What are You Pondering Upon This Christmas?

Luke 2:15-19 "And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."

If you take the time to conduct a sample poll amongst a group of people across the United States and you ask them what do they think of when it comes to Christmas or (to rephrase it better) what comes to mind when they think of Christmas?  You would have a variety of different answers.  Some would say the Christmas tree, lights, decorations, etc.  Others would say receiving gifts or giving gifts.  Or some may say the Christmas dinner or Christmas music.  If you were to poll young children, many would probably say Santa Claus and receiving gifts for Christmas.  Then there would be a sizable percentage that would say visiting relatives and friends.  Amongst those polled that attend church regularly, their answer would be the birth of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.

While ago I was searching for the online definition of ponder and the definition for it is: (1) to weigh in the mind with thoroughness and care.  Another definition is (2) to reflect or consider with thoughtfulness and care.  It's a very serious thing what we allow our minds to ponder upon.  The Bible says that what a man thinketh in his heart so is he.  (Proverbs 23:7).  That's not the exact quote but close to it.  Philippians 3:8 instructs us to think on things that are pure and of good report.  It's very important what we think because how we think will affect our moods, attitude, and our actions.  If our thinking isn't right, pure, nor proper, then our actions aren't going to be as they should.  When it comes to the House of God and the things of God, many times those who claim to be Christians don't allow their thinking concerning the things of God be like it should be.  The same thing happens with Christmas.  Many people will think about receiving gifts, giving gifts, watching NBA basketball, etc. but when it comes to the true purpose and meaning of Christmas, their heart is far from that.  Our society has commercialized Christmas to the point that we devote more time to deciding what types of gifts to purchase for our relatives and friends than taking time to reflect upon the meaning of our Lord and Saviour being born into this world.  Many times we purchase gifts for people we don't like and many times they won't like the gifts you give them anyway.  That's tragic!  I have no problem with gift-giving for Christmas.  However, we've become so bombarded with materialism and all the commercialization that goes along with Christmas that we forget about what's important. 

What do you think about during the Christmas season?  Is it about Santa Claus?  Is it about christmas trees, decorations, Christmas dinners and Christmas parties at the office?  Is it about receiving gifts?  There's nothing wrong with most of these things in themselves, but do we ever take the time to ponder the fact that God sent Jesus to this earth so that mankind can be redeemed from his sins?  Do we ever ponder the significance and meaning behind the Christmas story we read about in our Bibles every Christmas?  When you read about the Three Wise Men that presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Lord, they fell down and worshipped Him.  Do we ever think about preparing our hearts to worship and adore him, as the song "O Come All Ye Faithful" goes?  There are many churches that will be partaking communion either on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.  Christmas should be a time where we remember and reflect upon the sacrifice that Jesus made on Calvary's cross for the sins of mankind.  We have so much to be thankful for.  This is a time that the family should get together and think about the Lord and what he did for us.  Because of his birth, death, burial, and resurrection, we can celebrate Christmas with joy knowing what he's done for us and the provision he made for us on Calvary.  That's something we should never forget.

In closing, I'm going to feature the Charlie Brown Christmas YouTube segment where Linus explains to the whole peanuts gang what the true meaning of Christmas is all about.  Just listen and pay attention to the meaning behind it.

Linus Explains the True Meaning of Christmas

Christmas a Day of Terror for Christians in Iraq

Christmas a Day of Terror for Christians in Iraq



We in America are very blessed.  We are blessed that we can openly celebrate Christmas out in public without fear of persecution.  That's not the case with this group of Christians in Iraq.  Many Christians in Iraq will be forced to celebrate the birth of Christ in private, if at all.  According to an Iraqi Christian pastor, many Christians will be afraid to set up a Christmas tree or other decorations in public.  When you consider the fact that Iraq is a Muslim country, Christianity is an offense to Muslims in that country.  Public displays of faith can bring on more terrorist threats and violence in a Muslim country.  Christian churches are on edge in Iraq.  According to Open Doors, a human rights group, Iraq ranks no. 4 on Open Doors' list of nations considered the worst persecutors of Christians in the world.  North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan rank in the top three.

We have so much to be thankful for here in America.  There could be a day the tables could turn and Christians in America can't openly demonstrate their faith in public like we always have.  We could one day go underground and worship God.  Let's not take our freedoms for granted.  To read the full story, click on the above link from FoxNews.com.

