Mary believes, Mary ponders, Mary grieves -- an inspiration to modern people, ever experiencing extraordinary joy and extraordinary loss in the midst of ordinary life.

There were no disco balls or singing children. The setting was drab and far-from-festive. The tattered hymnals and song sheets retrieved from the cabinet. The individuals came all dressed in red -- not because red is a Christmas color, but because red is the color of the assigned uniform.

Last year, Jack, who was saving his money for an iPod touch, donated half his savings to buy mosquito nets to help prevent the deadly spread of malaria in developing countries.

I was six when I fell in love with Christmas carols, especially American Christmas songs. Where did such beautiful music come from? The question stayed with me all my life.

While the Pope may have a vested interest in attempting to validate the historical accuracy of the stories of Jesus' birth, I think we misunderstand their intent by doing so.

I write about real-life because that is where I live with three active boys at home -- one curious 9-year-old Gus and 15-year-old twins, Wesley and Mickael Josef. And now my college-age son Ryan and his fiancée Larissa are home for Christmas as well with my daughter Rachel and her husband!

But my question remains: is it ever even possible to feel and experience a sense of utter and absolute safety in this life in the very same breath that we inhale the daily news?

As a Jewish parent, I have a set of resources at my fingertips seemingly custom designed to help raise strong, resilient, compassionate children who can cope in the face of hardship.

For someone filled with hatred or uncontrolled mental illness, what more dangerous stumbling block could there be then an automatic or semiautomatic weapon, like the Bushmaster .223 used in Friday's shooting?

Let's not desecrate this tragedy with bullshit national grieving, empty words, impotent tears. Instead let's protect our children.

Twenty children dead. Shot to death, many of them kindergartners. Pause for a moment and think what that means.

We must get past our outdated, limiting and formulaic associations with religion, spirituality and faith so that we can move forward with a renewed hope of spiritual and religious progress.

When I first turned my life over to God and accepted Jesus into my life, I thought was faced with a hefty learning curve. I felt like I had a mountain of change to make before I could actually be a good Christian role model for our daughters.

My mother had bought the toy for Jason when he was first diagnosed. He was handmade with felt eyes, nose and mouth, perpetually smiling. Big Jon went with him to every doctor's appointment, slept with him in every hospital bed. He offered so much more than security.

A lot of people won't want to go near anything remotely religious, including meditation. But for those who want faith, and who have become cynical about faith seeming little more than political tool, don't let politicians and giant religious institutions steal from you what is rightfully yours.