Merry Christmas! It's not just another holiday.

Everywhere you look, people and businesses alike are putting up their decorations, getting ready for this wonderful holiday season, and yet so many refuse to say what that holiday is! Now, who goes around putting up Christmas trees, wreaths, Christmas lights and buying presents for one certain day except those who celebrate Christmas? Would Jews dare to put up those decorations or buy presents and wrap them up like Christians do? Would Muslims? Only if they wish to be persecuted. (Although I did hear on "The People's Court" one time about a Jewish woman who hated her Jewish neighbors so much she actually put a wreath on her door to mess with them.)

Even the television shows are getting their panties in a bunch, saying, "Happy Holiday" (oftentimes omitting the final "s" that would give the greeting the implication that they are talking about more than one holiday). It's not a "holiday party" or "holiday dinner" or "holiday get-together, it's CHRISTMAS!!! Those who don't want to have anything to do with Christmas can just ignore the whole celebration, but they must acknowledge that this is a largely Christian nation, and therefore, Christian holidays will be celebrated.

Stores and other retail outlets can be the worst. They send you their "holiday catalogs" and other advertisements, not mentioning at all for which holiday they're marketing their tactics. It really bothers me, and I'm not the only one it bothers. Of this I am sure. Case in point: "Merry Tossmas". I think I'm actually going to start endorsing the views put forth in that YouTube video to the point that I'll follow through on what that guy does: toss the "holiday" advertisements and catalogs, while keeping and looking through those that acknowledge that it's Christmas that's being celebrated. And those will be the only ones I consider buying from.

Will you do the same?

Support and celebrate Christmas, and endorse "Tossmas" with those who decide to ignore the Reason for the Season: Christ and the Mass that is celebrated on the anniversary of His holy birth.

Lutheran Carnival LX is Up!

Visit the Lutheran Carnival home page to see all of the latest posts, including one from yours truly, which can be viewed below. Leave a comment on the Carnival home page, or on the blogs of those whose posts you read. Let the bloggers know what you thought of their posts. I welcome your comments, as well as long as you follow my rules. Happy reading!

"...For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

There have been so many trials and tribulations in my life, but none that I couldn't be comforted by the verse that this post's title refers to.

The verse is Joshua 1:9, which reads: "9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (NIV)

Think about it: what can you possibly go through that, as a Christian, you wouldn't be comforted by this verse?

I have, in my life so far, been through 19 foot surgeries, two hernia surgeries, sinus surgery (just to name the surgeries), lengthy unemployment of myself and my husband at the same time, am married to someone my parents didn't want me to marry but have (for the most part) accepted, losing countless loved ones, and more. I'm sure that many of you have been through some of the same, and maybe some things I couldn't even imagine. But whatever your trial, this verse (and many other favorites from the Bible) can be of great comfort.

How do I know this verse so well? It was my confirmation verse, one that was given to me as a source of comfort and inspiration when I was confirmed in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, by a pastor who is now President of the Kansas District, Pastor Keith Kohlmeier, who was the pastor of the church my family and I attended at the time.

Through all of these trials and tribulations, I have prayed and looked to this verse for comfort. Why? Because in it, God promises to be with us, standing with us and for us, no matter what happens to us. We can go through the worst life has to throw at us, and be given the best life has to offer, and we know that He is going to see us through all of it, because He loves us. He must, or He wouldn't have given His only Son to die for us, that we might live with Him eternally.

Is God telling us, in this verse, not to ever be afraid? Well, I'm sure He realizes that we might be afraid of things sometimes, but in this verse, He is telling us to let Him handle the hard stuff, to put our fears aside and let Him take charge. It's part of loving and trusting Him.

And the same goes for being discouraged. I'm sure a lot of you have also heard the phrase, "When God closes a door, he opens a window (or another door)." We might not always see that other "door" or "window," but there is a reason for everything that God allows us to experience in this life. We may need to learn a lesson, grow in our faith, or go through something so that we can be sympathetic or empathetic to others, or that we might be able to teach others something that we have learned as a result. And for those reasons, we need to remember that God is with us, no matter what.

"Be strong and courageous." Is God telling us, as some would have you believe, that we need to be physically strong, able to lift hundreds of pounds, brave mountain lions without weapons, or something of that sort? No. We are to be strong in our faith in Him and in the actions of His Son Who saved us, and be courageous against the things and people in this world and life that threaten and challenge that faith. Remember: babies and invalids can have faith – great faith, too, and most of them are anything but physically strong.

There is nothing in this life that can make God turn His back on us. He has so much love for us that He will never go away, and we will never be able to hide from Him, no matter how hard we might try. And that's not meant to be something to cause fear – rather, the opposite. We are to use that knowledge to go forward with life as Christians, with the knowledge that He will never abandon us, even in our darkest hours when we feel the most alone. All we have to do is pray and believe.

Praise be to God!

New Blog – Check it out!

I've decided to create a new blog dedicated to the problems I've had with my feet in an effort to tell my story and to help others who may have similar problems, as well as to thank those who have helped me. Please, don't hesitate to visit, and add it to your blogroll! Here's the address for my new blog, Beautiful Feet: http://beautifulfeet.wordpress.com

Yes, it's hosted somewhere other than Blogger. So, yes, I'm trying something different. When you visit, let me know what you think.

