third world county

Continuing to celebrate Christmas here at twc with the Third Day of Christmas leading up to Twelfth Night (January 5th) and Epiphany (January 6th). Meanwhile, THIS is an open trackbacks post. Link to THIS post and track back. 🙂

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Now, on to the feature for today: segment one of this week’s Worship Quote of the Week from Chip Stam, “The Incarnation as the Humiliation of God.”

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JOHN 1:10-14 (NIV)
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

THE HUMILITATION OF GOD (C. S. Lewis)

The Second Person in God, the Son, became human Himself: was born into the world as an actual man—a real man of a particular height, with hair of a particular color, speaking a particular language, weighing so many stone. The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus inside a Woman’s body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.—C. S. Lewis, MERE CHRISTIANITY. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., p. 155.

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Part 2 of “WQOTW – The Incarnation as the Humiliation of God” tomorrow, as we continue to celebrate Christmas here at third world county.

We always choose at least one “simple fare” (completely non-taxing, mostly “fluffy” :-)) movie to watch as a family during the holidays–often more. This year, one we chose was Eragon, for several reasons (one of which was an elementary school librarian in the family and all that implies for the family reading list–good implications, I assure you :-)).

I have a much more prolix review I was considering posting, but this one catches most of its points succinctly, so I’ll just refer you there.

Not a definite miss. No solid hits. Not a yawner. Not a winner. Pretty pictures. A little more at the linked post.

Some folks “do” the “boxing day” thingie December 26. Not at twc central, though. The tree, lights, etc. will stay up until around New Years here–actually, more like through Epiphany (January 6). Things’ll be a bit laid back and lazy here this week, including the posting schedule. So, hand in your “assignments” to keep my reading schedule nice n full, ‘K? 🙂 Open trackbacks to THIS post. Just link to this post and track back.

If you have a linkfest/open trackback post to promote OR if you simply want to promote a post via the linkfests/open trackback posts others are offering, GO TO LINFEST HAVEN DELUXE! Just CLICK the link above or the graphic immediately below.

All-new, thanks to The Conservative Cat.

Yeh, I really cannot boil this post down to a title.

Lovely Daughter surprised me with not one but two Dean Koontz books as Christmas presents (making very good use of her discount at Borders, where she has a very part time job on top of her full time work). Now, if you understood the esteem in which I hold Koontz for his craftsmanship, then you’d know what utter pleasure her gifts have already brought me, not only for the reading of them but for the consideration she put into their selection.

(Be it known that my delight in Jackie Chan’s craftsmanship in a completely different line of artistic expression was noted and acted upon by Son & Heir. :-))

So, two purposes for this post, at least: thanks, kiddos, for the thoughtfulness of your gifts. And all y’all out there, if you have not tasted of Dean Koontz’s wordsmithery, latch onto some of his best, soon. This year, Lovely Daughter satisfied my desire to read more about Odd Thomas with Forever Odd and Brother Odd. Both are replete with not only the masterful characterization, plotting, descriptive narrative and dialog that are typical of Koontz’s work, but also his characteristic nuanced throwaway lines that enhance all the above. Just pick up your own copy(ies) starting with Odd Thomas and see what I mean. Oh, almost any book by Koontz would be a good read (I particularly like

Odd Thomas

Forever Odd: A Novel

Brother Odd (Odd Thomas Novels)

Trackposted to Pirate’s Cove, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Bullwinkle Blog, The HILL Chronicles, Wake Up America, Don Surber, Adam’s Blog, and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

This just in via email from Hugh, a regular reader. (Yes, Hugh, it is a classic, but I’ve not seen it for a while, so thanks! :-)) Thinking on it, I just have to wonder: is the little angel’s name, “Carol”?

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“Little Angel”
{A Classic}

One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip, but there were problems everywhere.

Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones, so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey.

When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hid the liquor and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw from which it was made.

Just then the doorbell rang and Santa cussed on his way to the door. He opened the door and there was a Little Angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said, very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas Santa. Isn’t it just a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Isn’t it just a lovely tree? Where would you like me to stick it?”

Thus began the tradition of the Little Angel on top of the Christmas tree.

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Merry Christmas!

Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, and Woman Honor Thyself, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Christmas=Evangelism

On another blog a couple of years ago I wrote a very (VERY) brief comment about the kerfuffle surrounding “Merry Christmas” year , repeated last year and then slightly reworked this year, here. It’s become a tussle phrase for “traditionalists” of all stripes vs. the Loony Left Moonbat Brigade.

But that’s not the issue in this post. Here’s a thought/shade of memory that’s almost always present whenever I say “Merry Christmas.” I can recall vividly the many times that I witnessed my maternal grandfather openly, extravagantly displaying the Christmas spirit—at all times of the year, in all kinds of places. Here’s a typical memory that surfaces or floats in the background whenever I say “Merry Christmas” to someone… and why it does.

