The word “holidays“ comes from two Old English words meaning “holy“ and “days“ that were secularized over time.

So, if someone says, “Happy Holidays,“ a proper response should be, “And Happy Holy Days to you too, and have a very Merry Christmas!”

Putting “Old English“ aside, in today’s Modern English, to which all of us are accustomed, “Happy Holidays“ is, in my opinion, a woke way to avoid mentioning “Christmas.“ That being said, in these modern days, consider me old-fashioned.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!

Christians believe that those who trust in Jesus are welcomed into God’s presence when they die, a place of peace, love, and rest. Others understand death as a kind of sleep until God raises us again. At the center of the Christian message is the belief that God is loving and that He holds our lives even beyond death.

Some Christians also believe that those who refuse God experience separation from Him, the absence of His love, mercy, and presence, or that they remain in a holding place until the final judgment.

For believers, I personally lean on the promise that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

“I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” Philippians 1:23 NIV. Paul is speaking very honestly in this verse. When he says he is “torn between the two,” he means he feels pulled in two different directions, both of which matter to him. One is continuing to live so he can keep helping and encouraging the people he loves. The other is departing this life so he can be with Christ, which he says is better by far.

When it comes to someone we have lost, we cannot know their heart with absolute certainty. Only God can. But we can look at what we saw in their life, their words, and their faith, and draw reasonable and hopeful conclusions, while remembering that we are not the final judge.

I decided to try something different this week. Instead of writing about a particular verse, I want to put it in everyday terms, that is, how it relates to us.

I believe Psalm 31:24 means we gain inner strength by trusting God based on His timing, not ours. It takes courage to do this, but we know we can trust God to be there for us. Strength and courage aren’t things we have to find within ourselves alone. They come when we place our trust in God’s timing and promise. Life’s challenges may feel heavy, but God’s presence is steady. When we choose patience and hope, we discover that He is already carrying us through.

The key words or concepts are strength, courage, and patience, along with hope and God’s promise. The words may not resonate with some in a practical way at first. But let’s say you’re facing the stresses of work or family, or you have health issues, or someone you love does.

In those moments, this verse is like a pep talk: “Hang in there. Don’t lose heart. Stay strong and keep your courage up, because God’s got your back and will give you the strength to keep going.”

On a more personal level, it’s as if God is saying directly to you: “Don’t be afraid, stay with Me, I’ve got this.”

[NOTE] At the time of the bombing of the USS Arizona, 1,177 sailors died, 355 survived. The last surviving crew member, Lou Conter, died April 2024. He was 102, fairly close to his 103rd birthday. In the photo, he was 97. There are only 12 remaining survivors of the attack today.

My research indicates there are 12 remaining military survivors today. It was 84 years ago. If the youngest serving man or woman was 17 on December 7, 1941, that person would be 101 today.

Conter served in the United States Navy. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, he was a quartermaster stationed on the USS Arizona. After the attack, Conter became a Navy pilot flying a patrol bomber. A YouTube video linked at the end of an interview with him in 2017 shows him in remarkable shape in his 90s, sharp as a tack.

In terms of history, it doesn’t seem that long ago, but when you consider the attack was 83 years ago, most of our WWII vets are no longer with us. We must keep their stories alive. You can hear and share their stories using the links below. My favorite is The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a rich resource with oral histories by the men who lived it. The Lou Conter interview will take you to even more oral histories at the American Veterans Center. Please keep their memory alive.

President Roosevelt summed it up as, “A date that will live in infamy.” He was right. Unfortunately, we’ve had other days, and we can say the same about what has occurred since. But this one is a special day of remembrance, not to minimize those of later dates, such as the horrific attack on September 11, 2001.

The USS Arizona is still at the bottom of the ocean. Of the more than 2,300 who died that day, about half, 1,177, were on the USS Arizona. To this day, oil still leaks from the USS Arizona. Sometimes, it’s called “black tears,” but I prefer another name used, “Tears of Arizona.”

The oil leakage serves as a reminder of the tragic attack and the sacrifice of the 1,177 members of the crew who perished aboard the ship. It’s a powerful symbol of remembrance and loss that visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial can still see today. Incidentally, 23 sets of brothers and a father/son died on the USS Arizona that Sunday morning. One set of brothers did survive.

Additionally, note that about 1,000 sailors remain entombed there. The memorial was built for $500,000.00. The government provided $200,000.00, with the rest raised privately. Elvis Presley raised a little over 20% of the privately donated money with a concert not long after his discharge from the U.S. Army and a personal $10,000.00 donation. You can listen to accounts of sailors there on December 7, 1941. Consider doing so.

On a more personal note, our band director at Crestwood Hogh School, Anthony Buonpane, was stationed at Pearl Harbor that day. I wasn’t in the band, but I know he was well-loved by students. I do know with Mr. Bounpane as director, CHS was one of the top, if not the top, high school bands in Ohio. I found an album from 1965 by the Crestwood band. It’s linked below.

Take a moment to honor and remember those who served and those who still do, and may God Bless our country.

The National WWII Museum/New Orleans

Link   https://www.nationalww2museum.org/

Pearl Harbor Survivors Association

Link   https://www.pearlharborsurvivorsonline.org/

American Veterans Center

Link   https://americanveteranscenter.org/

1965 Crestwood High School Band album

Link https://youtu.be/Qi78y_aSuSI?si=bcLFoir3figTNsAK

YouTube Video interview of Lou Conter

https://youtu.be/GmwsiOhaRkU?si=UPU_xG21I0yMhShH