Roger Meyer

Many people love the Christmas holiday, with its decorations, cookies, treats and parties. Some recognize that these trappings have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. In fact, most of the observance is a lie.

Dozens of Christmas stories and Hollywood movies about Christmas concern magic characters, magic trees, magic ornaments or magic stockings. Frosty the Snowman “comes to life” when a magic hat is placed on his head. The magical Santa Claus character has the supernatural power to know if children have been “naughty or nice.” Both are big, fat, jolly lies!

On October 26, 2017, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic in the United States a national health emergency.

People living in developed nations around the world have much for which to be thankful. Food, clothing, and shelter is available at a standard far above that of the majority of the earth’s population. But, these things are by no means to be taken for granted. How many people are truly thankful to have such blessings, and to whom?

Many people have a “red letter” edition of the Bible, which prints in red ink the words spoken by Jesus. But even with Jesus’ words printed in red to draw attention to them, some seem to misunderstand the things Christ actually said and taught.

A “red letter” edition of the New Testament of the Bible was first printed in 1899, the idea of Louis Klopsch, editor of a British weekly magazine called The Christian Herald. A red letter edition of the whole Bible followed in 1901.

We may have first heard about promises from a childhood playmate informing us we must “promise not to tell” before they tell us a secret. We also sadly discover early in life that promises are usually broken.