I don't want to get into a downer, so I will try to deal with this as quickly as possible and get back to happier things ('choosing joy' :). I do feel like I should say this. While a lot of us are enjoying the holiday, and trying to make others happy, the spirit of anti-Christmas seems to grow every year. I've met entirely too many people who avoid any sort of recognition of festiveness in this season - and others who want to make your day a bad one if they can, even when you've gone out of your way to be good to them.
Its a part of the general 'end times' garbage, yes. The love of many has been growing cold. But its appalling to me how acceptable being overtly ugly has become. Too many 'dark' sitcoms and comedies are having their effect, sad to say. Realized that selfish sitcomness was what one frizzy-haired female was playing toward at the village movie place the other day. I was taking my son to see their last showing of Bolt, basically because their prices are cheaper. When I got there, the female made a big 'show' (with no other audience - no line) how she had printed out the website page (she said) that showed they had stopped it one showing earlier. Now I knew that the website had showed the kiddo movie listed to play not two hours before. I also know what their page should look like if it were printed out, and that wasn't it. The fact she was so happy to wave it around actually proved she expected to be challenged - which would be a tad suspicious if the website had ALWAYS said the showings she claimed... But beside pointing this out, there was nothing to do but take DS to the GOOD theater, where the prices are the national average, but they have a good selection of films, they treat you with respect, its clean, the chairs are comfortable, there are no funny lines in the screen, and the sound system is perfect - you know, everything her shop is not. We arrived 15 minutes before their next showing, with lots of time to get parked, get snacks, and get settled. Primo. Job well done.
[Bolt is another good kid's film, for the record. It was a tad cliched, but well done. Loved the nutty hamster. Recommended!]
As I went up the road to the other, BETTER, movie house - I worked to let go of the minor irritation induced by said goofy female by talking quietly to God about it. I soon realized that my annoyance was in my belief she was deliberately lying to me - but I seemed to hear God was unhappy with her wanting to make us feel bad...a sin that is becoming all too common. She manage to aggravate me mildly for about 15 minutes, but she wanted very much to ruin my day. I don't know for a fact that this is correct, but I believe this is what I heard. I have been seeing more and more people being ugly to each other as a form of humor out on the streets, as I have been shopping. I rarely get any of it aimed at me personally, but its not that fun to be around.
One day we were at Trader Joe and everyone was ssooo nice - and happy --- and peaceful with one anther. We were tripping to get out of each other's way - it wasn't just the employees that were being so nice. We chatted to each other about holiday plans as we looked at the various goodies, and tried TJ's cheeses and whatnot. Then I realized how rare such scenes have become. Why? Because most people aren't trying to be nice to those they meet. They don't feel like they
have to - and they don't particularly
want to be good to those they meet. They refuse to recognize the season with anyone they don't have to - won't even send politically-correct, secularized expressions of Merry Christmas/ Happy Hanukkah/ Kwanzaa/ Blessed Winter Solstice or whatever.
I keep opening my Bible to places where God talks about the ugly way people were behaving in ancient Zion as He began to judge them. I would like to say we don't deserve to get what they got, but it seems to me that many I meet and hear from here are getting closer and closer to that negative checklist. (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah...go have a look)
I just can't see God blessing America much until we are more inclined to bless one another with such goodwill as we have. If people can't summon up enough goodwill to wish those they meet a happy holiday, can't even desire it for strangers, its not likely they will have a blessed Christmas themselves. For, pagan origins or no, God likes to see us love one another- and the Christmas season has been the best opportunity for many centuries here in the West to bless all those around you. Its sad to see this die, and scary to think what will follow.
