2023 Christmas Card – Christmastime in Brea

With so many other, and often instantaneous, forms of communication that continue to evolve, this blog is becoming more and more irrelevant. Still, it offers me the opportunity to at the very least share not only my annual Christmas card, but sometimes to share some of the inspiration for the card, as well.

This year’s Christmas card was inspired by another real-life event. They really did fully decorate the shopping mall in Brea, California in the middle of summer so they could film a Christmas ad.

If you want an actual card from me, there are several ways of getting one for yourself:

1. You COULD be on my mailing list, and simply wait for the USPS to bring you an old school card via snail mail; that mailing list is only ever growing shorter. Alas, if you're not already on the mailing list... that's probably not going to happen.
2. You could connect with me at church (Eastside in Anaheim, CA) or bump into me around town (Placentia, Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Brea, Fullerton, etc.). With Christmas Day fast approaching, this is rapidly becoming a futile proposition, as I'm currently down to my last 25 cards (out of a printing of 300 this year).
3. You could send me an email requesting a pdf of this year's Christmas card, so you can print out your very own 2023 Christmas card (ink, paper, and some assembly required).
4. You could forgo all the hassle of tracking me down or the laborious printing and folding chore... and simply experience the online version of the 2023 Christmas card, below:

Christmastime in Brea

by David Alan Hoag – September 28, 2023

(sung to “Christmas in Killarney”; apologies to 

Frank Weldon, James Cavanaugh, and John Redmond)

It's ninety-three, in June, you see,

Yet there’s Santa Claus and a Christmas tree

The Brea Mall’s all decked out

They’re filming a Christmas ad.

And in the snow, there’s gifts, you know

In bright Christmas wrap, and a shiny bow

With little elves in bright green suits

They’re filming a Christmas ad.

They’re wearing Christmas sweaters

But outside it is hot,

And now the crew just yelled at you:

“You’re messing up our shot.”

Though it seems weird, it all appeared;

Look, there’s Santa Claus with his snow-white beard!

In June, this is the biggest

Surprise you’ve ever had

The Brea Mall’s all decked out

They’re filming a Christmas ad.

-------------

In a world driven by commercial profit,

I invite you to embrace

the simple gift of Christmas for yourself.

Look past the fancy wrapping and 

shiny ribbons and bows to discover

A gift of Love, and Joy, and Peace!

 

I wish you a blessed Christmas.

Dave Hoag

2022 Christmas Card – Christmas Day

With so many other, and often instantaneous, forms of communication that continue to evolve, this blog is becoming more and more irrelevant. Still, it offers me the opportunity to at the very least share not only my annual Christmas card, but sometimes to share some of the inspiration for the card, as well.

This year’s Christmas card once again drew some of its inspiration from retailers who start selling Christmas as early as June. As I penned the lyrics, I was suddenly inspired to examine how commercial many holiday displays have become. As always, I hope to somehow reflect some of the true meaning of Christmas… and possibly share my blessings and joy.

If you want an actual card from me, there are several ways of getting one for yourself:

1. You could be on my mailing list, and simply wait for the USPS to bring you an old school card via snail mail; that mailing list is only ever growing shorter. Alas, if you're not already on the mailing list... that's probably not going to happen.
2. You could connect with me at church (Eastside in Anaheim, CA) or bump into me around town (Placentia, Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Brea, Fullerton, etc.).
3. You could send me an email requesting a pdf of this year's Christmas card, so you can print out your very own 2021 Christmas card (ink, paper, and some assembly required).
4. You could forgo all the hassle of tracking me down or the laborious printing and folding chore... and simply experience the online version of the 2021 Christmas card, below:

Christmas Day

by David Alan Hoag - July 1, 2022

(sung to “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”)

(Apologies to Green Day)

You need to hang up lights, put fake snow on the lawn.

It’s all on sale in June, by August it’s all gone.

Your neighbor’s new display lights up the western sky.

Your latest Santa Claus is now two stories high.

God didn’t send a Savior down

To drive commercial greed,

He came because redemption’s what we need.

Angels sang “Peace on Earth”, a star lit up the sky.

A fearsome choir sang its praise to God on high.

