A Thought...

I normally don't mention political ideas on my blog, but I have been engaged in a non-holiday conversation with some friends about gun control. I am clearly a pacifist and a non-gun guy. I spent the other day reading some extreme pro-gun bloggers and extremists as well as actually having conversations with some moderates.

Interesting ideas. But none could change my POV. Some argued about the religious ideas of having more freedoms... To them I asked, so do you support abortion? Which they said was completely different. Hum. It sounds like a freedom to me. So what's the difference?

So during this study I stumbled upon some gun death statistics (really cheery, huh?). Here are some facts I discovers:

US Deaths by Firearms- 9,146
UK Deaths by Firearms- 39

Oh, I know. These statistics must be faulty because the UK is one-fifth the size of the U.S.

OK, let's inflate those numbers and show the truth...

US Deaths by Firearms 9,146
UK Deaths by Firearms- 195

Hum. The numbers are still super low in the UK. I wonder why...

Perhaps one factor may be the strict gun laws.

Maybe it is the tea or the Queen, but whatever it is, we need to consider a change.

America is too bloody bloody.

Just my two cents. Feel free to disagree with me... but you're wrong.

More Angels...

Today I am continuing my Christmas Carols with "Angels We Have Heard on High". I like this one, but I think it is a little absurd when you get the chorus. Nevertheless, it is a a good one to sing.

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

CHORUS:

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song? 

Come to Bethlehem and see

Him Whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee,

Christ the Lord, the newborn King. 

See Him in a manger laid

Jesus Lord of heaven and earth;

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,

With us sing our Savior's birth. 

Angels...

This year I am ALL about Christmas and Advent. Greg Burtnett posted an advent book on his Facebook page which gave me the idea to do my own advent celebration with Christmas Hymns and Songs. So everyday this month I will read my advent book and sing a Christmas song and consider its meaning. 

Today I kick it off a day early from advent in the A's with "Angels from the Realms of Glory":

"Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:

Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant light:

Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Sages, leave your contemplations
Brighter visions beam afar,
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen his natal star:

Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Though an infant now we view him,
He shall fill his Father's throne,
Gather all the nations to him,
Every knee shall then bow down:

Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

All creation, join in praising
God the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising,
To eternal Three in One:

Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King!"


I really like the simple ideas contained in this one and how the Christmas Story is told in each verse. The central focus is to worship through this song--I can dig that. My favorite line is "Sages leave your contemplations/ Brighter visions beam afar." I think this is a good check for us all to remember to keep our focus in our lives and not be distracted by the minutia that so often consumes our lives. I hope to have this song on my lips and in my heart today. 

If you run into me, we can sing it together. :-) More tomorrow...