Perhaps it's the holiday season, and the beautiful things we use to express it, that's gotten hold of me. Tonight I'm overflowing from blessings at my feet.

Last week the about biggest family shopping store in our country, and maybe in the world, tried upping their profit even more, by scheduling shopping hours to begin at five a.m.

Two thousand customers showed up for this insane event, eager to get discounted items; big screen TV's, digital cameras, and other things, and, as most of you probably learned, a man hired to clean the store died because the customers' herd mentality and its greed, valued bargain prices more than life itself.

The news said, not only did the crowd knock the man down, and walk right over him, but were just as violent with those who tried to rescue him. When the store closed for a few hours, after the man died, the crowd sounded a lot like the one that clamored for Jesus to be killed, except the Wal Mart throng, only cared about getting marked down prices, as they did their Christmas shopping. Something is very wrong with anyone who celebrates our Saviour's birth like that.

Laws about killing people will be tested in this death. I'll admit I was shocked, and then so angry, but mostly just so sad that a man died like that. But I could not but feel some pity for human beings who have made material things their imitation gods. What can they celebrate, come Christmas morning? How can this day of holiness mean anything to them.

In the news is surely the most extreme example that kind of thinking has come down to. Some store, I believe a jewelry store in Japan, claims to have the world's most expensive Christmas tree displayed. they were quoted as saying "Economic sentiment is sluggish, but in their store they want people to feel a "gorgeous atmosphere". This article, by Lily Fu, through My Fox National, said the tree is covered in 24K gold, and is decorated with more than 240 jewels; diamonds and pearls, and is worth 1.6 million dollars.

Some may think, or ask, why I'm making such a point about the Wal Mart death, and why should I care if a store in Japan decorates a tree like that. I care, because
when people love anything so much that a person's life no long matters, and 1.6 million dollars is spent to decorate a tree, something's terribly out of balance here.

This Christmas season, I'll admit that buying less expensive gifts has much to do with bank balances, and our nationwide economic disaster. But I think it might be a good thing, even if money wasn't tight, to change how we've been exchanging gifts. This year I scaled shopping way far back. Will have favorite foods for the family, ones we don't have every day. Regular shopping here does not include steak and lobster, but there just may be some shrimp, lots of shrimp.

For gifts I searched for items I know certain loved ones are interested in. Found one early in the year, and am sure a special daughter inlaw will just about love getting. She collects anything she can of Norman Rockwell. I found a book first published in 1946, and again twenty five years later, about 1971. It has pages and pages of his work, and other information about how he painted. You may not care for his kind of drawings, but she sure does, and it won't hurt her feelings that this great book cost me only two dollars at a thrift store. I could tell you other gifts I found there, but the one's they are for read my blog, and you know how that is, so they'll have to wait til Christmas morning.

I may use this way of choosing gifts again. It won't change the attitudes of the Walmart crazed crowd, but that insanity needs to stop somewhere, Maybe if enough of us kept this in mind when shopping, refused to even go there on the day after Thanksgiving, we could make a little difference in the world. We don't have to chime right in with every sales approach stores use to get us there.


I experienced something else today, and am glad that I did. I asked a friend at church to pray for my son who was waiting to find out if he would be approved for being disabled, and the first thing she said was that she would make sure he gets weekly boxes of food the church gives needy people.

On the day to get it, I was running errands anyway, so I went to the church to get it for him. I noticed people were already arriving, so I parked close by, and got in line with them. Some were haviing a hard time staying warm, others milled around a little. No one called each other by name, even though it was obvious they recognized each other. People getting the boxes ready were still busy adding more donations that had come in. be passed out. My Pastor saw me, and motioned for me to come inside, where he was helping with it.

Each person waiting seemed in their own mental world. I didn't see much eye contact between them. A kind of quiet hovered, perhaps to ward off embarrassment from needing help. My pastor's helpers took a big box of food for my son to the car. They were happy to learn that his disability came through for him.

I stood in the coldness a moment, staring up at the steeple above my church, and then back at the line lingering at a door, I don't think I can forget how it felt to be one of them, there in the coldness waiting for the food.

I don't know where all the foods come from. Stores give some. Other places donate items like beans and noodles, even a package of cranberries big enough for families. My son really appreciated getting the help.


I've been trying to convince my grandson it's better for him to be in college now, than to spend his time on low paying jobs that won't much help his future. In talking with him I figured out he's not sure he can do it well. He has this mixed up notion that a GED is not as good as being in school.

I tried explaining there's more than one way of learning, but that doesn't mean how you do it doesn't count. What he was really saying is he does not think he can. Times like this, grand mothers need to think of something, so I told him if he held on to his opinion, he might convince himself even more, but he still wouldn't be educated, and he would be arguing with the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and maybe the Marines. (I'm not sure about the Navy Seals) because I think some military branches now teach recruits how to earn GED's.

Imagine how happy I was when I took the food box to my son and grandson today, and they told me they plan to check with a nearby college for information and details on how to start the needed paper work. If I could send you a cute little picture of myself, my ankles would be suspended as I'm clicking my heels. and repeating: "The yellow brick road leads to higher learning". "What if he can!, What if he can!"

I thank all of you who prayed for my son needing help with being disabled. I wish you could know how much he has changed his life, while having a very hard time just trying to get by. This is a huge blessing for him. My next prayer request is that my grandson heads for college, so his future has a better chance of doing well. How do I love my Lord, may I never forget.