Celebrating Christmas- The Great Crossroads

There's an old saying that goes like this, "with age comes wisdom." As I'm closing out my 49th year on Planet Earth, I can't say that I feel and wiser than I did thirty years ago, but what I can tell you is that I appreciate simple things much more than I did then. Take the Christmas card for example.

Every year, we get dozens of cards- some are simple, some are ornate, some are from companies reminding us how much our business (and money) are appreciated, some are from people I barely know. But all of these people have met us at some point or another at the Crossroads we call Life.

When I was a kid, I could scarcely contain my excitement as Christmas Day approached. I would sit under the tree gently shaking and examining everyone of my presents to try and guess the contents. I get the same kind of excitement now every afternoon when the mailman delivers Christmas cards. I always ask my wife, Andrea, "How many did we get today?" and who they are from. It's fun to read each card and remember the Ghosts of Christmas's past and how each of these card senders touched our lives. Some folks we still keep in touch with, others are like Haley's Comet only intersecting with us once a year at this time. But they are still in our Life's orbit as we are in theirs, and for that I'm grateful.

Two thousand years ago, God sent his own Christmas card in the form of His Son. This Crossroads, between God and Man, is the ultimate Christmas card, the Ultimate Gift. Though I may not be any wiser than I was as a young man, I'm wise enough to stop for a second to say, "Thank you" to the Man upstairs. My hope is that all of your Christmas Crossroads, whether divine or earthly, be filled with Love and Peace this Holiday Season.

Joe Pa Keeps on Truckin'

Did you see that Penn St. gave football coach Joe Paterno a three-year contract extension? Normally, that would be no big deal, but given the fact that Joe-Pa (as he is affectionately known by PSU fans) turns 82 this weekend, it's pretty amazing.

Terms weren't disclosed by the university but it's conjectured he'd be making at least $500,ooo annually. Most of his contemporaries, if they choose to work and are able, probably make about 1/100th of that amount and also get to say catchy things like "Welcome to Walmart" or "Want fries with that?"

Paterno must be incredibly adaptable and resilient. Think about the type of athlete he coached in 1950 vs now. Back in "the day" football players actually went to class, didn't have rap sheets as long as their arms, and didn't dictate to the coaching staff. I doubt I could've put up with some of the prima donnas Joe's had to deal with, especially in this era of media hype. The bottom line is he must truly love coaching, there's no other explanation for his longevity in the game.

I can't imagine working at age 82. Come to think of it, I can't imagine working at age 62 either! I suppose if you've been working at the same job at the same company like Joe-Pa has for the past 58 years (yes, kids he started at Penn State in 1950!) it becomes embedded in your DNA. Heck, he just had a hip replaced and he's still going for crying out loud! I guess I'll think twice before I call in sick at work.