Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged
in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
Exodus 20:12

My son, observe the commandment of your father,
and do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
Proverbs 6:20

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

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The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, and very Merry Christmas!

This fiery figure is being hailed as Pope John Paul II making an appearance beyond the grave.

The image, said by believers to show the Holy Father with his right hand raised in blessing, was spotted during a ceremony in Poland to mark the second anniversary of his death.

Details appeared on the Vatican News Service, a TV station in Rome which specialises in religious news broadcasts.

What do you think? What kind of message was he sending?

This is the kind of stuff that makes my blood boil. It’s one thing to question somebody’s character when they have done something wrong, but for a Christian to attack another Christian because he is not “Christian enough” is absolutely unacceptable.

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson appeared to throw cold water on a possible presidential bid by former Sen. Fred Thompson while praising former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is also weighing a presidential run, in a phone interview Tuesday.

“Everyone knows he’s conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for,” Dobson said of Thompson. “[But] I don’t think he’s a Christian; at least that’s my impression,” Dobson added, saying that such an impression would make it difficult for Thompson to connect with the Republican Party’s conservative Christian base and win the GOP nomination.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Thompson, took issue with Dobson’s characterization of the former Tennessee senator. “Thompson is indeed a Christian,” he said. “He was baptized into the Church of Christ.”

In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson’s claim. He said that, while Dobson didn’t believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless “has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith.”

You see, this is the issue I have with people like James Dobson and Gary Schneeberger. Why does someone have to “talk openly about his faith” to be a committed Christian? You can be a Christian and not evangelize 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I have met many, many, people throughout my life. A few of them were total schmucks, but most of them were very decent people. None of them were perfect, and many of them were not what Mr. Dobson considers “committed”, but they were fantastic people and wonderful Christians none-the-less. I’ve probably met more committed Christians in my life than I think I have, because you see, you don’t need to wear Christianity on your sleeve for people to know whether or not you’re a committed Christian. The best way to share your faith is by the way you conduct your life.

While I fully understand the importance of religious issues in today’s world, especially in politics, how much should you have to talk about your religion before it constitutes being “open” enough to be considered “committed”?

Think about it.

How many times each day do we hear the President, any President in fact, reference God, or Jesus? How many of our Presidents quote Scripture during a televised news conference? How many of our Presidents have held fireside Bible chats? If we don’t count the references to God in their official speeches and “God Bless America” at the end of every speech, exactly when have our Presidents been “open” about their Christianity? Seriously…

“We use that word—Christian—to refer to people who are evangelical Christians,” Schneeberger added. “Dr. Dobson wasn’t expressing a personal opinion about his reaction to a Thompson candidacy; he was trying to ‘read the tea leaves’ about such a possibility.”

They imply that the only committed Christians are evangelical Christians? And they’re reading the tea leaves?

James Dobson, a self-described “committed” Christian, was trying to read tea leaves where Fred Thompson’s candidacy is conserned? Are they kidding? Should a “committed” Christian really be using a ‘tea leaves’ metaphor in his attempt to negate the legitimacy of another persons Christian faith?

Jared, from Exultate Justi, is asking for your prayers.

Guy posted an update on Jim:

I’m really pleased to let you know that Jim is doing very well. Three days ago, he was moved to a rehab hospital here in the Denver area to begin what will be a long arduous course of physical rehab.

That’s awesome news. Keep praying for him.

Guy from Damascus Road has an update on his son Jim.

Jim remains on life support and continues his struggle with pneumonia in both lungs. This week has been a particularly difficult one for Jim, in that his lungs are having a difficult time perfusing his blood with oxygen.

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Please remember Jim and the rest of our family in your prayers as we continue down this fork in the road.

Hang in there Jim, we’re all praying for you.

Jim, from Thinking Right, is back in the hospital

I wanted to take a moment and update the readers of Thinking Right on Jim’s condition. He remains in ICU on life support. The doctors have said that he has a very serious case of pneumonia in both lungs. However, as sick as he is..and as critically ill as he is…the doctors have said, that barring unforseen complications, they expect him to recover over a lengthy period of time.

We’re praying for you, Jim!

Take a moment and say a prayer for Joni. Through her ministry, she has changed the lives of thousands of people, now it’s our turn to help her.

Joni Eareckson Tada is known not only for her leadership at Joni and Friends (JAF) but for her incredible drive and energy. Although a quadriplegic for over 38 years, Joni has never allowed her disability to become a limitation when it comes to her extensive travels throughout the U.S. and around the world.

Nevertheless, doctors have recently advised Joni to cancel her travel commitments for the next two months due to back pain. “I’ve always dealt with some pain related to my disability,” Joni says, “but lately I’ve noticed that it has become more aggravated.” Since the beginning of January, she and her husband, Ken, have been conferring with spinal cord injury specialists at the Department of Rehabilitation at Northridge Hospital to determine the source of Joni’s discomfort. “It’s hard to describe how a quadriplegic like me ‘feels’ pain; it’s just a deep-inside throbbing,” explains Mrs. Tada. “I’m very happy that my doctors are hopeful for my complete recovery. I should be back in my wheelchair soon with the power button on high-speed.”

I first became acquainted with GM Roper when he ordered a new design for his blog last year. Since then, he has asked for help a couple of times, usually when DIV tags were not doing what he wanted them to do.

His post today knocked me on my ass.

This is not a post I ever wanted to write. In fact, I don’t think it is a post that anyone, ever, anywhere, would want to write. But I have a number of faithful readers and a number of irregular, but delightful readers and I think I owe them something. Thursday, January 26th, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. Talk about a kick in the teeth.

The diagnosis is obviously freightening, but at the same time, it has given me a new resolve. And that resolve is to fight this son-of-bitch right down to the wire and I have every intention of winning.

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So, my catch phrase for the future is FIGHT ON!

He didn’t ask for help this time, but he’s gunna get it. I would give my eyeteeth for GM (okay, so no one really wants eyeteeth, but you know what I mean). He’s one of the best and he is not done yet, that’s for sure.

Take a moment every day and say a prayer for GM.