Encouraging Shopping Experiences

Finished up my shopping in fairly efficient fashion over the past few days. I find it sort of fun to shop during the last days before Christmas. (Still not a fan of the rush, though). You learn a lot about people. For the most part, the good nature of people comes out. I'm not the only one smiling at strangers while you're fighting the crowds. It's one of those times where you wish people could act this way all year around. My sons accompanied me on my trips too and were nothing but excellent companions. They showed lots of patience and didn't complain.

One thing I notice when I'm out is that I think 90% of the time I was asked to show ID when paying with credit. Personally I gladly pull out the picture and share it. I usually thank them for checking it too. I think of it not as the clerk showing distrust of me, but rather protecting me. I figure if they're doing it with me then if I lose my wallet some day, they will do it with the dishonest person who may try to use the same card. (I just hope they don't look like me :-) ).

Now with a day or two to go, it's just the menu and wrapping left to do. we taught Sunday School to 2nd graders today, so with the shopping done, it's snice to slow down and try to think more about the incredible gift given to us 2000+ years ago.

Pair o' Dime Props: Grandma Hardin

My dad's mom, Grandma Hardin, lived in my original hometown of Hamilton, Ohio. Honestly, there are a lot of things I forget about her but I do remember the following:

• She was a sweet and thin lady who wasn't afraid to get down on the floor and play with her grandchildren.
  
• She loved to watch Robert Schuller and signed her letters, "God loves you and so do I."
• She was a good cook (ham loaf with homemade mustard was one recipe she was known for).
• But what I remember the most was she always had a tin of homemade sugar cookies on hand and for kids like me.

Honestly, I think I've had these cookies twice, maybe three times in the last 27 years, but one of those times was today. Of course I haven't been able to duplicate them exactly but making them today has brought back some memories and made me realize how much I enjoyed my time with grandma. It's also amazing how smells and tastes can bring back memories. Actually at one point, I was convinced that my wife's sweatshirt smelled like my grandma's cologne. (By the way, this isn't a way to endear yourself to your spouse by telling them they smell like your grandparent). Anyhow, here's to Donna Evilo (nee' Shaffer) Hardin. A lady who could make wonderful sugar cookies who I hope to one day duplicate. Too bad she couldn't live to 108 to show me - I miss her.

Oh, by the way, the middle name "Evilo" was "Olive" spelled backwards. I guess it isn't just this generation that plays around with names.

Scrooge sighting: Regulating Christmas

I love Christmas! It has always been my most favorite time of the year. I'm like a little kid in many respects. However, the years have weathered me a little. Ironically, as I continue my spiritual growth I find things about the season less enthralling than when it was a secular holiday for me. I used to "score" big time on Christmas. Generous parents helped me out quite a bit with this. Now, as I see things pull our recognition away from the Christ child I tend to find a negative streak in me. The materialism and gluttonous attitudes throughout the holidays, (mine included), distract me and countless others away from the reason for Christmas. Don't get me wrong. I love giving and receiving gifts. I've been wanting to start/revive my interest in slot cars for the past year and it has only been my budget that has kept me from begging my wife to get a track "for the kids." I also enjoy the cooking and eating during this time, but this is what I'm seeing:

• My desire to cook (and eat) overwhelms me with planning and shopping to make some treats and meals that I don't normally get to make.
• My desire to shop and buy a plethora of gifts for my kids continuously nags me to find the time to get all the things I want to get them.
• Media constantly speaking of "last minute gifts" two full weeks before Christmas day to give us the sense that we need to be finishing up. This is their way of telling us to shop early and often.
• A constant barrage of largely material gifts being flashed in front of me when I finally do stop. The ads tell me to do things like shop at Jared Jewelers or be sure to buy my spouse (or teenage child) a Lexus during their year end sales event. (The latter ad drives me nuts every year).

So yeah, I'm a scrooge about some things. I no longer care for the materialism, the rush and the push during the time. I'm ready to enjoy lights, songs and worship. (Why is it by the way that most churches aren't even open on Christmas day? You essentially have to be Catholic or in Europe if you want to worship the Christ child in church on Christmas Day. I have even heard pastors in the past, when Christmas falls on a Sunday say that we won't have church so that everyone can be with their family. I don't see the logic). So I have already started discussing with my wife what we might be able to do differently next year. Here are some of the thoughts:

• One gift to each member from each member of our immediate family (Maybe 2 or 3 from Mom and Dad). We're a family of four. That would be three or so gifts a piece. The gifts would more likely be bigger and would not be clothes or other practical gifts. It would be something special. (I know one family I grew up with that did this, and I have to say they are fairly well-adjusted so I do believe we could manage mental balance while doing this).
• With the extra time (and money saved) more focus would be spent volunteering our time and resources to other activities which would spread good will to others and enrich our own time with friends and neighbors.

So there's the start of it. I'd love to have other ideas that would help with this, but I'm feeling the stress that my parents always talked about (and I never understood) that happens when trying to handle the responsibilities of the season.

FIVE!!!

The Bright(er) Side: awkwardness

It occurred to me today while talking to a friend. That awkward silences are better than awkward conversations. And no, the conversation wasn't awkward...just a thought on the bright(er) side. I think I've created a new label within my blog: The bright(er) side.

