Oushadhim Jahnavi Toyam Vaidya Narayana Harihi

(ow-shah-deem jah-nah-vee toh-yuhm veyed-yoh nah-rah-yah-nah ha-ree-hee)

 

Means:

"Water touched by the Spirit of God is the best medicine, because God is the best healer."

 

God Bless It & You.

 

 Dear fellow American:

As you are well aware, our country is currently facing financial collapse. Whether you are young or old, retired or just entering the workforce, you are probably very worried about your prospects of surviving this precarious economic situation. If you are young you are worried that this economic collapse, combined with the number of jobs that have been sent oversees and high-tech jobs that have been replaced with H1-B Visa foreign workers, will leave you unemployed. If you are already retired, or nearing retirement, you see your retirement portfolios dwindling in value everyday. You also fear that as our national debt and trade deficit with countries like China rapidly increases, while our domestic GDP keeps falling, that our representatives in Washington DC will continue to "borrow" money from your Social Security Fund to pay off these debts, essentially robbing you of the money that you invested through your life-long payroll taxes.

Do you turn on the news at night and find yourself wondering "What in the world is Washington doing?" Do you get the impression that President Bush, Congress, and the plethora of 2008 Presidential contenders are completely unaware of how their actions have negatively affected Main Street America? Do you question the idea of bailing out victims of sub-prime mortgage lenders? Why should someone who was never financially able to afford a mortgage a few years ago be bailed out with your tax dollars? Do you find it insulting that our government is willing to spend your tax dollars this way, but at the same time they allow the ultimate predators, the CEOs of these sub-prime mortgage lenders to continue to receive multi-million dollar bonuses and salaries? Whose side is our government truly on? We the People or Big Business that spends billions of dollars lobbying Congress to fund special interests that do nothing but hurt the average American tax payer?

Do you worry about America's reputation in the rest of the world? Do you fear the repercussions resulting from our foreign policy? Are you feeling uneasy that many of our "Allies" increasingly speak out against us? Do you believe that by having all of our troops, and even members of our National Border Guard, over in the Middle East, that we are safer here, on our own soil? Do you question where the forces to fight a war against Iran will come from? Does it scare you that Iran has never attacked us, yet almost all of the Presidential candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, are threatening to use Nuclear Weapons to attack Iran? Does it bother you that our country is completely broke, yet our government is willing to borrow even more money from countries like China to fund yet another war? We already owe Trillions of dollars for the War in Iraq; we are sending wounded, yes wounded, troops back over to fight in Iraq because this war has become so unpopular over here that we cannot recruit enough new soldiers. Do you want your children to be drafted in order to continue all of these wars? Is that what a Free country should do?

Do you believe that the next President of the United States must restore our good name in the rest of the world? Must stabilize our financial and monetary backbone? Must truly protect us from attacks by terrorists who are determined to attack us here, on American soil? Do you believe that we need an honest and fair solution to our domestic healthcare crisis? Do you believe that our next President must represent the People by ending unfair "managed Trade Deals" such as WTO and NAFTA that have done nothing for the average American worker other than ship good jobs overseas, line the pockets of multi-millionaire CEO's and create an extraordinary immigration crisis by attracting migrants from Mexico to enter this country and put many of our hospitals at risk of closing due to bankruptcy? Do you want our next President to do the only thing he/she is legally allowed to do: Uphold The Constitution of the United States of America?

There is only one Presidential Candidate who stands up for the Rights of every single American Citizen. Only one candidate whose Congressional voting record proves that he has NEVER voted against the Constitution of the United States of America. Only one Presidential candidate who can fix our healthcare system because he spent over 30 years as a practicing Medical Doctor, both in private practice as well as a surgeon in the United States Air Force. There is only one Presidential candidate who has consistently called for responsible monetary and fiscal responsibility and predicted our impending economic collapse; not because he has a crystal ball, but because he is the only candidate who has actually studied Economic Theory.

Who are you going to vote for this year? The person who reads every single Bill that passes through Congress and then stands up to give a speech in front of the House of Representatives that point by point details how such bill is good or bad for the American People, based on whether that Law is actually legal under The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights? Or are you going to vote for the person whose sound-bites promise to give you everything in the world, even though you haven't earned it, and our country cannot afford it? Are you going to give up your Rights as a Free Citizen just because a candidate gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling, or scares you into repression by warning of imminent attacks by Islamofacsists on the other side of the world?

