Act Christmas

[Dusky]

Hello My Friends,

Each year in additon to sending my Christmas Card and Letter to all my Friends and Family I like to send one to you as well.

Below is this years addition - You will also find the card itself and the Letter in the attachments that follow the Letter here.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Act Christmas" - Make Your Life Match Your Beliefs

I recently ran across an anonymous quote that says, "It is easy to Think Christmas, and its easy to Believe Christmas, but it is hard to Act Christmas." I had that verse put on my Christmas card to you this year. It really seems to sum up our collective inability as individuals, as a professed 'Christian Nation', as a human race, to do the right thing every day of the year. Somehow we reserve genuine acts of kindness for just one day of the year - Christmas Day. Furthermore, we seem incapable as humans - professed Christians - to Act Christmas unless compelled to do so. I am guilty of this failing. It took the tragedy of Jack's death for me to Act Christmas more frequently. Moreover, I am sure you have the same frailty.

Personal tragedy during the last decade compelled me to make a concerted effort to extend genuine acts of kindness - to make an extra effort to Act Christmas more consistently. It seems ironic that tragedy would be the moving force to Act Christmas more frequently - but loss seems to do just that to human beings. During this last 10 years I've experienced unwanted changes, unbearable losses, vanished friendships, lost family and immense sadness. At the same time I've also experienced deliberate changes, wonderful new friendships, great adventures and a deepening appreciation for life. The strange thing is that I would not have had the second set of experiences without the first. I would not have been able to experience great joy without experiencing great pain. Tragedy made me Act Christmas more frequently - and Made My Life Match My Beliefs.

We each need to ask ourselves these questions:

• Why is it that a nation that professes to be 'Christian' believes that it is ok to ONLY Act Christian (Act Christmas) one day of the year - Allowing the remaining 364 days of the year to wallow in the hypocrisy of un-Christian (un-Christmas) behavior? (I spiritually struggle with this anathema every day)

• Why is it that the teachings of Christianity seem to be such a difficult path to follow for its believers?

• Does the rhetoric of the politics I adhere to match the teachings of the faith I follow or does it conflict with those teachings?

• Do My Beliefs benefit all human beings regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual preference or riches?

This Christmas I invite each of you (regardless of faith/lack of faith or political persuasions) to reflect on how Acting Christmas for more than one day might change your life & Make Your Life Match Your Beliefs. For the most part - until each of us is personally effected by some life altering event - We Think Christmas, We Believe Christmas - but we DON'T Act Christmas - and our Lives infrequently Match Our Beliefs.

Extend ... A firm handshake to a shaky soul - A kind word to a lonely person - A warm smile to the disheartened - A sincere concern for someone troubled - A feeling of compassion for the neglected - A comforting thought for the bereaved - A respect for the dignity of others - A defense of the rights of individuals - A word of witness to help a seeking soul ... And - Do it frequently.

"It is easy to Think Christmas, and its easy to Believe Christmas, but it is hard to Act Christmas .... every day of the year." "Teach us to Give and not to count the Cost" Ignatius Loyola.

"Act Christmas" - Make your Life Match Your Beliefs.

Love and Peace - John

"Sometimes in tragedy we find our life's purpose - the eye sheds a tear to find its focus." Robert Brault

"Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive." Josephine Hart

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have a wonderful Christmas

Scan_DocCARDLETTER2011.pdf

Scan_DocCARDOUTSIDE.pdf

Scan_DocCARDINSIDE.pdf

[kayc]

It's good to hear from you, you've always been a great contributor to this site and give us much food for thought.

[Dwaynecg]

Dear Dusky,

I am sure that you saw where acting Christmas every day, got me on here. Beaten and Batter. It did not stop me though, I just go about ting a little different. I wrote a very nice thread " My New Meaning of Christmas". At lot of people read but only Kay resounded. It was How My Wife Pauline always Celebrated Christmas, and really ever day of our life, but this year, because she passed on 2/25/2011, Christmas has changed forever. I will still Celebrate the same as Pauline and I always had done, but I will now Celebrated Her LIFE. But some how people, just could not open their eyes to the message, I sent, I wanted them to resound how Christmas has been changed for the also, and to Celebrate the Life of their loved one. Not the passing, but yet they could not see that.

I commend you on writing this. Every day I live as if it is Christmas, I see Joy all around, I help other who are down, I give people hope you have lost all hope. I know why I was brought down from the high mountains of Colorado, into the eastern plains of Kansas, and my wife Pauline who was also brought from Fall River, Massachusetts, to those same plains in Kansas. On that day in May 17,1978, the heavens opened up and poured out so much rain we could not work. My friend, David, when we got to that turn in the road to go back home to Abilene, KS. asked if I would like to shoot pool and have a beer? I said why not. In that tiny little pub, beer was only 3.2, their she was, Pauline, I talked to her for hours, pour David had to call for someone to pick him up. I could not leave. I had known Pauline all my life. It was not by chance we met, because Pauline needed to have the very best care giver He could find, someone, that would love her above anything else in this world. I knew in a day or two after we had met, that she was like a little bird, one that was broken, battered, and bruised, so I picked up this tiny little bird into my healing hands and gave life back to her again. See Pauline had gone their at the very lowest point in her life. She always told me, that I was her Angel of Life, only one knows that for sure. Someday, when I meat him then I will know. In my heart I do now without a doubt, so everyday, I life my, LIFE LIKE CHRISTMAS. Because I was given a gift in Pauline, and I intend to repay that gift 10 fold.

Thank you for your message today, Dusky, my friend

God Bless

Dwayne

[dave s]

Thanks for this beautifull post, yes what a better world this could be if we all practiced some Christmas yr round!! Dave

[nats]

Dusky/John,

This is nice and Oh so true, seems many only "go thru the motions" twice each year, Christmas and Easter, I like Dwayne have discovered early on to follow the path of the savior back in the 90's when I turned my life over seeking sobriety, I found that sobriety among other things and I am now diven to practice and share what was found...one of the many found items was my wife whom I shared a "Love Like No Other" we had a brief time here on earth a mere 10 years, but those years were filled with Love, Caring, Sharing and Acceptance and Feelings many never find so I am indeed "Thankful" for what we have...Yes have as I feel it continues only now on a different level and although she is not physically here or with me she is indeed still "with me" and I will indeed join her one day...I now have found another "Love Like No Other" and I ask myself daily how this could be so, but the answer evades me which is fine because as Dwayne said only the creator knows why we were brought together, at times I see the message we carry and teach the children of our children and when that occurs I stop questioning and just share and enjoy...

Thank You for this wonderful card and another message that has reached my heart...

Merry Christmas and Peace On Earth

NATS

[Dwaynecg]

Dear Nats,

The one thing about Christmas is that most of the time it brings out the good in all people, no matter what their beliefs are. That is the real message, going out to everyone today. No matter who you are, what you beliefs are, that on, and around Christmas, it has a way to express joy towards others that they may keep hidden for the rest of the year. This world would be a much better place if everyone just let those emotions of love and joy, happiness, flow out everyday. Be kind to each other, treat each other with the same respect that we want each and every day.

God Bless

Dwayne