The Best Christmas Gifts

“Christmas is the season when you buy this year’s gifts with next year’s money. Let us make this year different and fill it with gifts of meaning!” ~Author Unknown

The War on Christmas (and religion) verses the Spirit of Christmas Series at AskMarion – 20

The best physical Christmas gifts for children is getting them what they asked Santa for.  It extends their belief in him and cements their joy for future Christmases as well as their memories.  And then add some extras that will teach them or expose them to something positive. But the best long term gift(s) for children is establishing and maintaining traditions and making sure that at least part of your holiday is spent on discussing or participating in activities that revolve around the true meaning or reason for the Christmas season.  But sometimes our budget just doesn’t meet our children’s wishes or our needs… So then what do you do?  Checkout the following great story:

Running With Scissors: In the winter of 1986, life was good. I was a single mother with one adorable, healthy, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy; I had a good job; I had a not-so-good second job; I had a fixer-upper house; and I had one spoiled rotten Doxie dog. Norman Rockwell might not have been impressed with the broken-down white picket fence in the back yard, but I thought of my life as having “good bones.” A little sanding, some spackle, a new coat of paint and everything would be perfect.

Money being a bit on the short-side, Christmas was something I planned long-range. The clerks at the lay-away counters at WalMart and K-Mart knew me by name. Of course, the best-laid plans of Santa’s helpers can and do go awry from time to time. This year I was completely blind-sided by an animatronic, story-telling bear called Teddy Ruxpin. About three weeks before Christmas, my son, Derek, started talking incessantly about this Teddy Ruxpin toy, so I checked it out to see if it could be worked into The Grand Christmas Plan. I was horrified to discover this new must-have toy was a whopping $75 ( a lot of money in those days)! No way was this going to fit into the budget. Period. But this was all my precious baby could talk about, and I couldn’t afford it. I was crushed.

As I cruised the toy department hoping and praying I could come up with a suitable substitute, my eyes were drawn to a tiny stuffed bear, wearing a stocking cap and a Christmas sweater. I picked him up, adjusted his little sweater and stood there looking at him and, as I did, a New Plan suddenly came to me.

On Christmas Eve, after my son set out the requisite cookies and milk for Santa and finally went to sleep, I set my New Plan in motion. It was risky, but I thought it just might work. I retrieved the tiny bear from his hiding spot, and I sat down at the kitchen table and composed a note. A note from Santa to Derek. It went something like this:

Dear Derek,

Thank you for coming to visit me in the park and giving me your Christmas list. I know you asked for a Teddy Ruxpin toy, but I have been looking all over trying to find the perfect boy to take care of this little Christmas bear. He is very special and he needs a very special boy to take care of him. You have been such a good boy this year I know you are the only boy I can trust to give him the special care he needs. I hope you love him as much as I do. Merry Christmas!

Love, Santa

I finished setting up the rest of the toy delivery from Santa, set Special Bear on top and tucked the note under one fuzzy little leg. And, yeah, there might have been a tear or two. I crossed my fingers, looked up at the ceiling, and went to bed.

The next morning, Derek bounded into the living room, and I stood back and watched. He picked up Special Bear, saw the note, and brought it to me to read to him. I read the note, took a deep breath and looked up at him. And this is what I saw.

Like magic, it was as if all thoughts of Teddy Ruxpin were gone. He was never mentioned again.

And, yes, Special Bear still lives. Every year since, he has occupied a place of honor in our home at Christmas and a special spot in our hearts. I always smile, give him a hug and adjust his sweater when I unpack him and remember that Very Special Bear Christmas. And, every year after Christmas, he is lovingly snuggled into his bubble wrap, placed in his special box and packed away.

I always knew there would come a time when Special Bear would get passed to a grandchild and, after some discussion, it was decided the time has come for Special Bear to work his Christmas magic for my precious granddaughter. So, I gave Special Bear a booster-shot of love with one more hug, triple-bubble-wrapped him and placed him in a new box for his journey, along with two pictures I found of that special morning. Just so my son will know which box Special Bear is in, I did this. Think I overdid it?

And, when they ask me at the Post Office if I want insurance on this package, I’ll laugh, because you can’t put a price tag on what’s in that box. Christmas is not about the Teddy Ruxpins. It’s about the love and the Special Bear places in your heart.

Stuffed Bear – $4.99

Pictures & Frames – $24.95

Magical, twinkly, smiley, love-filled, makes-you-teary-eyed memories – PRICELESS

One word of advice though – take LOTS and LOTS of pictures, because you never know when a Special Bear moment will happen.

“Oh, would that Christmas lasted the whole year through, as it ought,” Charles Dickens lamented. “Would that the spirit of Christmas could live within our hearts every day of the year.”  And this sentiment could be the best gift you give yourself as well as someone you know or know of that is in need!  The Best Part of the Christmas Season is Love, Charity, and Kindness.  Why not cut back on excess food and extravagant gifts and help a friend, a family (or family member) or a stranger in need?  Whoever has two coats should share with someone with none. -Luke 3:11

Sometimes one of the toughest gifts is one for the parents or grandparents.  It certainly depends on your budget, and you definitely want to show your gratitude, respect and love for them in an appropriate and special way. In case they are fond of pets, a pet is a great gift to help them cope with loneliness or boredom, whether you choose to buy a puppy or a senior dog or cat who needs a home for them, along with sufficient food for the pet. Or if your budget allows you can plan an exclusive romantic holiday for the two of them or a great evening out. Or you can go the other way and buy the latest technology like an inclusive LCD TV or laptop so that they can spend their time meaningfully. You can take them to the best (or their favorite) restaurant in the town to treat them with their favorite cuisine after watching a good movie together. It would be wonderful to order a personalized calendar containing the photographs of your parents in various moments of their lives or of your family or all the grandchildren. In case both of your parents or grandparents are bookworms you can gift them volumes of selected classics or the latest releases in the areas they enjoy. Or it would be really classy to find an antique clock or table lamp to enrich their décor.

And there are the gifts that come from the heart type that often take up more time than money to give. Or sometimes a lot of both, but in the end are the most meaningful… They include homemade gifts like baked goods, recipe jars, handmade ornaments, family cookbooks, scrapbooks, organized photo albums, digital photo frames filled with images or single reproduced and framed special photos, traditional Christmas Music CD’s like Johnny Mathis or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or movies like Miracle on 34th Street or any of the Best Holiday Movie Classics (hopefully to watch or listen to together), a book or family history written by you, a piece of art, a family heirloom handed down, a great home-cooked meal… and the list goes on since all our hearts are different.

