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Here we see the opening credits at the commencement of the story in the book: "I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book to raise the Ghost of an Idea which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, and each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it." Their faithful Friend and Servant, CHARLES DICKENS December, 1843   I first saw this film when I was 5 years old. It is one of the earliest Christmas movies I remember. Also, it holds the distinction of being the first British film I had ever seen. In this adaptation of Charles Dickens wonderful novel, "A Christmas Carol", we are introduced to the foul tempered, irascible old curmudgeon Ebeneezer Scrooge, played impressively by Sir Seymour Hicks, who sees nothing merry in Christmas. Rather he dismisses it with, "Bah humbug!" Scrooge and his former partner,  Jacob Marley, who died 9 years ago at the time of the story, established

I would like to wish all my readers a  very happy, blessed, and merry Christmas! I know some Christians believe only Biblical holidays should be observed - those who follow the regulative principle of worship, which only allows that which Scripture explicitly allows. I follow the normative principle of worship. I believe we can do something unless it's explicitly forbidden in Scripture. I don't see how celebrating our Lord's incarnation is unbiblical! My sisters and I have very fond childhood Christmas memories! I recall how fun it was driving  out to the Christmas tree lot by the old Allegheny airport, and picking out a real live tree! I will never forget that fresh pine scent. We all sang Christmas carols in the car. Then we'd all go home and put lights on the tree and hang ornaments and garland. I loved hanging our stockings above the fireplace just before bedtime on Christmas Eve, in eager expectation of what we'd find inside them on Christmas morning! One of my

The ominously named Doomsday Glacier in Antarctica is at serious risk of total collapse within the next 3 years. The Thwaites Glacier, otherwise known as the Doomsday Glacier, is approximately the size of Florida or Great Britain! It is the widest glacier on Earth, spanning roughly 80 miles (120 kilometers) and extending down between 2,600-3,900 feet (800-1,200 meters) to its grounding line (where the glacier transitions from being primarily land-attached to free-floating in the ocean). The glacier is known as the Doomsday Glacier because it could trigger a cascade of glacial collapse in Antarctica with its collapse. During a briefing on December 13th during the American Geophysical Union's (AGU) annual meeting, researchers have warned that it is at risk of collapse within the next three years. The ice mass is large enough to raise sea levels by more than two feet.     "And it could lead to even more sea-level rise, up to 10 feet (3 m) if it draws the surrounding glaciers with

    J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Weihnachts-Oratorium) Oratorio in 6 parts. BWV 248 Bach composed this work in Leipzig during 1734-1735. The text is by Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander). This video recording is from 1982. Franz Kabelka - director. Performed in the Waldhausen Abbey Church, Waldhausen im Strudengau, Oberösterreich, Österreich (Austria). Concentus Musicus Wien: Nikolaus Harnoncourt - conductor. Peter Schreier - Tenor Robert Holl - Bass Soloists of the Tölzer Knabenchor - Chorusmaster: Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden This outstanding performance, from 39 years ago, holds a place of distinction in performances of this piece. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was a pioneer in Historically Informed Performance Practice (HIP). HIP employs the instruments which would have been used by Bach himself when this piece was first performed. Original instruments are used or historical reproductions. Also it's interesting to note that Harnoncourt uses a relatively small boys choir instead of t

Here is an old book that is in the public domain (copyright expired), called Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper.  Kuyper was once Prime Minister of the Netherlands. He was Reformed, specifically Dutch Reformed, and was also a theologian and pastor. The book covers what a Reformed, and hence biblical, outlook should be. This book began as an 1898 “Stone Lectures series” which Kuyper gave at Princeton University. Famous Reformed apologist Cornelius Van Til (who used presuppositional apologetics) was influenced by Kuyper and others who were Dutch Reformed. For download purposes here is the free E-book in EPUB , MOBI and PDF file formats for your viewing pleasure. Also you can download an audioboo k for free.

