Jonathots Daily Blog
(3535)
1. Stop calling it stress. It’s just life.
2. Charge yourself 3 dollars an hour for watching TV, movies and Internet programming. Then take one-half of that money and give it to charity, and the other half put in your retirement fund.
3. Take a nap. It’s better than exercise.
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3528)
1. In the end, Mr. Potter remains a mean-spirited thief and liar
2. Uncle Billy is as dumb as a rock and has no business being in business
3. Mary Bailey has learned how to be successful in a world filled with arrogant, demanding, whiny men
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3174)
Every January 1st, a preacher friend sends me an email with his prophecies for the new year.
His predictions are always pretty general–and also grim. I guess he thinks it’s a safe bet in a world of tribulation, to foretell disaster.
It’s just too easy to be upset.
It’s way too predictable to continue to complain about the circumstances.
Yesterday morning when I arrived at Carteret United Methodist Church, I was looking for people who were fed up with being depressed.
I think Pastor Frank was pretty surprised at the turnout. After all, it was New Year’s Day and a tremendous opportunity for folks to use it as an excuse not to come to church.
But they didn’t.
We gathered, we sang, we mused, we laughed, we cried, we fellowshipped and we left–believing that certain things must be honored, or honor will leave our world.
1. Love your neighbor is not optional.
Although we spend much time in diplomacy and negotiations with countries which are determined to hurt one another, the truth of the matter is, our greatest possibility lies in the souls who still insist on loving and believing in each other.
2. Be of good cheer.
Nothing is ever accomplished from a defeated position of gloom. If knowing the facts upset you, then choose the bliss of ignorance–because in the long run, it is not intelligence or education that saves us, but rather, the wisdom we garner from the data that gives us the power to believe.
I so enjoyed the congregation in Beaufort, South Carolina–and may I tell them:
The good news is that there’s a song of praise that needs to be written every day.
And the better news is that I, for one, want to meet my Creator with that song in my heart.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
An advent calendar of stories, designed to enchant readers of all ages
“Quite literally the best Christmas stories I have ever read.” — Arthur Holland, Shelby, North Carolina
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3166)
A. The day after the Titanic launch
B. The day after my first treatment of “Twelve Day Colon Rinse”
C. The day after the end of the world
D. The day after my wife told me to buy a lottery ticket on the way home from work with a specific number she wanted and I forgot and it ended up winning $416,723,000
E. The day after my funeral
An advent calendar of stories, designed to enchant readers of all ages
“Quite literally the best Christmas stories I have ever read.” — Arthur Holland, Shelby, North Carolina
Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3167)
My Christmas morning:
It was all held in a lovely, but somewhat square-footage-impaired house in East Nashville.
Although most people consider Christmas to be a holiday season which they either enjoy or complain about trying to get through, I contend that Christmas is a microcosm of life as it should be. It’s a collision of giving and receiving, organizing and finding yourself surprised by a slip-up, and having a crunch of humanity around you which requires you to be open-minded and willing to adapt.
For instance, in the course of our morning, well over a hundred presents were opened.
Also, one of the young men decided to use it as an occasion to propose marriage to his girlfriend–an amazing precedent.
And there were moments of silliness followed by junctures of tenderness, concluding with decisions to stay energetic enough to survive the gauntlet.
The adults made themselves flexible to appreciate toys opened by Santa believers and the subtleties of certain gifts which needed to be explained because they only had significance to the recipient.
Then, in the midst of the festivities and the brunch following, we discovered that one of the guests just lost his grandma. She had passed away in her sleep.
Quiet–and amazing it was how quickly it settled on the room, even among the children. A time to feel and consider the magnitude of such a departure.
Tears.
Gentleness.
Allowing ourselves to transition from one emotion to another without trauma or drama, to return to eating and enjoying one another as life insisted on pushing forward. I heard one person declare the day a “miracle,” but actually, it’s the way our lives are meant to be lived: in abundance.
Abundant opportunities
Abundant problems
Abundant relationships
Abundant attempts
Abundant failures
Abundant successes
And abundant gratitude
The good news is that Christmas is a time for abundance.
The better news is that the baby in the manger came to give us life, and it more abundantly.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
An advent calendar of stories, designed to enchant readers of all ages
“Quite literally the best Christmas stories I have ever read.” — Arthur Holland, Shelby, North Carolina
Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3166)
I am not Santa Claus. Ho, ho, NO.
I am not Jesus. I can turn water into ice.
I am not an elf. Closer to Santa Claus there.