But the greatest gift is togetherness and some true conversation including the subject of what Christmas is really all about!

How to Simplify Your Christmas Shopping

A friend of mine emailed me the following article: Achieved a lifetime ambition; finishing all my Christmas shopping, wrapping and mailing by December 1st

The author said that the trick is to use one of several (four) formulas or a combination thereof to do your shopping, rather than going crazy trying to be all things to all people as you devastate your bank account. I think that most of us can relate to the drained holiday bank account stretching from Halloween to New Years!!

The suggestions included a few of the following 10 categories:

• The easiest one, if time and lack of imagination are bigger factors than money, is to ask everyone what they want and just get it.
• Give everyone the same gift or at least split them into four or five types: one for the girls, one for the older gals, one for the boys, one the big boys and one for the pets.
• There is my least favorite which is giving everyone money or a gift card and unless you don’t mind being embarrassed, it ends up being the most impersonal while usually ending up costing you the most… or is right up there.
• Another is to give everyone a ‘what the heck is this’ gift or the white elephant method, good for a laugh and some conversation?!? But pretty much a total waste of money and only for those who really believe that it is the thought (or the lack of thought) that counts!
• Then there is the true budget conscious method suggesting you set a standard price per gift and don’t waiver or just re-gift in extra nice wrapping.
• There is the giving the gifts that matter method or ‘of need’, which includes bags of groceries, needed shoes and clothing items, pay someone’s utility bill or car payment or supplying some other needed help.
• There are the gifts of knowledge that are investments in someone, even when they don’t quite get it. It could be paying for a trip or camp, sending someone to a special class or program or tickets to the theatre, a copy of the Bible, the Constitution or an important book or books, or it could be a learning game, a transformational movie, a camera, movie camera or a computer. (Less electronic are better!! Give the gift of a real book not an online copy, board games not games on the Wii and gifts that will inspire and make people interact… talk and think.)
• Or how about the gift of love and sharing. Adopt a military family and make it family project. Volunteer to serve meals at the nearest mission or rescue. Take the family to the shelter and adopt a pet who needs a forever loving home, or volunteer to be a pet foster parent. Bake cookies for prisoners. Pick a tag from the tree at church or at work and give an angel gift or gifts. Invite a lonely neighbor over for Christmas dinner.
• And finally (again) there is the gift from the heart type of gifts that often take up more time than money to give. But from my experience, sometimes they take a lot of both, but in the end are the most meaningful… They include homemade gifts like baked goods, recipe jars, handmade ornaments, family cookbooks, scrapbooks, organized photo albums, digital photo frames filled with images or single reproduced and framed special photo, traditional Christmas Music CD’s like Johnny Mathis or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or movies like Miracle on 34th Street or any of the Best Holiday Movie Classics  (hopefully to watch or listen to together), a book or family history written by you, a piece of art, a family heirloom handed down, a great home-cooked meal… and the list goes on since all our hearts are different.

Some of these gifting methods require some real creativity; some take real guts, and others require an investment of the heart. But what we choose to give often says a lot about us.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! God bless us all, every one!

Related:

Santa Photos… Often Yesterday’s Oooops Are Tomorrow’s Treasures!

The Best Part of the Christmas Season – Love, Charity, and Kindness

Christmas for Pet People – Watch Glenn Beck’s Emotional Tribute To His Dog, Victor

American Traditions

War on Christmas is Part of the Overall War on Religion… a Move Toward a ‘New Age’ – a NWO with a One World Religion and Often From Within Churches

Adopt a Pet This Christmas… Or Give Someone a New Friend for Christmas (or Hanukah)!

Christmas Baking

NewsWeek and Jon Stewart Decree the War on Christmas is Over…

Carolling… or Caroling and Christmas Music

Nativity – The Reason for the Season – ‘Glory of Christmas’ begins final season at Crystal Cathedral (2008 to 2009)

Christmas Trees

Hanukkah, Hanukah, Chanukah

European Markets or Christkindlmarkts Capture the Christmas Spirit

St. Nickolas Day

So Where Is the War on Christmas Coming From? – A Worthwhile Read!

Best Holiday Movie Classics – A Merry Christmas From Hollywood

God Rest Ye Merry Merchants – Christmas: An American Holiday and Tradition to Love and Preserve

Advent – The Season of Anticipation and Hope

The War on Christmas verses the Spirit of Christmas Series at AskMarion – with comments from Ben Stein

Red Kettles & Bell Ringers

Atheists intimidate Santa Monica into eliminating Nativity… And So the War on Christmas and Freedom of Religion Continues – Churches Thwart Nativity Ban By Putting Up Living Displays In Santa Monica

Black Friday Holiday Shopping Kick-off Overshadows True Meaning of Christmas

What Movies in History Best Captures the Spirit of Thanksgiving?

“Holidays Are Great and Fun To Share With Our Pets, As Long As We Avoid the No-No Foods” – Animal Nativity

Christianity & Gun Owners in the Crosshairs: Chilling Tactic Exposed

How Should Christians Respond to Atheist ‘Hatred’ & the War on Christmas? This Priest Has Some Advice

The Need For A Christian Worldview of Freedom And Economics

BECK GOES GLOBAL, MEETS WITH CATHOLIC CLERGY & INTERNATIONAL TEA PARTY LEADERS IN ROME

Great Stocking Stuffer Book for all Sports Fans: “Sarah Palin and the Wasilla Warriors”

Obama Administration’s War on Religion

A great read: Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity

Merry Christmas and happy shopping!!

“When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?” …G.K. Chesterton

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The Best Part of the Christmas Season - Love, Charity, and Kindness

Whoever has two coats should share with someone with none. -Luke 3:11

If you know of someone who needs help… be a light and available to help always, but especially during the Christmas season~

The War on Christmas (and religion) verses the Spirit of Christmas Series at AskMarion – 18

Random Acts of Kindness and Charity Are the Best Gifts to Yourself… As Well as to Those in Need!