Think about it. This is the most important election in the history of the United States of America; in the 232 years since a few brave men organized a militia called The Minutemen and dumped British Tea into Boston Harbor and declared "No Taxation without Representation!" We are on the brink of losing every single one of our Rights that our Founding Fathers fought so hard for. Are we going to allow our leaders to continue shaming us, to say that all that the original Freedom Fighters fought for during the American Revolution was all in vain?

There is only one Presidential Candidate who takes the following words to heart:

George Washington:
"Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness."
"Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth."
"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."
"I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an Honest Man."
"Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty."
"The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon."
"The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure."
"The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments."
"The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves."
"Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light."

Thomas Jefferson
"A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
"Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies."
"Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto."
"Conquest is not in our principles. It is inconsistent with our government."
"Force is the vital principle and immediate parent of despotism."
"How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened."
"Delay is preferable to error."
"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories."
"Every generation needs a new revolution."
"I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be."
"Information is the currency of democracy."
"Never spend your money before you have earned it."
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
"Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence."
"That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part."

Benjamin Franklin
"An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest."
"Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none."
"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen."
"If you would know the value of money, go try to borrow some; for he that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing."
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

Justice Anthony Kennedy
"The First Amendment is often inconvenient. But that is besides the point. Inconvenience does not absolve the government of its obligation to tolerate speech."

Ronald Reagan
"History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap."
"Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man."
"Man is not free unless government is limited."
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much."
"No mother would ever willingly sacrifice her sons for territorial gain, for economic advantage, for ideology."
"We're in greater danger today than we were the day after Pearl Harbor. Our military is absolutely incapable of defending this country."

Dr. Ron Paul is the only Presidential Candidate who has a real plan to bring our country back on course. He believes in a strong National Defense, but opposes any offensive wars of aggression. He has consistently opposed the abolition of the Gold Standard that has led to our current crisis of massive inflation and the devaluation of the American Dollar. He understands that the only way to protect our country from attack and the loss of our sovereignty is to strengthen our borders. He is a vocal advocate of upholding our Rights to free speech and expression and the right of individual citizens to bare arms.

National Defense: Ron Paul has consistently voted for a domestic anti-missile defense shield. This will protect Americans, here on our own soil, from missile attacks. Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" are no longer a dream, as modern technology has finally caught up and right now a mere $40 million is going towards real national defense: at JFK International Airport a Laser Missile Defense Protective Shield, "Skyguard," that can detect and shoot down short and long-range and supersonic missiles is being installed. We probably spend that amount of money in one week just feeding all of the troops we have around the world. Our Federal Government has one primary responsibility: to defend the United States from attack. If it only costs $40 million dollars and no loss of American lives to secure JFK, then there is no excuse for any politician to tell us that we must be anywhere else in the world. Best of all, this defense system is built by Northrop Grumman, so local jobs are created at the same time.

Bring our Troops home: Our troops are being used as cannon-fodder in an attempt to force other countries to "democratize" via the barrel of a gun. That does not now, nor ever has worked. The United States is not an Imperial Empire, we are a Republic, and it is high time our government starts representing the citizens of the United States of America, and stops interfering in the sovereignty of foreign nations.
By bringing most, if not all, of our troops home, foreigners will not look upon us with distain for invading and controlling their countries. This will also save us TRILLIONS of dollars a year, money that we never had in the first place, but borrowed from other nations, such as China, who are far from our allies.
Instead of bolstering up foreign economies our troops will be stationed at bases here, on American soil where they will be spending their money in local American economies, thereby bolstering consumer spending.

Fiscal Responsibility: Ron Paul will immediately cut taxes across the board. This will allow Americans to keep their hard-earned money in their own pockets and spend it how they want. He will end all government subsidies to Big Businesses that close up shop here and move oversees. He will end subsidies to oil companies because that is impeding our ability to become energy independent. The reason oil is so expensive is 1) The American Dollar is worthless 2) oil has increased from $27 a barrel at the start of the Iraq war to $100 a barrel today. By not subsidizing Big Oil and Big Industries such as Halliburton, smaller, energy efficient alternative small businesses will be able to compete on the Free Market, thereby making us energy independent and creating new jobs that will help us diminish Global Warming at the same time.
Ron Paul will immediately end the monopoly of the Federal Reserve that has allowed unscrupulous individuals, politicians, and corporations to manipulate the value of the Dollar. Ron Paul will allow Hard Currency, Gold and Silver, to compete as a legitimate form of currency against paper "Fiat" money that is currently worthless. This will enable the American economy to get back on its feet without devolving into chaos.

