Gail and his Knights

First let me state by no means to I think I am better than anyone else here this is just my perspective.
Keeping that in mind here goes.

My wife and I do not teach our children that santa is real, however if you know us at all and have seen any of our holiday pics that lisa has taken and other vids you know we take the boys to see santa.

I see this as no different then letting them see Scooby doo or dora at Kings Island. They are not real, they know it as much as a 2 ½ year old can understand..

Growing up my parents never taught me Santa was real, that he gets you presents if you are good etc etc.
Mind you I do not feel deprived of anything at all. I was able to go sit on santa’s lap and tell him what I wanted for Christmas like any other child.
We have been teaching Nolan for a while now that God makes trees, flowers, the sun and the moon etc. Only lately when we ask him who made this or that he says SANTA!!!. We gently laugh and say no silly God made it. We’ve never told him santa made anything, somehow somewhere he picked that up. Now when you ask him sometimes he will say Santa and just laugh and say no santa’s pretend, he’s not real, God is real. Now we don’t snarl or yell at Nolan if he does these things we enjoy it, nor do we “preach” at him about it. he’s only 2 ½.
We don’t teach the boys that santa gives them presents because what possible good is there in doing so? For one you may have to explain to them (possibly crying kid) one day santa is not real. My mom didn’t find this out till she was 10 or so something like that. To me promoting that santa gives our children gifts takes away from the ultimate reason for the season. My personal conviction is that teaching our children that Santa is real and brings them presents is the ultimate insult to God. Here’s why God graciously provides me a job that, provides me money to provide a home, food and yes to buy gifts for the kids.
For me nothing is added by telling our kids santa is real, but plenty is taken away from God by telling them santa provided the gifts. If you really want to go deeper the whole idea of santa is that if you are good you get presents, when in reality God provides Christians and even the unsaved with great gifts regardless how wicked or evil we can be.
I am so thankful I am not rewarded based on how good I am or should I say AM NOT!
For me to say that even the smallest gift comes from santa would take the ultimate glory from God. We are blessed because of God’s wonderful grace not due to anything of man.

Isaiah 43:7
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory,
I have formed him; yea, I have made him

I am a sinner saved by God’s Grace, everything I have is because of him, not me. Sometimes God does not get all the glory like he should. I hope not to promote something that takes away HIS glory even more.

Nolan's First time visiting Santa He still is scared of him,
Nathaniel had no problems with santa on his first visit this year.
pay close attention to the part where nolan stops for a moment looks at santa then starts up again. Too Funny!

Where did the X in Xmas start...
Christmas each year there are always those who loudly decry the use of the abbreviation "Xmas" as some kind of blasphemy against Christ and Christianity. This concern has been elevated recently with the public debates about manger scenes and the substitution of "holiday" for Christmas in stores and government venues. Among religious folks, the objection to Xmas is usually along the line that people have taken Christ out of Christmas and replaced him with an unknown (since the Greek letter chi, [C,c] which looks like the English letter x, is the symbol for an unknown quantity in mathematics).

The exact origin of the single letter X for Christ cannot be pinpointed with certainty. Some claim that it began in the first century AD along with the other symbols, but evidence is lacking. Others think that it came into widespread use by the thirteenth century along with many other abbreviations and symbols for Christianity and various Christian ideas that were popular in the Middle Ages. However, again, the evidence is sparse.

In any case, by the fifteenth century Xmas emerged as a widely used symbol for Christmas. In 1436 Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with moveable type. In the early days of printing typesetting was done by hand and was very tedious and expensive. As a result, abbreviations were common. In religious publications, the church began to use the abbreviation C for the word "Christ" to cut down on the cost of the books and pamphlets. From there, the abbreviation moved into general use in newspapers and other publications, and "Xmas" became an accepted way of printing "Christmas" (along with the abbreviations Xian and Xianity). Even Webster’s dictionary acknowledges that the abbreviation Xmas was in common use by the middle of the sixteenth century.

So there is no grand scheme to dilute Christianity by promoting the use of Xmas instead of Christmas. It is not a modern invention to try to convert Christmas into a secular day, nor is it a device to promote the commercialism of the holiday season. Its origin is thoroughly rooted in the heritage of the Church. It is simply another way to say Christmas, drawing on a long history of symbolic abbreviations used in the church. In fact, as with other abbreviations used in common speech or writing (such as Mr. or etc.), the abbreviation "Xmas" should be pronounced "Christmas" just as if the word were written out in full, rather than saying "exmas." Understanding this use of Christian symbolism might help us modern day Xians focus on more important issues of the Faith during Advent, and bring a little more Peace to the Xmas Season.

