As Syria’s President Assad clings to power, rebel forces tighten their grip on Damascus. Rebels have captured military bases and are now closing in on Damascus, as Assad’s regime bombs more of the city’s suburbs.

Did you go Christmas shopping this year? Did you spend money you have not yet earned on items that probably will not fill anyone’s needs, and will only temporarily satisfy a selfish envy or greed? Do you feel like Christmas is more about spending money than spending time with God and family?

Consumer counseling agencies anticipate a 25 percent increase in the number of people seeking help in January and February. Most of that traffic is driven to their doors by holiday bills that haunt consumers like the ghost of Christmas past.

Although many critics deny the Bible as an accurate historical source, evidence to the contrary continues to surface.

On December 14, a 20-year old gunman shot his mother (the parent he lived with) and then gunned down the principal, five teachers, and twenty children (ages 5-10) at a local Connecticut elementary school (Associated Press, December 14, 2012; Good Morning America, December 14, 2012).

Well, it is almost over. In fact, many of you will read this well after it is over. Soon, December 21, 2012—and all of the New Age delirium associated with that date—will be a faded memory. No planetary collision with a “Planet X” or “Nibiru.” No reversal of the earth’s magnetic poles. No UFO rescues. For that matter, no new global wave of peace and prosperity. December 22 will bring the same worldly worries as December 20—and December 21 will have made hardly any difference, like any other day. So, what do we do now?