Immigration: Ron Paul will immediately secure our Southern Border with the Border Fence. He will end "Anchor Babies" by changing the law to specifically state that only the children of Legal immigrants will be guaranteed American citizenship. As a doctor in Texas, Ron Paul saw illegal immigrants deliberately cross the border just to have a baby, and then he saw them immediately receive welfare and Medicaid coverage. Ron Paul has personally seen many hospitals close due to bankruptcy. Ron Paul will outlaw all incentives for illegal immigration, such as welfare and Medicaid; they will then go back to their countries on their own. By eliminating the incentives and cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, the problem will solve itself. In addition, all criminal aliens will immediately be deported.

Parental Rights: Ron Paul believes that only parents know how to properly raise their own children, and that only parents have the right to determine what is the best way to educate their children. Ron Paul has written legislation guaranteeing parents the right to home-school or send their children to private school. He wants to abolish the Federal Department of Education and the failed "No Child Left Behind." Ron Paul will return the public schools to the States so they can determine curriculum and testing standards on their own. He will give home-school and private school parents a tax-credit to use towards their child's education. The Federal Department of Education is a major bureaucratic waste of money that has failed our students. Every year we fall farther and farther behind all other Developed Countries in academic achievement. It is also a direct violation of the First Amendment by prohibiting parents to pass on their values to their own children.

Uphold the Constitution: Above all else, Ron Paul will end the tyranny that our current government has devolved into. Ron Paul will never go to war without Congressional approval. He voted to go to war against Afghanistan, and he is furious that we abandoned our goal of apprehending Osama Bin Laden in favor of an illegal invasion into Iraq. Ron Paul has voted against every unconstitutional bill such as the "Patriot Act," and the "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act" that overturns the constitutionally guaranteed rights to free expression, association, and assembly.
Ron Paul is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and he has written legislation protecting our Right to bare arms.
Ron Paul will also veto any bill that attempts to steal the private property of any American via Eminent Domain, whether to build a NAFTA Superhighway that will cut through the homes of millions of Americans, or for any other unconstitutional reason.

The United States of America, once seen as a true beacon of Freedom, is on the brink of annihilation. We are completely broke. No, the truth is we are beyond broke, we are devastatingly in debt; in debt to our enemies, no less. Here on the home-front we are weak, completely defenseless. We do not even have our own Border Guards defending our borders, as they have been sent over to defend the borders in Iraq. Only Ron Paul is the true Defender of America. He will restore the economic strength of our Union by strengthening our currency. He will improve the lives of all Americans by ending all unfair non-free "Trade Deals." He will strengthen our National Defense by bringing all of our troops back here, where they will truly be able to defend us, both from foreign attacks as well as during Natural Disasters.

Tuesday, February 5^th is Primary Day in New York. I encourage every single New Yorker to go out and cast your vote for Ron Paul. The 2008 election is the most important election in the history of our country. It is up to all of us, as American Citizens to make sure that our voices are heard. To make sure that our Republic does not continue to deteriorate.

As Benjamin Franklin said: "A Republic, if you can keep it."
"Democratic republics are not merely founded upon the consent of the people, they are also absolutely dependent upon the active and informed involvement of the people for their continued good health."
- Dr. Richard Beeman, Vice Chairman of The National Constitution Center's Distinguished Scholars Advisory Panel.

For more information on Ron Paul please visit:
http://www.ronpaul2008.com

Or Call:1-877-RON-PAUL

Thank you for your time, and hopefully your vote!
Yours in Liberty,
Natalie A. Schultz
2008 Ron Paul Campaign Volunteer / Precinct Leader

[note: Full article was found here,

http://www.nolanchart.com/article1380.html

permission to copy is granted by the author at the end of the article.]

