I have a bit of a rant. I haven’t had one for a while – and I felt that this would be an appropriate post for the New Year.

Christmas is a really big deal for my family. A REALLY big deal. My father is a minister – and everyone tends to go to church during Christmas, Easter, and the occasional funeral or wedding. He usually opens up service to the congregation. He prepares a sermon – but most of the “sharing” comes from the congregation. I would usually play something on the piano – my mother usually plays something on the flute with my father accompanying her on his guitar. My brothers usually get out of doing any “talent” – not because they don’t have any – but it just wouldn’t be appreciated during Christmas Eve services. We light candles during Silent Night – and there usually is a string quartet that plays during the prelude and postlude. After services we gather up all the presents (being a PK *Pastor’s Kid* does have it’s high points!), then head home to open up the rest of the presents. It’s a big deal. And I’ve come to really look forward to services. Back in MN it would always be snowy and the candles along the path to the church in the little paper bags filled up with sand would bounce off the white snow banks in a cheery warm way. One of the families would always hand out these bags of peanuts and hard peppermint candy and I’d feel so … festive. My favorite part of the service on Christmas eve, however, has to be the hymns. Angels we have heard on high, God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen, Angels from the Realms of Glory, Lo How A Rose, Beautiful Savior … *sigh* These songs are staples to any Lutheran Church – and our church was no exception to the rule! Our congregation would sing these songs in 4 part harmony – so beautifully, that even the most impatient, bored child would have to sit back and take notice.

Something happened during Christmas Eve Service this year, however. Not only was the snow missing (We live in California now) – but the words just didn’t seem right. I noticed it early on as I sang one carol – but it didn’t really stop the Christmas Spirit from happening. You know? But then it happened again. And then again. Someone changed the damn words to the Christmas songs, WTF? Here I was singing loudly – the alto part – “Joy to the world… The Lord Has Come!” I was in my groove. I knew my part – and my mother sang next to me in her sweet soprano voice. I could hear my father’s Baritone covering up Mr. Larson’s tone deaf wife beautifully. “Let Earth Receive It’s King….” WHOA NELLY! Some politically correct jerk face had changed the words to the hymns! While the congregation struggled to continue the song – I stopped singing completely and turned my shocked and betrayed face towards my mother. Her face seemed to say it all…”Keep Singing!” I shook my head – tried to clear my thoughts but it was too late. The politically correct bastards had decided to change every pronoun to be politically correct. So determined in their efforts they forgot that EARTH has always been and will always be THE MOTHER EARTH!!! Earth is She – Her – Not an “It”.

On the way home I asked my father who I needed to write to. He chuckled and changed the subject. During Christmas Dinner the next day I asked him again and he again blew me off. Apparently I was not the only one who noticed that the mother Earth had become an It. Daddy had received many, many complaints and decided he would pay closer attention to the bulletines and the the lyrics that were printed in it. It wasn’t our secretary who did it either – apparently the big wigs of the ECLA decided to politically correct the hell out of the carols probably using some program to replace all hers and hims with They’s or It’s. Whatever it was and whoever did it – it sucked.

Here ends my rant.

So how is the new year shaping up for everyone? Any new resolutions? Promises? Goals? I have made a few resolutions/goals public to a few friends of mine – but after a bit of thinking about the likelihood of actually keeping Resolutions that one makes during a drunk stooper (lol) I’ve decided to borrow something from my friend SBJ and say that this will be the year of CeCe. I’m not getting any younger – and I have things to do. Some things include this site – and my work – other things involve school and my career. And I really need to work on my relationships this year – they tend to be suffering a bit – or did by the end of this past year. I think I took advantage of a few things that well – no one should take advantage of. Particularily when it comes to friends. And clients.

I’m a little shy about putting everything out here all at once because I’ve been known to not follow through with a lot of things I promise to do. It’s one of my short comings. I appreciate you all not drawing attention to it – because you certainly would have all the ammunition to do so. I’ll need to reward you for your patience and understanding, huh?

SO … I’m going to end this post with this:

• I’m going to write another post tomorrow.
• I’m logging in tomorrow at 8:00PM. I’ll be logged in till at least Midnight.
• Oh – and one of your Christmas presents will be posted tomorrow in a location yet to be determined. *grin*

Happy New Year.