Some lowly shepherds were invited to come see. 

The wisest of the wise came too, and took a knee.

That’s what we try to recreate

With holiday displays;

When God just wants our worship and our praise.

It's an amazing miracle.

God offers us a way.

I hope you see the gift of Christmas Day.

It's an amazing miracle.

God offers us a way.

I hope you see the gift of Christmas Day.

~~~~~~~~~~~

In a dark and uncertain world,

I invite you to embrace

the gift of Christmas for yourself.

Look past the fancy wrapping and 

shiny ribbons and bows to discover

A gift of Love, and Joy, and Peace!

 

I wish you a blessed Christmas.

Dave Hoag

2021 Christmas Card – Redefining Christmastime

With ever more people now vaccinated against COVID-19, you’d expect the pandemic restrictions to start letting up. They have, but only somewhat, as the COVID mutations and variants continue to evolve at an alarming rate. It seems a blessing that the vaccine, plus boosters, lessens the severity of COVID for those who have chosen to be immunized. You might still catch COVID, and suffer flu-like symptoms, but with the vaccine it’s not likely that you’ll require hospitalization. I pray that you stay safe and healthy.

This year’s Christmas card drew its inspiration from retailers who start selling Christmas even before Halloween.

If you want an actual card from me, there are several ways of getting one for yourself:

1. You could be on my mailing list, and simply wait for the USPS to bring you an old school card via snail mail; that mailing list is only ever growing shorter. Alas, if you're not already on the mailing list... that's probably not going to happen.
2. You could connect with me at church (Eastside in Anaheim, CA) or bump into me around town (Placentia, Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Brea, Fullerton, etc.); since I’m fully immunized, that is more likely this year than last.
3. You could send me an email requesting a pdf of this year's Christmas card, so you can print out your very own 2021 Christmas card (ink, paper, and some assembly required).
4. You could forgo all the hassle of tracking me down or the laborious printing and folding chore... and simply experience the online version of the 2021 Christmas card, below:
   
   

Redefining Christmastime

By David Alan Hoag - November 20, 2021

(Sung to Defying Gravity, from Wicked)

(Apologies to Stephen Schwartz)

The world has changed around us

Something we’ve never seen

In all the stores and byways, it’s

Christmas at Halloween!

Now there are spooky pumpkins

On sale with Christmas lights

What kind of Christmas season

Starts with Black Friday fights?!?

It’s time for redefining Christmastime

I’ll soon be redefining Christmastime

We should be redefining Christmastime

And focus on Christ’s birth

Black Friday’s a week this year

Retail expects a gain

Though battling snafus of

A broken global supply chain

Certainly, Christmas is not

What’s in my shopping cart

Christ was born, so I could have

Christmas in my heart.

It’s time for redefining Christmastime

I’ll soon be redefining Christmastime

We should be redefining Christmastime

And focus on Christ’s birth

So now I’m redefining Christmastime

Help me with redefining Christmastime

Let’s spread the message of Christ’s birth

So with this babe, God’s awesome gift

God gives us all a loving lift

Of love, and joy, and peace on Earth!

----------

As the world continues to rush headlong

into strife, discord, and disagreement, 

I pray that you can re-imagine Christmastime, 

and discover the promise of Christmas:

A life embracing the message of Jesus...

A message of Love, and Joy, and Peace on Earth!

 

I wish you a blessed Christmas.

Dave Hoag

It is Well With My Soul

Though I had heard the origin story of this great hymn before, I have never heard it told in such a dramatic and touching way. If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, Hugh Bonneville, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir you will love this moving 16 minute Christmas story.

Whenever, however we suffer our own night of sorrow
God's love does shine in the darkness
Hope can heal the wounded soul
And the Christmas work
Of giving
Of loving
Serving
And of rescuing
Is ours, if we choose to make it so
And as we do, we join with Saints and Angels
To rejoice and sing...
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Your brother in Christ, Dave

Share The Gift

Christmas is coming. In a year of challenges and upheaval, Christmas is still coming.

The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens, David Archuleta, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir got together to perform a moving version of "Angels We Have Heard on High".

Share the link... share the Gift... share Christmas!

Your brother in Christ, Dave

2020 Christmas Card - Pandemic Things

Everything has been turned upside down this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been a challenge for all of us. Small wonder that something that has affected the whole world has inspired this year's Christmas card. 