Christmas is the perfect time to show acts of kindness and build a stronger sense of community. The spirit of the holiday is undeniable and Christmas kindness is legendary. Many individuals may be too busy during the year and random acts of kindness may slip their mind. This holiday season, make a point to enrich the lives of the less fortunate as well as those close to your heart. Here are some simple acts of kindness that make a big difference and can make the holidays more enjoyable for all involved.

Feed the Hungry – Instead of buying extra food or expensive gifts, set aside a small portion of your Christmas budget to feed those who can’t afford a succulent Christmas dinner. A small act of kindness such as donating to a soup kitchen or donating canned goods to various food drives is a great way to spread Christmas kindness and help those less fortunate enjoy their holiday. No matter what religion one embraces, all of them teach the lesson of kindness toward others and donating to the less fortunate in their time of need. The perfect time to perform random acts of kindness, help build a better society, and uplift those in need of your charity. Start by donating extra canned goods (and not just the creamed corn) then perhaps buy some food that your family likes during the holidays and donate it to your local shelter. Volunteer to help prepare or serve a meal at a local rescue or shelter.  Also invite some family, friends or neighbors that are having a tough time or will be alone over the holidays to share Christmas dinner with you and your family and make sure to send them home with some leftovers for at least one more meal!

Help Friends, Family or a Stranger that you Know Are in Need – More Americans are in some type of distress or need this year than at anytime since the Depression.  If you know of someone who needs help whether it is with cash, food, gifts for their children, help with their pets, car repairs or transportation, gas money, to stay off the streets, to move, to find shelter, to get home for the holidays or anything else, find their need or ask them what they need and try to fill it.  If it is too big for you to do alone try to organize other friends, family, neighbors, churches and church members, or outside resources to help them. Working together we can create miracles and move mountains  Adopt a family, a friend, or a homeless person; you will feel like Santa Claus.

Cook a healthy meal for the holidays – Avoid going on a diet after the holidays. Your guests would likely appreciate a Christmas meal consisting of more than just deep friend greasy foods. Instead of stuffing yourself with unhealthy food, create a versatile meal that compliments both vegetarians and omnivores alike. Cooking extra vegetarian dishes is not very difficult, and those who don’t eat meat and those who choose to be healthy will greatly appreciate it. The traditional spread may be classic and delicious, but it’s good to have healthy alternatives.

Cheer up the sick – Those who are in the most need of kindness during the holiday season are those in the hospital who might miss most of the Christmas festivities. Pay a visit to those who may be alone during the holidays, give them small gifts, and generally uplift them. Sometimes the best way to cure physical and emotional pain is simple human interaction. It may not seem like a monumental event, but one gift from a total stranger may make their holiday memorable.

Donate gifts to charity – Think about the amount of old gifts laying around the house, items that the kids no longer use, that you no longer use. Many of these are probably in good enough condition for those less fortunate to enjoy. The average American house/garage/storage space is absolutely overflowing with old items that individuals simply refused to let go of. This holiday season, why not donate some of those gifts to organizations aimed at helping those in need of a little holiday spirit. An old, outdated toy may not mean much to you or your children, but might mean the world to those who can’t afford Christmas gifts.

Adopt a pet or two – Many more animals need love and a forever home this year than normal. Consider adopting or fostering just one more pet for the holidays… the shelters are overflowing and 2 out of 3 animals who get into the shelter system never leave there alive!  Or help a family having tough times feed their pets or get them items or medical attention that they have not been able to afford.  And continue to help them with pet food after Christmas.  Or pay the adoption fees for a senior citizen or family who would love a pet but can’t squeeze out the extra money for the fees. Donating pet food to a pet food bank or regular food bank is another welcomed act of kindness or volunteer at a local rescue or shelter and help them find foster homes, if not permanent homes, for the pets in their care.

The greatest gift and feeling at Christmastime is the satisfaction you get from giving and helping others.  Make it a goal this year.  It will change your life as much or more than that of those you help.  if we all spent more time paying it forward and helping those that fall onto hard times, the world would be a better and richer place!

Related:

Christmas for Pet People  -  Watch Glenn Beck’s Emotional Tribute To His Dog, Victor

American Traditions

War on Christmas is Part of the Overall War on Religion… a Move Toward a ‘New Age’ – a NWO with a One World Religion and Often From Within Churches

Adopt a Pet This Christmas… Or Give Someone a New Friend for Christmas (or Hanukah)!

Christmas Baking

NewsWeek and Jon Stewart Decree the War on Christmas is Over…

Carolling… or Caroling and Christmas Music

Nativity – The Reason for the Season – ‘Glory of Christmas’ begins final season at Crystal Cathedral (2008 to 2009)

Christmas Trees

Hanukkah, Hanukah, Chanukah

European Markets or Christkindlmarkts Capture the Christmas Spirit

St. Nickolas Day

So Where Is the War on Christmas Coming From? – A Worthwhile Read!

Best Holiday Movie Classics – A Merry Christmas From Hollywood

God Rest Ye Merry Merchants – Christmas: An American Holiday and Tradition to Love and Preserve

Advent – The Season of Anticipation and Hope

The War on Christmas verses the Spirit of Christmas Series at AskMarion – with comments from Ben Stein

Red Kettles & Bell Ringers

Atheists intimidate Santa Monica into eliminating Nativity… And So the War on Christmas and Freedom of Religion Continues – Churches Thwart Nativity Ban By Putting Up Living Displays In Santa Monica

Black Friday Holiday Shopping Kick-off Overshadows True Meaning of Christmas

What Movies in History Best Captures the Spirit of Thanksgiving?

“Holidays Are Great and Fun To Share With Our Pets, As Long As We Avoid the No-No Foods” – Animal Nativity

Christianity & Gun Owners in the Crosshairs: Chilling Tactic Exposed

How Should Christians Respond to Atheist ‘Hatred’ & the War on Christmas? This Priest Has Some Advice

The Need For A Christian Worldview of Freedom And Economics

BECK GOES GLOBAL, MEETS WITH CATHOLIC CLERGY & INTERNATIONAL TEA PARTY LEADERS IN ROME

A great read: Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity

Technorati Tags: hope,charity,kindness,random acts of kindness,love,pets,pet adoption,feeding the hungry,adopt the needy,volunteer,War on Christmas,Christmas,spirit of Christmas,holidays,Hanukah,American Traditions,American values,War on Christianity,War on Religion,The War on… The War on Christmas,Hanukkah,giving,secularism,atheists,Jews,Christians,reason for the season,making a difference

Nativity - The Reason for the Season

“The spirit of Christmas needs to be superseded by the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christ is a divine person. That makes all the difference in the world.” -Stuart Briscoe

By Marion Algier – The War on Christmas verses the Spirit of Christmas Series at AskMarion – 10

Christians have allowed the true meaning of Christmas to be lost and co-opted. One of the greatest things you can do each year is to take part in or attend a Christmas or Live Nativity Pageant that focuses on the true story of Christmas and then to make that meaning the focus of your holiday. Gifts, decorations, parties, caroling and all the rest are great as long as we take time to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. We have allowed ourselves as a society to forget “the reason for the season”, this season and holiday as well as many others and thereby lose the significance and the value of what should be special moments and meaningful celebrations in our lives.

