I sit, momentarily pausing to look out near by open window, quietly praying that it will begin to snow. Verging the hour of midnight on Christmas Eve, in Salt Lake City, and it is a cool 48 degrees. The still air surrounds my home as I glare across the empty silent valley, barren, snowless...

Only hours previous to this I sat at the SLC Evfree Church's annual Christmas Eve Candle Light Service, listening to the joyous noise of the children's Christmas Pageant. Listening in on a sermon about how in Job 3 the entire reason for why one needs Christmas, the whole problem of pain. Odd, how he continued a series on Job at Christmas, although fitting concerning that Christmas is the beginning to the end of pain.

Which brings me to a new point. Distortion. Have you ever sat back and just watched how the world has distorted what Christmas is? It pains me to see the commercialization of Christmas, taking the image of the baby Jesus and Angels singing on high - proclaiming the glory of God. And transferring that glory to an overweight man in a red suit, with little "elves" that do his work for him? What has this world come to? Has every religious and true icon in this world gone amuck? People would now rather lie to their children telling them of some glutton that comes down the chimney each Christmas, rather than tell them the real meaning for it? Christ is the only reason for the Christmas season. No, not the presents, the family reunions, the food, the travel, the time off school, and most defiantly not a fat guy "giving" you gifts. I never understood, why parents would expose their child something so asinine, so vulgar as santa, then years later break them by telling them the truth, that they lied. Santa does not exist. Why not, this season, just leave this whole santa trash behind and get back to the truth of the season... The birth of the man who would grow up, and then die for everything that you have ever done. Hmmm, try that one on for size...

The Student Activities sponsored Christmas Banquet, on Saturday night went off without a glitch. Although that this being a SA event, meant yours truly was up and running by 8am, to the depot to set up for the gala. The banquet sold out - 1,200 tickets, 120 tables, 1,100 almond stuffed chicken breasts, 100 vegetarian almond alternatives, 1,200 ginger salads, 400 feet garland, 700 feet tulle, 50 strands of Christmas lights, one mad DJ, and one gigantic Christmas tree. All composed together made for one crazy party.

But alas, finals week, days of pure crazy and mad studying for 4 tests that count for more of my grade then any test ever did in high school. Although it does have an upside, no 7:30am classes, late night DC, and the looming fact that in 6 days I will be home. Home. A sight that I have not seen since the middle of August. I can't wait to see the mountains, real mountains, not the mole hills out here. My family will be a sight for sore eyes, I have only heard their voices for the past 5 months.

Come to me all who are weary and burdened, for I will give you rest.