Saturday, December 24, 2011

Visions Of Sugar Plums

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Clement Clarke Moore
or
Henry Livingston, Jr.
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Hello Ally
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Tis the day before Christmas and all through my apartment there is no stirring, scurrying nor hurrying. There is no family around here, no reason to cook and no space for a tree. I will celebrate Christmas as I usually do, quietly and gracefully by myself. I will dine on a bowl of grits and some clam chowder. Don't feel sorry for me, I can afford the chowder. Because I cooked the grits I can now afford the chowder. It's a matter of simple economics, something Congress seems to have some confusion about.

Christmas is one of those days, like Thanksgiving and July Fourth, when we can forget the way we behave the rest of the year. The holidays usually just mean to me a day when the mail doesn't come. But this year Christmas is on Sunday and the mail wouldn't come anyway, so what's the difference?

Since I'm not affiliated with any church I'm not bound to the traditional rubrics of liturgical Christmas celebrations. But if I am anything, if I have to be categorized to differentiate myself from others, I'm a Christian. What I definitely am not is a Conservative. Any thinking Christian would know that Christianity and Conservatism is an emulsion, two things that don't mix. Any earnest Bible scholar, which I am (though not exclusively to be sure), would see why that is true.

Christmas day is the traditional celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a most remarkable man who brought to the world a clearer, more liberal, more spiritual interpretation, of the Jewish theology. He was often homeless, worked on the Sabbath, had compassion on the poor, ill and destitute, got angry, hungry and thirsty, and sleepy. He had friends, enjoyed parties, loved kids and had a sense of humor. (If you don't believe that read John 1: 45 - 50 (Stick around, you ain't seen nothing yet.) or John 21: 4 - 6.)

Jesus never involved himself in politics, he never joined any party, association, committee or group, he stood up to and rebuked the priests, scribes and Pharisees, the conservatives of his day. And, like Socrates before him, he refused to break the law to save his life.

This is a time to celebrate, to love, to roam through pleasant memories,and to delight in new experiences. It's a time to renew bonds and to remember why we come together. I will celebrate Christmas in my own quiet way. And if you are celebrating it I wish you a day of joy and merriment and great blessings for the year to follow.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Dana Bate - Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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Look here. I have 10 Guest Author entries since I started offering this invitation. Now I want yours. If you haven't posted one here yet, please do so, or Santa won't come down your chimney. (I know he won't anyway, but that's beside the point.)

This is an invitation for anyone and everyone to post an entry of their own on my journal, Vagabond Journeys http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/.

The end of the year holidays are upon us and since it is a time for celebrations, remembrances, resolutions and plans for the future I know that people have things to say.

Not to take away from the postings on your own journals, but to add to the joy of my own celebrations is why I invite you to write for mine.

I want to read what your thoughts are about this magical time of the year. This invitation is open to everyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists and the Uncertain.

Tell me your thoughts on Chanukah, Christmas, Ashura, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, New Years Eve. or any subject you wish or associate with this holiday season.

There are no limits in regard to length. The only limitation is that, for reasons so far unexplained to me, my blog does not take photographs, animations, videos or pictures of any kind. I deal in words.

Please accept my invitation. Send your entry to my email address dbdacoba@aol.com I will copy and paste it into my journal and it will be displayed promptly. You may sign your name or not as you wish, and you may leave a link to your blog or your email or not, as you wish. I will do NO editing or censoring. Eloquence is not necessary, mind or heart or both is all.

I have 10 Guest Authors so far. Check them out. Can I hear from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America? All are welcome. Admission is free.

DB
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6 comments:

Geo. said...

One of my favorites, Acts 9:5 --"it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." There are plenty of them out there. May you avoid them and be happy in this and all seasons, DB!

Ken Riches said...

We enjoy getting together with family and celebrating the season, just not the reason. I wish people would act year round the way they do at the holidays.

pacifica62 said...

Thank you for your holiday wishes, db. My Christmas, too, will be quiet however there will be no grits, no clam chowder and no turkey either. For some reason Christmas feels like it will be just another day as I certainly do not feel very Christmassy inside. I do wish for you a Happy Christmas db. All the very best to you and your feathered friends.

Jon said...

I appreciate your very apt observations about this frenzied holiday. We share a common bond - I will be spending Christmas entirely alone, too. Fortunately, I enjoy my own company. That clam chowder sure sounds good!

Valerie said...

I love grits! LOL Merry Christmas, Dana, and God bless!

Arlene (AJ) said...

We're also having a quiet holiday this season with no traveling since hubby is still getting over his surgery, but this will work for us. May you have a peaceful day DB and know all of us who care are keeping you in our thoughts as always.