b

books.qmd

@@ -4,4 +4,10 @@ comments: false
 listing:
   contents: book-reviews
   type: grid
----
+---
+
+Goal: To spend less time consuming more, more time consuming intentionally.
+
+Mostly incoherent bullet points of thought provoking moments.
+
+***

christianity.qmd

@@ -6,4 +6,6 @@ listing:
   type: "default"
 ---
 
-I'm a Christian, which means I believe in a Savior and Messiah who was born miraculously, lived perfectly, gave His life selflessly, and resurrected divinely so that there's hope in a world beyond for all of us. He was the perfect example of how to treat everyone with kindness, respect, and decency.  From a leadership perspective, he taught how to think deeply, lead unconventionally, and challenge individuals to live life with selfless purpose. His life is filled with a richness worth studying. These are some ideas I have while trying to understand who He is.
+I'm a Christian, which means I believe in a Savior and Messiah who was born miraculously, lived perfectly, gave His life selflessly, and resurrected divinely so that there's hope in a world beyond for all of us. He was the perfect example of how to treat everyone with kindness, respect, and decency.  From a leadership perspective, he taught how to think deeply, lead unconventionally, and challenge individuals to live life with selfless purpose. His life is filled with a richness worth studying. These are some ideas I have while trying to understand who He is.
+
+***

christianity/2023-12-24-the-christ-child/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+---
+title: The Christ Child
+description: |
+  The birth of Jesus Christ teach us what we can 
+date: 2023-12-24
+image: photo.jpeg
+categories: [christianity]
+draft: false
+---
+
+The story of the Savior's birth brings many wonderful concepts to memory and can teach us a lot about what will bring us true joy and happiness in this life. 
+
+![](photo.jpeg){.preview-image}
+
+This is my favorite video of the Christmas story. The most powerful part is the moment when Mary sings a lullaby to Jesus. I remember reading somewhere that this moment was completely impromptu by the actress, and it speaks volumes to the sacredness of the moment where Mary first laid eyes on her beloved son. 
+
+{{< video https://youtu.be/yXWoKi5x3lw?si=JogPuTvWW1X-aD-S >}}
+
+So what does this story give me perspective on at this time of year?
+
+- Christ was the rightful, bloodline heir to King David's throne. He was the King of the Jews. But he never sought authority. He never sought a throne. He  instead taught ["Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's"](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/matt/22?id=p17-p21&lang=eng#p17). He didn't engage in turf battles. In rebellion. In insurrection. He just wanted people to find happiness in their circumstances by living with lovingkindness in their hearts for their God, their neighbor, and themselves. 
+- In his role as a Savior and Judge of the world, he sought to not condemn the sinner trapped in the act of sin. Instead he came to liberate. To forgive. To support. 
+- If you believe Christ was the Creator and Savior of the world, consider how He chose to come into the world. He was born in a stable, mucked with animal feces and rotting food scraps, covered with the stench of...a stable. He was rejected of a room in the inn. He was laid in a manger, perhaps a feeding trough. Maybe Mary had help giving birth, maybe she didn't. He was born generally alone. I wonder if He chose to do his birth this way because nobody can say he had it easy. He didn't have the special treatment of a King's birth. No, he was born to an exhausted, weary traveler, likely on the cold hard floor of a dirty barn. 
+- If we think about the Savior being the architect of this birth, think about how he planned for angels to show up to shepherds. Not King Herod. The shepherds. He would be the prophesied sacrificial Lamb. He would be the Good Shepherd. Yet these people were perhaps the minimum wage, forgotten ones outside the city gate. Yet these are those who had the privilege to see Him first. And He invited them to come and see. His whole life was an invitation.
+- He also invited the rich wise men. All are invited. He wanted all to see, and he wanted the world to know that He was for everyone regardless their circumstances. And that all of us, whether destitute or traveling with caravans, can bring the gifts of our heart to Him. We don't need to bring gold. He just wants a ["broken heart and contrite spirit.](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/9?id=p20&lang=eng#p20)
+
+How can we apply these things to our life, today?
+
+- Seek out the forgotten. The people in our life that seem forgotten. The servants in our life (person on the other end of the customer support line, the checkout person, your supervisor) but even, your [best friend who seems to be doing great...](https://youtu.be/tX8TgVR33KM?si=Jdwq-B9W0dhWYhLA)
+- Seek not riches or wealth. Harod sought these things. Christ sought relationships and truth. 
+- Don't seek for power. Christ deserved it. Christ had it. He turned water to wine, cursed a tree, and made a host of  [men fall over at the sound of his voice](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/john/18?id=p4-p6&lang=eng#p4). Yet he didn't touch the Romans. 
+- Seek to invite. To share. To uplift. Christ made shepherds feel important. He invited them to his crib side. And " his hand is stretched out still." (Isaiah 9:12)
+
+He came like all of us, as a child. But he came to show us how a God would live. And he did. 
+
+![The Christ as a Child, before worshipping Wise men](standing.jpeg)

