The Violence Worker!

The Miracle Of Christmas

This entry will remain on top until After Christmas.  Scroll down for new posts.

(Originally Posted Christmas of 2007)

We need miracles. We need to believe that there is something out there larger than ourselves. We need to feel that someone is looking out for us. Since mankind’s beginnings, we’ve sought refuge from our troubles and catastrophes in the divine.

Christmas is a time for miracles. We expect them and they seem to come. I understand that during Christmastime people are prone to be more generous and thoughtful, but I think it’s more than that. As much as we complain about the commercialism of Christmas (and I believe there is much to complain about that), we derive a certain amount of comfort in the TV specials and the Christmas movies that portray a miracle.  The miracle most often seen in these productions and stories is the miracle of redemption.

In Dickens’ classic tale “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge gets a second chance after seeing his past, present and impending doom. Scrooge is given a chance to change his miserly ways.  In the film “It’s a Wonderful Life”, George Bailey is saved from suicide by an angel in training. Angel 2^nd Class Clarence Odbody shows George what life would be like had he never been born and George gets a second chance. Clarence is also redeemed by “getting his wings” for saving George. Even the old TV Special of “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer” tells us the story of a misfit elf, a mutant reindeer and even a collection of misfit toys and how they find their place. Regardless of the vehicle, be it religious or secular, the message at Christmastime is the miracle of redemption. These miracles are based upon the birth of Jesus which is the beginning of Christendom and the beginning of redemption for mankind.

There are other Christmas miracles as well. It’s a time of goodwill toward men. Small acts of kindness, sometimes performed anonymously, are more common. Most of us have either been the recipient of such kindness or we are the givers, sometimes we are both. We give to food banks and toy drives. We donate to the Salvation Army bell ringers in front of the department store. All of these can sometimes bring a little hope and even redemption into someone’s life. 

The good news is that the miracle of redemption is available to us all. That is what Christmas is all about and that is the real Christmas miracle.

May you have the merriest of Christmases and may you find hope and peace in the miracle that is Christmas.

To those of you that serve this great nation, please know that you and your families are constantly in our prayers.  And to those servicemen and women who are in harm's way, we pray for your safe return.

VW and family

Things Your Wife Does Not Want For Christmas

I decided to post this handy-dandy list of Christmas no-nos for you men.  We all know that none of us shop for Christmas until 4 PM on Christmas Eve!  It's part of being in the man club.

1. Vacuum Cleaners
2. Laundry soap
3. Deoderant
4. Underwear
5. A case of Bud Lite (if you must buy beer, at least get something you can Dri9nk!)
6. Iron and or ironing board
7. Odor Eaters
8. Scrub pads
9. Mops and Brooms
10. Products made by Massengill
11. Breath Mints
12. Garbage bags
13. Blender
14. Anything with "Diet" in the title.
15. Whoopee Cushion

There are others and I'm sure you can think of more.

Merry Christmas!

VW

You've Already Paid!

Last night, I was doing some Christmas shopping for the wife.  I know, it was last minute, but I'm a guy and that's how we generally roll.

I went to the venerable Target (or "Tarzhay"  as we like to call it - makes it sound more exotic, I guess) and picked out some stocking stuffers.  I then went to the Cost Plus World Market.  It's one of Mrs. VW's favorite stores and I was sure i could find something she might like.  After wondering through the store for awhile, I found a few small things (about 12 bucks worth) but nothing I saw really jumped out at me, so i made my way up to the cashier line.

When it was my turn, the cashier rung up my three little things.  I pulled out my wallet to find my debit card to pay and as I usually have to do, shuffle though various ID cards (the result of working for the military and being retired there from) and several bank cards (the result of modern economic life). 

The fellow behind me (he looked to be about 40) apparently saw my military ID and handed the cashier two twenty dollar bills and told he was paying for mine.  I was SHOCKED!  I thanked him and said it wasn't necessary.  I told him that I have a good job and could well afford it.  He said that he saw my military ID and that I'd already paid. I tried again to say that he didn't have to do that and he said, yes he did have to do it.  By that time, the clerk handed him back his change.  I thanked him again, wishing him a Merry Christmas ( a wish that I know will com true for him) and I left the store.

I was humbled beyond measure.  I felt somewhat embarrassed.  Yes, I served my 20 years, but I never saw combat and while it wasn't always luxury, I suffered few privations. 

God bless that man and his family.  I shall endeavor to pay it forward.

