----- Original Message -----
From: "Janet Deroy" <der99(a)goeaston.net>
To: "Ann Reynolds" <SeaAnnR(a)aol.com>
Cc: "Wayne & Janet Haley" <janwayn(a)earthlink.net>; "Toni &
Jim Jennings"
<tonijimj(a)dmv.com>; "Rich & Judi Bulman" <rbulman(a)goeaston.net>;
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Melissa Blades" <Melissaandharry(a)comcast.net>; "Faye Layton"
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Taylor"
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& Ilene
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Appell"
<bfa(a)goeaston.net>; "Bill Grady" <bgrady(a)goeaston.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 8:43 AM
Subject: Fw: Merry Christmas! or Happy Holidays! ???
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Stang" <bstang(a)dmv.com>
To: "Beth" <alpine(a)siteone.net>; "Janet"
<der99(a)goeaston.net>; "Norma"
<wom(a)shore.intercom.net>; "Jean" <chiefd(a)theriver.com>;
"Kathryn Hall"
<katsofmd(a)comcast.net>; "Gen" <genp(a)cruzio.com>;
"JoEllen"
<Jesdivinebovine(a)aol.com>; "Peggy" <niteowl1(a)intercom.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 8:09 PM
Subject: Fw: Merry Christmas! or Happy Holidays! ???
>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 8:06 PM
> Subject: Merry Christmas! or Happy Holidays! ???
>
>
>> By Debbie Daniel
>>
>> I'm on a "Merry Christmas" mission and I'm in full throttle. My
little
>> yellow VW Beetle has turned into a Christmas billboard with Merry
>> Christmas
>> written across the back window. Yes, I've decided to trek off to work
>> everyday on the public highways with a message that seems to offend
>> people.
>>
>> At stop lights, I even turn my music up a little louder, and to top it
>> off,
>> I sing along with it. Don't I know that stopping at a red light to roll
>> my
>> windows down only to share the joy of Christmas carols on public streets
>> is
>> a No-No? Don't I fear the Christmas Gestapo and those who would have me
>> remove the written message from my car?
>>
>> I'm sorry folks, but the only person I'm concerned about
"offending"
>> during
>> this Christmas season is the Lord himself. LEAVE THAT MANGER ALONE!
>> We've
>> allowed the Baby Jesus to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those
>> offended by Christmas are still not happy.
>>
>> I refuse to let this happen. I'm going to do my part to make sure
"Merry
>> Christmas" doesn't become extinct. Because like it or not, if the
>> believers
>> in Christmas don't take a stand now, it's gone forever.
>>
>> Listen folks, the Christian community has been underestimated before; we
>> will have to show ourselves again.
>>
>> I walked into a Wendy's Restaurant the other day and was rather
>> exuberant
>> with my "Merry Christmas" greeting to the manager. He didn't have
much
>> of a
>> response and I said, "Where's your Christmas spirit?" He said,
"We're
>> not
>> allowed to use the words "Merry Christmas" when greeting customers. We
>> can
>> only say "Happy Holiday."
>>
>> This morning I grabbed a quick breakfast at a Whataburger Restaurant. I
>> noticed there wasn't a single decoration in the store. I asked the
>> manager
>> why they weren't decorated for Christmas. He told me the corporate
>> headquarters decided not to send any decorations to any of their stores,
>> and
>> he didn't know why.
>>
>> After I heard about all the Macy's and Federated Stores taking down
>> their
>> Merry Christmas signs, the Target stores not allowing the Salvation Army
>> to
>> "Ring the Christmas bells," and the many incidents of children, choirs,
>> and
>> bands not allowed to play or sing Christmas carols, I realized it was
>> happening right here in my own little Texas town.
>>
>> How can this be? Not Texas!
>>
>> We do, however, have a store, Hobby Lobby, that plays nothing but
>> Christmas
>> carols during the season. On Christmas Day they run a full page ad in
>> our
>> local newspaper. That ad is not to promote the store, but uses the
>> entire
>> page to tell the story of Jesus' birth. Now that's taking a stand. We
>> need
>> to thank them.
>>
>> When I saw a news report the other evening of children being taught new
>> words to a song we've sung for years - "We Wish You a Merry
Christmas" -
>> I
>> was saddened to hear "We Wish You a Splendid Holiday."
>>
>> I know now that it's just a matter of time that the "Merry
Christmas"
>> greetings will be gone. Look around your town. Notice the "Holiday"
>> greetings and not "Christmas." It's happening right before our very
>> eyes.
>>
>> Start singing the songs; go down the streets of America singing to your
>> heart's content. Get some of those wash-off markers that these kids use
>> to
>> write on their car windows when they're rooting for their hometown
>> football
>> team. It's easy to do, and if a torrential rain washes it off, write it
>> on
>> there again.