Some of my greatest memories of Christmas involve going to mass on Christmas Eve as a child with my family and then participating in the Glory of Christmas (and Easter) for over 10-years as a family, with my husband and daughter, at the Crystal Cathedral… which after 30-years is now dark.

Unfortunately the Crystal Cathedral Ministries only ever filmed this program once, early on: Experience the Miracle, the Glory of Christmas in the Crystal Cathedral, 1993 and restricted photos and filming of any kind, so we are blessed to have the photos above of our experience, and below are a few homemade videos I found. What a blessing it was being part of that program and watching our daughter flying for Him as one of the angels. but one of the best parts was standing out back after each performance to greet; seeing how these performances touched peoples’ hearts.

Video: What Can I Give Him? sung by 10 year old Isabelle Plazola

Video: Flying Angels at Crystal Cathedral Glory of Christmas

Some holidays like Christmas actually become part of the fabric of a nation, which was true of Christmas in America until we allowed political correctness to wag the dog… let the 15% tell 85% what they can and cannot do. And as Ben Stein has written more than once… he, a Jew, looks forward to the bejeweled trees, Christmas carols and an overall kinder season.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin (who founded the American Alliance of Christians and Jews) said on Glenn Beck’s Post-Thanksgiving Review Program: “Although I am Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas I respect the traditions and the holiday and I like the holiday for two good reasons: It helps the economy and it makes people better…” (95% of the money spent at Christmastime is for others… rather than for ourselves).

Lapin has spoken against the secularization of Christmas, saying that “We see obsequious regard for faiths like Judaism and even Islam, while Christianity is treated with contempt”. He is opposed to replacing the “Merry Christmas” greeting with “Happy Holidays”, saying instead “Let us all go out of our way to wish our many wonderful Christian friends a very Merry Christmas… Nationwide, Christmas Nativity scenes are banned from city halls and shopping malls but Chanukah menorahs are permitted. There is without a doubt a war on Christmas as well as on patriotism.

Merry Christmas! : Celebrating America’s Greatest Holiday

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!” …Hamilton Wright Mabie

Atheists intimidate Santa Monica into eliminating Nativity… And So the War on Christmas and Freedom of Religion Continues

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Damon Vix didn’t have to go to court to push Christmas out of the city of Santa Monica. He just joined the festivities.

The atheist’s anti-God message alongside a life-sized nativity display in a park overlooking the beach ignited a debate that burned brighter than any Christmas candle.

Santa Monica officials snuffed the city’s holiday tradition this year rather than referee the religious rumble, prompting churches that have set up a 14-scene Christian diorama for decades to sue over freedom of speech violations. Their attorney will ask a federal judge Monday to resurrect the depiction of Jesus’ birth, while the city aims to eject the case.

"It’s a sad, sad commentary on the attitudes of the day that a nearly 60-year-old Christmas tradition is now having to hunt for a home, something like our savior had to hunt for a place to be born because the world was not interested," said Hunter Jameson, head of the nonprofit Santa Monica Nativity Scene Committee that is suing.  Read Full Story HERE  But Christians Found ‘Creative’ Loophole in Atheist-Inspired Santa Monica Nativity Ban & Secure Permit for ‘Live’ Display

Nativity on Wheels! PA Community Battles Atheist Complaints With Display of Jesus’ Birth on Platform in Front of City Hall

The Atheists Won’: CA Judge Denies Christian Group’s Last-Ditch Attempt to Restore Nativities

Atheist-Inspired Ban on Santa Monica Nativity Displays to Be Challenged in CA Court Today

Secularists battling against nativities is nothing new, but 2012 has brought some major victories for atheists. Consider Santa Monica, California, where a 60-year nativity tradition has been banned; other communities have backed down over fears that Christian themes will be legally challenged by groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) as well.

But — believers are getting smart and fighting back with some creative methods of navigating around church versus state disagreements.

TheBlaze already told you about the Santa Monica work-around: Christians will stage a live nativity, as only unattended displays were banned from the Palisades Park. Now, a community in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has found it’s own solution to a potential atheist-led lawsuit against a display in front of a local municipal building.  Read Full Story and See Video HERE

Wow, these photos below, from outside the U.S. Supreme Court, bring back great memories of being part of the Glory of Christmas and Glory of Easter pageants for the Crystal Cathedral as a family.

December 5, 2012

Twitchy:

Fox News’ Shannon Bream is on the scene as faith organizations stage a live Nativity scene outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

Faith Organizations to Display Live Nativity Scene with Animals in Front of the United States Supreme Court and the United States Capitol

This scene, sponsored by Faith and Action as well as The Christian Defense Coalition is part of “The Nativity Project.” The project seeks, in part, to bring attention to the hostility with which faith in the public square is met.

On Twitter, the camel is a hit. And, yes, that's a real camel at the Supreme Ct.

Wow, these photos below, from outside the U.S. Supreme Court, bring back great memories of being part of the Glory of Christmas and Glory of Easter pageants for the Crystal Cathedral as a family.

A full on Nativity scene outside SCOTUS 2012

Wow!

And for those that love the live animals in the nativity and pageants… check this out:  Animal Nativity

How Should Christians Respond to Atheist ‘Hatred’ & the War on Christmas? This Priest Has Some Advice

Related:

‘Glory of Christmas’ begins final season at Crystal Cathedral (2008 to 2009)

Christmas Trees

Hanukkah, Hanukah, Chanukah

European Markets or Christkindlmarkts Capture the Christmas Spirit

St. Nickolas Day

So Where Is the War on Christmas Coming From? – A Worthwhile Read!

