Wed, Dec 13th - 10:54AM

Can you spare a minute?

Hello, this is editor. Something happened yesterday and today that I felt was worth repeating.

I was very alarmed to receive an email in French from a site I have used for the past few years. I am a smilie addict and this was a free service that I have utilized and took for granted, albeit very grateful, but without words of gratitude to the owner. To read the message I used the Babel translator and sadly read this message:

Good evening, I inform you that I made the decision to close the access to the Smiliz Generators. After several years of development, I wish to pass to another thing. Cordially Dom' S I translated from English to French and sent Dom a message of gratitude and encouragement as well as a financial offer of support. Guess what? Over 4000 people responded to him in a 24 hour period. I know that is exactly what he needed because he then sent this email announcement.

Hello, In front of the number impressing of received emails (more than 4000), I became aware that I penalized 95% of the users for approximately 5% of abruti(e)s. Consequently, the access to the site again will be possible. Please excuse me for this interruption, I thought of having taken the best decision. I was wrong. Cordially Dom' S PS: Thank you to grant a little time to me, I have some important family concern. Dom

My point being, you never know what someone is going through and why they reacted the way they did. You might need over 4000 emails to convince you that you are loved and reverse your decision. Or, more than likely, on gentle smile, one kind word of encouragement, one soft touch on the hand, one prayer offered as I did---any form of reaching out, just well make someone's day and change their course of life. Why don't you try it and let me know how you reached out to someone today.

Tue, Dec 12th - 5:47AM

Have a politically correct holiday?

Hello, this is editor. I was reminiscing this morning with dh about childhood memories when a Christmas was exactly that--a Merry Christmas. It was nice to talk about our celebrations of Christmas as a child even if my parents and his were not Christians. They saw to it that we were caught up in the celebration and both of us were actually allowed to attend Church activities through a neighbor or two who was kind enough to care for our tender souls. Now, it is called Happy Holidays, lest we discriminate against those who are anti-Christ. Well, I shuck all the new and even old and I always make sure I say to others throughout this season, Have a blessed Christmas. I haven't received a dressing down for it yet in the last decade or so. I guess I am more blessed than I realize because people just accept me as I am, a Christian who never waivers, yet attuned to differences others have. My point is if I haven't already lost you is , what is the purpose of doctoring up Christ, removing the nativity scenes, blotting out Christmas hymns, making sure that Santa is honored, but taking Christ out of Christmas. Had He not been born, we would have never selected this day to commemorate His birthday. I do not grow weary in trying to please all with my message. I just want to wish you a blessed Christmas as I remember the reason for the season. I hope, at the very least, you practice the Golden Rule and stretch it out during our Christmas season. Goodwill and peace from me to your household.

Mon, Dec 26th - 10:52AM

New Ministries? Dear Miss Manners With A Twist

http://invisionfree.com/forums/Grace_Today/index.php?showtopic=5027

Join in! There or here. All Q  are answered with an A.

Sun, Dec 25th - 10:33AM

How Do You Celebrate Christmas?

What does Christmas mean to you? What traditions do you cling to? Did you celebrate CHRIST?

Asia celebrates Christmas with a twist
By Nur Dianah Suhaimi

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Few Asians are Christian but people across the vast continent are embracing the holiday as a great excuse for shopping, partying and even romance.

Come December, Christmas lights brighten shopping streets in cities from Beijing to Colombo, while images of Santa Claus and Rudolph adorn office buildings, shops and restaurants.

Shopping malls in Indonesia, the country with the largest number of Muslims, play carols like "Silent Night" and "Jingle Bells" through speakers during the year-end holiday season.

"Most workers here are Muslim but we also celebrate Christmas just like we celebrate Eid al-Fitr. We are complementing each other with these costumes and ornaments," said Jakarta restaurant receptionist Lina Novianti, wearing a red Santa Claus hat. The Moslem celebration Eid al-Fitr marks the end of fasting during Ramadan.

Every year the Indonesian president and top officials attend national Christmas celebrations with church groups.

In atheist China -- where Catholics banned from recognizing Rome hold secret vigils -- Christmas does not enjoy official sanction, but Christmas Eve has become one of the biggest party nights of the year for young professionals.

"Bars, karaoke halls, restaurants, they all get completely packed on Christmas Eve," Zu Min, who sells Christmas trees and wreaths from a Beijing parking lot, told Reuters. "More and more Chinese people are buying Christmas trees now."

Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, which already enjoys at least one public holiday each month to celebrate the Buddha's teachings, has also adopted Christmas, Easter, Ramadan and the Hindu festival of lights Deepvali, making it a world leader in days off.

Tinsel has even been put up inside commercial aircraft that fly from mainly Buddhist Colombo to predominantly Hindu Jaffna.

"I'm a Buddhist, but we celebrate Christmas because my kids insist on it. We decorate the house and have a Christmas tree so my kids will be happy," said a mother-of-two, laden with gifts.