***Forward to Everyone!***

God Bless All The Water In The World  

And Heal Our Earth.

LORD be merciful to us sinners, and save us for thy mercy's sake. Thou art the great God, who hast made and rulest all things: O deliver us for thy Name's sake. Thou art the great God to be feared above all: O save us, that we may praise thee.

THOU, O Lord, art just and powerful: defend our cause against the face of the enemy. O God, thou art a strong tower of defence to all who fly unto thee: save us from the violence of the enemy. Lord of hosts, fight for us, that we may glorify thee. Suffer us not to sink under the weight of our sins, or the violence of the enemy. O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy Name's sake. Thank You God, Amen. 

THOU, O Lord, art just and powerful: defend our cause against the face of the enemy. O God, thou art a strong tower of defence to all who fly unto thee: save us from the violence of the enemy. Lord of hosts, fight for us, that we may glorify thee. Suffer us not to sink under the weight of our sins, or the violence of the enemy. O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy Name's sake.  Amen. 

DIRECT us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name; and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

MOST powerful and glorious Lord God, at whose command the winds blow, and lift up the waves of the sea, and who stillest the rage thereof. We thy creatures, but miserable sinners, do in this our great distress cry unto thee for help: Save, Lord, or else we perish. Save, O Lord our God, or else we perish. We confess, that when we have been safe, and seen all things quiet about us, we have forgot thee our God, and refused to hearken to the still voice of thy word, and to obey thy commandments: But now we see, how terrible thou art in all thy works of wonder; the great God to be feared above all: And therefore we adore thy Divine Majesty, acknowledging thy awesome power, and imploring thy goodness earnestly. Help, Lord, and save us for thy mercy's sake in Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord.
Amen.

 MOST glorious and gracious Lord God, who dwellest in heaven, but beholdest all things below: Look down, we beseech thee, and hear us, calling out of the depth of misery, and out of the jaws of this death, which is ready now to swallow us up: Save, Lord, or else we perish. The living, the living, shalt praise thee. The living, the living, shalt praise thee as we do this day. O send thy word of command to rebuke the raging winds, and the roaring sea; that we all, being delivered from this distress, may live to serve thee, and to glorify thy Name all the days of our life. Hear, Lord, and save us, for the infinite merits of our blessed Saviour, thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

MOST powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of hosts, that rulest and commandest all things: Thou sittest in the throne judging right, Thou dost judge righteously and art judge thyself, and therefore we make our address to thy Divine Majesty in this our necessity, that thou wouldest take the cause into thine own hand, and judge between us and our enemies. Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come and help us; Stir up thy self, O Lord, and come and help us.For thou givest not alway the battle to the strong, but canst save by many or by few. O let not our sins now cry against us for vengeance; be moved in thyself to deliver us.In thine infinte compassion hear us thy poor servants begging mercy, and imploring thy help, and that thou wouldest be a defence unto us against the face of the enemy. Make it appear that thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THOU, O Lord, that stillest the raging of the sea, hear, hear us, and save us, that we perish not. O blessed Saviour, that didst save thy disciples ready to perish in a storm, hear us, and save us. We beseech thee, Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. O Lord, hear us. O Christ, hear us. Hear us, O Lord. Send the Living Christ to save us O God! God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, have mercy upon us, save us now and evermore.  Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, judge of all men: We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

MOST blessed and glorious Lord God, who art of infinite goodness and mercy: We thy poor creatures, whom thou hast made and preserved, holding our souls in life, and now rescuing us out of the jaws of death, causing us to escape unto thy great glory. We do therefore humbly present ourselves again before thy Divine Majesty, to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for thou heardest us when we called in our trouble, and didst not cast out our prayer, which we made before thee in our great distress: Even when we gave up all for lost: our ship, our goods, and even our very lives, then didst thou mercifully look upon us, and wonderfully command a deliverance; for which we, now being in safety, do give all praise and glory to thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

