Reasoning for the Season

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us

~ John 1:14

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 

          ~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Image: Kevin Carden

Christmas Crunch

It feels like Christmas has snuck up on us this year. Not only is it awkwardly placed smack in the middle of the week, but it follows a late Thanksgiving that prompted "Cyber Monday" falling a mere three weeks before Christmas Eve. So I doubt I'm the only one who's been chasing my tail all through December.

Today, at last, I'm done--shopping, at least. Now the gift-wrapping marathon yawns before me. Since I usually start buying gift items in August and squirreling them away, I'm usually shocked by the volume of boxes and bags that await my attention. Armed with Advil and a couple of wrist braces, I'm confident I'll power through in time for the big day.

So what's been going on this month in Washington D.C.? Not much worth mentioning, in my humble opinion. It's Christmas time; let's focus on the positive. If I had to choose one topic as happy news from our nation's capital, I'd nominate the exquisite White House Christmas decorations--for which Melania Trump, who oversaw every detail, will get nary a kind word from the alphabet media. However, I think the décor is beautiful and classy, just like the First Lady.

As someone who has a life goal of becoming merely bi-lingual, I've always been awed by fact that the First Lady speaks five languages. I'll bet all her gift wrapping is finished, too.

Melania Trump walks through "The Spirit of America" White House Christmas decorations ~ 2019

Closing Ceremony

O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

- The Navy Hymn

Today, the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the last survivor who will be interred inside the hull of the U.S.S. Arizona will be laid to rest.

There are three other Arizona survivors who have chosen to be buried with their families when they pass away. So today's burial aboard the U.S.S. Arizona of sailor Lauren Bruner, who was 21 years old at the time of the attack, will end this poignant tradition in American history.

Rest in peace.

Here he lies where he long'd to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea

~ Requiem, by R.L. Stevenson