  Three kings from the East Followed the Star They traveled far The Star stopped Above a manger so bright It radiated light Eventually they arrived At Bethlehem in the northwest They brought their best Gold, frankincense and myrrh Gifts for the newborn King Angelic hosts did sing Shepherds tending their sheep Saw angels appear They said to not fear The choirs of angels praised The Son of God just born On a frosty early morn Great joy they did proclaim Christ the Messiah had arrived Man would soon be revived Man was lost in sin He needed a redeemer Jesus would bring eternal favor Jesus grew And soon was a man He began the Triune God's plan He taught in Galilee Traveled south to Judea too Jesus' renown soon grew The Pharisees and High Priest Wanted Him dead Christ would die in our stead He endured a cruel scourging The crowd did ridicule and mock Jesus endured - the great Rock Pilate found no fault Christ was sentenced to death He'd soon draw His last breath The spotless Lamb

Atoms fuse together The small particles Combining with larger  Enormous energy Released in an instant Mathematical precision A deadly calculus A blinding flash of light Brighter than the sun Suddenly a shock wave Obliterates  Everything in its path  Then raging heat A firestorm Bodies seared by the blaze People become shadows A horrible transformation  Cities reduced To radioactive rubble Millions of lives Snuffed out  The survivors Are the walking dead Radiation annihilates their cells The fallout  Blankets the sky Earth grows cold A century long winter All is destroyed and lost   by Zachary Uram (c) 2021   

Oh my meaty, swollen belly Smacking my belly It is a gut most swelly Smack to the left and right Smacking my belly It's outta sight Smack it up and down Smacking my belly Brings me such renown Oh what a sight Smacking my belly Gives me such delight Smack it at night and day Smacking my belly I smack it without delay Such sweet rhythm Smacking my belly It's like a drum As loud as a thunderclap Smacking my belly My belt I do unstrap Smack it today and tomorrow Smacking  my belly It will never give me sorrow I feel happy and free Smacking my belly I smack it with glee I'll smack my belly forevermore Smacking my belly The sound you cannot ignore Smack it now and later Smacking my  belly It's never a labor   by Zachary Uram (c) 2021

  In the Garden Man had fallen from grace It doomed the human race Man was lost In hopelessness and pain Sin and death would now reign Because of divine love There formed a plan To save wretched man A Savior was needed A spotless Lamb The great I AM God the Son would come To set mankind free From his estate lowly God chose A humble Jewish girl She was special Mary served the Lord She agreed to God's fiat In her womb the Messiah sat A true miracle This virgin most fair The Christ child she would bare In a remote city of Bethlehem Mary and Joseph did sojourn The world would soon turn No room in the inn Christ was born in a stable This was no fable The animals looked on The God Man was alive Our hope did survive Rejoice I say Behold Israel's King Let choirs of angels sing Gloria Gloria Gloria Hosanna in excelsis Emmanuel - God with us The very universe sings A cosmic celebration Of Jesus's incarnation Thirty-three years later Christ would pay our penalty From sin we'd be s

In my estimation, Sir Anthony Hopkins is the greatest actor of his generation! And one of the top 5 best actors of all time. I recall watching him as an 8 year old child in 1984, he starred opposite Mel Gibson in The Bounty as William Bligh . He played captain of the Royal Navy ship HMS  Bounty . It's a far more authentic and accurate story of the mutiny on the Bounty . Even as a child I was impressed by his charisma and dedication to his role. This was my first Hopkins film I'd seen. In 1991, came Hopkin''s performance in the film Silence of the Lambs as the brilliant, but utterly evil forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter who became a serial killer. He was known for cannibalizing his victims (Hannibal the Cannibal as the press at the time said). This was an amazing performance by Hopkins opposite Jodie Foster. Foster gives a very strong performance as a young and inexperienced FBI profiler. Dr. Lecter relishes his interactions with her and toying with her psycho