MOST mighty and gracious good God, thy mercy is over all thy works, but in special manner hath been extended toward us, whom thou hast so powerfully and wonderfully defended. Thou hast shewed us terrible things, and wonders in the deep, that we might see how powerful and gracious a God thou art; how able and ready to help them that trust in thee. Thou hast shewed us how both winds and seas obey thy command; that we may learn, even from them, hereafter to obey thy voice, and to do thy will. We therefore bless and glorify thy Name, for this thy mercy in saving us, when we were ready to perish. And, we beseech thee, make us as truly sensible now of thy mercy, as we were then of the danger: And give us hearts always ready to express our thankfulness, not only by words, but also by our lives, in being more obedient to thy holy commandments. Continue, we beseech thee, this thy goodness to us; that we, whom thou hast saved, may serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, the Sovereign Commander of all the world, in whose hand is power and might which none is able to withstand: We bless and magnify thy great and glorious Name for this happy Victory, the whole glory whereof we do ascribe to thee, who art the only giver of Victory. And, we beseech thee, give us grace to improve this great mercy to thy glory, the advancement of thy Gospel, the honour of our Sovereign, and, as much as in us lieth, to the good of all mankind. And, we beseech thee, give us such a sense of this great mercy, as may engage us to a true thankfulness, such as may appear in our lives by an humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit, as for all thy mercies, so in particular for this Victory and Deliverance, be all glory and honour, world without end. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore.

Amen.

♥ True Love ♥

When I think of my love for you
the wonder of its beauty takes my breath away.
I cannot recall the moment in time it began,
but only the overwhelming feeling of ecstasy it brought to me.

For at that moment I knew happiness.
A happiness I had never known before.
For just the thought of you gave me joy beyond belief.

The thought of being with you and being held by you was my one desire
I knew once we first met none other would ever do,
for I knew love.

I knew love as I had never thought possible in this life time.
It is a love of passion and desire.
It is a never-ending need to you,
for you, only you.

When I think of my love for you
I realize I now know the true meaning of love.
I will love you as long as this life endures and beyond,
for you are my dreams, my realities.
You are my heart
You are my meaning of true love.  

by: Jennifer S. Boney  

These positive affirmations are really working too.

Share One Sentiment!

Another year, another chance
To start our lives anew;
This time we’ll leap old barriers
To have a real breakthrough.

We’ll take one little step
And then we’ll take one more,
Our unlimited potential
We’ll totally explore.

We’ll show off all our talents
Everyone will be inspired;
(Hmm…while I’m writing this,
I’m getting very tired.)

We’ll give up all bad habits;
We’ll read and learn a lot,
All our goals will be accomplished,
Sigh...or maybe not.

Oh well, Happy New Year anyway!

By Joanna Fuchs

I had so hoped to avoid blogging about this, but as I see it, it can no longer go ignored. Some members of my family are in a fundamentalist Bible based Religious Cult and they are very dogmatic. While they do haphazardly celebrate Christmas to some degree or another, I have in the past heard them complain about how in many institutions of our world, the word "Christmas" is being replaced with terms like "Winter Holidays" and "Winter Festivities"... And many people subscribe to this kind of thinking, you will sometimes see signs people put out in their lawns at 'Christmas time' saying things like "Let's Keep Christ in Christmas". I can understand the hurt of some people that feel insulted that "Christmas" has "become" mostly about materialism and their resentment in losing the Christmas terminology, when they truly believe that this is the time of year we should earnestly be celebrating Christ's birth. And they do not realize how materialism was always a part of the Winter Festivities, it was a Holiday of the merchants from of old.

A few "Christmas"-es ago I visited my aunt and uncle's church with them as I was spending a weekend at their home, which I used to do a lot before I cut them off out of my life for the gross spiritual and religious abuse being perpetrated upon me in the name of Christ by them and other members of their religion. I was surprised to see at the head of this fundamentalist church a giant live "Christmas Tree" which I then commented to my uncle about, who proudly told me that he himself and the head pastor of their church went into the forest and personally cut down in order to adorn the church.

First of all, before I get into my big spiel about what I have learned about "Christmas" let me share with you a belief I have held for over 20 years due to my examination of the word of God. The cutting down of living trees for "Christmas" celebration is a tradition of men, which was held long before anyone ever celebrated any kind of CHRISTMAS on earth. It was a pagan practice, which predates Christianity and was condemned in the Old Testament scriptures of the Holy Bible by God himself in His revelatory word to the prophet Jeremiah in the 10th chapter 2ond, 3rd, and 4th verses.

