Happy Holidays, OS friends!   Bionic Man Steve and I will be on the go to a gathering of my family, back home, then a vacation with James, Andrew & The Weasel, so if we don't comment for a while, it's not that we don't love you, we're just away from our computers!

I thought you might enjoy this unique Christmas song sung by Jackson Browne and accompanied by The Chieftains.

All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants' windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
As the sky darkens and freezes
We'll be gathering around their hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God's graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus

Well they call Him by the Prince of Peace
And they call Him by the Savior
And they pray to Him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill His churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in Him increases
But they've turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robbers' den
In the words of the rebel Jesus

We guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why they are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus

But please forgive me if I seem
To take the tone of judgement
For I've no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In this life of hardship and of earthly toil
We have need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus.

Since I grew up Methodist and now identify myself as a Quaker, I don't think of myself as "a heathen and a pagan," but I do  believe that it's how you act not what you profess that matters.  Works, not faith.

My faith is God-centered, not Christ-centered, and I am open to all religions, prophets, and outlooks (agnosticism and atheism included).  I note that most Christians are very selective about heeding Jesus' teachings.  People have gone to war in Jesus' name for more than 2000 years (from the Crusades to today), forgetting that Jesus was a pacifist who worked tirelessly to promote peace and justice.  I hope we can work together (lobbying congress via e-mail and phone, and perhaps in person) to ban torture, restore habeas corpus, end invasive wiretapping and other infringement of civil liberties, create jobs, feed the hungry, provide quality education & affordable health care to all, make equality regardless of race/gender/age/sexual orientation/religion a reality, invest in alternative energy, ween ourselves from foreign oil, create viable public transportation, increase fuel efficiency, protect endangered species, and listen to & negotiate with our allies and enemies.  Perhaps we can become again a beacon of hope and goodness and opportunity for all.

This afternoon I attended a Trans Siberian Orchestra concert with James, Andrew, and Andrew's best friend Cole.  We had seen TSO once before and wanted Cole, who plays violin in the HS orchestra, to experience TSO's rock 'n' roll electric fiddle prowess.

Here's a professional video of Trans-Siberian Orchestra performing "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" that features a little girl, her kitten, a magic trunk, and the TSO.  Below it are some brief video clips James took with his digital camera, from the concert we attended on 12/20/2008.

In addition to giving a whole new meaning to traditional Christmas music, Trans Siberian Orchestra has a Rebel Jesus message:  you can make a difference by helping a neighbor.  We can change the world one person at a time.  Wishing on a star--and anything, even a neon bar sign, can be a star--can have magical results.  Nurture hope.  Dare to dream.  Believe.

Here are a few video clips that James took from the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert.  Wishing you a safe, joyous, and blessed holdiay season & a New Year full of adventure and love.