VW

Behold, I Bring You Good Tidings Of Great Joy

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

 ²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

 ³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

 ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

 ⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

 ⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

 ⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

My family and I wish you and yours the merriest and happiest Christmas ever.

VW

Peace On Earth - Half Off Today Only!

And the ad says:

PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWIIL TOWARD MEN!  is on sale this Friday at Best Buy at 50% off SRP.  One per customer, please.

With the commercialization of Christmas, you almost expect to see something like this advertised somewhere.  Christmas, it seems, has more to do with the redemption of retailers than mankind. 

I don't blame the retailers, I suppose.  They are free to exploit the season.  Let's face it, if there is a buck to be made off of the Savior of the World, someone will find a way.  It is, after all, the baser nature that Christ came to change.  (I say that with a bit of tongue in cheek.)  We all buy (no pun intended) into the hype to varying degrees and I don't believe there is anything wrong with that.  It's Christmas and you have the freedom in this country to celebrate as you see fit...or not if that's your cup of Grinch.  Traditions are maybe cultural, but they are also personal.

I always enjoy reading about how our modern day Christmas traditions and practices were stolen from some old pagan tradition or celebration.  The authors, be they amateur or professional, all seem to tell about it like they know this really neat secret that will just shake our faith when they let us in on it.  It's almost like we are supposed to  all of a sudden take down all of our decorations because they hearken back to some long forgotton pagan ritual.  One of the things they like to point out is how commercialized it has become and it has.  

Yes, many of our traditions were picked up from our pagan ancestors.  We have a lot of cultural hangovers from those days.  Sometimes they are manifested by our superstitions such as black cats and the number 13.  Sometimes they appear in the way we celebrate a holiday.  Sometimes we hear or think that there is nothing new under the sun and to a certain extent, that is true.  We are a constantly changing and evolving lot.  We drop, pick up and change traditions as we make it up.

And so it seems that Christmas traditions have evolved and seem to be drifting more secular than sacred.  While I doubt we'll see an advertisement selling peace on earth for half off, I somehow don't believe we'll see it offered in any form from an increasingly secular world.

I intend to indulge in the commercial side of Christmas.  I'll buy my Grandkids toys and celebrate with feasting and a pint or two of good ale.  But I won't forget the sacred side either.  We will tell the story of Jesus' birth with the full knowledge that He probably wasn't born on December 25th.  We will go to our Christian church for a Christmas Eve services and light candles like our pagan ancestors of yore.  The difference is, as they always say, in the details.  We don't light them to represent the sun's absence in winter; we will light them to represent the celebration of the Light of the World's birth.  As mentioned earlier - you are free to celebrate or or not according to your own conscience.

Whether you believe or don't, celebrate or play Scrooge, I wish you a very merry Christmas.  Peace on earth and Goodwill toward men.

VW

 

Come To Bethlehem And See

The second verse of the old Christmas carol "Angels We have Heard on High" asks some questions:

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav'nly song?

And the answer in the next verse entreats the singer to, "Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing".

Come to Bethlehem and celebrate the birth of Him who came as man to save us from our sins.

Merry Christmas from all of us at the Worker household!

VW

Who's A Coward?

It seems that Eric Holder, our newly minted black Attorney General, thinks that Americans are afraid to discuss race.  He thinks that the topic is so touchy and charged that people shy away from it.

To a large degree, he's right.  We don't discuss racial issues much because the fact of the matter is, it IS a touchy issue.  People are afraid of it because it is a no win subject.  You either agree with the politically correct line, or risk being called a racist.  No one wants to be known as a racist so we all just shut up and color.  Even voting turned into a racial issue this election with more than one loud-mouthed liberal proclaiming that if you did not vote for Mr. Obama, you were a racist.  Most people are a little bit gun shy.  I wonder how many white people either voted for Obama or said they did just because they didn't want people to think they were somehow racist?

I'm not intimidated.  I'm not a racist and I don't much care if you think I am.  As a matter of fact, I think most liberals find it difficult to grasp racial issues outside the plantation mentality.  Most white liberals view minorities as unable to make it without their help.  It's the "white man's burden" white liberal style.  The race hustlers depend upon white guilt and guys like Holder are nothing more than hustlers, exploiting race for their own gain.

Holder can talk about race any way he pleases.  White people, to include white liberals, have no such luxury.  We are only allowed to talk about race within the bounds of white guilt.  If we so much as stray one millimeter from that line, we are racists.

