What do you want for Christmas? The regular, please.

  Gift giving is great upon the event celebrating real Holy days, it has never been for commerce, although there is a real effort to make sure the perfect gifts are given...

   What I seem to want and have for many years in the military, is: Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men.

   Ever remember that phrase from a prayer now banished by the godless 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven'? Banished from the public school system, I am sure some of you are still using it in your devotions and worship. Or are you like a fine Baptist and making it up every time you go to the LORD in prayer?

  Peace, children, peace... is that the cry of the Sunday School teacher with very noisy students? Or just the old veteran that has had enough wars to last several of his lifetimes - no one told him the nightmares last with all the REM sleep... forever.

  I read with interest two school administrators calling for their students to arm or not ever arm as a true Christian should... could... or maybe Christ would. What would I call for? Peace on earth, goodwill toward men... Would I train you how to use a firearm? Yes, and as I told someone asking 'Is it difficult to train soldiers to kill?' I answered: 'The difficult part is telling them when not to.' I would also make sure you knew that I expect you to avoid confrontation, not to be a target, and to preach the Gospel to the unbeliever trying to kill you, run at them shouting "Christ died for our sins, repent and be saved." Of course, you might die a new martyr on your way to sainthood, or save those behind you that aren't doing anything but waiting their turn as target.

  Having been where my government said I should go, and performing what my government and I thought I should in killing enemies of us'ns, I have long ago come to the conclusion that you can't kill anyone that God doesn't accept for death. Really, my Bible has a couple interesting references to returning to life in it. Human beings, Men, are not the Supreme Being, not even close -- but you should be trying to be holy. 

  I won't tell you that there is never a reason to kill another human being, I will tell you try not to unless you are doing it with and for love... but that is a whole 'nother sermon,  and I am not qualified. When I think about angels, I have always thought about the most beautiful angel, perfect in every way and crying. Why? Why, because he is the Angel of Death, and weeping with love as he destroys the life that God had blest for too short a time... but then God will reward the fallen in Heaven according to His Love and the truth.

  What do I want for Christmas? Peace on earth and God's will for men... forever. Amen