A series of storms across the nation are threatening to make Christmas travel a mess. Thunderstorms across the south, rain in in the east and snowstorms around the Great Lakes could bring serious flight delays and dangerous road conditions.
Up to three inches of snow is predicted for the areas around Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway International airports. Delays and cancellations at two of the nation’s biggest Midwest airports would have repercussions throughout the country.
“I’d be nervous about the possibility of not being able to get out,” Chicago area meteorologist Charles Mott told the Associated Press. “I would definitely make plans about possibly staying put or doing something else.”
Over 4.2 million travelers are expected to go through the Chicago airports during the Christmas season.
Storms across the Rockies caused blowing snow that blocked major highways and even Hawaii is feeling the winter punch as a blizzard warning was issued for the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island. While snow is common, a blizzard is considered unusual by meteorologists.
There may be efforts to take Christ out of Christmas in this world, but we have within each one of us, individually, everything we need to keep Christ in Christmas. He is in our every moment after all! When we see others, we can choose to beam the love of Jesus into them as we say those words… “Merry Christmas! “ We can shine with His Spirit! It is up to our hearts to show that Christ is still in Christmas!
Nobody can take that from us. And nobody ever will. Continue reading →
A group of Satanists have placed a display on the Michigan State Capitol grounds to mock the placement of nativity scenes in publicly available areas.
The Satanic Temple set up what they call the “Snaketivity Scene” that shows a snake wrapped around a book called “Revolt of the Angels.” The whole thing is wrapped around the Satanic cross.
Satanic Temple spokeswoman Jex Blackmore said her group really doesn’t worship Satan despite the fact they’re called the Satanic Temple.
“Having our government endorse one singular viewpoint or method of celebrating the season is problematic when we have a diverse community of people in Michigan,” she said.
Senator Rick Jones, who was sponsoring the nativity scene on the Capitol grounds, said he representa “the light and not the darkness.”
“They could have put theirs up in July or April or sometime. They didn’t need to put it up in the Christmas season,” Jones said. “That’s OK. We’re going to ignore them. I’m not afraid of the snake people. I’m sure that Jesus Christ is not afraid.”
When God gave me and Jim our five beautiful children, I wanted to create traditions in our family that they could remember over the years and pass down to their own children (as Little Lori is now doing).
One of those traditions that I dearly love is reading the “Legend of the Candy Cane” at Christmastime. I believe it’s so important to honor the birthday of Jesus at Christmas in everything we do, so this was a perfect blend” of the “sweet” things that go along with Christmas!
Our children also love reading the “Christmas Story” (another family tradition) along with the “Legend of the Candy Cane.” In fact, some of them even learned to read with these family traditions! Continue reading →
Most of us can relate to that warm fuzzy feeling we have about being at home for the holidays. Home is where we are surrounded by those that we love and those who love us. It’s where you’re accepted unconditionally, and celebrated just for being you. It’s a place where the sheer joy of existing is tangible and hangs in the air like the pine scent of a freshly cut Christmas tree. Home is a delightful place, and the atmosphere of home feels like it just reaches around you and gives you a big hug.
Wherever the holiday gathering takes place, there is wonderful smells of delicious foods you only indulge in once a year, prepared lovingly for the expressed delight of those who will savor every morsel. Twinkling lights and red ribbons, pine wreaths and mistletoe, Christmas trees and bright centerpieces adorned with candles – all of these and more add to the magic of being home for the holidays. Continue reading →
I’ve been thinking a lot lately on how the world is trying to take Jesus Christ out of everything to do with Christmas, which is totally ridiculous because it’s HIS birthday that we are celebrating, after all! But they are trying to make Christmas about something else, and change its meaning altogether. I’m determined to do all I can to make sure that doesn’t happen! If you take Christ out of Christmas, you may as well just forget it – we don’t need another reason to throw a party. We need Jesus Christ in our lives!
I’m very interested in what YOU are doing to keep Christ in Christmas too! Let’s share our ideas on how we will make sure that the message of Christ is the main thing at CHRISTmas time. Continue reading →
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is at it again.
The group has threatened the town of Piedmont, Alabama over their Christmas parade.
