San Jose Spartan Daily


The truth about Santa; a milestone on the road of life?
Posted 12/05/2005
So many people are in need at Christmas, wanting love, feeling lonely, needing comfort and assurance that they matter. So many others are giving gifts at Christmas, hurrying here and there to buy things, to find the perfect present, to not be caught short having forgotten someone. ... But does all that material gift-giving really make a difference? Of course it can be a help, but think of those who are lonely, the ones who are hoping for a little company, a little friendship, someone they can connect with. What would they appreciate most?
Why don't you give yourself this Christmas? Why don't you give of your time to talk to someone, to invite them into your home for a bit or to visit them in theirs? Why don't you see what you can do to make a difference in someone else's life? If they're interested and ready for it, why don't you tell them about Jesus, and how He can warm every corner of their heart? They'll be glad you did, and so will Jesus! In fact, that's the very best gift you can give to Jesus on His birthday, because He wants nothing more than for others to know Him and His Father's love.
His Gospel is love. Will you live it? Will you give it? You might not feel equal to the task, but God is, and He'll help you if you try.
Ted Rudow III,MA
Former Grad student
Tedr77@aol.com
Counselor
Menlo Park,CA


San Jose Spartan Daily

A child without a mother or a father is missing out

Posted 11/28/2005

I've never seen a child yet that didn't need a father or a father image, somebody to play the part of a father. But I'll tell you I've sure seen some kids without fathers who sure needed them! They needed a father's heavy hand to straighten them out when the mother didn't have what it took.

There aren't too many women capable of being both a mother and a father to a child. They don't have the guts, firmness and hardness that it takes to lay down the law. Fathers are usually the disciplinarians of the family who won't let the kids get away with it and who really sock it to them. Every child needs a father. Especially as he grows older he needs a father more than a mother. A father comes into the picture loud and clear in the later years when the child really needs discipline and strength.

It's alot like our relationship with God: in some ways the Holy Spirit is like a mother, sweet, loving, gentle; the Spirit that conceives a spiritual babe, brings it to birth & bears it and gives birth to to a new-born babe in the Kingdom of God, a Child of God. But as we grow older and become aware of what's going on we're apt to need a father's image of God Himself and be more afraid of Him than we are of the Holy Spirit, a gentle wooing dove-afraid of His word of correction and His judgements and His very heavy hand that enforces His strict rules. So that's the way I see it.
The babies and children are not just womens' work! God gives a baby and both the father and mother had better want it. I can't imagine why they wouldn't want babies! Especially when it's a gift and a creation of God! You'd better want it and be thankful for it and start off by taking good care of the baby by taking good care of the mother! Any man who's not going to take good care of the mother is not going to take good care of the baby either, and that's plain pure selfishness! Very selfish! God give us fathers!
Ted Rudow III,MA
Tedr77@aol.com
Counselor
Menlo Park,CA


San Jose Spartan Daily




Holiday fantasy squashed every season



Posted 12/05/2005

Often, Christmas Day gets lost in the days and weeks surrounding it. In fact, many Christmas cards and signs simply state "Season's Greetings," with no mention of Christmas. Now it's a "Holiday tree" rather than a "Christmas tree".
They even call it"X-MAS"--to cross Jesus out of Christmas. In other words, to take Christ out of Christmas. In some cities, all you ever see are signs of "Xmas Holidays", "Xmas Sale!", "Xmas Shopping!", "Xmas, Xmas, Xmas!" They wouldn't think of putting up "Christmas"--that's the name of Jesus Christ!
And of course, they've got a new god called Santa Claus--who is really the big department store! One of the horrible horrors of it is, that when they teach their children about Santa Claus, and then they start teaching them about Jesus--the truth and the real story and meaning of Christmas--the poor kids think, "Oh, this is just another stupid idiotic fairly tale like the one you told me about Santa Claus!"
There's so much more to Christmas than trees, decorations, Santa Claus, presents and all the make-believe and materialism associated with it today. Christmas is celebrating the day that God sent his love into the world, in the form of a tiny, weak and helpless baby, almost 2,000 years ago! He was born to a simple, humble young woman who miraculously conceived, having never slept with any man.
In fact, the news of her pregnancy was so shocking that when the man she was going to marry learned about it, he promptly decided to break the engagement and call off the wedding - until a powerful heavenly being intervened and convinced him to stay with her and rear and protect this very special child she was carrying. Merry Christmas!

Ted Rudow III,MA
former Grad student
Tedr77@aol.com
Counselor
Menlo Park,CA