I AM JESUS' LITTLE LAMB, Ever glad at heart I am; For my Shepherd gently guides me, Knows my need, and well provides me, Loves me ev'ry day the same, Even calls me by my name. Day by day, at home, away, Jesus is my staff and stay. When I hunger, Jesus feeds me, Into pleasant pastures leads me; When I thirst, He bids me go Where the quiet waters flow. Who so happy as I am, Even now the Shepherd's lamb? And when my short life is ended, By His angel host attended, He shall fold me to His breast, There within His arms to rest. -- Henriette Louise von Hayn (1778)

I have talked about singing children to sleep (or nearly so) many times. Here are the words to some of my favorites: JESUS, TENDER SHEPHERD, Hear Me; Bless Thy little lamb tonight; Through the darkness be Thou near me; Watch my sleep till morning light. All this day thy hand has led me, And I thank Thee for Thy care; Thou hast clothed me, warmed and fed me, Listen to my evening prayer. Let my sins be all forgiven; Bless the friends I love so well; Take me, when I die, to Heaven, Happy there with Thee to dwell.

I've got a bee (or perhaps an entire hive) in my bonnet this morning. I'm hopeful/praying that one day all of this will be irrelevant, but for now, it needs a comment or two. There are currently some nonsense issues swirling around. The sooner we learn to ignore these sorts of silliness, the better our world will be! 1) Red cups at Starbucks Coffee versus Holiday Cups/Christmas Cups. In the first place, in the five previous years, the cups showed "winter" scenes on a red background. Hardly taking Christmas out of coffee. Instead of complaining, find some positive use for your energy. Enough said. 2) "_____ Lives Matter". In raising children, the best way to get the outcome you want is to catch them doing the behavior you want them to learn/do. This also applies to training dogs, leading a group of people, and I'm sure has many other applications as well. The bottom line of this Flurry of Fury is that people are feeling as if they not only don't matter, but that they are being used or misused by others. If we all treat everyone we encounter as Christ commanded "Love each other as I have loved you", everyone would know that they mattered. 3) Elf on the shelf -- I agree with the people who oppose him as good behavior being tied to getting stuff. On the other hand, I'm always up for a bit of whimsy! Especially if that whimsy is tied to faith. If I had "littles" in the house, this is what I'd do. . . I'd start planning in January for the next year. For the season of Advent, the Elf would appear in a different silly vignette each day along with a Bible verse that either tied into the theme of the day or pointed in the direction of Christmas. On Sundays, he'd be with the Advent Wreath. On Saint Nicolas' Day, he'd be in a shoe. On Saint Lucia's Day, he'd be with her crown. Each day would also include an activity -- either one for the season, or a blessing for others. Here are some examples: Samaritan's Purse Shoe Boxes, Decorating the House for the Holidays, Care Packs for Homeless, Making decorations for the Christmas Tree, Feed my Starving Children, Baking Christmas Cookies, Mitten Tree, . . . Are you starting to get the idea? I would in NO way tie him to behavior or greed. On a sort of side topic -- I think the Elf might/should have some interaction with the family tradition of setting the Creche up on the first day of Advent with the Wise Men in the farthest eastern corner of the house. Once or twice, the Elf should/could interact with the Creche scene or the Wise Men on their way. Here's the big take-away from all of this: When there is a controversy swirling near you, instead of joining in, find a way to be helpful to others instead. Always remember, that YOU might be the only example of a Christian that another person might see. Be a good one!

Here are a few bits of interesting trivia about "manners" . . . http://www.primermagazine.com/2011/learn/the-history-behind-gentlemanly-action

A good day is a good thing. A bad day is a good story. In the end, it's all good!

"O Lord, Thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget Thee, do not forget me." -- Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading (1579 – February 1652)

Beware of the person doing wrong who tries to justify their behavior by dragging others into it. Wrong is wrong is wrong. And even more importantly, do NOT be this person.

But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you, when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." Isaiah 43:1-2 (ESV)

I heard a story about a young girl who was being annoyed by a boy in her class who kept snapping her bra. She asked him to stop many times, then went to the (male) teacher, who told her to just ignore him. When he continued to the point where it undid her bra, she “popped” him, which gave him a bloody nose. What’s wrong and what’s right in this story? If you said she shouldn’t have hit him, I’ve failed you. What’s wrong with this story is that the boy’s parents hadn’t taught him about personal boundaries and being respectful of others. What’s wrong with this story is the teacher who didn’t stop the boy, and both disrespected and dismissed the girl. What’s wrong with this story is that the Headmaster of the school wanted to punish the girl for hitting the boy, but not punish the boy for the behavior that required her to hit him to make him stop. Just to be clear, I’m not advocating hitting. But I am encouraging self-respect and self-protection. We all need to be both respectful of others and ourselves. Here's the link to the story: http://www.hrtwarming.com/this-girl-did-this-after-the-boy-at-school-twanged-her-bra-what-followed-is-gold/#

Be alert! When you see an elder or a person with something in their hand, open the door and allow them to go first. Also, keep an eye out for those people coming behind you, hold the door until the person behind can grab it so it doesn’t hit them in the face. At the elevator, let those on the elevator to exit before you enter and hold the doors for others before you board. Same with buildings or rooms - if someone is exiting the building or room through the same door you are entering, let them exit first. Whoever arrives at a door first holds it for the next person. It doesn't matter the gender of either. When someone holds a door for you, remember to say "thank you."

Whether you are eating at someone's home or as the guest of someone in a restaurant, always thank the host and tell them how much you enjoyed it. Don’t just say thank you. Mention something specific that you enjoyed. If you didn’t care for it, remark about the presentation or a skill that was used in the creation. A bit of time, skill, or expense went into your meal, so be appreciative. Always say "thank you," when served something.

When you are invited somewhere for a meal, wait for the hostess (or host if there isn’t an hostess) to begin eating. Follow her lead for praying, toasting, beginning and ending the meal, etc. In REALLY polite situations, she will even nod to let you know who to talk to. If it is a “banquet” where there are more than one table of guests, it is appropriate to wait for your entire table to be seated and served.

When you are invited somewhere, an hostess gift is still proper. You don’t have to go mad, but a token of appreciation will not go amiss. The person who invited you, has honored you with the invitation, honor them in return. In addition, afterwards, send a thank you note to your host/hostess. Good manners never go out of style.