President George H.W. Bush. Christians Who Don't Celebrate Christmas, Here's Why. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

President George H.W. Bush, How the Mighty Have Fallen!

“Reflections on what the 41st president's achievements and habits have taught me.

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George Bush made a point of writing notes and letters to his family, friends and acquaintances throughout his life. I think that is the biggest lesson for me from his life.

King David deeply lamented the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan. The three were bonded by critical events at the founding of the monarchy of the nation of Israel. Out of the depths of despair, David wrote, “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19).

Last week’s death of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush brings some of the same sentiment. Mr. Bush served one term as the 41 st American President and his death makes us aware that a generation of Americans—the World War II generation; a generation of common people who were caught up in mighty events—is quickly passing from our time. We will do well to remember them.

George Bush enlisted in World War II at the age of 18 and flew a torpedo bomber in the South Pacific theater. His plane was shot down and he survived, though two of his crewmates died. He never desired to be called a “hero,” saying those who died and never came home were the true heroes. This was a modesty instilled in him by his mother, and it served him throughout his life.

At a significant historical moment in history, this same modesty likely helped shape President Bush’s response to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Refusing to gloat over the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bush aided German’s path to reunification and helped shape what he called, and hoped would appear to be, a “new world order.” America at that moment stood astride a new world as the sole global superpower. When Bush and his national security team assembled a coalition of nations to oust Iraq’s Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, it was thought a new moment of international cooperation had appeared. It was not destined to last.

George Bush made a point of writing notes and letters to his family, friends and acquaintances throughout his life. I think that is the biggest lesson for me from his life. No matter how busy we are and how high we go in life, the personal touch of a note or a card is always something that will lift people’s spirits and forge lasting bonds of friendship. I do this often in my work and find it a useful antidote to the instant digital world we inhabit. Words written in ink on paper are always in good taste.

Historians argue whether the times make a man or a man makes his time. I think President Bush was shaped by his time, as most of us are. At his death he is remembered fondly by many Americans for his part in a period of American resurgence of prosperity and world influence. His was a steady hand that guided the state through a unique moment.

A man who stood for beauty and good things in life has died. America was better off for having him as its president.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/how-the-mighty-have-fallen-president-george-hw-bush

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Christians Who Don't Celebrate Christmas, Here's Why

 61 comments Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

“Why do some Christians not celebrate Christmas? Here are the reasons some gave for kicking the Christmas habit.

Have you given up celebrating Christmas? If so, why? Our readers share some of their reasons for not keeping Christmas.

“I cannot find Christmas in the Bible nor can I find that Jesus Christ told us to observe Christmas. Santa Claus is a lie that some people teach their children every year. For that matter, Christmas is false since it has nothing to do with Christ or His birthday.

“Beyond this, business people, who make most of their income during this time of the year, have increasingly promoted Christmas. Well-meaning people go in debt during Christmas time to give gifts to other people, which in turn motivates other people to give gifts to them. It makes no sense to keep a religious holiday that is not biblical, that Christ never sanctioned, that promotes lying to children, that puts people in debt and that blinds people to what Christ really taught.”  —P.A., Georgia

“It is a historical fact that Christmas is not the day or the season when Christ was born. So why observe a day that is a lie? Most people do not want to admit this fact. For example, how does the use of Santa Claus depict the birth of Christ? How does the Christmas tree depict Christ? Celebrating Christmas violates at least the First, Second and Third Commandments of God’s Ten Commandments. Observing a pagan holiday is a sin. God condemns the worship of pagan gods.

“The Bible does not command people to observe the birth of Christ as a holiday. This day, Dec. 25, is the date that has been observed for centuries as a pagan holiday in honor of the pagan sun god. God commands those who want to serve Him not to observe pagan holidays or any custom that breaks His holy laws.   —D.S., California

Our family traditionally celebrated Christmas on Dec. 24. We then followed up with a family day on Dec. 25. One day I had a strong desire to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, which I thought I had been doing up to that point. I met a number of people who were having the same strange experience. We asked ourselves, ‘What does God think about Christmas?’ ‘Are we truly pleasing God?’ ‘Am I doing something that Jesus did and taught?’

“I began to think of the songs we sang, ‘O Tannenbaum’ and ‘Oh! Christmas Tree.’ I had been singing to a tree as though it were alive and had some strange power. We decorated it and placed our gifts below the tree as though the gifts and good feeling emanated from and through the tree.

“I thought about the words to ‘Silent Night, Holy Night,’ a truly beautiful piece of music. I wondered about shepherds and their flocks in the fields on a lovely evening at the end of December. But this was a contradiction. December was a very cold time of the year and sheep wouldn’t be in open fields during that time.

“The Christmas stories about Santa Claus and the shepherds in the fields on Christmas Eve were false. I found out that Jerusalem has rain and cold that time of year and it sometimes snows in the region. Sheep are sheltered in the wintertime, not left out in inclement weather.

