It's a Sad Day When Even Santa Can't Find a Job

He’s making a LinkedIn profile. He’s checking it twice. He’s gonna find out which employers are naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town – and he needs a job...

There’s no official Kris Kringle employment index, but agencies that place Santas at gigs around the country say the prospects for many of the men in red suits is Ho-ho-hopeless. “There’s no question about it, the number of Santas out there looking for work has grown,” says Jennifer Andrews, headmaster of the Santa School in Calgary, Alberta, which supplies Santas to stores and malls in the U.S. and around the world. She says enrollment increased fourfold this year. “And there’s not a lot of room for untrained Santas.”

Click here for entire article.

Tis the Season...

For crimal activity and the persecution of Christ... again.

Hundreds Of Donated Gifts Stolen From Shrewsbury Church
RI Gov: It's Not 'Tradition' to Call It a Christmas Tree...
Mall Sacks Santa after Rudeness Complaints...
Men Busted For Tailing UPS Truck, Stealing Christmas Gifts...
CHRISTMAS TREE BANNED: 'RELIGIOUS SYMBOL'...
Baby Jesus goes Missing...
Church Cuts 'Charlie Brown' Christmas Play After Backlash...
Lawsuit Threat Cancels Christmas Concert...

Sad, but true...  :(

The Opposite of Fear

When asked what the opposite of fear is, I replied "love" (as in "perfect love casts out all fear" ~ 1 John 4:18). Now he didn't come out and say I was wrong, but it was obviously not the answer he was looking for. He believed the correct answer is hope. I didn't argue. Instead I mulled it over. After much thought, I still think I was right. Hope in and of itself is not necessarily a good thing. The first "mis"-quote that came to mind was "Hope can kill a man." The real quote is:

Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.  ~ Red (Shawshank Redemption)

 Now, I am not advocating that you develop your life philosophy on Hollywood quotes, but there is some truth to that. Hoping in the wrong things will absolutely drive a man insane. If we put our hope in anything of this world, we will ultimately be disappointed. Nothing lasts forever. We can lose our wealth, health, family, friends... hoping in any of these things will likely not lead to freedom from fear. Rather, hoping in somthing that is not sure give a person more to worry about - adding to already present fears.

Love, on the other hand - true, unconditional love - provides unparalelled comfort and safety. Even earthly love empowers people to strive for greatness and accomplish more than they ever thought possible. Like the lyrics to the pop song Because You Loved Me:

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cuz you believed
I'm everything I am because you loved me.

~ Celine Dion

How much more does the love of God do that for us?
Still others may say courage is the opposite of fear. To that I would reply with a well-known quote:

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.  ~ Hollingworth

So back to my original statement, I still believe that the opposite of fear is love.

Every Reason to be Thankful

This Thanksgiving will be different and unusual in many ways. I assume that if you are reading this blog, you know about all that my family has gone through in the aftermath of Super-storm Sandy. My Grandmother's house is still in a state of disarray (to put it mildly) and has no heat. So, this will be the first Thanksgiving in my lifetime that my family will not be gathering at my Grandparents' house for a day of celebration and over-eating. That is not to say we won't be getting together. We certainly will. It will just be at my Aunt and Uncle's house instead.

It would be easy for some to look at the trials of the past month and be angry or bitter rather than thankful, but I think for many of us, it has given perspective that only loss can bring. The more loosely one holds onto material things, the more one appreciates the immaterial. The fact that my family was not hurt (bodily) in the storm is huge blessing in and of itself. But then there were the little mercies shown throughout: the china my Grandmother gave to me made it through unscathed; the lighthouse in the front of our house was recovered days after the storm; S's friend brought dry ice over so the food in the fridge didn't spoil (providing food during those first difficult days); a friend gave me gas so I could get home to help with the clean up; and some of the special (sentimental) Christmas ornaments were able to be salvaged. Each of these things were reminders that it could have been worse. I think my Dad said it best though, "when you look around at what happend to so many others who literally lost everything, we were really pretty lucky." Granted, I don't believe in luck, but I can agree with the sentiment. In the grand scheme of things, we got off pretty easy.