The same rules apply there as here: no foul language, no name-bashing, and comments are moderated for everyone, just so it's fair and stays clean. If you have any questions, you may refer to the post that's already there, or scroll down in this blog to find my rules for posting.

I'll see you there or here! This blog will remain on this site... At least for now. :)

Baby shower time!

So, this Saturday, I'm throwing a baby shower for two of my closest friends: Random Dan and Intolerant Elle, who blog together as Random Intolerance. Yes, it's a couple's shower. It will be the first one I've ever attended, and I'm actually planning it. I'm surprised that so many people have already said they're coming – guys included!

The Random Intolerants are expecting a baby girl at the end of October. I'm getting very excited to see her and hold her and (hopefully) be able to babysit her once in a while. My hubby and I have made jokes about her and my nephew ending up together when they get older. ;) Depending on who you talk to, those jokes are well received.

The guys, and whoever else wants to join them, will be playing poker after the gifts have been opened. Elle said, though, that her husband's family tends to break out into poker games at the drop of a hat, so we'll see how it works.

I'll give you an update close to or just after the shower. Nice to see you all again! :D

Update after months-long leave

There are a number of reasons that I haven't blogged in recent months, work being one of the most important reasons. Sometimes, those who are in the media business need to keep a tight reign on the kinds of extracurricular activities, if you will, that we engage in. I didn't want my co-workers and listeners figuring out who I was online, and harassing me or causing problems for me at work.

So, since a lawyer I've never met decided to teach me a lesson after I accidentally cut his wife off while driving a company vehicle, I don't have that job anymore. Sad, I know. Especially since I was loving that job.

Also, I just underwent my 19th foot surgery last Monday, to remove a metal plate from my right foot that was put in during one of my reconstructive surgeries three years ago.

And an update on that adorable nephew of mine, who's pictured below: He's now 7 1/2 months old! He laughs these big belly laughs, smiles all the time, and absolutely loves his aunt: me. :D

I'm going to try to post on my blog more often, too. So, if you just happened to be stopping by to see if I'd actually added anything lately, thank you. Pass it on that I'm back! I'm hoping to contribute to the next Lutheran Carnival, too. I just have to come up with something to post about. ;)

Until next time!

I'm back!

So I've been an inconsistent blogger. Have you missed me?

I've been working seven days a week for the last couple of months, between two part-time jobs. But I've been enjoying both.

Some things that have happened since I last posted:

• The Gridiron production I was in, as part of the Society for Professional Journalists, went over famously, and it was said that it was the best in Gridiron history! That's fantastic, considering the Gridiron has been going for 40 years in this area!
• The Greensburg tornado hit really close to home -- about 1 1/2 hours away from here. Since I work in the news industry, I ended up reporting on a lot of information relating to and directly affecting the residents of that hard-hit community.
• I've been given one more day per week to work at my news job -- because a man who used to work Friday nights only COMPLETELY MISSED THE GREENSBURG TORNADO!!! He never got ANYTHING on the air. Not when it hit, not when it left behind the damage and the suspected dead, nothing during his air shift. So, I was offered his Friday nights when he was shown the door.

In other news, my little nephew, whose picture is below, is now three months old and weighs in at about 16 lbs. and some change. My sister has her figure back, for the most part, and is enjoying being a mother. My brother-in-law is enjoying being a father, too. And my husband and I are enjoying being Godparents.

There are a lot of things I'd like to post about, so hopefully, I'll find time to write about them. I would also share some pictures with you, but my husband has seemingly hidden the adapter that would allow me to download pictures from our camera. :(

I'll share pictures if and when I find it.

Busy Bee = Me

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything on this blog, but I have a good reason... I've started working a second part-time job (not related to journalism) and am rehearsing most weeknights for an amateur stage production put on by the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. It's supposed to be reminiscent of Saturday Night Live, with singing and dancing, and the skits will have a journalism/newsy twist.

Between the two jobs and the rehearsals, I'm working day and night seven days a week. The exception for this night is that I was able to switch Thursday and Friday nights at the radio station with the guy who usually works Friday nights. It helps, because then I have a whole day, more or less, to get housework and errands done.

Well, my nephew is just over a month old now, and is still the sweetest, cutest baby boy I know. He will be baptized on March 25, and my husband and I have been asked to be his godparents! What a wonderful opportunity to honor God and serve Him, and to help my sister and brother-in-law teach him about Lutheranism, and the answers to "What does this mean?".

I am very happy, although I am so very busy. "This is most certainly true."

The picture above shows my nephew. Isn't he gorgeous?!

I'm an aunt!

My nephew, my sister and brother-in-law's son, was born at 2:12 p.m. on February 14, 2007. He weighed 7 lbs. 4.5 oz., and was 19 3/4 inches long. Fortunately, I was able to be there in the room while he was being born, and got to see the whole thing!

The little family of three is happily at home, getting used to one another. I couldn't be more proud of my sister, brother-in-law and, of course, my nephew. I'll share pictures when I get a chance.