I am not snow. I find it impossible to melt–especially pounds.
I am not a Christmas tree. I would find it difficult to be evergreen.
I am not a manger. HAY!!
I am not Joseph. I have mistrusted women.
I am not Mary. It’s been a long time since I’ve been a virgin.
I am not a donkey, though I can act like…you got it. An ass.
I am not a star, but I’ve been a good warm-up act.
I am not a promise. I fail too often.
I am not salvation. But… where do we stand in line?
I am not the Prince of Peace. Too often I find myself in pieces.
I am not a shepherd. I can be impatient with sheep.
I am not an angel. I have a list of people who will confirm this.
I am not the King of Kings. I’m learning to be crowned with humility.
Of course, not the Lord of Lords. Though some of you may think I lord it over you.
I am not the Little Drummer Boy. Simple: not little, can’t drum, not really a boy.
I’m not Rudolph, though my nose gets red when I have high blood pressure.
I’m not tinsel, although I’m working on being the light in the world.
I am not Christmas. Just trying to be merry.
But today I looked out at a crazy world which pleaded to me with sad, distraught eyes. Help! So…
I must be Santa Claus. Time to pull on my boots.
I must be Jesus. Where is that neighbor to love?
I must be an elf. I’m practicing my “giddy.”
I must be snow. If you get my drift. (No flakes allowed.)
I must become a Christmas tree–standing tall for those who want to decorate me with great possibilities.
I will become the manger–a humble home for the Master.
I can become Joseph–believe in the people I love.
Mary? All I have left is a virgin heart.
I will be a donkey, making an ass of myself for a good cause.
Star light, star bright–I shall be the first star you see tonight.
I make this promise: no promises–just the truth.
I will become salvation in the sense that I will show you how powerful that gift can truly be.
I will be the Prince of Peacemakers, so I can be a child of God.
I will shepherd myself and as many souls as possible, to safety from the wolf.
I will become an angel by visiting those who haven’t seen angels for a long time.
Can I be a King of Kings? If by Kings, you mean helping those who need to find their personal place. Then, yes.
Lord of Lords? Certainly not. But I can show people that to be master is to serve.
Forget about the Little Drummer Boy. I’ll leave that to the marching band.
I certainly am Rudolph. I have strange things about me that I’m trying to use to get through the fog.
And like tinsel, I will find a place to hang in there and shed some light.
I am Christmas.
I am the only Christmas that some people will see.
I am Christmas, and without me, Christmas could become just another day of the week.
****
Meningsbee will return next week with the ongoing saga.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
An advent calendar of stories, designed to enchant readers of all ages
“Quite literally the best Christmas stories I have ever read.” — Arthur Holland, Shelby, North Carolina
Only $5.99 plus $1.25 shipping and handling.
Jonathots Daily Blog
(2800)
Over the Christmas celebration, one of the family members asked G-Pop if he had any predictions for the coming year.
Actually, speculation on the future is not as difficult as it might seem. After all, the entire Earth works on the “sow-reap” concept.
Unfortunately, right now our country is in a fighting mood. Everything is a political fight, a social struggle, a spiritual confusion and an emotional upheaval.
So making predictions about the future is a little gloomy. Therefore, let’s avoid it. G-Pop would rather focus on the ingredients to put together a consciousness which welcomes the idea of change while honoring powerful, proven tradition.
It really settles around three rules. Tipping out hat to the Olympics, let us refer to them as the Golden Rule, the Silver Rule and the Bronze Rule.
The Golden Rule is easy:
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Yes, until we are certain of the direction we want for our own lives, we cannot grant others the courtesy of similar liberty, but instead will stand at a distance and criticize them because they dare to pursue their dreams.
How about the Silver Rule?
To he who is given much, much is expected.
We need to take responsibility. In other words, if you have ten of something, you shouldn’t be waiting for someone who has five to give. Although we want to be successful, we fail to invest ourselves in the procedure. Step up with what you’ve got instead of insisting it’s not enough.
And then there’s the Bronze Rule.
To get mercy, you must be willing to give it.
God knows we all require some measure of mercy. But if we have no track record of being merciful to others, we will find that our bank accounts are vacant of deposits, and when we need mercy the most, we will be absent forgiveness.
So rather than being dark with predictions based upon a fussy populace, G-Pop would rather encourage us to go for the Gold, celebrate the Silver and rejoice over the Bronze.
Be a neighbor, find a friend.
Be fruitful, eat fruit.
Give mercy, get mercy.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
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A voice writing in the wilderness
Jonathots Daily Blog 