Best Holiday Movie Classics – A Merry Christmas From Hollywood

God Rest Ye Merry Merchants – Christmas: An American Holiday and Tradition to Love and Preserve

Advent – The Season of Anticipation and Hope

The War on Christmas verses the Spirit of Christmas Series at AskMarion – with comments from Ben Stein

Red Kettles & Bell Ringers

Atheists intimidate Santa Monica into eliminating Nativity… And So the War on Christmas and Freedom of Religion Continues – Churches Thwart Nativity Ban By Putting Up Living Displays In Santa Monica

Black Friday Holiday Shopping Kick-off Overshadows True Meaning of Christmas

What Movies in History Best Captures the Spirit of Thanksgiving?

“Holidays Are Great and Fun To Share With Our Pets, As Long As We Avoid the No-No Foods”

Christianity & Gun Owners in the Crosshairs: Chilling Tactic Exposed

A great read: Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media’s Attack on Christianity

Technorati Tags: Nativity,War on Christmas,Christmas,spirit of Christmas,charity,holidays,Hanukah,American Traditions,American values,War on Christianity,War on Religion,The War on… The War on Christmas,nativity scene,Freedom of Religion,Bill of Rights,Nativity Project,The Christian Defense Coalition,SCOTUS,Glory of Christmas,Crystal Cathedral,living nativities,Christmas pageants

Red Kettles & Bell Ringers

The holiday season is fast approaching.... So, Just a reminder... 

Red Kettles & Bell Ringers

As you open your pocketbooks for the next natural disaster, or the Christmas season, please keep these facts in mind:

The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the 2011 was $951,957 plus expenses.

The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $675,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits .

UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,900,000 per year (158K) per month, plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE.

Less than 5 cents (4.4 cents) per donated dollar goes to the cause.

Meanwhile...

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only$13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.

The American Legion National Commander receives a $0..00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a $0..00 zero salary.
Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! 
 
The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a$0..00 zero salary.
Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! 
 
The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a$0..00 zero salary.
Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Vietnam Veterans Association National Commander receives a$0..00 zero salary.
Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

No further comment is necessary.

Please share this with everyone you can. 

There are more people in need this year than ever before since the Great Depression and the so-called safety is pretty thin and contains lots of holes for people to fall through.  Please dig a little deeper and perhaps skip some of the excessive activities and gifts this year and donate the savings instead.  Sometimes we get side tracked in the commercialism and forget the true meaning of Christmas… of the season?!? Become part of the army of patriots and good neighbors which will be the real answer to saving America.

Beginning December 1st (tomorrow), AskMarion will start their own version of ‘the War on… The War on Christmas’, Hanukah and American traditions and religion series.  Joins them or us here, at the Daily Thought Pad where it will be reposted, daily throughout the month of December.

God Bless America, Happy Hanukah and Merry Christmas!

Technorati Tags: Christmas,Spirit of Christmas,people helping people,charities,UNICEF,Salavation Army,United Way,Vietnam Veterans Association,Military Order of Purple Hearts,Veterans of Foreign Wars,American Red Cross,giving,American Tradition,safety net,Happy Hanukah,Merry Christmas,The War on… The War on Christmas,the war on religion,God Bless America,Patriot Army,kindness

The Greatest Story Ever Told…

I was looking for words for my Easter greeting and then received the following in my inbox… it was exactly what my husband Tim and I had been talking about on our walk earlier in the day.  I couldn’t write or say it better: 

Many of us grew up celebrating Easter as the holiday where a cute little bunny rabbit brought chocolate and other delicious treats for everyone to eat. All we had to do was look diligently for the eggs hidden around the house and eventually it would lead us to the only thing we cared about: that giant basket of goodies.

Many are still celebrating Easter in a similar fashion. It's become tradition - it's just what we do. This year I have a radical suggestion: start a new tradition. Something that goes much, much deeper than a furry rabbit & candy.

Now don't get me wrong - I'd be lying if I told you there was no chocolate involved in my Easter weekend. I'd also be lying if I told you there were no Peeps or other marshmallow-y related food products. Or jelly beans. Or Twizzlers. There's nothing wrong with having a little egg hunt & candy at Easter - it's fun. But there is something wrong when Easter becomes all about the bunnies and the eggs and the chocolate.

Easter is actually The Greatest Story Ever Told - yet mankind has managed to water it down to an opportunity to devour a few extra M&M's and are actually 'offended' when they hear it. How could that be? What's offensive about this: The very first Easter weekend - three days that changed the world forever - took place over 2,000 years ago. Mankind was lost, floundering - headed for destruction. But because God so loved the world, He gave his one and only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him will never die & have eternal life. And like the good Shepherd, Jesus laid down His life for the flock - and suffered greatly in doing so. He didn't have to - but He did. That is why we celebrate.

And that is why we need to start a new tradition this Easter - whether you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, still thinking about it (come on already!), etc - because the holiday has nothing to do with chocolate. It's about showing love. Instead of just pounding some creme eggs & jelly beans - reach out to a friend or neighbor or total stranger. Get to know them - and look for ways you can help them. Donate your time. Donate some food. Whatever it is, just find a way to help someone in need.

America's woes are easily solvable with that one, powerful, incredible word: love. That is why we are gathering this summer for Restoring Love in Dallas at Cowboys Stadium - to remind people of our greater purpose and stir us to action. It's also why I have great hope - because I know the American people & what we are capable of when we put our minds, and more importantly our hearts, to something.

I look forward to hearing about your new Easter tradition - one that I believe will save the country.

Have a great Easter!

Laus Deo, 

Glenn Beck - April 6, 2012 (A man who has been demonized and could use our prayers as well!)

If you don’t know the story make it a goal to go to a church on Easter Sunday or an Easter pageant, watch a video, pick up the Bible or ask someone to tell you the story… It could change your life, even if it doesn’t convert you.  As Glenn says… It is a story of love.

I grew up a Christmas-Easter Catholic; my parents were burnt out Catholic school survivors from Europe, where the nuns ruled the classroom and the church had a lot of affect over their lives… until the Nazis took over. My husband occasionally went to church with the neighbors when he was a child and neither of us went to church regularly until we found a church together and re-dedicated our lives at age 40.  Yet because life was different when we grew up, we had enough of the basics and knew enough of the teachings that God and tradition were always part of our lives and decisions.  ‘He’ was at the center of American life.

