My new year's resolution is to CHOOSE GRATITUDE for everything, every single thing in my life: not just the joys and the wonderful moments, but for the pain and sorrow, the grief and the laughter. The generosity and kindness of others, the insults and accusations. I CHOOSE it all!
I'm still working my way through the book of Isaiah in these early days of Christmas. I love the faithful prophets who suffered so much to bring the truth to Israel. They suffered abuse, persecution, and murder; but they never flinched.
Do parents live in dread of the big question? "Mommy...Daddy...Is there really a Santa Claus?"
The day after Christmas the Church gives us a graphic reminder that embracing and living the faith isn't just cuddling a baby, but requires walking in darkness and suffering. St. Stephen, the first martyr, was a deacon chosen to help with the distribution of food to widows and the poor. While exercising that duty he performed signs and wonders that amazed the community.
His actions inflamed the Jewish people who dragged him before the Sanhedrin accusing him falsely of blasphemy. How did he respond? He delivered a passionate review of God's covenant with His chosen people from the time of Abraham.
Out of the mouths of the young to touch our hearts with the true meaning of Christmas.
May you and your family be blessed on this holy day.
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| Weary of fighting: Historic group photo of German and British soldiers standing together Image: Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
At any rate, the elephant was little in the beginning, like a lap dog. The young son kept telling his parents there was an elephant in the house, but they wouldn't believe it. So the elephant kept growing, trying to get their attention. Finally, he was so big he could walk off with the house. At that point, the parents acknowledged the existence of the elephant and he began to shrink back to his initial little doggy size. Obviously, the story was about problems being ignored that just get bigger unless they are acknowledged.
Now the word jargon has a couple of different meanings:
The specialized language of a trade, profession, or similar group, especially when viewed as difficult to understand by outsiders.
That definition is rather reasonable and not pejorative. A computer geek may use language about his work that is Greek to me. But then Greek is Greek to me as well, though it's perfectly comprehensible to someone raised in Greece. I don't understand Russian or Gaelic either. In fact, the only language I speak fluently is English. I have a smattering of French and Spanish, but not enough to converse, and that's about it.