The "other" Rusty Hardin

Well, wouldn't you know it. I thought with Arthur Anderson no longer having legal issues, and Wade Boggs, Warren Moon and other high profile celebs/jocks staying out of trouble, I could continue being the only known (to my childhood friends and family) Rusty Hardin. But then along comes Roger "The Rocket" Clemons who is mentioned 82 times in the "Mitchel Report" on illegal drug use in Major League Baseball. Roger can afford high profile lawyers to do his talking, so he totes out none other than Texas attorney, Rusty Hardin. Unfortunately Rusty Hardin (esq.) apparently does not have someone to tell him that going by the name "Rusty" as an adult isn't very professional. In the meantime, any long lost childhood friends, that are googling me (and I'm sure there are thousands!) will never find me because of this guy.

It's beginning to look a lot like...summer!(?)

Well, the forecast says we will hit 81 today. Some of you might think I'm rubbing this in, but frankly, I would like a little cool crisp air. The Mrs. on the other hand loves it.

Looks like I'll be turning on the AC again tonight. I wonder if there is anything to this global warming thing?

Santa Who?

The other day I posted about St. Nicholas. I'm a fan of St. Nick, really. I think, from what we know he was a good man. I even like the legends about him too.

But my wife and I have been semi-covert in the fact that we, with our 4 and 7 year old sons, do not do Santa Claus. I don't care to go into a long diatribe over why this is so, (although it may increase comments and hits on my blog), but I will give two reasons why:

1. My family celebrates Christmas which is the birth of our Savior. However, and perhaps it's just me, it seems that the focus seems to have gone elsewhere. (Sarcasm intended). This includes Santa Claus. We feel it important to do our best to bring the focus back on Christ.
   
2. Since gift giving is one way of showing love for other people, does it not stand to reason that I would want my children to know the gifts they receive are a token of our love for them and not a fictional character's love for them?
   

Make no mistake here. I am not proclaiming that parents who choose to do the Santa thing are inferior, deceptive or wrong. (That includes both my folks and my in-laws who did Santa with us). We just don't do it for the reasons stated above and we tell our kids that others "pretend" there is a Santa and they can continue to do so.

Thank you, Harris Teeter!

For those of you concerned for my personal well-being, the Spumoni ice cream has been located in the Charlotte area. Thanks go to Harris Teeter, Edy's and my in-laws, who after seeing me obsess over my "need" for Spumoni found it in their heart to go to "The Teeter" and peruse the aisles for me. The result: two 1.75 quarts in my freezer when I came home from church today! Woohoo!

The Feast of St. Nicholas

I enjoy Christmas traditions and stories. I also remember learning in German class that in Europe gifts are often exchanged on December 6th, which is the Feast of St. Nicholas. It makes me wonder, what does one say on this day? Happy Feast of St. Nicholas Day!!!??? Anyhow, St. Nicholas was known for gift giving among other things and in Europe many countries actually do the Christmas gift giving on this day. I watched Rick Steves' European Christmas this past week and in the show Rick stated that apparently it was Martin Luther who wanted to bring the gift focus back to Christ which is why many traditions were changed to have gift giving occur on the 25th.

Interesting, but really all of this is back story for what occurred to me when I read the Wikipedia article. This man was the patron saint of virtually everyone/everywhere. The one that got me though was the fact that he is the patron saint of thieves. There's a Saint for thieves? Does this mean that Catholic thieves pray to him during a heist? One question I had though was who was it in fact that bestowed St. Nicholas as the Patron Saint of thieves? Or did the thieves just claim them as their own? One other note that my friend mentioned to me was this: He is the Patron Saint of the falsely accused as well. So....whether you did it or you didn't...he's your man!

Happy Birthday, Dave Brubeck!

Who, you ask? Well, Mr. Brubeck is a Jazz pianist made famous for a piece called "Take Five." If you're not sure what that is, then view the following. This is a classic and while watching/listening, you somehow start believing that there was a time when middle aged musicians wearing thick-rimmed glasses and suits was cool.



Try dancing to this...it doesn't work. Most pieces are written in 2, 3 or 4 beats per measure. There are only two pieces "written in five" that I know of that obtained popularity: This and the theme from Mission Impossible.

Mr. Brubeck turned 87 today.

It's Advent...where's the Spumoni?

A plight I have had since leaving Ohio is finding Spumoni Ice Cream. In Ohio, you could get this in Italian Restaurants, (probably since most good Italian Bakers never leave the Northeast and a good Cannoli or Tiramisu is hard to come by), but you could also get it at most supermarkets during Christmastime. Well, for those who know me, I can have a hankering for ice cream on any day of the year and I look forward to Spumoni Ice Cream during Christmas. So, anyone in the Charlotte area PLEASE tell me where I can score some chocolate, pistachio and cherry ice cream all in one container!

The example of the Apostle Andrew

I have an acquaintance, Paul Walker, who currently is the vicar of a church in suburban Bradford, England. I worked with his church, St. Cuthbert's, for about a month, sixteen years ago. During that time he was vicar at a church called St. Andrew's. I happened upon his blog(s) a while back thanks to my friend Google and my nostalgic nature.

Anyhow, yesterday was the feast day for St. Andrews on the anglican calendar and he has a great post about my son's namesake, Andrew, and how he shared Jesus with others. Sometimes I think we complicate sharing the Gospel and by this post it can be seen that it isn't nearly as daunting, or complex as we often make it.

Let's Go Sooners!

Oklahoma has temporarily inherited hundreds of thousands of Ohio State fans, and I can account for at least four!

Heute, Ich bin ein Sooner!

(Yeah, I'm a Pitt fan today too...but I'm also realistic)