Holiday thoughts

To the Editor: The Christmas season is upon us again. Everyone is scurrying about, shopping for those hard to find gifts, putting up the tree and lights, and decorating. Planning meals and family get tog ethers. It can be overwhelming, not to mention, costly. Christmas has become so commercialized! Has the world forgotten the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It should not be about emptying our bank accounts to buy extravagant gifts to please others. God gave us the “gift” of his only begotten son, Jesus. The wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus when he was born in Bethlehem. The gifts were for Jesus, not for one another. Christmas should be about giving Jesus our gifts. The gift of our worship and praise to him, as the wise men who came to worship him on the day of his birth. This is the season to gather together in God’s house, to offer thanksgiving, and to sing songs of praise to our Lord and King. To celebrate the birth of the one who would later suffer and die on a cross to save our souls. There are so many people out there who are less fortunate than we. Families who are struggling to make ends meet, unable to afford presents for their children this Christmas. I believe Jesus would smile down on us if we were to give gifts to those who are in need, and there are many ways in which we can do that. Take a toy to the fire station or to The Salvation Army, or choose an angel from the tree. Child Protective Services has a “Tree Of Wishes” at Community National Bank and Trust. Those gifts given, will make a child’s Christmas merry, and put a smile on their faces. We can volunteer some of our time to serve meals to the homeless on Christmas, or take food to a friend or neighbor in our community. The opportunities are endless. My prayer is that our hearts will be in the right place. That we will give of ourselves to others, whose needs are greater than our own. That we will keep “Christ” in Christmas.

“Happy Birthday Jesus”

Debbie Raines



The Big Picture

To the Editor: So after the housing debacle and cash for clunkers, it appears we are going to have health care insurance with the government option, whether we want it or not! Think people, what the government has done to Medicare, the post office and the monsters IRS and EPA. Oh yes, the Carter administration established the Energy Department during his term (1977). I believe it was to “lessen our dependence on foreign oil.” Well, now that agency has almost 16,000 federal employees and I don’t know how many contractors. They also have an annual budget of $24 billion a year. What have they done to lessen our dependence on foreign oil? Nothing

Your Medicare is going up to help pay for all this and seniors will not get a COLA this year and probably not in the next several years.

J.E. Thomas



Long live free speech

To the Editor: It’s Sunday and I’m watching one of the news programs on TV.

They are talking about the couple that “crashed” Obama’s party at the White House, also Tiger Woods’ tale. Now they are discussing the health care plan and Afghanistan. This is a good program. Everyone has an opinion and long live the right to voice that opinion. We are free to criticize the president, Tiger Woods, Bill Clinton, Hillary, etc. (Bush, too).

This is a great country!

We have a lot of problems, but we have all these “great minds” jumping in to bring about solutions.

We have the rights that are in the Bill of Rights.

Our forefathers really knew what they were doing.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to who’s going to be in the news in the year 2010! One of the best features in the paper are the political cartoons.

Thanks,

Bette Rash



To the Editor: In response to Jack Ewell’s letter, “Questions coverage,” thank you for speaking up Mr. Ewell. Your opinion seemed intense, but at least someone is showing concern. We need more responses to ongoing issues. I don’t agree, much less approve of Mr. Ewell’s letter, but at least he cares and spoke up. How about you? As for the paper being a left-winged socialist news source, I feel certain our paper is very much in touch with residents and had for the most part been a fair and reliable source, but that’s just one opinion.

Kathi Davison



A heartfelt thanks

To the Editor: Thanks to all who participated in the “Fill the Boot” event held Saturday for Chad Marshall; it was a huge success and is very much appreciated. We are blessed to live in a county where people care. Special thanks to Navarro County Volunteer Fire Fighters Association.

Sincerely,

Stuart and Eva and Chad Marshall

Blooming Grove Volunteer Fire Department