In 17 Days...

[FCTP]

We took down our Christmas decorations on New Year’s Day.  It’s a ritual of ours to take down the tree and all the adornments around the house.  We clean up and bring back in the “normal” stuff that sits on our coffee table instead of the manger scene.  Lighted garland around the doorways are unplugged and the light in the house dims a little because they are no more. 

 

It’s nice to take the decorations down but the house does look bare for a time being as we adjust to a darker home without the lights glowing and the glistening of the Christmas tree.

 

As I turned out the lights in the office last night, something caught my eye.  A small tiny Christmas tree was still perched in the corner of the desk behind my husband’s computer.  The gold tree was glimmering and looked very strange sitting all alone in the everyday fixing of our home.

 

What to do with that tree?  All the boxes were filled and put away.  The one tree goes with 3 others and they now sit until next year in their Christmas box.  Now what do I do?  The Christmas tree can’t get lost from the others and pulling all those boxes out is no easy task.  (I’m a Christmas-stuff junkie and we have a mini-storage filled with Christmas adornments!)

 

I went to bed and placed the little golden Christmas tree back in the corner of the desk. 

 

When I woke up this morning, I knew what to do. 

 

Do you realize Christmas was only 17 days ago?  Do you, like me, feel it was months ago?  The days since Christmas have been filled with so much.

 

The news stories have been many in those 17 days.  Life has changed and moved on in those 17 days. 

 

In 17 days, a new US Leadership team showed up in DC. 

 

In 17 days, people died and babies were born. 

 

In 17 days, the dialogue in America’s newsrooms used a tragedy to accuse others of a crime when they should have been talking about mental illness in our neighborhoods.

 

In 17 days, marriages happened and divorces did too. 

 

In 17 days, many businesses shut their doors while new entrepreneurs looked for funding to start up new ones. 

 

In 17 days, the world changed and the world turned.

 

Those were my thoughts as I woke this morning.  I decided to keep that little Christmas tree right where she sits until December 25, 2011.  She will remind me why I’m in this Tea Party Movement. 

 

It wasn’t so much about the bailouts – although that was the trigger.  It was more about the corruption and decay of our leadership.  None of us want to follow leaders who are corrupt or give special favors to special interests.  Do you want to follow leaders who want and acknowledge Socialism as their favorite form of government?  Are you interested in following leaders who are self-indulgent and elitist?

 

Not me.  I would rather follow a leader who has Christmas in his heart.  One who serves all the people and loves all the people.  I want a leader who will protect us from the enemy.  I want a leader who encourages us and builds us up with his words and actions.  I want a leader who shows compassion for those killed fighting in foreign lands and makes sure those still fighting are given all they need to win the war.  I want a leader I trust with my life.   I want a leader who exudes love for his fellow man and his country.

 

Until that leader shows up, the little golden Christmas tree will sit right there in the corner of our office.  She doesn’t take up much space and her presence will remind me what we are fighting for.

 

Will you keep a little Christmas somewhere nearby to remind you too?  If nothing is available, play this song every now and then.  It will remind you why we are in this mission – for the love of America and all it stands for.   You might want to put a note on your calendar to remind you to play this song every 17 days from now until Christmas 2011.  I’m going to do it and I hope you’ll join me.  Christmas doesn’t hurt a thing and brings out the best in all of us.   

Merry 17 Days after Christmas!

[J.R.]

How appropriate a reminder of all that we are facing within the direction our country has been taken and how we need to remain mindful of it and all the pitfalls inherent in it throughout the year.  I pulled out and put in highly visible display a beautiful Christmas card from my son to be a daily reminder of all that is precious to me and among the many things and people I want to protect from the corruption that exists in our government today and the frontal assault of our Constitution, founding principles, and all that we hold dear.  Excellent post, Billie, and thanks for sharing this idea and a musical reminder we can use all year long and beyond.

Jacqueline

[Beth Korey]

I had a small tree ready to put away.  One of the many I use at Christmas.  I love the season and the

reason.  I put it in the corner at the top of my computer desk and will, like you, will keep it in my

vision until we can take our country back for ourselves and our children.  Maybe I will put hearts on

it at Valentine Day to remember all the love that our forefathers have given us that is slowly being

eroded.  At July 4th I put flags on it and will celebrate our Independence Day and hope that it will be on the horizon again for us soon.  Of course, there is Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and then again

Christmas.  I will keep it as a reminder to me to diligently remind those that we have put in office

why they are there, and who made it possible.  What a great idea Billy, Thanks for your inspiration

and insight.

for us to achieve again.  Thanksgiving I will

[Rosemarie Brenneman]

It's a beautiful way to make reality all year long and enact what we do during the Christmas season all year long......We GIVE to our chosen charities ( it is not taken from us or chosen for us), our priorities are the Christ child who was born to save us all, family and friends.  This past Christmas we also had a reason for hope as a result of the Nov.2nd election. 

Distractions tried to intrude with the lame duck Congress and soon after we are faced with the realities of the taxes to be paid in the New Year for too much government spending and ineffectual and unnecessary government programs. Which leads us back to our job and focus because what we are fighting for is to take America back....back to our God given rights..for me personally pro life is a very important right...our Constitutional rights which made our Country the greatest on earth founded on Christian Judeo ethics.

WE CAN take our country back and bring that spirit of Christmas to everyday by working righteously for our cause and enlisting everyone who is likeminded to work with us.  We must persist.  I think that the spirit of Christmas just reminds all of us how important our work is 

[Mary Jane Travis]

Billie- yes, I keep Christmas in my heart all year long- Jesus died for us but it's hard to remember  that he even loves those who do very wrong  horrific acts toward others.

 Please put an adv about the Jan. date for  Beaches Tea Party meeting at Angies.

[Joe Wright]

Beautiful.  JESUS CHRIST needs to be the center of our lives ALL YEAR LONG....  The two most important days in the year are Christmas and Easter.  Without Christmas, the celebration of Jesus, my Savior's birth there would be no Easter.  With no Easter, the celebration of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the World would have no hope of an eternal and everlasting life with God the Father.

Praise God for sending His only son to this Earth to be the sacrificial lamb for my sin, and yours....