Where to begin. I am reminded how fragile life is from time to time. I had to pick up my daughter from school yesterday early. Apparently, she has pick up a flu bug that is going around. I started to feel under the weather this morning. I am not looking forward to the flu. The concerning thing is there are so many different strains of the flu around - how do you protect against it. I can remember when the flu was a fever, throwing up and Vernors. Now children can die from it. What?

My sudden "not feeling well" could be because I am not motivated right now. The Christmas season is upon us I am not in the mode. I know the reason for Christmas and I know it is a time for family - yada yada yada. What I am frustrated with is the commercialism that is attached to the holiday. Recently I heard that the average American family will spend about $1,000 bucks on Christmas and most of it will be on credit card debit. I am not sure how that makes most people feel but it frustrates me.

All this to say, my prayer is that my family will embrace what Christmas is and celebrate on that level. Christmas should be about the birth of Christ, family time, helping one another. I am struggling on several levels because I know that most of my family will not be celebrating from this angle.

Becca, my daughter, and I had a recent discussion about the Christmas thing. By the way, divorce is not a fun thing to do - so don't do it. Work it out. Just a little advise from your Uncle Carter. (More on that later) Anyway, it is amazing how distorted the holidays can become. We were watching Nick-Toons the other day and a commercial came on. It was a cartoon referencing the "real meaning of Christmas". I was bugged by the commercial because it has totally secularists (is that a word?) the holiday. Becca even said,"Goodness dad. Think of all the kids out there watching that commercial and not getting the true meaning of Christmas." Out of the mouth of babes....

So I challenge all who are reading to refocus. Spend time renewing your relationship with Christ. Talk to family members about it.

And on that note,
Carter