1. Support businesses which acknowledge the religious heritage of Christmas.  Let the owner know you appreciate his willingness to recognize a Christian perspective.  Also, be sure to respectfully voice your opinion to store owners who shun religious Christmas material. 
2. Display a nativity scene in front of your home or church.  Instead of following popular social trends, return to the tradition of uplifting the Savior this season.
3. Read the Christmas story to your children and sing carols with your family.  Do not let the season pass without your children being fully aware of God's greatest gift to mankind.
4. Daily wish people you meet a “Merry Christmas”.  Show respect for those whose beliefs differ, but do not be afraid to share your own faith – especially during the season in which we so markedly remember the Savior.
5. Send Christmas cards with a religious message and consider even including a salvation message.
6. Use this Christmas as an opportunity to reach out and evangelize your community.  Volunteer with your church or other group to help those in need by providing food, clothing, or other necessities.  This season of giving and receiving is the perfect time to demonstrate to your children that it is truly “more blessed to give than to receive.”

UPDATE:  In light of rising fuel costs, the IRS has made additional changes to the mileage rates.  The currently applicable rates are as follows:

• Business Miles
  • January 1 - June 30, 2008:  50.5 cents per mile
  • July 1 - December 31, 2008:  58.5 cents per mile
• Medical and Moving Miles
  • January 1 - June 30, 2008:  19 cents per mile
  • July 1 - December 31, 2008:  27 cents per mile

The IRS has issued new standard mileage rates for 2008.  The standard mileage rate for business miles is increased from 48.5 cents per mile to 50.5 cents per mile for the first half of 2008, and 58.5 for the second half.  The business standard mileage rate is used instead of trying to keep track of all the actual fixed and variable costs (i.e. depreciation or lease payments, maintenance and repairs, tires, gasoline, oil, insurance, and license and registration fees) of the vehicle that are allocable to business purposes. 

Ongoing advances in technology continue to provide challenges for Christian schools.  The latest technological challenge is the use of cell phone cameras.

Approximately 70% of all high school students own cell phones.  Many of these students attend Christian schools.  The advent of camera cell phones has added the prospect of new problems for cell phone use in school.  Recently, for example, a public school student took an embarrassing photograph of a classmate and then emailed it to other classmates.  In another school, students took pictures of their tests and sent them to friends for the answers.  These incidents demonstrate why all schools should have policies in place for controlling cell phone use, and particularly camera phones and other portable electronic devices.