Another difference is that this is the first Thanksgiving I will be celebrating with the man I love. He is one of the greatest blessings God has brought into my life, and I look forward to celebrating many more holidays with him in the future.

Health, happiness, family, friends, joy, and hope... so much to be thankful for!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Un Papa, Une Maman Pour Tous les Enfants

That was a sign being held by a fairly large crowd of Parisians. Translated, it means "One Dad, One Mom for all Children." The last place on earth I would expect a anti-same-sex marriage rally is France, and yet more than 100,000 people attended. I guess that is what I get for stero-typing the French.  :)

Click here for article.

Goodbye, Single Life!

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end..."  ~Semisonic

Ok, so they might not be the deepest of lyrics, but as a new beginning is looming in the very near future, these lyrics keep coming back to haunt me. The adventurer in me has always loved change, but the sentamental side has difficulty saying goodbye. New is always exciting, but old is often comforting, and when the old has been good, to trade it in for the unknown can be a little scary.

 Only a month left before I trade in the single, carefree life of a nomad for the title "Mrs." - complete with a new name, new home, and new roommate (more like LIFE-mate). It's not so much scary as it is just a bit unbelievable. Even after two years of being courted by my sweetheart, it is hard to picture myself as a married woman, but ready or not, here I come! Goodbye, single life; HELLO husband!

panem et circenses

Like most American conservatives, I went through November 7th in a state of shocked disbelief. I was certain the election would turn out differently. I couldn't imagine THAT MANY people would choose the status quo, when things are as bad as they are. I tried to blame it on voter fraud, the fact that Romney is Mormon, and the fact that change scares people, but deep down I know it is more than that. The American people have become soft. We are not like our Grandparents' generation. We do not want to work for what we have. We want retirement without a career, entertainment without cost, lawlessness without consequences, credit cards without debt, sex without babies, families without responsibility, recklessness without repercussions, courtesness from othes, but not for others, tolerance for immoral judgements, but not for immoral Generals. What we want is to harvest what we have not planted and not reap what we have so unfortunately sown.

In reading about the Roman Empire during the time of its decline, so many parallels can be drawn, but the phrase that keeps coming to mind is that of Juvenal, a satyrist of the time. He lamented that a people, once so great, could sell their souls for so little.

Iam pridem, ex quo suffragia nulli vendis, effudit curas; nam qui dabat olim imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat, panem et circenses.

Now long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, we have abdicated our duties; those who once upon a time handed out imperial power, symbols of authority, legions and all else, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and games in the Circus.

I suppose you could replace that with food stamps and reality TV... and you'd have modern day America. So sad...

"It is beyond anything I thought I'd ever see. It is a devastating sight right now." ~ Gov. Chris Christie

In the Aftermath

"The sun will continue rising and setting whether or not I pass this exam - though I'd rather it not go on if I fail." ~ Anne of Green Gables

Unfortunately, the earth does not keep from spinning for the sake of one broken heart - or even for the sake of many. When it is the misfortune of others, I sometimes stop and stare in amazement at what they had to go through, or even admiration at their strength, but then I move on and forget. When disaster strikes my own family, it is altogether different. It seems as though life should not be allowed to go on. Why are people posting pictures of family vacations and newborn babies? Don't they know this is a time of mourning?! I realize that is utterly ridiculous and yet, deep down, that is what I feel. It seems the earth should stop its rotation - pause, in a moment of silence for what has been lost. Even as I go through the motions of normal life: getting dressed, driving to work... there is one constant thought... it's gone... it's all gone. The sense of loss is so great, it is literally choking me. Not because I have a great affinity for things, but because I should have been there to share in the loss - because I should have been there to help my family when they needed me. So, as another day dawns across the globe, they remain in a holding pattern, watching as water and fire destoy everything, and I watch from the sidelines, wondering how does one even begin the process of starting over... with nothing?

La La La, Whatever...

