5 Worst Christmas Songs That I Never Want To Hear Again

If you know me, you know I love Christmas. I even love Christmas music. You know those radio stations that play all Christmas music in December? I'm one of the people who listens to them.

There are a few Christmas songs though, that are like nails on chalkboard to me, and I would be just as happy to never hear them again.  See if your list matches mine;

5. "Wonderful Christmas Time" by ‎Paul McCartney - This song is repetitive and not very catchy, but more than that it just sounds strange. It's certainly nothing special.

4. "Santa Baby" by Madonna - I had heard this rendition many times before, but I just discovered the singer was.... Madonna?! It'd just not her style at all, she sounds so dumb and ditzy singing this. I originally thought the singer was Anna Nicole Smith or something! I'll take Eartha Kitt's over this one any day. Just not a good song.

3. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band-Aid - Repetitive and succumbs to it's too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen formula. It drags on and on and on lifelessly. I try to keep myself interested by singing "Beat The Squirrels", but it doesn't help. Blech.

2. "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" - The radio usually plays the even-more-horrible Irish Rovers rendition. A goofy and supposedly funny novelty song, but it just irritates me. Good on you for making money off the song folks, but it ain't for me.

1. "Last Christmas" by Wham! (or sung by anyone else) - Ugh, I just hate this song!

"...I'll give it to someone SPE-SHHHHHUL, SPE-SHHHHHUL..."

Gag me with a spoon already...

Hey Christians, The Starbucks Red Cup is Great, Here's Why...

Okay, so there's been a big controversy lately about the new Starbucks "Red Holiday Cups", particularly from concerned fellow Christians who are worried that another corporation is dumping Christian traditions and historical foundations, in favor of another bland, vague, PC celebration of "The Holidays", this time in the form of a plain red coffee cup, they will say.

I'll tell you now, I don't feel overly invested in what a coffee chain is doing, as I never drink the stuff, let alone at 6 bucks a cup... But I've had some time to think abut the controversy, and why I believe the anger may actually be a big missed opportunity!

Look, I get it - Yes, I acknowledge that many long-standing Christian foundations of society are becoming prey to modern relativism, as being nothing distinctly special and worthy of great honor. But in this instance I have some questions for you...

What exactly is the thing you're mad about? Would there be a controversy here if Starbucks had put some snowmen, or reindeer, some holly, or Santa Claus on the cup? I really doubt there would. Do you need them to emblazon the the cup with "Merry Christmases"? What exactly is it you're fighting for? What's the end game?

You fellow Christians who are up in arms about this, I want you to realize something - At Christmas, we're celebrating the moment when a little baby is born, a very special baby... This is God with us. This is a Savior for all people. A Savior, the only Savior, who would grow up to one day die on a cross in our stead, paying the price we could never pay, ransoming us from the gates of hell... and he did it with his own blood. 

Revelation 1:5 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood"

His own blood. 

People, the Starbucks cup is red. It's completely red. 

No snowmen, no reindeer, no winter cottages or decorative snowflakes. Just red.

Jesus has reconciled us back to God through his life, death, and resurrection. This is why he was sent, after all. We missed the mark of heaven's righteousness, but he shed his blood for us to make us righteous. He made a way to peace with God where there was none. He takes your scarlet debt, he gives you his perfect white.

God has offered eternal life to all people, not based on any of our good deeds, not on our keeping of ceremonies or ordinances, not based on our works of living a good lifestyle or turning from bad behavior - but simply by believing on Jesus alone, what HE has done in our stead.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is the gift of God. The price has been paid, the price we could never pay - and like all gifts, paid for completely by the giver, free to the receiver.

When you really think about it - what could be more Christmas-y?

Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Titus3:5: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

⁶ Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

⁷ That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Yeah, I'm pretty confident in saying this was not Starbucks' motivation for the red cup thing, they're likely doing what they think will make the most long-term financial sense for the company - but yes Charlie Brown, this can be a strikingly beautiful reminder for us of what Christmas is really all about. In the words of the beloved hymn;

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I propose we call it the "Gift of Heaven" cup. Think of it, what a wonderful opportunity! This Christmas, give a coffee-lover their favorite Starbucks hot drink, sit with them and tell them why the red cup is perfect for this time of year...