If you want an actual card from me, there are several ways of getting one for yourself:

1. You could be on my mailing list, and simply wait for the USPS to bring you an old school card via snail mail; that mailing list is only ever growing shorter, so if you're not already on it... that's probably not going to happen.
2. You could connect with me at church (Eastside in Anaheim, CA) or bump into me around town (Placentia, Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Brea, Fullerton, etc.); with COVID restrictions, shelter-at-home requirements, and me being in the high risk category, that's unlikely as well.
3. You could send me an email requesting a pdf of this year's Christmas card, so you can print out your very own 2020 Christmas card (ink, paper, and some assembly required).
4. You could forgo all the hassle of tracking me down or the laborious printing and folding chore... and simply experience the online version of the 2020 Christmas card, below:
   
   
   

 Pandemic Things

By David Alan Hoag - May 7, 2020
(Sung to My Favorite things, from Sound of Music)
(Apologies to Rogers and Hammerstein)

COVID-19 is the latest pandemic
Turns out it’s more than a mild epidemic
Panic keeps spreading where ever fear springs
These are a few of our pandemic things

Brawny and Kleenex and all toilet paper
Flew from the stores like some vanishing vapor
Chaos while shopping and new rules that brings
These are a few of our pandemic things

We’re lacking of facemasks and hospital beds
Too bad there’s no shortage of slick talking-heads
Washing our hands ‘till our skin’s raw and stings
These are a few of our pandemic things

When I’m sick of
Isolation
When the world seems mad
I try to remember I’m flattening the curve
And then I don't feel so bad

Restaurants and grocers and all who deliver
Doctors and nurses and every caregiver
True precious angels all spreading their wings
These are the best of our pandemic things

Masks now in public and six-feet of distance
Neighbors help others and offer assistance
Nights when it seems the whole neighborhood sings
These are the best of our pandemic things

Most churches in lockdown are still doing fine
With programs and services streaming online
God finds a way through whatever life brings
These are the best of our pandemic things

When I’m sick of
Isolation
When the world seems mad
I pray and give thanks that I’m flattening the curve
And then I don't feel so bad

--------------

As the world experiences a time like no other,
I pray that you see past the fear and the chaos,
and discover the promise of Christmas…
a life embracing the message of Jesus.

I wish you Love, Peace, and Joy! Merry Christmas!

Dave Hoag

I Have a Dream

I Have a Dream

by David Alan Hoag – January 15, 2020

There was a day, in sixty-three
A summer like no other
When a great man addressed the crowd
And called each man his brother

He noted Lincoln freed the slaves
From bondage; loosed their chains
But, yet, one-hundred years have passed
Where are the promised gains?

He came that day to cash a cheque
Of sacred obligation
He had a vision and a dream
Of justice from our nation

He’d come to stand on hallowed ground
And under Lincoln’s gaze
He spoke of needed urgency
To change the unjust ways

A Summer swelter discontent
Will not soon pass away
The rights of one, are rights for all
Is what our founders say

The whirlwinds of revolt will shake
Foundations of our nation
But drink not from some violent cup
Control your great frustration

Let’s not distrust those present here
Our brothers who aren’t black
Their destiny is tied to ours
So now we can’t turn back

Asked: “When will you be satisfied?”
“When we have equal rights,
When we no longer have to read:
“It’s only for the whites!” ”

Ignore our voices at your risk
You’ll see our passion mount
‘til we can vote across this land
And know our vote will count

Though we come through tribulations
I still dream the dream I’ve dreamed
Your unearned suffering’s the thing
Through which you’ll be redeemed

I have a dream this nation will
Honor its sacred creed
And not just say that all are free
But all are free indeed

I have a dream my kids won’t be
Judged by their tint of skin
But by the content they display
Of character within

I have a dream, let freedom ring
Freedom is what we seek
Let freedom ring throughout the land
From every mountain peak

And when it happens, as it must
When we let freedom ring
“Thank God that we are free at last!”
Is what we all will sing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'I Have a Dream'

On 28 August, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his magnificent "I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. What follows, is the full text of his speech:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

But 100 years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

And so we've come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a cheque. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad cheque which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we've come to cash this cheque - a cheque that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

