Giving Peace a Chance

The Christmas season has barely begun, but I seem to constantly be receiving reminders that one of the ideals represented by this holiday is PEACE. For Christians, Christmas is about the birth of Christ, who is referred to in the Bible as the Prince of Peace and who preached a gospel of peace throughout his life. All season long, people of all faiths have discussions, watch movies, sing songs and take part in events with the premise of peace.

Last night I watched the lighting of the tree in Rockefeller Center in New York. I heard Christmas hymns like "Joy to the World", "O Come All Ye Faithful", and "O Holy Night". I also heard The Beatles' "So This is Christmas" and an Enya song about angels singing that, "everything is right." All of these songs echoed of a peace that seems to have gone missing in our world today. Case in point, we are currently in a war in Iraq where a civil war among it's people threatens to erupt at any moment. Racial and religious cleansing has been the cause of millions of murders and other violent acts in Africa. Isreal and the Palestinians have increased the violence in their age-old struggle. While I heard those Christmas songs of peace sung last night, I couldn't keep from shedding a tear as I thought of how far from peace we truly are.

Then, there are the petty things in life that ring so much of selfishness and hate that you're left wondering what happened to the real meaning of Christmas. People running around like mad spending tons of money on other people who already have so much. People stealing Christmas lawn decorations, toys from stores, purses, other people's dogs. People suing eachother for how they choose to recognize the holiday (i.e. hanging peace-sign wreaths, saying the word "Christmas" in the workplace). We really seem to have lost our perspective.

With so much craziness in the world this holiday (actually it's nothing new, but just seems more emphasized to me somehow), I've decided to focus on something worthwhile. This Christmas I'm going to try my best to show a little more love to those around me, to care for those who need a little extra attention, to say "thank you" to those who contribute to my life and try to do something beneficial for them in return. Just thinking of doing these things puts me more in the true holiday spirit. I hope I can put my own selfishness aside long enough to accomplish this goal. I wonder what kind of a change there would be throughout the world if everyone gave peace, love and caring a chance?

New Pics!!!

I have been so busy lately that I've really been getting backlogged with our photos. So, I'm gonna cram 'em all into one post.

Enjoy!


A few weeks back Dani and I had a chance to attend Wurstfest in New Braunfels with Christa and Andrew. It is a festival to celebrate, of all things, sausage (wurst). And of course, as with all German celebrations some beer was consumed in the process.

Wurstfest Gallery

And because I know you all can't get enough of the most handsome wiener in the world, some more pics of Cooper from a recent afternoon at our favorite hangout.

Coffee Dog Gallery

This was our very first Thanksgiving all by ourselves. Yes, after nearly 10 years of marriage, this is the first time that we have not been with family. So, a few pictures of our little celebration.

Thanksgiving Gallery

Thanksgiving Post

Sean and I are on our own this Thanksgiving. Sean worked last night, but is only on-call tonight, so we're going to have our Thanksgiving meal at noon after he wakes up. We'll be calling around to visit with family and friends this afternoon.

This Thanksgiving, being so far away from those we love, we have easily been able to reflect on what we are most thankful for - our family. We miss you all and look forward to the time when we can see you next! Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

A New Social Gospel

This article was submitted in a comment made by Ali on our previous post about "Values Voters". The article discusses a shift in thinking among Evangelicals who are growing more discontent with the direction of the "Religous Wrong Right".

First, in reacting against the harsh tone of some on the religious right, many have been led back to the text of the Bible itself. Throughout the prophetic tradition of the Hebrew Scriptures and the teachings of the New Testament, social arrangements are judged by their effect on the weak. And while this perspective isn't utopian--perfection being unavailable in this fallen world--it can be radical. In our country, that faith-based radicalism helped drive the abolition movement, the cause of women's suffrage, the reform of prisons and mental hospitals. It was not long ago that the three-time Democratic candidate for president, William Jennings Bryan--who championed legalizing strikes, giving the vote to women and a progressive income tax--was also a fervent, Bible-quoting evangelical. A politically progressive evangelicalism is not an innovation, it is a revival; not a fresh track in the snow, but a rutted path of American history.

While many evangelicals are impatient with the priorities of the religious right, it would be a mistake to argue that they are disillusioned by politics itself. The new evangelicals are not calling for cultural retreat, but for broader engagement. Politics, at its best, has the goal of serving your neighbor.

CLICK HERE for the full article.

Values Voters

We didn't vote during the recent elections. Maybe we felt too frustrated with current politics, maybe we didn't want to be part of the decision making for a state we haven't lived in for very long. Whatever our excuse might be, we must say that we are genuinely pleased with the statement made by those who did vote. The link below is an article that has an enlightening take on what happened last Tuesday at the polls. . .

Evangelicals "Didn't Show Up"?

Speak Up People

I would like to encourage all you readers of the Bancroftsonline.com
Blog to start commenting.

Commenting, you say, what ever are you speaking of? Did you know
that at the bottom of each post there is a comment link? It may say
"0 comments", "1 comments", "2 comments" etc. That is a little link
for you to click. If you should be so bold as to follow that link,
you will end up at a comment form where you can chime in and share a
word or perhaps a sentence and if you dare....A PARAGRAPH. But
seriously click the link and leave a comment...even if your comment
is simply "Neat" or "Wow I loved that post".

But mostly I request comments because we want to know that we are
still connected with you all.

Please take a minute when you can and say "hey". We like to know who is reading.

Later Yall!
Sean

More Pics Of My Latest Favorite Subject

I just thought I would post some fun portrait type pics I took of Cooper a couple weeks back. I cheated on these and took them all in the portrait mode on my D50...just plain lazy. I was pretty pleased with the way they turned out.

Sean