Obama, Top Democrats Pushing for Immigration Reform

Obama, Top Democrats Pushing for Immigration Reform



This push for immigration reform is all about granting amnesty to illegals and don't allow anyone to fool you.  I believe when it's all said and done the House of Representatives, with House Speaker John Boehner leading the way, will cooperate with President Obama to help ensure the amnesty bill is passed.  They'll find a way to do it.  Boehner is more than willing to help aid and abet Obama's agenda.  I agree with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that Boehner will conference with the Senate next year on this bill.  Boehner is a fraud and a phony and he'll do the Democrats' bidding.  I don't trust him.  They'll find some way to make sure this bill is passed.  I know that's not very encouraging, but the place to look for encouragement isn't in a Republican-controlled House nor any branch of the federal government.  They're nothing but traitors as far as I'm concerned.  To read the full story, click on the above link from FoxNews.com.

Christmas Music From the Collingsworth Family

Feels Like Christmas



Who is He in Yonder Stall



Silent Night/What Child is This?



Winter Wonderland



O Holy Night



The Collingsworth family are a very musically talented family.  Kim Collingsworth, the matriarch of the family, is a very skilled piano player.  I'll feature more of their music in later posts.  I hope you enjoy their Christmas music.

In Memory of Edith Bennett

The late Miss Edith Bennett.  She died on April 12, 2013. 

Ms. Edith Bennett and Miss Joanna (Cliffordean Potter) at WOMI in 1968.

Edith Bennett Passes Away--WOMI

Edith L. Bennett--Beech Tree News

Edith Bennett Dies--Jakes DTV Blog

Edith L. Bennett--Bowling Green Daily News

Whenever I think of the Christmas season one person that comes to mind is none other than Edith L. Bennett.  Anyone that has ever listened to her Sunday morning programs or Christmas Eve/Day programs knows that Ms. Edith Bennett made much of the Christmas season.  From the Sunday after Thanksgiving until the last Sunday in December she would be airing all kinds of Christmas music, programs, and sound bites to commemorate this joyous season.  Christmas time was a very special time for her.  To tell you honestly, she would always pay special tributes to various holidays and special events throughout the years on her programs on 1940 WOMI AM in Owensboro.  However, she always loved celebrating Christmas and the true meaning behind it which was the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Ms. Edith Lillian Bennett passed this year on Friday April 12, 2013 at Third Baptist Church in Owensboro, which was her home church.  Ms. Bennett was born in Livermore, Kentucky on June 21, 1931 to Isa and Dorsey Bennett.  She had a half-brother named Wendell Rone, who was a Baptist pastor and was the first pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Owensboro in 1959.  Ms. Bennett graduated from Livermore High School in 1949 as the valedictorian of her class.  She also graduated from Owensboro Junior College of Business, Moody Bible Institute, and Mid Continent University.  She was an avid history buff and wrote several books on history of her hometown in Livermore as well as other books of history.  In 1990 she compiled the booked entitled, Owensboro's Soundest Citizen--WOMI Radio, which was a collection of essays, newspaper articles and remembrances of WOMI radio and events of the past.

Ms. Bennett began her career at WOMI on November 28, 1950 and remained there until her death this year.  She had the privilege to work as a secretary for the WOMI station founders Hugh O. and Cliffordean Potter until the Potters retired from the station in 1972.   Ms. Bennett has broadcasted Radio Church Chapel and Down Memory Lane for a number of years.  For years she also hosted the Christmas program on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on WOMI for probably almost as long as she's been working at WOMI.  On her Christmas programs she would feature a variety of Christmas music ranging from solo, group singing, choirs, and symphony pops orchestra music.  She would also air Handel's Messiah as well on Christmas Day.  She and Carl Davis would host the program together.  I always looked forward to listening to her Christmas program every year.  Ms. Bennett was a member of the Owensboro Choral Society and sang the "Messiah" for 54 out of 55 years.  She only missed one production and that was due to illness.

In addition to her celebrating Christmas on WOMI, she also paid tribute to other holidays and special events such as Black History Month in February, Easter in April, Memorial Day in May, Flag Day in June, Independence Day in July, Labor Day in September, Communion Sunday in October, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day in November, and probably some others that I've missed.  She loved American history and  would educate the radio audience about the uniqueness of American history.  She also paid tribute to American Constitution Week in late September.  Every five years she would pay tribute to WOMI's anniversary recapping past events that made WOMI history.  I recall listening to her sound bites from WOMI's 65th and 70th anniversaries.  She loved the station and loved the people who worked there.  She would also speak fondly of the Potters and kept in contact with them until their deaths in 1986 and 1994.

