Thursday, December 18, 2008

Merry Christmas ~ Happy Holidays ~ Happy New Year!

My how times have changed... I can remember when it didn't matter if you said Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Today you can tell someone Merry Christmas but they aren't permitted to reply the same back to you for fear they will get into trouble. That is pretty sad. What happened to freedom of speech? Employers are are forbidding their employees from saying Merry Christmas for fear of offending someone and having it backlash back on their business. WHY???? We have been to several places this past week and we have told our server, sales person, etc. "Merry Christmas" and they reply back "Happy Holidays." My husband says it again and they reply back the same. He asks them, "You can't say Merry Christmas back?" They reply "NO, we will get into trouble!" To me this is unbelievable!! Christmas is the holiday we are celebrating. If someone were to say to me Happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, I would probably reply the same back to them. Why is it that a few make it bad for the whole group? People, grow up!! This is a free country...is it not?

Sorry...I will get off my soapbox now...
I am thankful for my job, my family and friends, and another year of breathing. I am thankful for my new grandson, Mason, who is a doll!! He has so much personality! My job is not ideal, but it is a paycheck, and you make the best with what you've got and try to influence others. I pray that I have made a difference in someone's life this year and hopefully for the good.
This year has been a big one for Sarah. She graduated from high school and moved away and started college. As a mom, this has been a hard year for me...letting go and letting them make their own decisions is sometimes a difficult thing to do. You don't want your child to suffer and get hurt. I trust my daughter, but it is difficult when I know she is sick and is trying to make it on her own. She has had a bad stretch this past month and a half with illness. Hopefully, now she is on the mend. She will have to finish her quarter late, but at least she has that option.
Randy's farming has been difficult this year. The lack of rain hurt his crops a great deal, but thankfully, we have insurance. He actually bought a computer for the farm this past week! Randy and a computer! I never thought he would do it. He gets so frustrated when I try and show him how to search the internet and such. But, he is determined to make a go of it and I applaud him for that. For someone who is technologically challenged to go forward and make a purchase of a computer is a huge step.
My prayer for you and your's is that this coming year be a blessed one. May you see success in all you do and God blesses your every step. May you have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!