You may think the Holidays are over, but there will be a nagging monthly reminder for all those who were caught up in all of that "Joy to the [commercial] world" last month.

Thanks to the news media, the world can now add chickens to the things we must worry about killing us. To date, 100 million domestic birds have been killed and it is reported 60 of the 100 people infected with the human form, since 1997, have died.

The winter tide festivities continue on, with people moving almost mindlessly through them—looking neither left nor right, only onward to the end, full of parties, food, drink, and maxed-out credit cards.

In just a few more days it will be the New Year, and the glut of holiday celebrations will cease and we all can get back to normal—at least until Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mardi Gras, etc.

With all that's happened this past week life has certainly changed for many of us. My brother and I were in hurricane Katrina while visiting family and friends back in Mississippi this past week. My cousin's home was flooded as she lived in New Orleans and has moved out to be with her children in California and will be looking for work. Our mother's home was spared, being in Jackson, Mississippi; however, the home was without power for over a week until just yesterday. We lost several trees and one landed on the roof of my grandfather's home out in the country just north of Clinton.

On Tuesday, December 20, 2005, ABC aired a special two-hour program entitled, "Heaven: Where Is It? How Do We Get There?" To produce the program, Barbara Walters spent a whole year traveling the world, "interviewing religious leaders, scientists, believers and non-believers alike to get a range of perspectives on heaven and the afterlife."