Christmas shopping is when you go to a shopping center and become a moving target for hundreds of half-crazed and half-blind drivers – drivers who know no fear and would challenge a Sherman tank for a parking place. It’s where you go to cash in on all the non-bargains Madison Avenue has prepared for you to purchase. It’s tiring and draining on me, Christmas shopping.

Have you heard of the “Get Along Shirt”? Faced with bickering siblings, you can stuff your two kids into a man’s extra large T-shirt, so they are forced to be together and work it out. I have never tried this in my home, but when my two older ones were younger, I used to make them give each other a hug after an argument. Then they had to look into each other’s eyes and say one nice thing about the other person. Sounds great, right? The reality was that they hugged each other in the most reluctant, insincere hug they could conjure. Then, when told to say something nice, their answers would include a monotone, deadpan, “You have nice hair.”

As you look at what lies ahead:

Have you ever misheard song lyrics? You really thought you knew what they were singing until someone laughingly corrected you. Here are some misheard lyrics from Christmas songs—can you guess the originals? (Answers at the bottom.)

"What sort of follower of Jesus does God want to send into the world?" This, ever so basic, question has been a constant companion of late. So who comes to your mind? What distinguishes a follower of favor? How would you describe the perfect follower?