>>
>> We've got to get this message out. "Go Tell It On the Mountain . . .
>> that
>> Jesus Christ is Born." Sing it, speak it, be a billboard for our Lord.
>>
>> The story of this "Baby Jesus" alone has brought about more goodwill at
>> this
>> time of year than any other day we celebrate. How can we sit back and
>> allow
>> Him to be snuffed out of our lives?
>>
>> Is it Jesus, or is it His followers that the "offended" don't like?
What
>> kind of revulsion galvanizes one to campaign so vehemently against the
>> mere
>> mention of His name, the mere singing of a carol, or the mere visual of
>> a
>> sign that says "Merry Christmas?"
>>
>> I can listen to my own boss at work use some of the vilest words and
>> follow
>> up with, "Excuse my French." I may cringe inside at his damning of
God's
>> name, but I tolerate it. So if you don't like me wishing you a "Merry
>> Christmas," I'll say, "Excuse my joy." You may cringe that I
celebrate
>> the
>> birth of Jesus, but just tolerate it.
>>
>> I cannot be concerned that "Merry Christmas" offends you. If I'm
not
>> careful, the day will come when saying I'm a Christian will offend you.
>>
>> I'm offended that you're offended. How about that?
>>
>> When we get to a point that we can no longer take part in a tradition we
>> hold dear, we have no choice; we either defend that tradition or we give
>> it
>> up to those who say NO. That's it . . . period. So, which will it be?
>>
>> I'm not giving up my "Merry Christmas" joy to anyone. If I know of
>> someone
>> that celebrates another holiday during this time of year, I will be glad
>> to
>> wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is and I'll
>> shout
>> it to the world and wish you a grand celebration.
>>
>> Just give me Christmas. To you merchants: Stop being so hypocritical and
>> "filling your tills" on the back of Jesus! Who do you think is the
>> symbol of
>> giving at this time of year? It was the wise men bringing gifts to the
>> newborn Christ-child.
>>
>> You want your coffers full, but have ordered your employees to take down
>> all
>> the Merry Christmas signs. If that's the case, I'll buy gifts at a place
>> that understands my joy.
>>
>> If you're worried about offending someone, you just did. The most recent
>> Newsweek survey shows that 82% of Americans believe that Jesus is the
>> Son of
>> God. So, in trying not to offend a few, you've offended many.
>>
>> It's okay to jump into the "Merry Christmas" spirit when it fills
your
>> cash
>> register, but let's call it something else . . . and don't stop giving .
>> . .
>> and don't stop buying. . . we'll just change the name and you'll
never
>> know
>> the difference.
>>
>> I know the difference and I'm feeling it greatly. It's hard not to be
>> aware
>> that townships across our country have actually banned the singing of
>> Christmas carols because it might offend someone. And it's not just the
>> religious songs; it's the secular ones too. No more "Jingle Bells"
or
>> "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" because they're associated with
>> Christmas.
>> Boy, aren't we getting sensitive?
>>
>> If we're not celebrating Christmas for the hope it gives with the birth
>> of
>> our Savior . . . there is no hope!
>>
>> I noticed a few years ago that we changed the name of Abraham Lincoln's
>> and
>> George Washington's birthday so as to be all inclusive regarding the
>> Presidents. Hark, if we should recognize anyone as exceptional. Now it's
>> called Presidents' Day.
>>
>> Well, if we're going to be so all inclusive, next month I'll have to
>> refer
>> to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as Civil Rights Leaders' Day. We
>> don't
>> want to exclude great Americans like Rosa Parks or Cesar Chavez, do we?
>> And
>> to think that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton might be left out.
>>
>> We might need to change Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Grandparents'
>> Day to
>> All Parents' Day. Just lump them all together.
>>
>> It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? So what's the difference?
>>
>> My freedom to celebrate Christmas in the tradition of the Christian
>> religion
>> is as much my right as it is your right to be offended by it. So what
>> are we
>> going to do? Did anyone hear me . . . what are we going to do?
>>
>> Do we defend a person's right to go forward with a time tested tradition
>> (how about 2000 years?), or do we defend a person's right to end it all
>> because they're offended? As long as we live in this great land and have
>> the
>> freedom to express ourselves and what we believe in, we will always
>> offend
>> someone.
>>
>> If we try to make everything right for everyone, we won't have anything
>> for
>> anyone.
>>
>> May you always have Christmas in your heart!
>>
>> ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
>> ~
>> This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from
>>
http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
>>
>
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.10/189 - Release Date:
> 11/30/2005
>