. We gave her a TV of her very own for her bedroom. Now, you may be thinking we are cool parents for this, or you may be thinking we are idiots.

As Paul Harvey used to say, "Here's the rest of the story."

Several years ago, my wife won a TV. It has been used in various places around the house. The thing only has a 4 inch screen. It is black-and-white. It gets only 3 or 4 fuzzy, grainy channels. Oh, and by the way, after the digital conversion next February, it will be useless. The antenna is built in, so no one could hook up a converter box. I guess it won't be entirely useless, as it does have a radio feature.

Needless to say, she thinks it is pretty nice having her own TV.

Who's Next for a Bail Out?

As our elected representatives debate the wisdom of freely spending money confiscated from their constituents to bail out the auto industry, other industries continue to suffer. Now the Arena Football League has canceled the 2009 season. The Arena Football League is the league where they play football in basketball arenas. No one really pays attention, but people are losing their jobs. These people are suffering. Why can't we bail them out, too?

Read this book...

I bought this for my wife a few months back. We had seen Diane Sawyer's 20/20 interview, and I was intrigued. Being in grad school, I simply did not have time to read it, but my wife loved it. She quotes from it frequently.

With the end of the semester, I found time to read it. It took about 5 hours to read all 206 pages.

Every human being should read this book. Pausch, dying of pancreatic cancer (he died a little while back), offered a "last lecture" at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, where he had taught. The insights are powerful, practical, and penetrating.

If you are literate, read it. If you are illiterate, go to Youtube and watch the video. But, as always, the book is better than the movie.

Some of the book may seem trite, but the advice is good. We need to hear these things every once in a while. My wife has read some religious motivational books--and I have read a couple--and this has no where near the sap that oozes from them.

Here is the Youtube video:

A Valuable Book

The most valuable book that I read this past semester had nothing to do with the subject I am studying, which is history. It is a slender volume entitled The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White (of Charlotte's Web fame). This is a book that should be mandatory reading for anyone taking any class that has anything to do with writing. Pastors, teachers, business people, and anyone else would do well to peruse the hundred or so pages of this book to ensure that their writing is crisp and clear. If you are concerned about a bunch of dry rules of English, let me assure you that there is plenty of humor in this book. At times, I found myself chuckling or laughing.

Whew! It's Over!

Well, my second, and much more challenging, semester of grad school is behind me. I had two tough classes, and did not have time to blog much over the last couple months.

For both of you who read the blog (Thanks, mom. [Actually, I don't think my mom knows what a blog is.]) I will try to post a little more over the next month.