Merry Christmas! Reason's Greetings!

I got an e-mail message from my pops yesterday and he said, "Don't forget that JESUS is the reason for the season." Of course, if you were raised in my region of the world, in my section of the USA and in my town in Southeast Alabama, you would know that it is an impossibility to forget. We're fundamentalists. By design, we're not supposed to forget.

This Christmas season I want to grab hold of something that can empower us all. When you think of baby Jesus, think of this: Peace on earth, good will toward men. How profound is that? Don't look at me! I didn't come up with that line! Let us take this slogan and make it something valued throughout the year. Take our families, for instance. Do we even know our family members? Really know them? It's easy to pretend we know. It's easy to wear masks. Easy, yes, but self-destructive and, let's face it, very phony. My challenge to parents, including my own, would be this: take your kids out, one-on-one, and ask them, without judgment and condemnation, to share something authentic and real about themselves. Let's call it the "One Parent, One Child" campaign. And, in the process of listening, if you feel angry or if you get defensive, learn to relax and take it easy. Show peace and good will. That's the best Christmas gift!