"Rad"

I've been hearing a word lately that I remember fondly from my youth - but it's been people other than me saying it, total strangers even - That word being "rad".

Is it just me, or is this word making a comeback?! And if so, I'll tell you, I couldn't be happier :)

That's pretty rad.

We Need Impossible Power, Now!

Found on the Toys R Us Canada listing for Imaginext Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Megazord...

 

Um, kid, how exactly are you doing that?

Elect a Calgary Flame!

High-res links;

Elect Ferland

Elect Gaudreau

Elect Hartley

Elect Stajan

Elect Russell

Elect Bennett

Elect Monahan

Elect Brodie

Elect Hudler

Elect Engelland

Elect Schlemko

Elect Russell RED MILE

Bennett YOUTH variant

Ferland SMASH variant

And just for fun...








Scorch!

April Fools Day Easter Eggs!

Normally I hate April Fools day, but today it did bring a couple of cool tv easter eggs to my tv screen!

First, in tonight's "The Middle" was a scene where Sue, Axel, and Axel's girlfriend make their entrance to the party, and who's there to greet them? Why yes, that's Barry Goldberg from "The Goldbergs", wearing his Philadelphia Flyers shirt and everything! Nice!

And while we're talking about Barry's Flyers shirt, I was also watching tonight's "The Goldbergs" which features this scene where Barry and Adam are running upstairs to Adam's room, when this happens; upon entering the room, Barry's shirt suddenly and inexplicably turns in to a Calgary Flames shirt (my favorite team, oddly enough) before turning back to a Flyers shirt in the next cut! Not an 80's Calgary Flames shirt mind you, as they had not adopted the black version of the logo until the new millennium - which got me thinking...

So young Barry Goldberg is showing up in 2015 Indiana, and Barry Goldberg is momentarily wearing a 2000's Calgary Flames shirt... You know, I think I've figured it out...

When CW's "The Flash" (another "Barry" btw) broke the time barrier a couple of episodes back, he must have somehow also caused a fracture in the timestream, and the cracks are showing up across network television!

Have you seen any other odd events like this lately?

The Verdict

The verdict is expected today in the Kent Hovind case. Whatever happens, this will be a landmark case.

Look, I don't pretend to know everything about this case, or have a vast knowledge of law, but what they want to do to Hovind, is this really justified?

In contrast, Al Sharpton reportedly still owes 4 million dollars to the IRS, but for some reason he's still allowed to walk around freely as we speak.

But whether you think he's a tax cheat or not, it's important to realize that the man has already spent the better part of a decade in prison. You know as well as I do, many people convicted of murder and rape are receiving much lighter sentences than that.

Heck, the IRS has recently come out and apologized for mis-applying "structuring" laws, (laws primarily designed to target drug dealers and the like) against law-abiding Americans. They've already taken Kent's property and left him with basically no money, what more is truly justified?

The court in this case claims that everything Kent does is "motivated by greed", but if you have any experience of the man, it's pretty evident, whether you think he's delusional or not, that he operates in good faith, that he is motivated not by greed, by a sincere desire to spread the gospel.

In my view, this case is about much more than taxes or letters. In my view, these prosecutors and judges have taken a personal interest and investment in seeing that Hovind rots in prison for the rest of his life. Pray that the Feds don't make you their target. Pray for God's purpose to come about in this case, whether we will presently like the verdict or not. Pray for Kent Hovind.

A Belated Tribute

Nobody wore it like you, Mr. Nimoy.

Living where I do, I don't come across celebrities very often, but Leonard Nimoy was an exception. I took an unlikely visit in 2010 to western small town Vulcan, Alberta, literally finding myself mere feet from the man. You can read about it and see my photos here - http://blog.deantfraser.com/2013/02/i-encountered-spock.html

CW's "the 100"

The CW's "The 100" is a show that is possibly even better than it has any business being, but I can't be the only one to notice that they must have a large amount of money budgeted for blood for this show! Am I right people?