There are people I have to deal with on an almost daily basis at work, who drive me crazy. I can deal with slow, but not stupid, and certainly not LAZY. Laziness has got to be top on my own personal list of the seven deadly sins. Definitely punishable by death.
Early this week I was allowing my anger to get the best of me and so this one particular lazy co-worker (can't even really call him that... there is nothing "co" about us and he is the opposite of a worker - he is what Ayn Rand would call a "looter") had the upper-hand. I have since come up with a solution. When he comes into my office with his nonsense, I sing the Roof-top Top of the World song (that's what CJ calls it) in my head.

La, la, la, whatever. La, la, la, it doesn't matter. La, la, la, oh well.

He has nothing to say that I need or want to hear, so why should I waste my energy it him? The song might be ridiculous, but at the moment, it is my saving grace.

A Bad Week for Raccoons

But it's better than the skunks' bad week... at least the dead raccoons on the side of the road are not stinking up my car. After living with smelly Afghanis and full port-a-potties, I am so over unpleasant smells! Is that heartless? Yeah, it probably is...

On Love, Lust, and Infatuation

I am not going to pretend to be an expert on love, though I do have a lot of experience with the other two subjects in the title. Most people think of me (prior to CJ) as being single... VERY single. I mean the you-look-up-"single"-in-the-dictionary-and-my-picture-is-there kind of single. While I was never in a real relationship until CJ, the truth is, I had my fair share of relationship drama. It was just not the kind my friends had.
My first childhood crush was my swimming coach - pretty normal - totally innocent. I never told him, and he saw me as the little kid I was. My first real crush was as 16. He was 19. I was naive, and he... well, I think he knew that. Thankfully that ended almost before it started. I thought I was heartbroken. The next crush... well, he was gay. He was my best friend and treated me better than any guy I had ever known. Then came the college fling - just kidding - there was no fling. There wasn't even a toss. He was hot-and-cold (hard to read) and I was not about to put myself out there - not with all the studying, working, etc., that I had to do, so college came to a close and we went our seperate ways. By that point I had decided I would stay single forever. I obviously could only like guys I couldn't have and it seemed like a huge waste of emotional energy.
Fast-forward almost three years. I deployed to Iraq and suddenly it seemed I could have any guy I wanted. It didn't take long before one caught my eye. We dated on and off for several years until it came to its inevitable end. I was sure I could never trust anyone ever again... and love? Hahaha... that was out of the question.
My second deployment brought me to GTMO. Once again, guys were falling all over themselves, vying for my attention. The attention was great, but that was all they were good for as far as I was concerned (I am not including the close friendships I developed there - some of the guys did become really good friends). I was well on my way to old-maid-hood. I celebrated New Years in GTMO, rang in 2011 with my fellow island-dwellers, and bid them all adieu, as I prepared to head back to the States.
Enter CJ. It was a Tuesday morning... Januray 4th (I believe), 2011. He was not the suave, smooth-talking kind of guy I normally fell for. Truth be told, our first meeting would have been completely unmemorable if it weren't for the message he gave me: my boss was running late because one of his chickens died and he had to clean the hen-house. I am a city girl at heart, so this was totally outside the realm of reality for me... chickens?! "Hen-houses?! REALLY?!?!?! Is that, like, code for something?!" I wasn't sure whether or not to even take him seriously. Turns out he was telling the truth. And although he may not have stood out during our first meeting, we quickly became friends. He was easy to talk to, and we filled the long hours in the office covering every topic imaginable. Having both grown up in Christian homes and Christian schools, we had a lot of common ground from which to build a solid friendship.
It took a few weeks for me to realize he was interested in me as more than just a friend. Since he met most the criteria I had for any would-be suitors, I encouraged his advances. I was not emotionally invested, but I figured why not see where this leads. I was not in that head-over-heels frame of mind, so it seemed safe. I was determined not to get hurt this time.
As time passed, we spent every waking moment together - literally. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, all day in the office, and all evening till bedtime. All this time together gave me no time to miss him or even to evaluate what I really felt for him. I knew what I thought about him. He was easy-going, fun-loving, and as sweet as could be. He didn't have a mean bone in his body and could diffuse any argument I tried to start.
But I began to think about all those early crushes... the excitement, the rush, that queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Where was all that? The more I thought about, the more I felt like something was missing. Then one day it hit me. I was speeding to work (yes, I love to speed even when I am not running late) when I caught sight of a cop. My heart skipped a beat and the hair on my arms stood on end as I quickly hit the break pedal harder than I needed to. Surprisingly enough, he did not follow me. I continued my drive into work, thinking about how seeing that cop made me feel... it was a lot like that feeling of being "in love." Suddenly, it all made sense. Whatever is forbidden is the thing I need. The person I can't have is the one I want. The thing I can't do is what I want to do. Hmmm... so the adrenaline rush that goes along with the whole thing is not love at all. I suppose some of it is an infatuation (usually more with the idea of the person than the actual person), but most of it is more akin to lust - desire for what can or should never be.  
I was worried that the relationship I had with CJ was too easy. I had bought into the idea that relationships are supposed to be filled with drama and angst - that love stories were made of epic conflicts that come to a grand resolution just in the nick of time, as the happy couple ride away into the sunset. Listen to the love songs of today... "love is a battlefield..." "I'm only gonna break-break, your, break-break your heart..."  "can't we stop hurting each other..." But I realized two things: 1. Those kinds of songs began with my parents' generation. 2. True love - the kind that puts the other person first - ought never to look like those "love" songs. Then I thought about how the Bible describes love:
Love is patient; love is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ~ I Corinthians 13:4-8
And, at last, I was at peace with my drama-free love story.