From Gail and His Knights Merry XMAS!

Read More
http://www.cresourcei.org/symbols/xmasorigin.html

I just finished the book Raising a Modern Day Knight. (I got it for $5 including shipping) It’s a book for fathers about raising sons. It was good I’d give it a B overall. I like Reb Bradley’s book better.
Anyway the premise of the book is how fathers can truly teach their sons to be men. The main idea is a Man needs to reject passivity, accept responsibility, lead courageously, and expect the greater reward (Joy).

I am blessed to say my dad like almost all of my friend’s dads did these things..

The author of this book Robert Lewis did not have that blessing. After reading this book it helped remind me how GREAT a blessing having a Godly father truly is for a son.
To put it in perspective let me paraphrase some of the stories about the author’s dad:

1. Robert had numerous division 1 football scholarship offers from big time schools he ended up going to Arkansas. His dad did not help him whatsoever in the process of choosing what school to attend. The only thing his dad told him was “it’s your decision”.
2. The guys dad missed his own sons wedding, he had a good reason he was too drunk at home!
3. One Night long after all the kids had moved out, Robert’s dad was drunk and wanted to go out for more drinks his mom tried to stop him from leaving to go drinking, he pushed his wife away as he was walking out the door. Unaware he had made her hit her head on the coffee table and broke her neck! Dad stayed out drinking all night went straight to work the next day and got the news, he had a heart attack on the spot. While in the hospital his son came to visit, dad was so out of it he thought his son was the DR and started telling him how many mistakes he made in his life, and how proud he was of his son that was a pastor and how he loved him. This was the first time Robert had EVER heard these things from his dad! After his dad realized who was standing in front of him Robert witnessed to his dad for over an hour, by the grace of God his dad was saved.
4. The night of the accident Robert was at the church He pastored. There meeting was about prayer, the question was asked what is the one thing you want to trust God to do that you think is absolutely impossible?
   

you already know what Robert prayed for…

My point of all of this is no matter what trials and tribulations you may be going through God is in control. It’s hard to accept some times.

1 Samuel 2:

⁹ He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. ¹⁰ The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

If we are able to participate in raising Godly children it will bring great joy to us. So far I can totally attest to this. Even though Nolan and Nathaniel are so young. I pray that 20 years from now this will still hold true…

Proverbs 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

by Pastor Dan Ferrell www.msbc.com

There are thousands of people in Europe who have been ignored and suppressed, that could passionately warn naïve Americans about the insidious dangers of Socialism. Two German ladies came to Morning Star Baptist Church and shared with me the dire situation of this upcoming election. The one lady was eleven years old when Adolph Hitler came to power, and she said in sober tones, “you Americans are about to make a grave mistake” she continued “Socialism is very close to Fascism and it will Destroy America!”

Allow me to share ten reasons why I am NOT a Socialist.

1. Socialism disguises itself to level the economical playing field, but in reality, the middle and lower income brackets are penalized when the wealthy are overtaxed.

2. Socialism has proven historically that Communism is the goal. Because Socialism cannot achieve its tenets unless there exists an increase of totalitarian control from the Government.

3. Socialism preys on the sympathies of the wealthy convincing them that Egalitarianism is humanitarian and your civic duty. In actuality, voluntary charity through churches and non-profit agencies is a better way. Americans stopped giving after FDR’s New Deal was implemented in 1933. Legislating donations destroys the spirit of giving.

4. Socialism encourages class envy. The middle and lower income classes ought to be thankful for the wealthy because they spend their money, create jobs, and they help stabilize the economy. Envy and jealous suspicion are counterproductive.