This practice was a long held practice of the winter solstice celebrations of the pagan peoples (pagan here meaning anyone and everyone who was NOT Jewish, to Jews all those outside of their religion were pagans, or heathens, the New Testament where Jesus appeared is what broke down the wall of seperation, but even that came to be, for at first his message was only for his own people, due to his religious programming and belief system. But that is a whole different post...)

Last year I did some serious research on-line about Christmas, and the origin of the Christmas Tree, and I found out that this pagan tradition, which, like I said went back much further than the coming of Christ, had some quite diverse variations, as several different nations held this practice. The Druids revered the fir tree as a symbol of the deity because it did not die in the winter, they decorated their trees with coins and charms as symbols of wealth. Scandinavian pagans are thoguht by some to be the first to bring their trees indoors to welcome fairy folk into their homes. Germanic pagans, the Saxons, were the first to place lights upon the trees in the form of candles. And the ancient Romans would decorate their homes with trees for the celebration of Saturnalia (the celebration of the planet Saturn which "rules" the sun sign Capricorn which the sun is in from mid-December to mid-January) I have read that some pagan nations would adorn trees growing out side, with nuts and berries which animals would feed off of. And that there was even a nation that adorned their trees with heads (YUCK!). The addition of trees to Christian celebrations did not take place until the late 15th or early 16th centuries, and at that time some people would bring them in and hang them upside down. The shape of the evergreen tree was incorporated into Christian festivities under the guise of suggesting that the shape of it represented the Trinity.

"Christmas Trees" are a very popular American tradition, now, but they were not so much popular by the early Americans because they were seen as a pagan symbol, which in fact it was - and the first recorded sighting of a 'Christmas Tree' in this country was not until the 1830's and this occurred in Pennsylvania. Europeans liked smaller trees only 4-5 feet in height, but Americans, once having caught the urge to use trees as part of their Christmas celebrations, would sport trees much larger, sometimes reaching from floor to ceiling - as Americans like to do things in their own big way! It is amazing how the "Christmas Tree" has evolved since then. Personally I am against the use of using living trees for Christmas celebration and I believe that if people feel they mUSt have them, they were better off decorating the living trees outside their homes which are thus left to live on, that they may also praise God for the life they receive from Him and share in the joy of the season as well. This would ensure against not following the tradition of the nations as described in Jeremiah, where one "cuts a tree out of the forest" "an other fastens it with hammer and nails that it move not" and yet there would be the "adorning of it with silver and gold" that would be left in question. I also believe that it is a tradition which has seen it's hay-day, we are polluting the environment and still cutting down rain forests and trees for Christmas and squandering the future of all generations which are here and now and yet to come by continuing to practice the vain tradition of cutting down trees for our vanity. And I don't think it matters that tree farmers plant new trees to replace the ones they cut down each year when it takes a long time for trees to reach their maturity, some 50 or 60 years, some 100, some longer... and those which are used for these commercial purposes are simply not allowed to reach their maturity anyway. Baby trees do not do the same work of oxygen generation and environmental detoxification as mature trees do. You might as well send your kids to work to pay the bills and you go back to school to learn a thing or two with that kind of thinking.

Interestingly, the god Saturn, the worship of which Saturnailia is named after, is depicted as an "old, gloomy, dutiful and heavy" character, which much resembles the image which old men have projected upon God the Father. And, astrologically speaking this god, Saturn, would "eat his own children rather than see them surpass him." Whether you can see the metaphor in that for the cutting down of trees or that in the S. Cults continued practice of human sacrifices, it is very interesting what those ancient pagans practiced, believed, thoguht, and dictated to the people of God from their vain traditions that affront the Glorious Living Almighty God in the Heavens!

 I would rather see someone have an artificial tree in their house than hear them proudly boast about how they always only get a REAL tree for Christmas, if indeed they absolutely mUSt have one at all. Such boastful snobbery, such as 'we always only get a real tree...' is exactly the kind of spirit Jesus Christ preached against in the few short years of his ministry.  And God and Jesus would no doubt rather we have no "Christmas Trees" at all. 

Christmas was actually not celebrated at all by the early Christians, and it has long been under debate when Jesus's birthday actually is or was. The celebration of Christmas during the old Winter Solstice was something Christians had to be talked into, actually it was more like Christ based themes were incorporated into the Winter Solstice celebrations to get Christians to accept these Holiday traditions of men.

