Ransom Recycles

Call Me Karen questions why Mary of Nazareth, a Judean-Palestinian woman from the Middle East, is always depicted as a white woman? I remember the good old days when the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon boys weren't afraid of my house. They used to come calling, desiring to spread the Good News with lies and ignorant misinformation. Unaware of my religious background and education, they were caught off guard. They'd hand me pamphlets with images of Jesus Christ glowing with divine light and I'd ask, "Why is this Jesus white if he was from the Middle East?" They didn't know. "Why does this Jesus have blue eyes?" They had no idea. They'd look at each other like deer caught in the headlights. Most of my questions went unanswered as I stared back in fake confusion demanding clarification with my piercing eyes. I could have given them the answers, but I preferred to watch them squirm and regurgitate the dogma they had memorized in prepar...

Save the Trees is a commentary on the materialism of the Christmas season and our entitled sacrifice of living plants for seasonal ornamentation. Granted, I realize there are tree farms that cater to this need, but why is it a requirement of Christmas to have freshly cut trees and wreaths? With so many creative alternatives, why is this still acceptable? I will be the first to admit, I am as guilty as the next person. For the past fifteen years every December I hiked down to the blackberry patch in the wilds where the evergreens grown. Every year I trim the low hanging branches for my one and only Christmas token - a handmade wreath. This year, however, I finally realized I've been slowly cutting away all the low hanging branches and there is nothing left except blackberry vines! How could I be so oblivious to my destruction? This card represents my own selfish and careless regard for resources. I know I am not alone in my self-centeredness. This year I'm making my homemade w...