Light and Other Mysteries

As a wannabe photographer, I find light intriguing, and by extension, shadows. Like most people who live in this region, I do a lot of driving. Commuting to work, to church, schlepping to the store, visiting my fiance, friends, and family... Nothing is close. I find myself driving at all times of day and night. One of the things I often take note of is how the daylight (or lack thereof) influences what I see. In my opinion, there is a particular beauty in the glint of the early morning sunlight as it kisses each blade of grass and drenches the leaves in its golden warmth. It makes me want to pull over every two seconds and pull out the camera to capture it - to be able to revisit it at some future time, or share it with others.
All of this contemplation on light and shadows got me thinking on a whole other set of philosophical topics - predominantly, the creator of both the earth and sun, Whose character can be seen to some extent in His creation.
One particularly beautiful morning, as I was driving to my beloved's, I had a sudden revelation. If God were the sun, we would be those blades of grass. We reflect His love and His light, but only to the extent that we are in that light. And just as the earth moves around a fixed sun, so God is unmoveable, unchangable... we move. In those darkest of life's moments, when we feel neither light nor love, it is not God, who left us, but we, who left Him.

No Soda Cans in the Freezer

I have learned that laws are not made to be broken as often supposed; rather they are made because people do stupid things. Every stupid action has an equally stupid reaction (law). In the office building where I work, there are signs hung on all the refrigerators that read "No Soda Cans in the Freezer." I can only imagine how many soda cans had to explode in the freezer before those signs were hung.
:)

Dodging Bullets

I often tell people I grew up in the 'hood, and I did. It was not the safest place on earth. I remember hearing gunshots, though most were from the nearby shooting range, I saw blades flashed when tempers ran high and even had one held to my throat on several occasions. Kids were shot and killed, drugs were sold out on my street, neighbor's were robbed (so were we, come to think of it), and girls I knew were raped. Yet, despite it all, I never thought of myself as being in danger as I grew up in that area.
Fast-forward to the present. After spending six months in Afghanistan, I have a very different outlook about growing up in danger. At least, in the 'hoods of America, I'd like to believe that most parents look out for the well-being of their kids. That is not the case in Afghanistan. Parents there do not seem to pay attention to where their children are or what they are doing. They listen to the local Taliban and fail to give their children Polio vaccination, even though many of their children die of Polio every year. They allow their children to play in areas where they can get blown up by IEDs, shot during regularly occurring firefights, or kidnapped to be later used as suicide bombers. These children are in danger every day of their lives and they have no one to protect them. Often, it is their parents who jeopardize their safety and well-being.
As for me, I can't say I ever feared for my life, but I did hang out in bunkers more than I had ever expected to. The insurgents, with the use of a recoilless rifle, managed to shoot a 2 foot hole in the roof of the building I lived in and another in the office just behind mine. It was definitely an interesting time of life - one that I will never forget.