Sweltering summer... of discontent

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.

There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back.

Trials and tribulations

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights: "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied and we will not be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

The dream

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I will go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning: "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California.
But not only that.
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Your brother in Christ, Dave

It's a Miracle!

In my last post, I put up my 2019 Christmas card right after Halloween. I was scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery on November 4^th, 2019, and mentioned how you never know how these things will go. I survived, so it does look like God has more of a race for me to run!

If you’re thinking that’s the miracle, you’d be wrong. They replaced my mitral valve, and performed a bunch of other procedures on my heart, stopping it in the process. I’m repaired and alive because of the skill and training of the surgeons, the surgical team, and the hospital nurses and staff. I was surprised that this is becoming a fairly common type of surgery; 40,000 mitral valve operations are performed every year… with that number continually increasing.

So what’s the miracle, then? Well, there are actually two miracles that I witnessed during my hospital stay. Remember the Christmas card I published with my last post? Well, I print hundreds of them every year, and make it my mission to hand out as many as I can to everyone I meet. This is probably annoying to family and friends that get asked 10 to 20 times if I’ve given them a card. Seriously, how am I supposed to remember everyone who already got a card? Anyway, I took a stack of my Christmas cards to the hospital with me, determined to give one to every single person that crossed my path. I did not expect that it would be many people. After all, I was in for open-heart surgery. It wasn’t like I’d be running up and down the halls of the hospital.

I was in the hospital for a week. Unbelievably, I handed out over 100 of my Christmas cards to unique individuals during my stay! But that still isn’t one of the miracles.

The first miracle was two-fold, and started just before my heart surgery. I had been prepped and wheeled into the operating room. I was clutching my stack of Christmas cards, as I wanted to share them with the surgical staff before they put me under. There were a couple of big guys who slid me off the bed and onto the operating table. I handed the first guy a Christmas card, and was about to hand the second guy a card, too, when I noticed that his name badge said Mohammed. Before he could decline, I said, “I make a unique Christmas card every year, because I want to share the joy of Christmas with everyone. I’d like you to have one, too.” He stared wordlessly at me for a moment, then reached out, took the card and pocketed it. Next thing I remember is waking us in the ICU with a painful scar on my chest, and wires and tubes coming out of me from all kinds of places. Two days later, however, Mohammed stopped by my bed to tell me that he liked the Christmas card. He had read it, and said that it was giving him a lot to think about.
Praise God for the miracle of planting a seed!

The second miracle occurred in the middle of the night couple of days after the surgery. I had pressed the call button, and instead of my normal nurse, her supervisor popped in to see what I needed. From my bed, I had seen her at the nurse’s station several times; she was all business with the other nurses and staff. I had been wondering if I would ever be able to hand her a card, and now here she stood before me. She introduced herself as Judith, and I offered her a Christmas card. As she took it, she opened it and began to read it aloud. I stopped her and told her she couldn’t read it. “It’s a song, you have to sing it.” Not even missing a beat, Judith began singing the lyrics I had written perfectly in tune and tempo with the Aladdin song. I was in awe. She was almost through the whole song when she stopped and said, “I can’t sing the last verse.”
“Why not”, I asked.
“It’s a duet, you have to sing it with me.”, she replied.
So, together we sang:

“A Christmas wish
How can this be?
A baby’s birth
Brings peace on earth
For you and me.”

Without any explanation and with no rehearsal, Judith had brought the vision and potential of my Christmas card to life. As we sang the last verse together, tears of joy were streaming down my face.
Praise God for the miracle of sharing a vision!

In her singing, in connecting with me, Judith had fulfilled the prayer I had written at the end of my Christmas card. I pray it gets fulfilled for you, too.

This season, I pray that you see past the commercial spectacle
that the world touts as Christmas, and discover the promise of
a life embracing the message of Jesus.
I love sharing Christmas with you! Merry Christmas!

Dave Hoag