Donna and PA traditions

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My daughter-in-law from Grapeville:) always talks about "kielbasi (yes with an i) and kraut". Is that the way you say it too? We always tease her but I think it's rather charming. She talks about her mom making 'pigs in a blanket' but was different--it was in cabbage. Have you heard of that one? Sharonjoin me on Facebook:Sharon Mars wobbletowalk@...This email is a natural hand made product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty

and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects. To: MSersLife Sent: Thu, December 17, 2009 10:29:30 AMSubject: Re: ~ OT ~ Religious? Christmas! "Oh!

Tannenbaum!"

n,I just had to call my dad, yesterday (I'm behind on my reading and replying).. and ask him to answer your youngest's question.. I am the daughter of a once upon a time, Pentacostal Preacher..So.. I called him to ask.. Why we have ham on Christmas when Ham is an "unclean" meat.... confused him for a bit.. he had just awakened when I called.. but when he got his senses about him.. he was able to tell me..The serving of ham at Christmas was not a "Christian" thing that he knew of.. it had no religious meaning.. it was just something that became a tradition over the years.. many many years.. So he had no answer for me..Except to tell me that "Yes, it was one of the 'unclean' meats we were not supposed to partake of.. but that at some point special dispensation came from up above at the behest of the people that we all be permitted to eat pork"..So I guess we still have no

answer for your youngest.. I'd be surprised if anybody would know the exact answer to that question.. I'll have to look it up.. and when I speak with Pastor Jody the next time.. I'll ask her too.. cause now I'm curious.. as to whether the traditional ham on Christmas is actually a religious or maybe a ethnic tradition..I know people here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, for the most part.. have Pork & Saurkraut for New Years.. but I'm pretty sure that's because it might have been an European (German?) Tradition or folklore or something.. and most of us here are of German decent.. I think...HUGS|)onnamarion j rojas wrote:> Well, there IS this Constitutional issue about separation of church > and state.> Christmas trees are actually ancient Germanic in origin--not a lot to > do with> "Christmas" as such. Not all religions choose to display their icons

> on public> property. One of my daughters is married to a Muslim, who himself, is > opposed> to prayer in the schools, commenting that it would take up so much > time that> there would be no time for the curriculum. I do not take personal > offense either,> but I DO wonder why it says "In God we trust" on our money--Jesus having> thrown the money lenders out of the temple. And no one has ever > legislated> against any school child privately praying silently in the classroom.> Or, as my youngest (we are Jewish) once said about Easter: "Mama, isn't> it kind of ODD that Christians serve PORK on easter?" Recalling that > Jesus> was born to Jewish parents in a Jewish community. I explained to her that> "Kosher" had not even been made law at that time, and did not become "law"> for American Jews until

1918. > I know when to shut up.> I love you all, and respect all traditions, so long as there is no > persecution,> prejudice, and there arenor acts of hatred.> n>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------> *From:* Akiba > *To:* mserslife > *Sent:* Tue, December 15, 2009 11:14:39 AM> *Subject:* ~ OT ~ Religious? Christmas!>> >> > > I like this...I think it is very well thought, and I pretty much agree > with it.> Akiba> >> Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning - Ben Stein > > I only hope we find GOD again before it is too

late ! ! *> /> The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on a CBS > Sunday Morning Commentary./*/> /*> My confession: *> *> I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it > does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful > lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I > don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees. *> *> It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. > I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a > ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it**.** It shows that we are all > brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't > bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key > intersection near my beach house

in Malibu . If people want a creche, > it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. *> *> I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think > Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think > people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, > period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an > explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I > don't like it being shoved down my throat. *> *> Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that > we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as > we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. > But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities > came from and where the

America we knew went to. *> *> In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is > a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not > funny, it's intended to get you thinking. *> *> Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane > Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' > (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely > profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply > saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God > to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out > of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly > backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His > protection if we demand He leave us alone?' *> *>

In light of recent events... Terrorists attacks, school shootings, > etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was > murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want > prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better > not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; > thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.*> *< BR>Then Dr. Spock said we shouldn't spank our children > when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be > warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son > committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking > about. And we said okay.*> *> Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why > they don't know right from wrong, and why it

doesn't bother them to > kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.*> *> Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it > out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' >> Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the > world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, > but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' > through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start > sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. > Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely > through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the > school and workplace. > **> Are you laughing yet? *> *> Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send

it to many > on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or > what they will think of you for sending it. *> *> Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us > than what God thinks of us. *> *> Pass it on if you think it has merit. *> > *If not, then just discard it.... No one will know you did. But, if > you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about > what bad shape the world is in. *>> *> /My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully, /*> */> Ben Stein/*>> */ /*> */ /*>> >> FREE Animations for your email - by IncrediMail! Click Here! > <http://www.incredimail.com/?id=603996 & rui=119997053>>------------------------------------