Classrooms in public schools all over the nation are hosting parties today in celebration of Christ’s birth.  Uh, make that in celebration of Winter.  First they changed the name of the parties from “Christmas Party” to “Holiday Party” because the school boards were afraid of getting slapped with lawsuits crying out that the (nonexistent) separation-of-church-and-state clause had been violated.  Now it seems that even the word “Holiday” smacks of too much religion, and schools everywhere have once again capitulated to the lawsuit bringers and are calling it Winter Break.

This is one of the main reasons my own child is not and will not be in public schools.  Any institution that backpedals and cowtows to the clamoring “politically correct” sect will educate kids according to the politically correct “gospel” of the day.  If you are a parent in a public school, I hope you make it your business to stand up for truth.  Truth is universal.  The truth about Jesus Christ being the way, the truth, and the light does not suddenly become false when it is proclaimed in public arenas. Jesus is the same in the hallways of local elementary schools as he is in the lofty church buildings downtown.  The teachers and principals of your children’s schools are your employees.  Let them know that your kids are protected by free speech and that you expect them to be allowed to say, to write, to sing of their Jesus regardless of whether or not they happen to be standing in a public building.

At the urging of Angie at one of the blogs I read, Bring the Rain, I am setting out on a journey this Christmas season to memorize an entire Psalm.  I have never accomplished this feat before, so this is a big step for me.  Especially since it seems that the older I get the harder it is for me to remember anything!  Today I started memorizing Psalm 139.  One of my favorite verses that sustain me when I am feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and perplexed at the upside-down thoughts of this world is Psalm 139:11-12 —

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Even the darkness will not be dark to you.  Even the “Winter Break Party” will not disguise the real meaning, history, and significance behind our nation’s tradition of taking the days around December 25th off.  We do it in celebration and worship.  Others can try to hide it in PC words, but for me, it is what it is.  It is our bowing down to the Lord in acceptance of the greatest gift ever given to mankind.  It is our humble agreement that our souls need a Savior like the parched wastelands need rain.  We give gifts to each other in remembrance of the gift our Lord gave us.

And when we say Merry Christmas, we mean it!

Merry Winter everyone!

just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?