Review of the Rules for Commenting

If your comment has been rejected, please review the rules I have for posting comments on this blog.

Post Number 300!

And I'm celebrating by sharing some of the articles I've come across on the national wires. But, since it's so late, I'm only going to discuss one of them tonight. I'll save the others for daytime.

First, this one:

A North Dakota lawmaker says his state's ban on a man and woman living together without being married is unenforceable and encourages disrespect for the law.

Democratic State Senator Tracy Potter says the Legislature should repeal the law against cohabitation, which is punishable by a 30-day jail term and a one-thousand dollar fine.

Potter said citizens ignore the law and police don't enforce it. If they did, he said North Dakota would need a ten (b) billion dollar prison to hold all the violators.

But Tom Freier (FRY'-ur), a spokesman for the North Dakota Family Alliance, said repealing the measure would signal that the state doesn't value marriage and the societal benefits it brings.

He said research has shown that cohabiting ``poses a special risk for women and children.''

I know that this kind of behavior is becoming the norm anymore, but that doesn't make it right. Mr. Freier is right: there is a special risk that those who cohabit pose for themselves and any children who might live with them. These relationships, if they lead to marriage, are more likely than those who do not cohabit prior to marriage to divorce or have very serious problems.

I also agree that repealing the law would say the state feels that living together prior to marriage is an insignificant problem, and that marriage is not a meaningful institution.

Certainly, the jails would begin to fill if everyone who violated the law were arrested, but I propose a different solution that would keep the law valid: impose a daily fine on those who violate the law. The money collected could go toward city improvement, college funds for those who do not cohabit, etc. Those who are living together for so-called economic reasons would have to weigh those benefits against the daily fine they incur as a result of their behavior.

My guess is that a large portion of violators (although I have no evidence to back this up) are college-age people. They're not ready or willing to get married, or don't feel like they want to be tied down by a legally binding relationship, so they decide that they'll live with their partner for however long they please and when it doesn't work out, they can just leave with no strings attached.

College-age people are generally not well off financially, unless mommy and daddy are paying their way and giving them an allowance. But I have a feeling that if mommy and daddy knew or found out that their money was being spent on fines for illegal behavior, the money flow would disappear and the behavior would be curbed. And those who don't have much of an income, who would be in the majority, would not be able to afford the continuous fine.

Cohabitation prior to marriage is wrong. It's just as wrong as premarital sex, which is also becoming the norm. Waiting until marriage to have sex and/or live together until marriage is becoming the stereotypes of "squares" or those who "just can't get any." But consider the following:

• If everyone waited to have sex until they were married, and once married, didn't have sex with anyone other than their spouse, how common would sexually transmitted diseases be?
• Would people really know the difference between what was good or bad between the sheets if they had no one else to compare their spouse to?
• How many children would grow up not knowing who their fathers are, unless they died?
• How many children would be born or conceived out of wedlock?

I could go on and on and on.

This world is becoming a very sick and perverted place, and the immoral behavior being exhibited is becoming what's expected of people. If you don't have sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend, the view is that something is wrong with you, something bad happened to you in your past, or you've got irrational fears of getting pregnant.

What if you're just wanting to save the most precious gift you have for your husband or wife on your wedding night? Is that so wrong? I think it's wonderful. And I'll guarantee you that God looks favorably upon those who save themselves for their spouse, and their spouse only.

If you've been guilty of cohabitation without marriage, you've got some repenting and praying to do.

Getting ready to be an aunt

With my sister and brother-in-law eagerly anticipating the birth of their son, their first child, in the next few weeks, I am getting excited about being able to see and hold my new nephew.

My mom and I were with my sister and her husband when she had her last sonogram. She was able to have "4-D Imaging" done since she was far enough along. The pictures that were taken actually showed his face with astonishing detail. He is going to be very cute. Of course, since he's my nephew -- my sister's son -- I already love him.

What was really cool about the sonogram was that the technician was able to determine my nephew's approximate weight, along with how much he might weigh when he's born. According to her estimations, my little nephew is going to weigh at least 8 lbs. when he's born, if he waits to be born until around his due date at the end of February.

My sister and brother-in-law have decided that they are going to try to have their baby at a birth care center that has birthing suites. I've seen the suites: my home economics class took a tour there when I was in high school and we were studying parenting. These suites are very large and very nice. My sister is wanting my mom and me to be present in the birthing suite when my nephew is born, which would be really cool! (I just hope I'm not working when I get the phone call!)

In the meantime, my mom and I had to postpone the baby shower we were planning to have had for my sister yesterday: it will now be held this coming Sunday. We got about five straight hours of sleet and freezing rain, topped with snow. The streets have not been safely passable for the last three days, but are better today since the sun came out.

One of the things I'm looking forward to doing with my little nephew (besides holding him, feeding him, changing diapers and playing with him) is helping him learn new things. I've always been excited about learning, and I pray that he will be, too.

I have to work tonight, so I'm going to end my post here. I'll be back, though, with pictures of my sister, my nephew and the trip my husband and I took to the Pacific coast to visit with his family.