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Black Friday Turns Fatal by Peggy Lively Recently, I was shocked and disturbed to read about an incident in New York where the early morning bargain frenzy of Black Friday resulted in a young employee's death. The New York Times reported that at one of their local Wal-Marts, the police had to be called in at 3:30 am for crowd control as more than 2,000 people waited outside its doors for the 5:00am opening. Before the doors could even open, the crowd pressed so tightly against the sliding-glass double doors that the doors shattered under the weight of the crowd. Six to ten workers inside tried to push back on the doors, but it was hopeless. A thirty-four year old employee (a temporary worker for the holidays) was thrown back and trampled to death in the stampede. As Wal-Mart staff tried to clear the store, explaining that an employee had been killed, shoppers yelled back, "I've been in line since yesterday morning!" Then they continued scrambling for sale items. Since when does a holiday bargain become more valuable than the dignity of human life? That is unbelievable! Not only did the shoppers' argument value their time over a man's life, but it also means that they were in line all day on Thanksgiving Day waiting for the doors to open the next morning. They completely ignored the Day to give gratitude for what they have in their insatiable desire for more "stuff." Is this what Christmas has become to so many people? It must break our Savior's heart. Let's look back for a moment to the simplicity of His birth: "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby keeping watch over their flocks at night." (Luke 2:6-8) Jesus was born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough, and angels announced His birth to shepherds who were living out in the fields. There were no cell phones, ipods, laptops, or shopping malls. Maybe the greatest way to honor Jesus this Christmas is to take a break from all these things that distract us from Him. For just a little while, travel back to a simpler time, and focus on the arrival of our Savior in a manger...nothing else. Encourage someone, or several people, to travel back with you this Season.