The 14 years we spent involved with our children in the Glory of Easter (and Christmas) pageants and other church activities were some of the best of our lives.  They gave each holiday real meaning… not just baskets, bunnies, presents, trees, parties and celebrations.

Feeding The Homeless BANNED In Major Cities All Over America

It is getting crazy out there!!

The Economic Collapse Blog

What would you do if you came across someone on the street that had not had anything to eat for several days?  Would you give that person some food?  Well, the next time you get that impulse you might want to check if it is still legal to feed the homeless where you live.  Sadly, feeding the homeless has been banned in major cities all over America.  Other cities that have not banned it outright have put so many requirements on those that want to feed the homeless (acquiring expensive permits, taking food preparation courses, etc.) that feeding the homeless has become “out of reach” for most average people.  Some cities are doing these things because they are concerned about the “health risks” of the food being distributed by ordinary “do-gooders”.  Other cities are passing these laws because they do not want homeless people congregating in city centers where they know that they will be fed.  But at a time when poverty and government dependence are soaring to unprecedented levels, is it really a good idea to ban people from helping those that are hurting?

This is just another example that shows that our country is being taken over by control freaks.  There seems to be this idea out there that it is the job of the government to take care of everyone and that nobody else should even try.

But do we really want to have a nation where you have to get the permission of the government before you do good to your fellow man?

It isn’t as if the government has “rescued” these homeless people.  Homeless shelters all over the nation are turning people away each night because they have no more room.  There are many homeless people that are lucky just to make it through each night alive during the winter.

Sometimes a well-timed sandwich or a cup of warm soup can make a world of difference for a homeless person.  But many U.S. cities have decided that feeding the homeless is such a threat that they had better devote law enforcement resources to making sure that it doesn’t happen.

This is so twisted.  In America today, you need a “permit” to do almost anything.  We are supposed to be a land of liberty and freedom, but these days government bureaucrats have turned our rights into “privileges” that they can revoke at any time.

The following are some of the major U.S. cities that have attempted to ban feeding the homeless….

Philadelphia

Mayor Nutter recently banned feeding homeless people in many parts of Philadelphia where homeless people are known to congregate….

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has announced a ban on the feeding of large numbers of homeless and hungry people at sites on and near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Mayor Nutter is imposing the ban on all outdoor feedings of large numbers of people on city parkland, including Love Park and the Ben Franklin Parkway, where it is not uncommon for outreach groups to offer free food.

Nutter says the feedings lack both sanitary conditions and dignity.

Orlando

Last June, a group of activists down in Orlando, Florida were arrested by police for feeding the homeless in defiance of a city ordinance….

Over the past week, twelve members of food activist group Food Not Bombs have been arrested in Orlando for giving free food to groups of homeless people in a downtown park. They were acting in defiance of a controversial city ordinance that mandates permits for groups distributing food to large groups in parks within two miles of City Hall. Each group is allowed only two permits per park per year; Food Not Bombs has already exceeded their limit. They set up their meatless buffet in Lake Eola knowing that they would likely be arrested as a result.

Houston

Down in Houston, a group of Christians was recently banned from distributing food to the homeless, and they were told that they probably would not be granted a permit to do so in the future even if they applied for one….

Bobby and Amanda Herring spent more than a year providing food to homeless people in downtown Houston every day. They fed them, left behind no trash and doled out warm meals peacefully without a single crime being committed, Bobby Herring said.

That ended two weeks ago when the city shut down their “Feed a Friend” effort for lack of a permit. And city officials say the couple most likely will not be able to obtain one.

“We don’t really know what they want, we just think that they don’t want us down there feeding people,” said Bobby Herring, a Christian rapper who goes by the stage name Tre9.

Dallas

Dallas has also adopted a law which greatly restricts the ability of individuals and ministries to feed the homeless….

A Dallas-area ministry is suing the city over a food ordinance that restricts the group from giving meals to the homeless.

Courts dismissed Dallas’ request for a summary judgment last week, saying the case, brought up by pastor Don Hart (in video above) may indeed be a violation of free exercise of religion, as protected by the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the blog Religion Clause reported.

In the court filing, the ministry leaders argue that their Christian faith requires them to share meals with the homeless (Jesus did!) and that the requirement that even churches and charities provide toilets, sinks, trained staff and consent of the city keeps them from doing so.

Las Vegas

A few years ago, Las Vegas became the first major U.S. city to specifically pass a law banning the feeding of homeless people….

Las Vegas, whose homeless population has doubled in the past decade to about 12,000 people in and around the city, joins several other cities across the country that have adopted or considered ordinances limiting the distribution of charitable meals in parks. Most have restricted the time and place of such handouts, hoping to discourage homeless people from congregating and, in the view of officials, ruining efforts to beautify downtowns and neighborhoods.

But the Las Vegas ordinance is believed to be the first to explicitly make it an offense to feed “the indigent.”

That law has since been blocked by a federal judge, and since then many U.S. cities have been very careful not to mention “the indigent” or “the homeless” by name in the laws they pass that are intended to ban feeding the homeless.

New York City

New York City has banned all food donations to government-run homeless shelters because the bureaucrats there are concerned that the donated food will not be “nutritious” enough.

Yes, this is really true.

The following is from a recent Fox News article….

The Bloomberg administration is now taking the term “food police” to new depths, blocking food donations to all government-run facilities that serve the city’s homeless.

In conjunction with a mayoral task force and the Health Department, the Department of Homeless Services recently started enforcing new nutritional rules for food served at city shelters. Since DHS can’t assess the nutritional content of donated food, shelters have to turn away good Samaritans.

Can you believe that?

The bureaucrats are officially out of control.

In America today, it seems like almost everything is illegal.

One church down in Louisiana was recently ordered to stop giving out water because it did not have a government permit.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I sure am going to give a cup of cold water to someone if they need it whether I have a permit or not.

It is as if common sense has totally gone out the window in this nation.

Over in New Hampshire, a woman is being sued for planting flowers in her own front yard.

This is the kind of thing that makes me glad that I have moved to a much more rural location.  People in the country tend to be much more relaxed.

Sadly, those that love to micro-manage others continue to get the upper hand in America.  Back in January, 40,000 new laws went into effect all over America.  The politicians continue to hit us with wave after wave of regulations and laws with no end in sight.

All of this is making America a very unpleasant place in which to live.