In Japan, Christmas Eve has taken on a meaning similar to Valentine's Day, being the time for romance among young couples.

Christmas issues of Japanese magazines highlight dating hot spots, complete with hotel recommendations and discount coupons.

"We will spend the day together in some romantic place like this," said Akikazu Hamazawa, 22, a student shopping with his girlfriend at the swanky Roppongi Hills in Tokyo.

For an early dose of Christmas spirit, come to Singapore, a shopping haven where lights and baubles go up in October.

"Other festive celebrations here, such as Chinese New Year or the Indian Deepvali, cannot compete with Christmas," said Siva Kumar, 25, a university student in a supermarket stocked with canned cranberry sauce and instant turkey stuffing.

"And it's not just the adults who think Christmas is big. My four-year-old niece wants to wear a Santa hat but refuses to wear the Indian sari," he said, chuckling.

(Additional reporting by Telly Nathalia in Jakarta, Joel Kirkhart in Beijing, Linda Sieg in Japan and Ranga Sirilal in Sri Lanka)

Wed, Dec 21st - 5:58AM

The True Cost Of Christmas

And to think God knew He would accomplish it with 3 nails. Have a blessed Christmas!~~editor's note

True cost of Christmas: $18,348.87
By MSN Money staff

You think saving for a new flat-panel plasma television or iPod Nano for the holidays is daunting? Be thankful you don't have to save for the original gifts of the "12 Days of Christmas."

To buy the partridge in a pear tree, the 12 drummers drumming and all the gifts in between in the verses of the famous song you'd have to shell out $18,348, according to PNC Advisors' annual survey. And if you were really true to the song, buying all the gifts including the repetitions? Those 364 items would cost a cool $72,608, up 9.5% from last year's $66,344.

The Christmas Index

1984 2004 2005 chg 04-05 One Partridge in a Pear Tree $32.52 $93.00 $104.99 12.90% Partridge 12.57 15.00 15.00 0.00% Pear Tree 19.95 78.00 89.99 15.40% Two Turtle Doves 47.71 40.00 40.00 0.00% Three French Hens 14.78 45.00 45.00 0.00% Four Calling Birds 280.00 396.00 399.96 1.00% Five Gold Rings 275.00 255.00 325.00 27.50% Six Geese-a-Laying 150.00 210.00 300.00 42.90% Seven Swans-a-Swimming 7,000.00 3,500.00 4,200.00 20.00% Eight Maids-a-Milking 26.80 41.20 41.20 0.00% Nine Ladies Dancing 1,511.50 4,400.13 4,576.14 4.00% 10 Lords-a-Leaping 1,679.45 4,039.08 4,039.08 0.00% 11 Pipers Piping 770.56 2,053.20 2,053.20 0.00% 12 Drummers Drumming 834.78 2,224.30 2,224.30 0.00% Total Christmas Price Index 12,623.10 17,296.91 18,348.87 6.10% True cost of Christmas in song 62,427.10 66,334.46 72,608.02 9.50% "Core" index, excluding swans 13,796.91 14,148.87 2.60%

Source: PNC Advisors

This year's headlines had an impact on the index. Avian flu? Those swans and geese are going to cost you more because of a spike in the price of large birds. And the French hens? You can't import them from France this year -- though there are domestic suppliers. Meanwhile, energy prices are driving up some delivery costs.

The bling will cost you more
The holiday survey is used as a tongue-in-cheek indicator of inflation, though this year's increase in the Christmas Index outpaces the government's measurement. PNC's Christmas Price Index is up 6.1% from 2004. The core Christmas index -- excluding the swans -- is up just 2.6% this year, though.

Inflation fears have stoked the price of gold, and so you'll have to dig a little deeper if you want those five gold rings. They'll cost you $325, up 27.5% from last year. The jump in price for those six geese -- up 42.9% to $300 -- outstripped even the hike in gold bands, though.

“The Christmas Price Index reflects the economic trends that we have witnessed during the past year,” Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist for PNC Advisors, said in a statement. “Not only are avian flu fears and fuel costs driving prices higher, but gold prices are also on the rise. Meanwhile, wages for skilled laborers are struggling to keep up with rising expenses.”

Not much to leap about
The prices in one area of the index seem to be holding steady. The wages of Maids-a-Milking, Lords-a-Leaping, Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming did not budge in 2005, PNC Advisors reported, demonstrating that it was a difficult year to keep up with higher costs of living.

According to Philadanco, the Philadelphia Dance Company, the Nine Ladies Dancing received a pay raise of 4%, but they were the only lucky ones to get a raise this year.

PNC also checks the cost of Christmas on the Internet, which is significantly higher. The Christmas Internet Index rose 5.7% to $29,322.80 primarily because of shipping costs, up due to rising fuel prices, PNC said.

Any way you look at it, bringing the song to life is an expensive proposition, romantic though it may be. Maybe your true love would just rather have the cash.