This is my daughter and our friend Greg outside of the Cub Foods in "X Suburb" (can't give the name of the town because I don't want to get the manager in trouble). We rang the bell, sang Christmas songs, and dared say..... (OK - please keep an open mind... I could get in big trouble for admitting this, but.....) we said, "Merry Christmas!" to the customers!! The manager of the store said that we could say whatever we wanted because people will complain no matter what you say and frankly he'd like to hear it a little after so many years of this greeting being censored. So we did and it felt good, too! We are clearly (and some would even say "harshly") discouraged from any public mention of God here in Minnesota, so this was quite risky behavior on our parts... but this public display of our faith was making us downright giddy....;-)But political correctness aside, I was amazed and touched by the generosity of the patrons at Cub Foods. Roughly half of the customers put money in those red kettles. Did you know that? I would never have guessed the percentage was that high. I think it was important for my kids to see that so many fellow humans give so freely. It put us all in such a great mood.... 'tis the season.
Last night Trimama and Taconite Boy, my hubba, and 4 other friends went to the Michael W. Smith Christmas show . We had a fancy dinner at a really cool "French Mediterranean-style" restaurant beforehand in downtown St. Paul, went to the show, and then stopped back at the local tri hangout, Kip's Irish Pub. It was a lovely night - the music was beautiful, the company perfect, the trees brightly lit, the reason awesome.
9 comments:
20/20 did a special the other night on charitable contributions. They set up a Salvation Army kettle in different places and then counted people/money given. Very interesting. The midwest (I believe) came out as the most charitable. So it doesn't surprise me to hear you say that. How fun!!
Jenny:
I think it was a fantastic idea to have your daughter experience the "giving" part of Christmas.
I was "giddy" and proud, too, that you guys were telling everyone "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
I wouldn't worry about it...I think you pleased God!
"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
Galatians 1:10
One company here in phoenix owns three grocery stores, a high-high end, the typical grocery store and then a low rung grocery store that caters to Hispanics.
I was happen to be at the typical grocery store one morning and it said-Happy Holidays- on the front window. Okay. Whatever.
I went to the hispanic store later in the day. it said- Feliz Navidad.
Isn't that strange. Same owners but there is a stigma against Merry Christmas in English but not Spanish.
one of our local mayors here has just changed the "Holiday Parade" to the "Christmas Parade" - fashions come and go, words can only say so much... My God is and will always be...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Happy Hanukkah!
Feliz Navidad!
Rockin' Kwanza!
Joy to the World!
Have a great new year!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Solstice Greetings!
Anyone who takes offense at good wishes is just being deliberately negative, to my mind.
PEACE.
Jeanne - I agree!
Let's all remember that Freedom of Religion is not the same thing as freedom FROM religion. I never get offended at any of the greetings... just "political correctness gone amok"...
Let His light shine in you and from you.
See you at Wildflower, Jenny!
jenny - what a wonderful thing to do with your kids at christmastime. merry christmas to you!!
Right on Jenny. Merry Christmas! It's crazy that a few complaints keep us all from comfortably celebrating outwardly in the most public of places...especially when it's the businesses that feel most uncomfortable and not the customers.
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