Glenn Beck Crash Course Review (2011)

In case you haven’t caught the Glenn Beck Show daily on Fox over the past 2.5 years or on radio here is a little review as Glenn moves to on, to a new adventure.  Glenn’s last show for Fox aired on 06.30.11, immediately followed by an interview and question & answer hour with Glenn on his new network GBTV… the Network of Tomorrow, Just a Day Early (their motto).

Immediately below, while Beck was on vacation in 2010; ending with an event in Anchorage on 9/11 with Sarah Palin, The Glenn Beck Show, hosted by Judge Andrew Napolitano and guest Dr. Alveda King (on Friday) put together a review of the highlight information from the show through the Summer of 2010. The 5 five shows as well as the 8/28 event can be seen below, if you missed any part of them.  Enjoy~

Glenn with Military and the Mormon Tabernacle  Choir

Beck with his two youngest two children, Raphe and Cheyenne… a few years back now   -  Beck also has two older daughters, Mary and Hannah from a previous marriage

(There are a few videos missing from the posts below but overall well worth checking out for the review!!  The 2 missing videos from part 2 below have pretty much been expunged from the Internet… Will replace them if I find them, and have done that 3-times already. )

GB Crash Course Review:  Progressive and Economic History with Judge Napolitano (Part 1 of 5)

GB:  Crash Course Review – The Radicals Who Influence the President (Past and Present) with Judge Napolitano (Part 2 of 5)

GB:  Crash Course Review – Re-Writing History with Judge Andrew Napolitano  (Part 3 of 5)

GB: Crash Course Review: Controlling the Message with Judge Andrew Napolitano (Part 4 of 5)

GB: Crash Course Review – Civil Rights and the Rights of Man With Dr. Alveda King and Judge Andrew Napolitano (part 5 0f 5), including Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech

Devine Destiny  -  Tonight (8.27)! America's Divine Destiny

8.28 Restore Honor Rally  

• Restoring Honor Rally… 8.28 – A God Inspired Dream
• Glenn's keynote speech HERE

Palin, Beck Recall 9/11 Attacks at Alaska Event (See Clip HERE) and amazingly the Huffington Post actually ran a blurb about Beck donating his speakers fee from the day and Palin speaking for free.

Glenn Beck on the Burning of Books and Flags

Pastor Defends Support for Glenn Beck (2,000 ministers attend rally)

Glenn Beck:  Who Is He?

Glenn is fairly quiet and very protective of his family, for good reason, and is always surrounded by a security detail.  Although he does kid about his wife, Tania who he credits with saving his life, a bit on air and on stage and proudly mentions his kids now and then.  Unfortunately in today’s world you can find out at least the basics on just about everybody, including Beck, even if they preferred that you couldn’t.  Beck loves his children dearly and they are obviously, at least in part, the inspiration for his passion.  But other than the protectiveness of his family, Beck is pretty much an open book.  (There is a great story that Bill Schultz from Fox’s Redeye tells about stepping off the elevator on the 18th Floor when Beck’s show was up there.  He has you rolling in the aisle in minutes as he explains how Beck’s security team questioned what he was doing up there…  If you know who Bill Schultz is, its probably even funnier!).

His Executive Summary lists him as a conservative TV and talk radio host.  His fans would call him a friend and describe him as quick-witted, well-informed, an independent thinker, a good Christian and someone who cares deeply. Glenn grew up in Mount Vernon, Washington, suffers from Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), so his shows are always fast-paced.  And his staff will you that he is hard to keep up with.  His friend and Fox associate Bill O’Reilly has asked him more than once, on air, whether he sleeps.  Sarah Palin has called him "America's professor of common sense". He is a Mormon with self-described libertarian leanings, big on conservative politics and traditional family values.

Beck is a recovering alcoholic and drug user who still has back pain from an injury incurred when, intoxicated or high, he tumbled through a window.  This past year, or so, Glenn has suffered from eye problems and has been diagnosed with macular dystrophy, that he announced at his American Revival event.  He is a self-made man that most average people can relate to in one way or another.

So before moving on to the updated portion below, I guess my greatest question to put out there is: “Why?”  Why do so many people both fear and hate Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and a list of other conservatives without really knowing much about them, what they stand for or even why they think they don’t like them?!? 

The answer… the propaganda they have been fed by the mainstream media (MSM), Hollywood and the left in general. Most people, unless they subscribe to the far left ideology of the powers that be, both in our government and the media right now, they quickly find out if they do a little research and reading that what they’ve been told generally isn’t true and that they can actually relate to, agree with and even like Beck, Palin, the tea party, etc. and the principles they believe in to help save our Republic, freedom and our values.

Beck did his best to give us the Big Picture from his perspective, to inspire us (like with his trip to Wilmington Ohio) and then he encouraged us to educate ourselves and to question everything and everyone, including him.  So, what is there in that to makes people hate and attack someone… and their family… other than the fear that he was/is right?

Updated… 07.09.11 

Glenn Beck said goodbye to the Fox News Channel and his hit show on Thursday, airing his final show before going into business for himself. He told his fans that he was determined "to his last breath" to fix this country and fight for freedom. 

He followed that final Fox show with an immediate show for subscribers to his new Network: GBTV, where he will begin streaming a daily 2-hour show on the Internet on September 12, 2011.  Beck’s own two hour Internet show is only a small part of the overall GBTV plan, much of which is still to be announced.  Beck was interviewed by Raj Nair, out of San Diego, who he just hired the week before.

At the GBTV interview, Raj asked Beck a series of questions sent in by viewers.   He was then asked about GBTV and some of his other new ventures and how he can keep his ego in check. He said the purpose of all his new projects was to help others attain freedom and a positive world vision.  “I don’t want it to be about me,” he said. “That was the vehicle that got us where we are to be able to do the things that we have to do. I don’t want it to be about me.”

Beck urged his critics not to underestimate him as he moves forward. "You will pray for the time when I was only on the air for one hour a day," he said more than once.

