News and Updates

Thanksgiving and Christmas

Gratitude for humble, selfless generosity

Thanksgiving and Christmas remain a treasured commemorations. Yes, there's pervasive commercialism, too many football games, and an indulgently zealous temptation to consume unhealthy calories. At its core though, Thanksgiving still commemorates gratitude and thankfulness for undeserved generosity (including food and shelter, friends and family, peace and health). Christmas, sans the flashing lights, and loud music memorializes the epitome of unconditional generosity (forgiveness). This sharing, a healing, is mysteriously mesmerizing.

The US Thanksgiving often occurs coincidental with the last Sunday of the Church year. It is a culmination of royal blessings. Advent and Christmas mark a new beginning. Although these commemorations are wrapped in human flaws, they encompass an infinite ending and beginning of gratitude and grace.

A mesmerized Bennett at a Christmas Eve candlelight service.

Stories about Generosity

Augustana Lutheran Church will soon be celebrating 150 years. Members were asked to share stories of generosity. One story follows, but there are many more at this link.

Gratitude is not indigenous

Is there an individual who is most closely associated with the spirit of gratitude and the founding of Thanksgiving? Might it be Sarah Josepha Hale, Abraham Lincoln, Tisquantum, George Washington, or someone else? Maybe these individuals come to mind because they strived to reflect gratitude while living in times of great struggle and grievous atrocities. If the struggles and atrocities weren't bad enough, they were amplified by intentionally ignoring, and sugar-coating many of the horrid truths.

While individuals with an overarching spirit of gratitude are also mysterious, it is understood that being thankful does not come naturally. It is not an indigenous character trait. The spirit of gratitude is beyond what is of strictly human origin regardless the gender, race, culture, tribe or nation.

'Don't be weighed down with the worries of this life.'

There's a pandemic of worry that may have more negative consequences for this world than any virus accidentally released by scientists. Included below are a couple well known SNL holiday clips that celebrate worry and fear mongering, with a wry smile.

I guess it is just you and me Mr. Turkey

Santa's seasonal affective disorder

Harmony, You're Fired!

Updates last month included the AI encounter with 'Harmony', the Sirius/XM (SXM) agent assigned to assist in cancellations of satellite radio accounts. While acknowledging the intention to cancel the radio subscription, Harmony was so vexed on learning the reason for canceling that he/she/it, neglected to actually cancel the subscription. This month, a SXM agent going by the name of 'Dee', a real human being (according to Dee's own confession) was queried on why we were billed for the upcoming year when Harmony supposedly cancelled the radio on October 9th @2:05p (per the recorded chat dialog). After checking with her manager Dee canceled our radio subscription, but indicated we'd have to pay for the 45 days of service we "enjoyed" after October 9th. Since the recorded chat dialog indicated it would be "monitored" for quality and accuracy, it was suggested to Dee that either Harmony or the 'monitor' at SXM should pony up those monies. Dee's manager again acquiesced. Maybe SXM isn't quite ready for AI. There was gratitude for Dee's service and patience. Can AI have gratitude?

Watch Online at NLCA.com
Saturday, Dec. 14 at 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Christmas Healing

The themes of the National Lutheran Choir revolve around "healing". In this Advent Season the shared worship service is the "Healing of the Nations". The intervention that is Christmas, is a wonderful healing. Watch and listen to this service online at www.NLCA.com (Saturday, Dec. 14 at 1:30 p.m. Central Time and thereafter)