“I discovered that the Christmas tree and its ornaments and giving of Christmas gifts come from ancient Roman festivals. I also learned that the Christmas tree represents idolatry, which is an affront to God (Exodus 20:4-5). Jesus Christ never sinned in His life and says we should avoid sin, going against God’s will (Hebrews 12:1-4).

“The gifts our children had asked of Santa Claus created a financial burden on us. The lies about Santa Claus and his flying reindeer were misleading our children.

“Also, the Bible tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). During Christmas time, I saw little joy in giving and I saw children always expecting to receive. I have come to understand that godly blessings come from carefully obeying God. This is why I don’t keep Christmas.” —B.B., Canada

“God tells us to avoid the ways of the ancient pagans. Though modern Christianity observes Christmas, this is where it came from. To be frank, Christmas is a lie. Christmas is a substitute for righteous behavior. It makes people think they are doing good things for God, which somehow does Him service.” — A.H., Australia

“I have heard that Christmas has been around for nearly 4,000 years. If that is true, and I think it is, I do not see any evidence that the early apostolic Church observed Christmas or tried to ‘Christianize’ a pagan festival that predated Christ’s birth.

“It seems clear to me that the apostles and early Church kept the Holy Days recorded in the Old Testament, and there are several Old Testament scriptures that speak about the Holy Days being kept by all people after Christ’s return to earth. The Bible is clear that we are to shun paganism and observe the annual Holy Days and the weekly Sabbath day.” — D.N., Oklahoma

“I figure you can’t go wrong sticking with what the Bible says and by following the example of Jesus Christ Himself and the apostles and early Church. They never kept Christmas or anything like it. They knew what the Scriptures said about trying to use other religions’ practices to worship and honor God. It just doesn’t work; God expects better from us.

“It’s a shame that most people have never looked into the Bible and history to learn for themselves the true origins of Christmas. It’s an eye-opening study, one I started when I was only a teenager. I’ve learned so much more about what God is all about and what He wants and expects from us since I started relying on His Word rather than human traditions that have no basis in the Bible.” — R.A., Colorado”  

I was appalled when I heard the second line of “Oh Christmas Tree”, which is “How I love your branches.”    Now really!  People really need to read Jeremiah Chapter 10 and stop doing the pagan things which God detests.    SVT, Houston, TX

A Satire on Idolatry - Jeremiah 10

10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. ² Thus says the Lord,

“Do not learn the way of the [pagan] nations,
And do not be terrified and distressed by the signs of the heavens
Although the pagans are terrified by them;
³
For the customs and decrees of the peoples are [mere] delusion [exercises in futility];
It is only wood which one cuts from the forest [to make a god],
The work of the hands of the craftsman with the axe or cutting tool.
⁴
“They adorn the idol with silver and with gold;
They fasten it with hammers and nails
So that it will not fall apart.
⁵
“They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field;
They cannot speak;
They have to be carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not be afraid of them,
For they can do no harm or evil,
Nor can they do any good.”

 61 comments      https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/christians-who-dont-celebrate-christmas-heres-why

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Update.

This week I have been spending quite a bit of time helping a friend organize their stuff for sale at the bi-weekly “Yard Sale” at the storage place next to my subdivision.  We loaded three tables where everything is a $1. The more expensive things were marked separately on different tables.  This streamlined  it a lot better as they have so much stuff that it couldn’t be marked individually.

Zack and I cleaned the rug that my daughter had brought me with my carpet shampooer.  Now that I have had one eye done and the rug is cleaner, I could see the colors better.  It was not going to go with the carpet that I had got out of the attic, so we rolled it up and put it back up there. 

We put some more of that window film on the frames of my windows.  I have double paned windows, but that dead air space makes a big insulating difference.

As I had to go to Conroe on Thursday for another eye check-up, we loaded the van with several boxes of things donate to the Women’s Center.  They were very grateful.

I have another cat.  Yes, Gracie the one whose house burned is still here, but I took in a sweet, loving, starving, hurt, homeless, neutered, black Manx.  I call him Manxie.  He had dog bite marks on his neck, an infected eye and he was so skinny.  He is so grateful for anything that I do for him.  But I have to keep him in another part of the house from Gracie until he has been checked out by the vet.  My SPCA boss has said that I can run him through the SPCA system, so his vet bills will be paid by them.  I am too old to adopt an animal, so he would be going through the SPCA eventually for a ‘furever’ home, but for now he is mine.

As the pastor’s wife was sick with a bad cold, I went to the church early to ramrod the potluck.  She sent some cooked sweet potatoes, pea salad and brisket, and I took a ground turkey shepherd’s pie, and some dinner rolls. Some brought other dishes, so I had to make sure everything was warmed up to a safe 165 deg., and put the salads out.

The Bible readings were Gen. 25:19-28:9, Mal. 1:1-2:7, and Rom. 9:1-31.  The Teaching was “Narrowness Rebuked”  about Mark 9:38-40. The weather was wet and dreary, and I went around with wet feet all day.