Rain is forecast through Christmas. I like rain. It is better than ice. Kroger was full of people this morning…you would think it was Christmas. Many men are getting ready to do their Christmas shopping.

At Southern Illinois University it is the first day of the Christmas Holiday. One of my biggest Christmas presents is the 32 years, 2 months, and 3 weeks of my career. I admire my good friend Cyndy’s photos of Christmas Decorations that she posts on Facebook. Cyndy made Christmas special in Building Services.

Christmas heightens our senses. We see through new eyes. The warmth of our Christmas Tree adds to our peace.

Today is a Festivus Marathon on the Comedy Channel. On Seinfeld Georges’s father Frank introduced us to the holiday. It began with his shopping for a doll for George as a boy. He got into an altercation with another shopper for the last doll. As they rained blows on each other Frank realized that there must be a better way. Thus Festivus For The Rest Of Us… The primary components of the special day are an aluminum pole in place of a Christmas Tree and the Airing of Grievances. George was required to fight his father to the point of pinning him before the special day concluded.

All of us share Fuzzy Memories. Strange or unusual occurrences occurred at Christmas with varying degrees of shock or laughter. Perhaps your Christmas past was reminiscent of the iconic movie Christmas Vacation. Have you ever had Yuppie Neighbors? Did Grandma offer you a quarter to rub her bunions? Was Christmas such a big deal to Dad that he overdid it with laughable results?

We are all trying to keep Christmas in our own way… Bob Cratchit kept it in his way. He was not deterred by little money a sick Tiny Tim and a bad boss. Bob chose to look on the bright side of life.

Mary and Joseph chose faith. In the midst of the impossible, they believed. The angel told her that she was carrying the son of God. Joseph heeded what his wife told him…he believed Mary. The world was oblivious to them. The religious world did not know them. The Heavens helped out. A Star to guide the Wisemen. Shepherds heard the call of a magnificent event. The animals were overjoyed at the coming of peace.

A bit like today. We are all occupied with our life events. We rush from cradle to grave as if someone is keeping time with a stopwatch…a race. Yet, the story of the ages is transpiring before our eyes.