lists.qmd

@@ -4,4 +4,8 @@ comments: false
 listing:
   contents: lists
   type: grid
----
+---
+
+Ongoing bookmarks and lists of things I want to remember.
+
+***

posts/2023-12-24-'twas-the-night-before-christmas/index.md

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+---
+title: 'Twas the Night before Christmas
+description: |
+  The origin of the story, and a link to the 1912 publication. 
+date: 2023-12-24
+image: photo.jpeg
+categories: [christmas, ask gpt]
+draft: false
+---
+
+::: callout-tip
+
+- Link to the 1912 publication, [Twas the Night Before Christmas](http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17135)
+- original poem was 1820's
+- St Nick was 4th century
+- Dutch brought the name "Sinterklass" to the U.S. in the 1600's. 
+- St Nick becomes red by 1931, thanks to Coke
+
+:::
+
+![The OG St. Nick](photo.jpeg){.preview-image}
+
+Everything below is produced by GPT:
+
+"How long has the concept of Santa been around? Where did "st nick" come from?"
+
+> The concept of Santa Claus has evolved over many centuries, originating from the historical figure of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Christian bishop in Myra, which is now part of modern-day Turkey. He was known for his generosity and for performing miracles, which earned him a reputation as a protector of children and sailors. 
+
+> The name "Santa Claus" evolved from the Dutch "Sinterklaas," a short form of Sint Nikolaas (Saint Nicholas). Dutch immigrants brought the traditions of Sinterklaas to America in the 17th and 18th centuries. In these traditions, Sinterklaas was depicted as a serious, religious figure who rewarded good children and punished the naughty ones.
+
+> During the 19th century, especially in America, the image of Santa Claus as we know it today began to take shape. The 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (commonly known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas") played a crucial role in shaping the modern character of Santa Claus, including his physical appearance and the tradition of delivering gifts to children. 
+
+> Later, in the 19th and 20th centuries, Santa's image was further popularized through various media, including advertisements, films, and songs, which contributed to the jovial, red-suited, and reindeer-driving character recognized globally today. This character represents a blend of the historical Saint Nicholas, folk traditions from various cultures, and modern commercial and media influences.
+
+
+How did St Nick become red?
+
+> The transformation of Saint Nicholas into the red-suited Santa Claus is a gradual evolution influenced by cultural, artistic, and commercial factors. The image of Santa Claus wearing red clothes began to become popular in the 19th century, but it was solidified in the 20th century, particularly through advertising.
+
+> 1. **19th Century Literature and Art**: In the 19th century, Santa Claus was often depicted in various colors of robes, including blue, green, and brown. However, by the latter half of the 19th century, the image of Santa in a red suit began to appear more frequently in literature and illustrations. Thomas Nast, a prominent American cartoonist, played a significant role in popularizing this image. In his illustrations for Harper's Weekly starting in the 1860s, Nast depicted Santa Claus in a variety of outfits, including the now-familiar red suit.
+
+> 2. **Coca-Cola Advertising in the 20th Century**: The standardized image of Santa Claus in a red suit with white fur trim was popularized and became iconic largely due to Coca-Cola advertising campaigns. In 1931, Coca-Cola commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom to create a Santa Claus for their Christmas advertising campaign. Sundblom's Santa was jolly, rotund, and dressed in a red suit with white fur trim, which matched the company's color scheme. These advertisements were widely circulated and became immensely popular, cementing the image of Santa Claus in a red suit in the public's imagination.
+
+> While the red-suited Santa Claus is now ubiquitous, it's important to note that the evolution of his image was influenced by a blend of historical, cultural, and commercial factors over several decades.