Holiday Spirit

It's the holidays, as we all know, and many people are out and about shopping, shopping, shopping! The lists come out as do the claws! I noticed yesterday as I worked that people were either one extreme or the other...either they were in a "holiday spirit" or they were just plain "a mean one, Mr. Grinch!" I laugh as I watch people swarm all through the mall, bags in hand, and all in a hurry....but for what? We just had our Thanksgiving, and yet people are rushing to bring in Christmas! It's amazing how most stores had their Christmas decorations going out at the end of August, and yet when I went to the store on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, there were no Thanksgiving decorations left! I wanted to get something festive for our dinner, but in frustration realized that people are thinking ahead to Christmas, forgetting to be THANKFUL in the process. I think that Christmas is my favorite holiday of all, yet sometimes, I think that we, as Americans really forget what it's all about! Just yesterday, in New York, a Walmart employee was trampled to death as he attempted to open the doors to let the waiting mob come in and get "their Black Friday deals!" This makes me sick to my heart because that man was only trying to do his job, and now his family will have to spend Christmas without him...all because of GREED! Just last year, I had a lady get so mad at me because she couldn't get her way in my shoe store, that she threw her shoe at my face! Oh, she denied it, but the plain clothes' officer saw it as well, and she was scared when he revealed who he was! My, my, my....it's a shame how our society thinks of the holidays....it's ME, ME, ME! Why not think of another person these holidays? Think of THE person who came to this world so we could be set free! Merry Christmas!

Fifth Disease or "Slap Cheeks"

I know that I knew nothing about this illness until last Saturday, and I feel that people should be made aware of something that is going around whether or not it may be uncomfortable to talk about. Two Saturdays ago, I broke out in a rash all over my legs and arms. I then began experiencing sore joints off and on and severe headaches as well. I thought something had to be wrong, but I didn't just want to up and go to the doctor. I felt better for a few days, and then it came back. It's been that way actually since November 1. I didn't really break out in that rash until like I said earlier, two Saturdays ago. Then last Friday, Charity broke out in the same rash only her cheeks were really red! I called and talked to a family member, and she told me what it was and that it was going around! Why in all of my 28 years, haven't I heard of this? If this is supposed to be the 5th of most common diseases found in children, this is the first time I've heard about it! Adults usually become more ill than a child. I have been struggling off and on this month, and I see my little girl having no problems. I often become frustrated because I no longer want to feel ill! I am believing God for a miracle and healing because I know that His healing power is alive and active in me. To anyone who doesn't know what this is, it's just a human form of the parvo virus found to kill dogs.....it doesn't kill humans though and is often thought to be a cold with a rash. Once the rash breaks out, you are no longer contagious. I was told yesterday that the symptoms can last for a year, but I believe I will shake this and soon.

"How Wonderful YOU Are!"

Miracles happen today as much as they did over 2000 years ago when my Saviour rose from the grave! Yesterday, I saw a miracle happen in our church service...106 people walked the aisle and asked Jesus to be their Saviour. I'm not much into numbers because of some reasons of my own, but this was genuinely amazing to me. I haven't seen something like this and haven't really been moved by any of it for a long time. It seemed like this miracle made me realize that what I am doing and how I am raising my family for is right and worth it all. Yeah, I was raised as a pastor's daughter, but I had my own choice if I wanted to continue on in this life or choose another one! I decided any life without my Lord and Saviour wasn't life at all for me. I couldn't imagine going on without my God because He has done so much for me, I can't begin to tell you them all! Tears flow freely down my face because yesterday, one of my best friends realized that she needed to ask Jesus to be her Saviour....you don't understand how I feel. I didn't know how to tell her about it; I just decided to love her and show her how a true Christian lives, to love others no matter what. Oh, I know how to tell someone about my Christ, but sometimes, the words don't come easily when it comes to talking to someone you love. I'm so happy that the words can't express what's on my heart, but if you saw my face right now, you'd see the tears flowing freely. Thank you, Jesus! My heart is overflowing in gratitude....How wonderful YOU are!

Where the Colors Don't Fade

It seems that Americans can't let go of the past, and that they continue to cry "racism" no matter what color they are. There is only one race on this earth, and that's the HUMAN race. I get tired of people complaining about this very subject! I have a friend out west who lives around people who are making remarks to her and to her family just because Obama was elected president! As if it was her fault because she is black! I have no respect for people who will go around and make derogatory remarks to these people! I experienced racism towards even me and my family when I was a child. One of my friend's family told her that neither she nor her brothers were aloud to date Spanish people, and she would make fun of me and say things like that to my face. For years, that bothered me, and then I realized, this is AMERICA. AMERICA doesn't have just one set ethnic group...we have many people here from many different countries. That's what makes us who we are, THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA. My grandparents from my mom's side moved to Youngstown, Ohio from Puerto Rico when they were just teenagers. My great-grandparents from my dad's side moved here from Austria and Germany when they were young adults. So, when I fill out forms that ask me what race I am, I always write in human race. Why? Because I am not going to choose between backgrounds. Am I supposed to choose my mom's side or my dad's? That's foolish, don't you think....and yet, most Americans just don't get it. To me it's just not right to have a "minority" group. If that's the case, who's the "majority" group? How do we rank there? Red and yellow, black and white, we are human, and that's all that matters. Let's train our children to love all mankind. It shouldn't matter what we look like. It shouldn't matter what accent we have. If you watch closely a small child, most of the time, they don't even notice when someone is different. It's usually the mommy or daddy that teaches them to think differently towards people. If parents can teach their children to be racist, then it is VERY possible for us to teach them not to think that way. My parents taught me well on this subject, and to this day, it is ingrained on my heart to love all mankind.

A Thought for the Day

I have to say that Tuesday evening was hard for me because I was amazed at who our fellow Americans chose to be our next president. I guess I was blind-sighted because everyone around me didn't want him. I had not taken any polls; so, I really couldn't speak for the whole United States. I stayed up until 12:30, just listening to his speech. It really hit me that this is what God wants for our nation, and we can get mad and upset all we want. What really matters is that we now respect and pray for him. I saw his little daughters and felt so badly for them! To be in the spotlight at such an early age, is amazing to me. I was 12 years old when Bill Clinton was sworn into office for the first time, and I remember his daughter being the same age as me! I was excited to think about it at the time. Now, having children of my own, I realize that has to be hard as a mother to have to constantly guard your little children from the public's eye and also worry about your husband's safety every day. I realize we have a Secret Service, but you never know what nut job is around the corner. My thought for today is, America has decided who she wants; let's accept it and move on. We don't have to be talking that this is the end times or that the world is coming to an end. We may not agree with everything, but that will be our new president. We should lift him and his family up in prayer each day! This is our country, too, and I don't know about you, but I am PROUD to be an American!