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Having spent most of yesterday helping drag out Christmas decorations and put the tree, somehow I missed the news last night of the poor woman trampled at the very Wal-Mart where we bought many of the things we needed to set up house back in June. I had seen the Wal-Mart flier for the DVD player (which was $29.99 after an in-store discount and sending off for a rebate) and thought that looked like a pretty good deal, but it would only be from 6 -10 a.m. and I had no intention of risking my life for such a deal. Sadly, this has become the beginning of the Christmas season for most, instead of Tomorrow when we celebrate the first Sunday in Advent, the true beginning of preparing for Christmas. One of my retired pastor friends just e-mailed me and said, "Isn't it a shame that Christmas comes during the holidays when everyone is so busy?!" Amen!

I'm sorry to hear about the woman being trampled, but I do find it interesting to note that the article said they found her unconscious on top of a DVD player. At least she got to her objective before she was trampled! Also, nice of Wal-Mart to offer to hold one of those $30 deals in exchange for almost losing her life! Now we know what Wal-Mart thinks a human life is worth!

May tomorrow rip us away from the commercialization of the season and put our hearts and minds back on Christ and his incarnation and someday return. Have a blessed Advent season. Ivan