More love, less hate

by Michele Boy | December 18, 2025

Happy Thursday! I am writing this Wednesday morning . When this paper goes out, I need to start on next week’s, the final edition of the year. There won’t be a newspaper for January 1, 2026. 
The calendar last year left zero room for a break and I am desperately in need of one. I hope to return in the New Year refreshed and adding some of the suggestions I have been emailed. 
Have you entered the contest? I updated our email to editor@syrjo.com. No one likes change but maybe a giveaway eases that discomfort. 
It’s Hanukkah right now and Christmas is in one week. 
So I will say Happy Holidays. But that will likely upset people. I probably tackle this topic once a year but it is worth the reminder. 
1 Corinthians 13:2 says, “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing..”
I probably don’t have many Jewish readers here so I will offer a quick explanation but please keep reading because I have a point to make. During Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, we light a menorah for eight days at sundown. 
I saw a couple of videos online that said your menorah has to be kosher or it doesn’t count. I saw one that said the proper spelling of Hanukkah is Chanukah and if you spell it wrong, you aren’t Jewish enough. It’s exhausting. 
I think a ton of people turn away from religion because of zealots. There is a group of people in every religion that are sure they are right, they condemn others, and they try to push their beliefs on you. 
 I am guilty of it myself. I once got angry at a teenager in a park when he threw a can down on the ground. Littering is a big pet peeve of mine especially when a dumpster or trash can is five feet away. 
I told this kid so. I was right. What he did was wrong! 
I later learned that kid had been sexually assaulted the night before. What an ass I was!
God is love. God is love. God is love. Jewish people spell God, G-d. They have a deep reverence for Him and His name. They believe if you were to throw away this newspaper, you would be disrespecting His name.
  While I can learn from that and respect it greatly, I still believe in the spirit of the law vs.the letter of the law. 
God knows my heart. He knows I love him and I am trying. He knows I fail and loves me anyway. 
I am proud of my Jewish heritage. But I get exhausted from those who tell other Jews they aren’t good enough. 
I was also baptized years ago and am grateful to be a follower of Jesus. He guides me, teaches me, and helps me grow. 
He never says we will be perfect. He never says to beat others down. I have people in my life who are Christian and Catholic that get tired of similar issues in their own church.
While I feel we are called to love others, to grow in Christ, I also know we are all getting it wrong in some ways. I am so thankful for His mercy! 
He is a mighty God. He knows us. This life is hard. People hurt us, let us down, fail us continually. 
And we fail them. 
Social media tires me. As fun as it can be and I learn a lot, I also see a bunch of bullies. Those bullies come in politics, religion, and race. 
When I first came to know Jesus, I had a mountain of failings, tons of unhealthy habits, poor choices, and was desperate for something. He showed me light and love and didn’t judge me. 
When I accepted him into my life, he gave me a peace beyond understanding. I have followed Him for twenty plus years now and still have a list of things where I fail. But the list of things I am doing better at is huge! 
The life he gave me is incredible and I thank him every day. 
I cannot stop terrorist attacks. I cannot stop hate speech or people who insist they are right and will tell you so. Don’t be a stumbling block for your brother or sister. What would our world look like with more unconditional love and less hate?