This contains entries to Take up Your Cross, Space Blog, Blog City PF and BC of Friends |
"November 17, 2018" "Prompt: The holiday season is here. If you celebrate winter holidays, write something about the one that is your favorite. If you don't celebrate this time of year, write something about the favorite holiday you celebrate." I have long hated all holidays. They are an opportunity for people to get stupid and lazy and really serve little good. I realize that people need to let off a little steam but the ways we do so are counterproductive. God has holidays He wants us to celebrate and those holidays occur on the first day of every week when we observe the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Any other religious holiday is man made and actually prohibited by God's word. God says clearly that we are not to add anything to His word. Read Galatians 1: 8&9 and Revelation 22 for confirmation. Human holidays are not authorized by God. In fact most holidays were originally due to the Catholic church compromising with sin. The former pagans in the church wanted to revert to paganism because paganism celebrated the solstices and many other "feasts" that Christianity did not celebrate. Some such holidays were the winter solstice, which occurred the last week of December (Christmas) and the spring solstice (Easter). Halloween was another compromise. The former pagans in the church wanted to continue these feasts so Rome compromised and Christianized these celebrations. The winter solstice was used to celebrate the birth of Christ. (If one follows the stars formations and the first appearance of the special star announcing His birth the date would have been June 17, not December 25.) The spring solstice became a celebration of His resurrection (Easter), which is actually suppose to be remembered and celebrated each first day of the week or every Sunday. The fall solstice or celebration of the dead became Halloween. The list goes on. Some pagan celebrations that are a little more minor were turned into holidays celebrating saints such as Valentine's Day. The fact is that none of these celebrations are found in scripture because they are not authorized by scripture. Sure they are fun and most of us spend them with family. It doesn't hurt to take a break from time to time. I just think everyday services should be continued such as mail and business. If necessary show some real holiday spirit and hire extra staff. After all the holidays are about sacrifice so sacrifice some profit margin! Prompt: "What's your favorite holiday/ seasonal movie? Does it include a cherished tradition with family? What made it special for you?" Miracle on 34th Street is my favorite holiday movie followed by any version of Dicken's A Christmas Carole. These two have become classics that I watch every year if possible. I like all versions of the above, the older versions are my favorites. I like Dickens because he shows how a human heart can be changed, although he doesn't give God credit for that change. I like Miracle on 34th Street because the little guy or the underdog wins in this one. The corporation and the establishment try very hard to shaft the old man and he wins against all odds. These movies are classics. My least favorite story is a Christmas Story. I just never could get into it. Some of my new favorite classics are the Home Alone series. No matter how many times I see poor Marvin getting the snot beat out of him by a little kid I laugh my rear end off. Funny is funny and those movies are hilarious. |