It's CHRISTmas!

They are calling for 2 to 4 inches of snow to fall before the day is over,
and I have birthday shopping to do. My baby was born 3 years ago today. Wow!
Hard to believe, but there you have it. I saw a 2 month old baby last night
and heard her cry. i couldn't help but smile, thinking to myself, "I love
babies' cries, especially when they aren't going home with me." :)

So, with the empending birthday shopping to do, I hoppped...not really...out
of bed this morning and turned on the trusty laptop. First, I checked the
weather to see when this snow is supposed to hit us. last night they were
saying it wasn't supposed to come until noon or after noon. However, now
they are saying late morning to early afternoon. So, it would behoove me to
keep an eye out and get our shopping done as early as possible.

While checking email on the trusty laptop, I found a message in my inbox
from Education World. I get newsletters from them, periodically, and mostly,
I enjoy them. I am new to home schooling, and while I don't use a lot of
their ideas, I do use some. I like to have a general idea what my
kindergartener would be doing if she were in public school. As you can
imagine, this month's newsletter dealt with the holiday season, and that is
what I am going to blog about today.

To teach young children about the different holidays celebrated in December,
they gave craft ideas. My favorite, of course, was the trees made of
pinecones. I might even try it. The second craft idea was Hanukkah cookies.
The third was candle-like things to celebrate a Hindu holiday I had never
heard of called Diwali, which is a celebration of lights. The last idea was
to make fruits out of paper, because Kwanzaa is a celebration of the first
fruits of a harvest. A shame they are not interested in celebrating the
firstfruits of the resurrection.

Forget, for just a minute that this blog is called "OldTime Christian". Ok?
Now, using this email from Education World as a guideline, they forgot a
faith. They gave craft ideas to teach about Kwanzaa, Diwali, Hanukkah and...
xmas. Yes, you heard me, xmas. The craft idea was to make little trees out
of pinecones. They did not call them Christmas trees, either, just trees.
So, i will say it again, they forgot a faith. They forgot CHRISTmas.

Now, remember what this blog is called, "OldTime Christian". HOW DARE THEY
LEAVE OUT THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! If Americans weren't celebrating
Christ's birthday, first, then there would not be a holiday to wrap peagan
beliefs around.

Now, I know peagans celebrated around December 25 long before Christianity
came along. I've done my research. So, if you are peagan and want to dance
naked in the streets like some did, go ahead. I won't stop you, but don't
you stop me from celebrating the birth of my LORD. Don't mess with my Bible,
my belief in Jesus, my right to celebrate how I wish. The constitution gives
me the right to practice any religion I choose, as long as it isn't
infringing on someone else, and infringing on someone else is what this
world is doing.

When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher who is Jewish. She taught
us about Hanukkah and the menorah. She brought a dradle to school and taught
us to play. However, she did not tell us that she didn't want to hear about
our Christmas celebrations. In fact, she arranged a trip to a local church
each year and asked me to sing, "Away In A Manger" along with the organist's
accompaniment. Looking back, I wonder if there was conviction going on
there. Out of the mouths of babes and all that. In saying that, one year she
took us to visit her synagogue to meet the Rabbi. Never once did anyone try
to convert anyone else. Nor, did anyone put another down for their beliefs.
It has always stuck in my mind, and I still have a healthy respect for Mrs.
Kanner.

Now, I'm not saying that you can't celebrate your holiday this December.
What I am saying, is let me celebrate mine. If you are going to teach
children about Kwanzaa, Diwali, and Hanukkah, teach them also about the
birth of Jesus Christ.

I have to say, though, I am so glad we are home schooling. Teaching my
children that there are other beliefs is one thing, but forgetting to teach
about Jesus Christ, is a mistake I will not make. He is the focus in our
house! AMEN? Jesus is the reason for the season around here. In fact, He is
the reason for Christmas, Easter and every other day of the year. Quite
possibly there won't be $1000 spent for gifts in our home, but we have
Jesus. We probably don't have the place decorated as beautifully as the
neighbors, in fact I know we do not, but do they have the Master living in
their hearts? you tell me, what is more important.

You talk about peace on earth and good will toward men, but do you realize
there is no peace without God? Do you realize that you wouldn't even be
alive to talk about it, if God had not created you, not knitted you together
in your mother's womb?

So to end this entry, it is not precipitating out there yet, so I would
appreciate your prayers that it waits until our shopping is finished. To
those who celebrate it, have a Merry Christmas. And, to those who do not,
may your celebrations be filled with conviction to serve God and His son
Jesus, and may you not rest until you call upon His name. You think that's a
little harsh? Well, you're reading something written by an OldTime
Christian. What do you expect?