Columns

When I think of Christmas, I think about my loved ones coming together and bonding. The Christmas dinners were always held at my great-grandmother’s house until she passed away. Now, my siblings come home and we all spend quality time together. We laugh, eat, and then open gifts.

I’m right on track for Christmas. Sunday a week ago I made it to “Hanging of the Green” at First Baptist in Allen. A great and Christmassy program with lots of Christmas music. A good way to open the season.

The older I get the more I enjoy reminiscing. During December, I thought it would be fun to look at Christmas-Past. Let’s start with the early 1900s. 1900 At the turn of the century, one in five American families enjoyed a Christmas tree in their homes.

Thanksgiving greetings! As I mentioned last week, we as a church would sometimes draw names from our 18 families and single households to determine who would be gathering at which home in an attempt to have everyone involved.  (Scroll to the bottom for Amish Thanksgiving Salad!

Thanksgiving has become the stepchild of second half of the year holidays. We so easily slide from Fourth of July into Halloween, then take a brief respite to be thankful at Thanksgiving before stepping into Christmas and New Year’s. Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, Wal-Mart, Hallmark, etc.

    —CC— This past week-end I was at the office and decided to get my phonograph out and play a few old records. I really enjoyed listening to several albums that I have not heard in many years. Believe it or not “old timers” are not the only ones listening to records. Madeline Fry reports . .

I’ve always enjoyed celebrating Veterans Day in Allen. People really do appreciate the men and women who have served in the armed forces to protect our country from aggression and to keep our freedoms. I especially appreciated the program up at Allen Schools remembering and honoring their veterans.

The “inner circle” of advisors and helpers Donald Trump has are urging him to let them do the day to day battling concerning his impeachment fights with Congress. In other words. They want him to try and keep quiet and let them handle the details. But I doubt if the President will have any of that.

America has failed to put God first. In so doing we forgot that ‘God is love” and that he commanded us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. We are to love God because He loves us, and because He formed each one of us in our mother’s womb and gave us life.

By John Bill Martin Staff Writer The season for Trick or Treating is upon us and whether you are the giver or the getter, it is sometimes a stressful time for all. But for those of us of a certain age, there is a good time to give up the getting part of it.