The town had decided they wanted the parade’s theme to revolve around the true “reason for the season” and selected “Keep Christ In Christmas” as the parade’s theme. Immediately, the Christian-hating group fired off a letter to the mayor of the town claiming some unnamed resident complained about the theme.
The FFRF routinely claims unidentified people complain about things so they can advance their campaign to remove Christians from society.
The city had renamed their theme after the threat from the Christian-haters but residents participating in the parade took it upon themselves to proclaim Christ multiple times throughout the parade.
“If we stick together like this, all the good Christian people will stick together and lift up the name of Jesus Christ, and not let these athiests and the non-believers scare us like they do, it will be a better world,” attendee Harold Martin said.
“This anti-religious group that started all this stuff, I really believe this has backfired on them,” Mayor Baker said. “What has happened now is the city of Piedmont, great city to live in, great people, has rallied. They have caused our parade to be bigger and better with more emphasis placed on Christianity.”
The city reported the largest attendance ever for a Christmas parade.
Christmas is such a special time of year, isn’t it?
While most of the world associates Christmas with the thrill of giving and receiving gifts, eating wonderful foods that we only indulge in once a year, and creating special memories with our loved ones, Christians go just a little deeper into the real reason for the season!
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born to take away our sin so that we can spend eternity in heaven! That’s a gift above and beyond anything we can think or imagine to give one another!
That precious gift to us from our Heavenly Father is why we celebrate Christmas!
This year, I encourage you to take every opportunity to tell someone about this wonderful Savior of ours, Jesus! Smile and warmly tell everyone you see ‘Merry Christmas!’ Let Christ shine through you. Show the world the JOY of Christmas!
You are probably already planning what to get your loved ones and friends. How many of us really remember the gifts we get at Christmas?
I’m glad gift-giving is easy for Lori and me because we have decided to give gifts that really say, “I love you.” Lori loves to create beautiful gift baskets with all of Seychelle’s wonderful products, and our friends and family love getting them! It’s the perfect way to say “I love you” and mean it!
Let’s make this a Christmas to remember by focusing our giving on important things, and not on frivolous things that will soon be forgotten!
Lori and I along with the entire Morningside Family want you to know how much we truly do love and appreciate you! Your support encourages and sustains us! God Bless you! We hope you are surrounded by loved ones and joy this whole holiday season!
We thank God for you each and every day!
Security experts are raising the alarm over an Al-Qaeda plot to blow up at least five passenger airliners on Christmas in a 9/11 style coordinated attack.
The threat is so serious in the minds of British officials that they had considered a total ban on all carry on luggage as a way to thwart the plot.
“We’ve been told that five planes are being targeted in a high profile hit before Christmas. They’ve been waiting for the big one,” an airport security source told the London Express. “We have many scares but this one nearly got hand baggage pulled from all airlines. The threat is still alive and real.”
The source says the plot is aimed at European airports because U.S. security measures have increased significantly compared to their counterparts around the world.
The plot reportedly would include radicalized Britons who have returned to the country from being a part of the battles in Syria and the middle east. Some have received terrorist training in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Crime profiling shows that white, middle class women, who are better than averagely educated, are susceptible to the terrorist narrative,” terrorism expert Dr. Sally Leivesley told the Express. “They see themselves at the forefront of attempts to change the world and are represent a very dangerous tool for the terrorists. These sleepers will have been from ordinary and not very religious families and not only is the threat from them here but also when they return battle hardened from Syria and Iraq.”
Religious freedom attorneys have filed a lawsuit in California aimed at protecting the religious freedom of a first grade student who was harassed by his school for handing out candy canes last Christmas with a message of Jesus.
Isaiah Martinez was told by his teacher “Jesus is not allowed in school” and prohibited from handing out the candy canes.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom filed suit in U.S. District Court to prohibit the West Covina Unified School District from stopping Isaiah’s distribution of the candy canes this year.
“The school has neglected to correct its actions, and after exhausting all options to avoid a lawsuit we were left with no choice but to file a complaint in federal court. We are asking the court to protect Isaiah’s rights and the rights of others like him from having their religious speech censored. Students do not shed their First Amendment rights just because they enter into a classroom,” attorney Robert Tyler said.
There has been no official statement from the school, however attorney James Long with the AFF says the school has made it clear they want only “religious neutrality.”