She was also involved in numerous community activities as well such as the Sons and the Daughers of the American Revolution, her own church where she was secretary for 33 years, Past President of the West Central Kentucky Family Research Association, clerk for Daviess/McLean Baptist Association for 13 years, many historical societies some of them which included genealogical research into her family history, which included the Battle of Sacramento, and the list continues.  She co-authored a number of books with different authors such as Hugh O. Potter on Abraham Lincoln.

Around 1960 or somewhere along that line, she took a trip to Ontario, Canada and through that trip she learned that Josiah Henson was the "Uncle Tom" that Harriet Beecher Stowe was mentioning in her book entitled, "Uncle Tom's Cabin."  A few decades later a production was done in Owensboro entitled, "Josiah" and we can thank Edith Bennett for the information she compiled while on her trip in Ontario.

Ms. Bennett would always play great gospel music from a variety of gospel artists, choirs, soloists, and group singings on her Sunday morning program, Radio Church Chapel.  I loved to listen to the gospel music she would play.  She would also pay tribute to any gospel artist that passed away.  For example, in 2008 she played some music from the late Dottie Rambo and the Rambos following Dottie's passing on May 11, 2008.  It was through listening to Ms. Bennett's Sunday program that got me interested in wanting to write about Dottie Rambo's legacy in music a few years ago.  Back in 2007 she played a song from Dottie Rambo entitled, "I Will Glory in the Cross" and it was through that song that I looked it up on YouTube.  Before you knew it I was listening to other songs from Dottie and the Rambos and that stimulated my interest in desiring to write about Dottie on this blog.  I always anticipated listening to Radio Church Chapel every Sunday morning.  I would set my alarm so I could listen to her program.  She was an inspiration to me.

I could say many other things about this gifted and happy lady, but it was always a blessing to listen to her many Sunday mornings on radio.  I've started to listen to her intently starting in 2005.  I've never met the woman in my life, but in a way you felt like you knew her by listening to her.  She had several interests that I had so I guess that made a difference.  Even though she was never married she seemed like she was a very happy lady.  She was a studious woman  and always was busy with numerous activities enjoying life.  I thought this Christmas would be a great opportunity to pay tribute to her.  I'll miss listening to her on radio. 

President Obama's Honesty Ratings Tumble

President Obama's Ratings Tumble



Polls have recently shown that President Obama's honesty ratings have been falling precipitously and it's due to the statements he made back four years ago when he told voters that if they liked the healthcare plan they have, they can keep it.  Well, as it's turning out, many Americans in states such as Florida and California and others are losing their health care coverage due to the requirements that Obamacare is mandating.  As a result, many Americans who have lost their health care coverage in recent months aren't going to be happy with the president, especially something which will hurt their pocketbooks as deeply as the costs of Obamacare.  Many Americans may be forgiving toward the president on some things he does, but when it comes to lying to Americans about keeping their health care coverage, they're going to be very unhappy with the president's lies.  The president is crossing a step which could hurt him for the rest of his presidency.  If more Americans continue losing their health coverage due to the high costs of Obamacare and the economy continues souring, there are going to be some angry Americans that he's never seen before.  His lying to the public a few years ago that they could keep their health coverage if they like it isn't something he's going to easily escape if the economy continues deteriorating.  To read the full story, click on the above link from FoxNews.com.

Obama Took More Vacation on Average Than Private-Sector Workers 20 Yrs on Job | CNS News

Obama Took More Vacation on Average Than Private Sector Workers 20 Years on Job

    

Good job, Mr. President.  Keep up the good work.  Go ahead and show the American people you can take as many days of vacation as you like.  You're the president.  You can do whatever you desire.  Why don't you take as much as 50-60 days of vacation in 2014.  You then can increase it to 70 in 2015 and 85 in 2016.  You don't have to stop with an average of 21.5 days a year.  Just go out and have fun and party!  You have the right to enjoy yourself.  We only live once so enjoy it while you can.  Go for it!

I always like to inject a little sense of humor in things every once in a while.  Click on the above link from CNSNews.com to read the story.

The Little Drummer Boy

The Little Drummer Boy



History of the Little Drummer Boy

I have posted both the song and the link of the Little Drummer Boy posted here.  It was believed to be Katherine Kennicott Davis form St. Joseph, Missouri who was credited for this song.  Read the article about this interesting Christmas carol.

The Gaither Homecoming Christmas

Christmas Melody by the Homecoming Friends



Christmas in the Country



Beautiful Star of Bethlehem



Silent Night Holy Night



Bill Gaither & Mark Lowry Christmas Comedy



O Holy Night

Christmas Music From the Inspirations

O Holy Night



Good News



Going Home for Christmas



The Christmas Story



These Christmas songs were recorded by the Inspirations in 1985.