Pursuing Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
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Here are ten of my favourite sayings from this Christmas classic, It’s A Wonderful Life: George Bailey: Well, you look about the kind of angel I’d get. Sort of a fallen angel, aren’t you? What happened to your wings? Clarence (the angel): Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he…
1. The story is actually from a Christmas card – “The Greatest Gift” was a short story written and self-published as a 21 page Christmas card gift by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1943. It concerned a man named George Pratt who wished he had never been born. A stranger meets George on a bridge…
The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect! – Charles N. Barnard Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. – Larry Wilde The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature. – Andy Rooney Gee, do they still make wooden…
The best selling Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine. For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place. Cultured Christmas trees must be shaped as they grow to produce fuller foliage. To slow the upward growth and to…
Ingredients Beat on medium speed until lightened in color and creamy: 3/4 pound unsalted butter, softened & 1/4 teaspoon salt Beat until very fluffy and well blended: 2/3 cup powdered sugar & 1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons brandy & 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract And then gradually add and stir until well blended…
One Norwegian Christmas custom begins in late autumn at harvest time. The finest wheat is gathered and saved until Christmas. This wheat is then attached to poles made from tree branches, making perches for the birds. A large circle of snow is cleared away beneath each perch. According to the Norwegians, this provides a place…
In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service. Also in Britain, eating mince pies at Christmas dates back to the…
Here is an interesting list of some pretty amazing Christmas records. Biggest selling Christmas song is Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The song was written by Sir Bob Geldof, and sold fifty million copies and continues to be a holiday favorite today! The world’s largest gift was the Statue of Liberty. The people…
A few years back, the Philips Corporation in the US released a list of facts surrounding the holiday season. Here’s what the average person has to look forward to when shopping for Christmas: Five miles of walking around stores, parking lots and malls Spending at least 90 minutes waiting in line to pay The average…
1. Christmas was once a moveable feast celebrated at many different times during the year. The choice of December 25 was made by Pope Julius I, in the 4th century A.D., because this coincided with the pagan rituals of Winter Solstice, or Return of the Sun. The intent was to replace the pagan celebration with…
As we enter Christmas and New Year’s festivities, inevitably, we will find ourselves at cocktail parties or dinner settings where we will be reaching for a topic of discussion. To help us through this season, By George Journal provides observations and questions that will serve as perfect conversation starters. Here are a dozen questions to start…
This is the season of Christmas socials, year-end parties, and gatherings of colleagues, friends and family. Like no other time of year, we enjoy cocktails, plenty of delicious foods, and endless conversations. So, By George Journal asks, ‘What makes a good conversationalist?’ Here are three pointers to be that ‘gracious host’ or that ‘guest you must remember to…
While surfing through your daily feeds of social media, sometimes you find a remarkable comment that strikes a chord for its authentic, insightful message. Today a self-described “Conservative politico” – Mitch Heimpel – provided that ha-ha moment for me. Here’s the necessary background: The federal Conservative Party spent last night and today responding to the…
The George Soros 4-part series by Chris George in the Niagara Independent reviews Soros’ life and achievements, beliefs and goals, and his ties and influence in Canada. Introducing George Soros The core beliefs and aspirations of George Soros George Soros and his Canadian Chess Game George Soros casts a long shadow across Canada For…
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie…
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to…
It is the Solider! Not the Minister Who has given us freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer Who has given us…
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,England mourns for her dead across the sea.Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royalSings sorrow up into immortal spheres.There is music in the midst of desolationAnd a glory that shines upon…
Poignant quotes and verse, lest we forget… The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their story for them. – Czeslaw Milosz, The Issa Valley The greatest glory of a free-born people is to transmit that freedom to their children. – William Havard We must be prepared to make heroic…
I leave this out in view for everyone (but mostly me) to take note of. From a certain angle, with the light reflecting off it in a certain way, you can see the blossom of an abandoned dream. It’s wilted and shriveled, yet the vibrancy of the pedals still pricks my conscience. And it taunts…