5. Socialism destroys incentive and ambition. see the rest of the story here

The next President will either make or break the heart of America. President Bush has had
tremendous pressure on him as a wartime president. His tenure has been on high alert and has
lasted longer than Abraham Lincoln’s presidency. So who will be the next Commander and
Chief? Who will do the voting? Will illegal aliens with valid driver’s licenses help to decide the
outcome? Will liberal population clusters, where those who are out of step with main stream
America ( I might add, out of step with American Heritage) bend the nation to their will? Praise the
Lord that our nation’s forefathers foresaw the need for an Electoral College!
“This was not a Republican democracy. It was a democratic Republic. The Founders feared
democracy as a dangerous form of government. The Electoral College was one firewall they
installed to prevent it. (Which is why it perennially comes under attack by liberals.)?”
Sherwin Dillard
I am a Christian who votes his conscience not his wallet. I am guided by my principles and my
principles are forged in the Bible, not by the mores of society. It is not about Republican versus
Democrat, rather Constitutional Republic versus Socialism.
Who should I vote for? We must remember that in the Sovereign Providence of God, He sets up
one king and He puts down another. I have a privileged responsibility to vote. God may have
other plans for America, therefore I pray that He does not give America what she deserves!!
“The lot is cast in the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.”
Proverbs 16:33
There is a sense in which I believe that we need to have a house cleaning of the Senate and the
Congress on the Federal and State level. The Declaration of Independence states:
“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of
the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying the foundation on
such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to
effect their Safety and Happiness.”
Rome was an Empire until President Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon declaring himself the
Emperor. Our Central Government has been trashing State Rights since the War Between the
States, and we are still in a Civil War!
We need a godly revolt. Thomas Jefferson said, “The tree of liberty must be nourished, from time
to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Jefferson also said, “The spirit of resistance to
government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often
be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now
and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere.”
Praise God for the “Bloodless transfer of power” every four years. Nevertheless, the dumbing
down of the American people and the stealing of true historical America from lazy minds,
creates a democratic mob rule that will eventually destroy this great Republic. As Winston
Churchill said: Democracy is the worse form of Government, but it is better than all the others.”
So what are we to do? "The people cannot be all, and always, well-informed. The part which is
wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they
remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public
liberty."
-- Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787.
If voting for the right man this November throws away my vote, then so be it! I am weary of
the moderate placating of Republicans, who are more concerned about the liberal media and the
delusional liberals, than they are with keeping their campaign promises and conservative values.
The Democrats do not scare me anymore. If Hillary and Obama become the dynamic Duo and
win the presidency, then maybe there will be a revival of courage among true Americans? Maybe
or maybe not?
The Person that I must vote is……………………………
1. One who is committed to Pro-Life and to overturning Roe-vs-Wade
2. One who is committed to the Sanctity of marriage and is against the ridiculous Gay
Agenda.
3. One who protects the Second Amendment and stiffens punishment towards gun
offenders.
4. One who will support capital punishment against Rapists, Pedophiles, and the like,
after a judicious trial procedure.
5. A man who will take tough measures to extradite illegal aliens and increase border
control, and tell the truth about Islamic followers and Jihadists.
6. A man that will support the fair tax laws, and seek a time line to eradicate the IRS.
7. A man that will eventually get us out of the United Nations, which has created more
Wars than solved them.
8. A man that will take strong measures to rid us from dependency of OPEC oil.
9. A president that has the moral courage to stop abetting our enemies and declare our
allegiance to our friends. - .ie - Israel.
10. And the man that I will be 100% behind in my prayers and support, is the man who
invokes the blessings of God, by leading with godly example and public policy, and that
does not penalize Churches, Religious schools, and traditional families.
Where is such a candidate? Such a champion espousing my views would not be tolerated by
either party.
By now my critics and friends can conclude who I am not voting for. Oh that
George Washington, John Adams, or even a Ronald Reagan could resurrect from
their smoldering graves.
We need a president that will send Terrorists a strong message by severely dealing with twits as
Osama Bin Laden, because he attacked us! But after this, we must repudiate a Global Cultic
mentality!!
John Quincy Adams, author of the Monroe Doctrine and sixth president of the “united” States
quite agreed. "America... does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is wellwisher
to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her
own."
Dear Patriot, our Freedoms are about gone. However, I believe that God-fearing patriots have
yet to begin to fight. I will vote this November, but I will pray and brace myself, because the
Sun is setting fast on Franklin’s new Republic. It was great while it lasted, and I will continue to
preach, pray, protest and promote the greatest Kingdom on Earth -
GODS!!!
{There are no term limits on HIM!}
Dr. Daniel M. Ferrell
Strictly my personal thoughts