Twas the night before Christmas...

     Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house...not a creature was stirring except Sheba the Cat (aka Mrs. Wafflepuss) because Jim of course was working Christmas Eve and Christmas night...It's nothing new. I have been working holidays every year since I moved out here (the fate of the Security Guard).  But that is not the subject of this adventure in blogdom...This blog will not be about how much I work or don't...we all work too much and we all have too much on our plate and time is flying by too fast for all of us.

     This is about Christmas...not about the endless Christmas music that started before Halloween ( I will personally be celebrating TGIF this week---Thank God It's FINISHED!)...not about the endless sales and "We're open 24 hours until Christmas Eve" and the mall traffic and the "perfect" gift...not about the gi-normous amounts of ads and commercials on television and in the newspaper (giving hernias to newspaper delivery people during the season)...just Christmas.  The "reason for the season." I like how people's demeanor changes around this time of year (and wish it could be a permanent change).  How "human" they become...polite, gregarious, kind, smiling, and more tolerant...Why does attendance in churches skyrocket in December and April (Easter) in a world constantly having religion and religious beliefs "voted" out of schools and government institutions...Why is it soooo bad to pray anymore in a world that only shows violence related to religious belief (thank you CNN and FoxNews).  It is the Information Age when knowledge is at every one's fingertips and instantly attainable, but less and less is credit given to God who makes everything possible.

     I watched a "Charlie Brown Christmas" and found myself brought to tears during Linus' soliloquy about the birth of Jesus.  Next year that glorious message will be 50 years old...and that and "It's a Wonderful Life" should be preserved as national treasures so that we can continue to show generation after generation the true meaning of Christmas and what family is all about.  I lost that message and with your help I am going to try to rekindle that fire in my heart and soul.  I am nothing but for the grace of God and continue to walk this earth only because of Him that reigns above...  I am nothing without the friends and family who have supported and encouraged me through all the years fighting addiction and alcoholism...I am nothing without a purpose and a dream to live my life correctly and help others who are in need of help...

   And so, my dear readers (stolen from Stephen King), I wish you the Happiest and Holiest of Christmases...may you be surrounded by your loved ones and enjoy the gifts that they took the time to pick out for you...(even the ones you are going to return...I'll never tell).  May you enjoy the time off from work to refresh and recharge going into the New Year...may you never forget to thank God (or whatever you may refer to Him) for your life, your family, and the multitudes of blessings He bestows on you on a daily basis...I have found my voice again and I rejoice...(you may not rejoice, but I hope you still like to hear from me).  I am truly blessed to have each and everyone of you in my life (even though I have been a bit of a hermit this year---being alone gets creepy after awhile).  This has been the most difficult year of my life, but the New Year promises a fresh start and a fresh start begins with a new attitude...(or the resuscitation of the old one).  Hark the Herald, Angels sing...Glory to the Newborn King!  God Bless You!!!