I don't care if Holder is black.  I don't care what color the President is.  It never mattered to me and it probably doesn't matter to most people.  I called down several people who accused me of voting for McCain because he was white.  When I pushed back, some admitted that they were voting for Obama because he was black.  When skin color is your main reason for either voting for or against someone, it equates to the same thing - racism.  What's the difference between someone who voted for McCain just because he is white and someone voted for Obama just because he is black? Nothing, Nada, ZILCH!   Racism is not  monochromatic.

If the discussion about race is ever allowed to be two-sided, we just might be able to come to terms with some of the issues that revolve around race.  We might be able to get beyond liberal identity politics and deal with some real issues that effect us as humans as a whole instead of categories.  We might be able to get beyond the plantation if we allow for honest inquiry and reasoned discussion without fear or of the dreaded "R" word.

Until that happens, no one is going to talk about race in any kind of substantial way.

VW

Christmas Day 2008

I hope you all had a good Christmas.  We here at the International Headquarters of the violenceworker.com celebrated in grand style.  We went to the 11 PM candle light service at our church Christmas Eve.  Mrs. VW is one of the musicians and she and her associate really make the service worth attending.  Before church, we feasted on Mexican food.  Each year we choose a country or region and base our Christmas dinner on their cuisine.  It's really kind of fun planning the menu and shopping for the ingredients.

Christmas morning we all exchanged gifts and had lots of fun.  Because we have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas day, we can relax and not worry about a big dinner or clean-up.  I made apple pancakes for dinner.  Quick, easy and no big mess.

After dinner, Mrs. VW, Ben (our autistic son and the one in the black tee-shirt in the picture) and I sat down and watched a movie Ben got for Christmas - Journey to the Center of the Earth.  So a fun and relaxing day was had by all.

What did Santa bring me?  I must have been a very good boy because I got a lump of coal!

I also got a set of Kershaw Shun knives and a TomTom One XL GPS display.  I also got some other assorted stocking stuffers.  All in all, Santa took care of me!

On to the new year which I hope will be better for all of us.

VW

Follow Santa With NORAD

I'm following Santa with Norad.  I'll be gathering up the grand kids this evening and we'll have some fun as the men and women of the North American Air Defense Command track Santa!

Start a holiday tradition with your kids and grandkids!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

VW

No Room At The Inn

It's Christmas Eve Day.  The children are bursting with anticipation, holiday meals are in preparation and people are scurrying about doing their last minute shopping.  The weather in recent days has been and continues to be cold and snowy, perfect for the always hoped for "white Christmas". 

Our white Christmas comes with travel delays at the airports and hazardous driving conditions.  Between decorating and wrapping, cooking and cleaning, and "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" blaring at us from every speaker in every store in the mall, we often lose sight of what Christmas really means.

We all know the "Cliff's Notes" version of the story.  Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem to pay their taxes and when the get to the city, things are crowded and there was no room at the local inn.  They were then forced to spend the ensuing stay in the city in an animal stable and His crib was a manger.  There was no room in the inn because it was crowed and busy.  Fortunately, they didn't have to deal with snow and ice as it usually doesn't snow there and there is evidence to suggest that all this took place in what we now call April.

No room at the inn - The promised Messiah, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, born in the lowest of circumstances signifying His innate humanness.  It's a major theme in the Christmas story.  It's significance is relevant to us today, not in the "homeless" theme the way some try to twist it, but do we make room for Jesus in our life?

Is there room for the Christ in the inn of our heart?

 It's true that Christmas has become way to commercialized.  We all get caught up in the shopping and the trappings of the season.  I'm no different.  I get caught up in it all as well.  The stress of the traffic, the crowds and trying to get everything done in time can really interfere with our focus.  Before we know it, the whole reason for the season shifts and we push Jesus out of our hearts and into that spiritual barn.  I'm just as guilty.  I need to slow down and pay attention to what is most important.

On this Christmas Eve, take a moment and focus on what is important.  Focus on Jesus, focus on your family.  Focus on what is important.  Thank God for what you have, even if your circumstances are humble.  I've known poverty. It's not fun, but in my time of poverty, it allowed me to learn some important lessons of Christmas that had nothing to do with wrapping paper and tinsel.  It helped me find room in my heart for the Christ Child.

May you all find room in your heart's inn for the Savior.  Be grateful for what you have and if you have extra, share it with those who don't.  It just might help both of you find room Jesus.

Also, on this Christmas, let me thank those of you who choose and have chosen to serve this great country in the Armed Forces.  Your dedication and sacrifices are gifts that my family and I treasure.  Know that all of you are in our prayers. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

VW and family