Although the left and the MSM kept trying to feed everyone that Beck’s ratings were down, he continued to lead in his timeslot to the very end. Glenn Beck Averaged 2.175 Million in his Final Show  Cable News Ratings for Thursday, June 30, 2011  -  Glenn Beck averaged 2.175 million viewers (542,000 adults 25-54) in his final episode. While up from recent history, far off his highs when he cleared 3 million viewers. Still, Beck was second on Fox News to only The O’Reilly Factor for the night (2.54 million viewers, 559,000 A25-54).  As Beck said himself on that final show, “I'm the only host who is supposedly the most dangerous person in America because of my influence and the least influential person in America because my ratings are supposedly declining.”  During his peak, Beck’s show averaged 2.9 million viewers each day at 5 p.m. ET and 2 p.m. PT Many people watched Beck online, which couldn’t be counted in the ratings but increased as time went on and no doubt affected those ratings at least somewhat.

It was reported that Beck's relationship with Fox soured over control issues in the final months, and both sides seemed happy his show was ending.  What the real story was, we will probably never know. But Beck warmly thanked Fox News chief Roger Ailes during his last show, saying he was the smartest man he'll ever work with, a partnership put together on a handshake we are told.  Beck, his advertisers and Fox have been under attack by the left since Glenn has been on air.  And just 2 weeks after Beck left Fox, there has been a discovery that White House E-mails Show Anti-Fox Bias and the leftist (Soros group inspired) anti-Beck bias and campaigns have surfaced and been obvious to anyone paying attention!

Beck’s finale was vintage Beck, a continuous monologue while walking among his signature chalkboards and old props. He took some shots at critics, inspired and promised fealty to his fans, came close to tears but didn't succumb and even poked some fun at his image.

He chided frequent critic Jon Stewart of Comedy Central.  Beck showed a picture of Stewart's large writing staff and brought out his lone two writers as a comparison.

He threw in a causal told-you-so: "Two years ago we said there were going to be problems in Greece. Nobody paid attention."

"We tried to teach you things to help," he said. "I'm a dad, too. I want my country to be around. What we have been trying to tell you lately, over the last year, is that you are the answer. We must have faith, hope and charity in our hearts."

Beck said he was going to Israel this summer "in search of courage" and no doubt to inspire some. Beck stands strong In Defense of Israel

He and his family and part of the Mercury Radio Arts staff headed to Driggs, Idaho at Huntsman Springs (Jon Huntsman Sr. is Beck’s good friend and mentor) for a mini-4th of July vacation and event, after which he was headed to Poland and then to Israel.

Glenn was in Poland filming part of an upcoming documentary and has some incredibly moving — and horrific — pictures and stories to share including being inside a Nazi Germany picture.

His Israel event. Restoring Courage, is a follow-up to last year’s Restoring Honor event in D.C.  And beginning Monday 7.11.11 he is doing his radio show from there. (1st Hour: Here)

He tried to explain why he was leaving Fox after 29 months, and showed a picture of Jack Paar, who unexpectedly left NBC's "Tonight Show” after being on the air for six years. He said he wanted to be more than a commentator and that he was not running away from anything. "I'm running to something," Glenn said, “before I lose my soul!”

"This show has become a movement," he said. "It's not a TV show and that's why it does not belong on television anymore. It belongs in your heart. It belongs in your neighborhood."  It belongs in the heart of patriotic Americans will to link arms and stand together for the Republic.

Glenn’s focus is on doing good, saving the Republic… saving freedom… saving the world and helping people one person at a time, one town at a time, one state at a time, one country at a time.  GBTV is a platform for everyone to connect and connect their ideas.  He signed off with his signature phrase… Good Night, America!

Beck later told an Internet audience on GBTV that he had hired a "community organizer" on Thursday to help pull together citizens who agree with his point of view.

As Fox and Beck headed for their divorce, Beck set up his own diversified business. He makes speeches, writes books (both fiction and non-fiction and a children’s book), has a daily radio show and owns the website, the Blaze, along with GBTV , which is run by a former Fox executive. He has also started an non-profit venture called “Mercury One”. Beck will sell access to GBTV for $9.95 a month, or $4.95 for those who only want to see his nightly show. GBTV promises to be much more than a TV platform on the Internet, but rather ‘the network for the tomorrow, a day early’.

Beck sold his home in Connecticut and has just leased a home in the Westlake area of Dallas, owned by baseball player Jorge Piedra and Swarovski heiress Vanessa Piedra.  He also had to give up his apartment in New York, provided by Fox News.  But he is thought to still own an apartment in Manhattan, at least the one for his daughter.  He talked about helping his daughter look for a NYC apartment on one of his last shows.  Mercury Radio Arts, his production company, will remain in New York, at least for now, meaning he could be back and forth often.  Beck has also mentioned building a studio in Dallas and ‘perhaps’ other places.  What and where all Beck is up and off to is yet a mystery… perhaps in part even to himself.

Fox launched a summertime replacement series for the Glenn Beck Show, “The Five”, after a couple weeks of the ‘Best of Beck’ re-runs, which were preempted a couple of days by the Casey Anthony trial verdict and sentencing circus, a distraction that Beck would not have focused on.  The week after Beck left Fox, the news was also filled with scandal involving the Murdoch Empire and a phone hacking scandal in Britain while here at home Fox took on Media Matters, financed by Beck’s old nemeses George Soros.  “The Five” will include a rotating crew of Fox personalities like Andrew Napolitano, Andrea Tanteros, Geraldo Rivera, Juan Williams, Monica Crowley, Greg Gutfeld, Eric Bolling, Dana Perino and Kimberly Guilfoyle debating issues of the day. (I’ve watched the first few shows and they aren’t bad, but they aren’t Beck!) As his fans say, it will take 5 people to replace Beck and his show and it still certainly won’t be the same! Whether Fox realizes or admits it yet or not, they will grow to miss him and his ratings!

Beck said more than once in the last weeks and months of his show that he needed to get involved… hands on involved and he has!!

‘Your God Is My God’: Beck Delivers Speech Before Jewish Politicians, Knesset (Updated With Pictures and Video) on the same day that the U.N. to Discuss Seizing Jerusalem From Israel on July 11th (or 26th) and self-avowed Marxist Van Jones makes more idiotic comments about Glenn

Video:  Glenn Beck Visits Knesset

Beck Continues to Tour Israel… and Challenges Israelis to “Square Your Shoulders’ and since he’s been there, it seems that: Ships and Planes of Fools (anti-Israel extremists) Pick Wrong Target… and Fail but U.S. Embassy Releases Video Taking Tough Immigration Stance… on Jews! 

God Bless You Glenn!!

by Marion Algier – posted by Ask Marion