CG
11-08-03, - 05:21 PM
Christmas is around the corner! It is not too early to do some thinking. May a Buddhist give you his reflections on the holiday?
Christmas! The time of year that the followers of Christ celebrate his birth. How do we celebrate it? Some folks do it right, but most do not.
We spend too much money on gifts for people who don’t need the gifts. (P.S. Have you paid off last Christmas’ bills yet?) Often they don’t like what you got them anyhow. Crime increases because some folks have to steal the money for Christmas gifts. They want to celebrate the Birth of Christ with their stolen goods!!!!
Our kids open gift after gift and they say, "Is that all?" Are we teaching them greed????
We cook and eat gigantic meals, that we don’t really need! We are too fat anyhow! In the mean time there are many here who don’t get enough to eat, at Christmas or during the rest of the year.
We party! We drink too much! We celebrate the Spirit of Christmas with another kind of spirits! All kinds of things go on at office parties! Nine months later there is often another "gift!"
Most folks don’t go to Church. Then again there are those who go only at Christmas or Easter. Is that enough? Then they put a dollar in the collection plate! Is that enough?
To an outsider this looks like the greedy-guts season! One would think that Jesus was a greedy, drunken, cheapskate! But he was/is not!!! Do you think he would be happy with us?
Celebrate? Yes, but do it right. Look at all the money you spend. Cut it in half! Give the other half to the poor. Jesus was a gift to mankind - reciprocate, give back to mankind, in his name. There are many good places here who need the money to help the poor. Investigate! Find the good ones! But remember this! People need to eat all year around! People are in need, the whole year around to!
This year, don’t give your kid another bike! He does not need it. Give him something small and useful. Don’t give Uncle Fred another tie. He did not like the one you gave him last year! This year give them a card that says, "In your name I donated X$ to......" They may think you are a cheap "nut." But what do you think Jesus would say?
This way we hold the true meaning of Christmas. We also teach our kids the real meaning of, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Take your kids to Church, both Mom and Dad! Show them you value the day, this most Holy of days. Both you and your kids will be the richer for it.
Christmas is for giving, not to those who don’t need it but to those who do. I post this early so you will have time to make, or change, your plans! Do it in, His name!
Give me your thoughts.
Christmas! The time of year that the followers of Christ celebrate his birth. How do we celebrate it? Some folks do it right, but most do not.
We spend too much money on gifts for people who don’t need the gifts. (P.S. Have you paid off last Christmas’ bills yet?) Often they don’t like what you got them anyhow. Crime increases because some folks have to steal the money for Christmas gifts. They want to celebrate the Birth of Christ with their stolen goods!!!!
Our kids open gift after gift and they say, "Is that all?" Are we teaching them greed????
We cook and eat gigantic meals, that we don’t really need! We are too fat anyhow! In the mean time there are many here who don’t get enough to eat, at Christmas or during the rest of the year.
We party! We drink too much! We celebrate the Spirit of Christmas with another kind of spirits! All kinds of things go on at office parties! Nine months later there is often another "gift!"
Most folks don’t go to Church. Then again there are those who go only at Christmas or Easter. Is that enough? Then they put a dollar in the collection plate! Is that enough?
To an outsider this looks like the greedy-guts season! One would think that Jesus was a greedy, drunken, cheapskate! But he was/is not!!! Do you think he would be happy with us?
Celebrate? Yes, but do it right. Look at all the money you spend. Cut it in half! Give the other half to the poor. Jesus was a gift to mankind - reciprocate, give back to mankind, in his name. There are many good places here who need the money to help the poor. Investigate! Find the good ones! But remember this! People need to eat all year around! People are in need, the whole year around to!
This year, don’t give your kid another bike! He does not need it. Give him something small and useful. Don’t give Uncle Fred another tie. He did not like the one you gave him last year! This year give them a card that says, "In your name I donated X$ to......" They may think you are a cheap "nut." But what do you think Jesus would say?
This way we hold the true meaning of Christmas. We also teach our kids the real meaning of, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Take your kids to Church, both Mom and Dad! Show them you value the day, this most Holy of days. Both you and your kids will be the richer for it.
Christmas is for giving, not to those who don’t need it but to those who do. I post this early so you will have time to make, or change, your plans! Do it in, His name!
Give me your thoughts.