Whenever I visited my maternal grandparents as a child or youth and the visit encompassed a Sunday, we went out to eat for Sunday “dinner” (lunch to much of the country :-). Invariably, Dad-Dad would be the last to our table and the last out the door because he had to stop and chat briefly with every person he saw. The conversation, if it were with a stranger, would always at some point allow Dad-Dad (allow, nothing—he made it so! 🙂 to bring up Jesus Christ, his Savior and Lord. Many of those conversations resulted in brief prayers and an exchange of contact information.

You see, Dad-Dad knew that the meaning and message of Christmas wasn’t some warm, fuzzy , nebulous “goodwill to men” that we share at a holiday time, or a time of sharing love with family and friends. No, the meaning of Christmas is the Incarnation and all that implies: sinful man, doomed to an eternity in hell; a loving God who became man in the form of a baby boy in order to redeem this sinful world by His life and propitiary death and provide victory and hope through His resurrection.

When I asked him one time why he always stopped to talk to so many people, many of whom he did not—before!—know, on the way to his table (or out the door), he told me that he didn’t want to be the one—missed!—opportunity that perhaps one person may have had to hear the gospel.

“Merry Christmas” is a prayer that God will bless the hearer with a saving knowledge of the life and work, the death, burial and resurrection, the daily presence of One who

” …being in the form of God, did not think being equal with God something to cling to, but made Himself of no reputation, became a servant, coming as a man, And as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross…”

That’s the message “Merry Christmas” holds for those who know Him: We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior. The Light of the World, the Hope of the Nations.

Peace, goodwill toward men.

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So, Merry, Merry Christmas,
May the blessings of this season all be yours:
Friends and loved ones present, if only in your heart;
Peace in your small corner of the Earth;
Joy and laughter, children’s mirth;
Cooking, baking, eating; who needs a calorie chart?

But when you gather Christmas Eve beneath the Natal Star,
Make sure the greatest blessing is held within your heart.
For the birth we celebrate with tinsel, lights and joy
Was more than just the birth of one small Jewish boy.

So gather parties, make merry; give gifts, bake pies and sing.
Christmas is thanksgiving for the birth of the Servant King.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Linked late to Adam’s Carnival of Christmas II and to The Christmas Alliance HQ.

Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, Woman Honor Thyself, Don Surber, and Madman Returns, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Seen at Our Story. Thank you, Janeen!

If you like “family” blogs (I do), give Janeen’s blog a visit.

It’s a festive event at Morning Coffee and Afternoon Tea, where Christine has spread a feast to bring joy all taste buds for our delectatious* delight.

Drop on by. It’s not too late to add a delightful recipe to your holiday fare!

Continue reading “Christmas Carnival of the Recipes”

Well, Kat (Cathouse Chat) knows how to ladle the Christmas sauce on. Here it is, Festivus (as my son was quick to remind me today)–the day before Christmas Eve, and she’s tagged me for a blogosphere meme pool tag game: Three things I want for Christmas and three things I do NOT want for Christmas. Well, I have about all the things I really want (not that I couldn’t do with a new this or that or t’other–I’m human, after all–in spite of what some might think :-)), so my list is typically third world county.

Want for Christmas:

*Less bullshit from Washington (and all the little bugs who take their cue from congresscritters, bureaucraps and all their pestilent ilk). “Less” instead of more, because, well, we are talking about politicians *spit*, bureaucraps and their ilk, after all…
*A close approximation of peace on earth, or at least as many jihadis as an unleashed American military might send to join their prophet in hell.
*A big dopeslap upside the head for global warmists who can’t remember that the temps were much higher (and growing seasons longer because of it) during the Medieval Warm Period when Greenland was a net exporter of farm goods.

Do NOT want for Christmas:

*President Bush to remain Vicente Fox’s lapdog on border control.
*The American military to be pulled out of Iraq any time short of a HUGE ass-whuppin’ of any and all available terrorist scum (a big enough whuppin’ to give the locals a substantial advantage in keeping the violence the region is naturally prone to controlled, at least). Yeh, I stole it from Kat, but she won’t mind, cos she’s in substantive agreement, even though she’s ladylike in her expression of similar sentiments.
*Another Christmas program filled with people who should have been told years ago that they are TONE DEAF. Or, as my Wonder Woman put it, should have been told, “Honey, don’t do that. You can’t sing.” (Kill dogs by making their ears bleed with horrible sounds emitted from their maws, but sing? *sigh*)

Kinda late to tag others, I’ll think on it and (hopefully) get back with you.

The Carnival of Christmas #2 is now up at Adam’s Blog. Go, read.