OPINION? Everybody Has One!!

GRAVETTE — Ho! Ho! I’m getting the spirit of the season. If you don’t think we should call the tree we bring into our homes a Christmas tree, you should stop reading here. And maybe buy a ticket to Iraq or you might already have a ticket purchased to head out someplace hot!

For sure don’t read any further if you don’t like a nativity scene set up on the courthouse lawn. I refuse to write words for a person like that to even see or read! I hope the Lord will forgive them but I don’t know if I can. If you live in this country and have the right to speak out in freedom, don’t try to stifle ours!

I’ve been out with my close relative doing some shopping and looking.She shops and I look. I like to sit in the car and watch folks go in and out of stores, laughing and arm in arm. I feel sorry for those who look sad and bedraggled, faces laced in pain and hopelessness. We know the ones I am describing have reason for hope if a Christian notices, but what if a nonbeliever sees them? Probably not much hope there!

I got out and helped a lady with a couple of kids as she was trying to load her stuff into her old pickup. The bed was rusty, a hole or two in it, but the dampness was the main problem for her purchases.She was glad for the help, but sorta embarrassed too. I gave the kids a little change and wished them a Merry Christmas. I heard the little boy, about a 9 year old, say to his mother, “Did you hear that man? He must believe in that little baby Jesus!”

Is that all it takes for us to show what we are and who we want to emulate?

I love the way folks wraptheir homes in Christmas lights. The sparkles and colors are so delightful and bring back so many memories. I can almost smell the cakes and cookies baking and the pine and cedar floating through the air. I took our offspring driving around every year they were home to see the lights. The years we didn’t have enough money for the gas to be wasted I just tightened up my personal belt a little more and bit the bullet. It was worth it, made one of the best presents I ever had. Their eyes and their rosy cheeks, the shrieks and ohs and ahs were great.

We, my close relative and I, always found that Santa made it into our home. And we also found that the line was drawn very darkly between the two, Santa and the real reason for the celebration, Jesus. It is possible and we all enjoyed it. Now the Grands are into the whole thing.

My dear old Pappy told us that there is no such thing as a ‘fox hole’ atheist. When it comes down to true fear for your life, we ALL pray and mean it! I sorta think living in this free country and enjoying the blessing brought on by Christmas, you know, the birth of Christ, that feller this country is founded on, is pretty great.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, I’m a little surprised the human race hasn’t been wiped out again like it was before. I figure the birth of Christ had to come in order for him to hang on the cross for all of our sins. Even that feller’s who wants to get rid of Christmas!

Enjoy it all and keep busting the ice for the cows. It has only started!