Believe me, I know that anyone has scarcely known about any of these things, they are truths which have been well buried and most people were not taught these things growing up - Christmas, like the Bible, was translated for certain political and religious purposes... In fact what we now call "Christmas" needed to have Christians involved, because it always was a celebration of the merchants. Christian consumers make up a good part of the sales at Chrsitmas time, which merchants depend on to fatten their own portions. In history, what we now call "Christmas" was associated with sun worship, some goddess that supposedly gave birth to the sun. I think it is interesting to note that while many Christians say "astrology has no place in Christian thoguht, belief or practice," both Christmas and Easter were determined and their dates set by pagan rulers which appropriated Christiainity from the true believers and floowers of Chrsit, based on issues which have to do with things like the full moon (Easter) and sun god worship (Christmas). That makes sense seeing that those nations that made those dates were totally into astrology and other gods.

It is said that early Christians decorated for Christmas to avoid persecution by the Romans, who, to tell you the truth, had killed off all the REAL Christians who would not proclaim Cesar as God and the Christians left to carry on Christianity were those that sold out Jesus and his teachings and the truth they held in their hearts in order to preserve their own lives. Jesus said those that are true to him and his message would certianly face persecution, for he himself was rejected when he came. And he also said, whosoever shall seek to preserve his life, shall lose it. "What shall a man be profited if he gain the whole world, and yet lose his own soul?" he asked his friends. Whether or not this matters to you depends on the Christian or proeslyte that you are or have become, it matters much more to some than to others. And like I said we have all been being led by our modern teachers and preachers on dark paths which have not shed light on these very charged moral and spiritual matters which makes it even harder for us to know what to do with these issues right now.

We are, however facing much bigger moral and spiritual issues than this 'Christmas' and tree decorating traditions, and a new lie is being placed upon the hearts and minds of man kind which mirrors exactly this same issue. It is foretold that there is a coming new order, it is political and a control system which will be issuing a mark without which no one will be able to buy or sell, a 'mark' which will be connected to our economic systems. And we have already heard of this political ploy to enslave the people by this means, the mark will not only show how much 'money' you have, it will also store an abundace of information about you. It has been foretold that those who allow themselves to receive this mark will be under the power of a heavy delusion and in reality no one who receives this mark will be saved unto blessed eternal life. In fact a plague falls upon those that receive this mark, and those who refuse it will be put to death. These are the Bibles phrophecies in Revelation, not my own. This plague may have something to do with radiation poisoning because it is all about an electronic means of mass control. And sadly there are other means of identification which are not invasive, but they are not being looked at for whatever reasons.  Already I have heard some CHRISTIANS are teaching their congregations that this will not be a curse to them, that they may feel confident in submitting to the dictatorship, and receiving the mark. But the Bible warns about this mass delusion and makes us aware that this mark is not of God at all. So you see how these former trade offs affect you today, and tomorrow? 

 Anyone and everyone who has earnestly examined my blog should already know that this is not the REAL Christmas to me. I celebrated my first real Christmas this year, it was quiet and enjoyable, no presents, no decorations, a little meal with some friends and some praise of God for Jesus and fellowship.   And I am glad I finally went through with doing it because it is a comfort to my heart at this time of year that I did so. I can look back and say I am happy I celebrated the real Christmas this year and is was so wonderful! It's not like this pagan Christmas which lost in materialism, and strife created by the innumerable pressures people experience because of it, does a whole lot to dampen the spirit that so many Christians do want to preserve about Christmas.

It's all crazy, the vain traditions, the ignorance and confusion, the messed up priorities, the strife of materialism and self-serving celebrations that so many sigh about, the fierce defense of this Christmas and the "Thank God it's over!" that is enjoyed with another sigh of relief in it's wake. It is a very complicated issue, Christmas. I see no problem in saying 'Winter Holidays,' or 'Winter Festivities' or whatever, because that is what in fact and reality these Holidays are and always were for the majority of people that practice them.

To me, Christmas is in July and I intend to go on celebrating it, because I believe - it is what Jesus would do! This Christmas is merely the 'pagan Christmas.' Now I have two Christmases, and if one of them ever goes 'out of fashion' for me, it will be this one! Not the real one. Like it or lump it!