Monday, December 17, 2018

Christmas Programs At YOUR Church...
Dreams Or Disasters?


Okay, you have a bunch of reluctant, amateur performers, for the most part, many under the age of five, an outdated sound system, not much practice time, always a few missing because of illness, somebody chickening out at the last minute...aside from that, what could go wrong?



I really should not be the one to write about this, because I love ALL Christmas programs, disasters included!

However, I've never been to one of those gigantic Christmas extravaganzas that fancy dancy churches display, with a symphony orchestra, a choir of 500 plus souls, professional singers and actors, and a live nativity scene. (Watch where you step!)






I'm sure I would like one of those deluxe performances as well, but I would miss the little disasters, mistakes, and technical equipment malfunctions that are sure to happen in a small church production like we 
have every year. 


Please don't misunderstand me. We have some tremendous performers at our small church. Click on the link below and you'll see Adam doing a super job on the Christmas version of Hallelujah, that was originally written by Leonard Cohen as a secular song.







Of course, we wouldn't expect Leonard Cohen to write a Christmas song, since he was Jewish, ALTHOUGH...Irving Berlin was Jewish and he wrote "White Christmas. " 


What a great, multi-cultural country, folks!

I think I may be getting off subject a bit.

Christmas programs! That's it!

I get a big kick out of the kids saying the wrong lines, adding funny things accidentally, dancing when they are not supposed to be dancing, and generally messing up, unless it makes them cry, then I feel guity for laughing. 



On the other hand, I don't get a chuckle when I blow it, like I did with my solo, yesterday.

I blame the CD. The CD didn't provide me with enough notes! I need to have a sufficient amount of notes to follow, and there were so few of them! If you don't believe me, watch the video, especially at the beginning, and listen for notes...or lack there of...


As you could clearly hear, I got "off time" because of a lack of notes!

Anyway, EVERYBODY else did wonderful! 

I guess there always has to be the ones to make the gaffs, like Uncle Joe Biden.



It keeps us humble. 

When we start getting too sure of ourselves, God steps in and proves that whatever gifts and talents we have are dependent on him. A "big head" is not attractive to God, or anybody else! 

Now, tell us about YOUR church 
Christmas programs, Christmas shows, and/or EXTRAVAGANZAS. 

Sharing is caring, and we CARE about getting a good laugh...tear...or Christmas cheer!!! 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38WmunGvaJI


Saturday, December 15, 2018

Special Saturday Blog For My Faithful Readers...Short And Sweet




If you took the time to check out my blog today, please place this secret word on my Facebook page...

Thanks, folks!
Link to Facebook...
https://www.facebook.com/danny.maness.5


Friday, December 14, 2018

Did You Know This Is "Buy Your Pet A Christmas Gift" Day? 


Since our pets are people, too...Dec. 14th is designated as the day we go out and buy our pets Christmas gifts.



How do I know that? I know that because I just made it up. A GREAT idea, don't you think?



Tell me, how many times did Christmas morning come along and you see your pet's sad face, and suddenly realize you forgot to buy a gift for Fido, or Felix, or Flicka, or Moby, or Tweety.




Lots of times, I bet.



So now we have a special, designated, singled out, ear marked, set aside day to buy our dear pets a gift.



I know. I'm a genius.



So what are you waiting for? The designated day is almost done, dudes, and dudettes! 

Get out there to the pet stores and do your duty! Pardon the expression.


Thursday, December 13, 2018

What Is Your Favorite Christmas Song?
I'm Looking For Audience Precipitation

I meant PARTICIPATION, so don't rain on my parade.

I've been getting a record amount of "likes" on my blog, lately, but me thinks it would be fun to have more audience precipitation..participation, to bring an aire of friendly interaction, personal communication and love for our fellow man/woman, in this age of bitter loneliness, isolation and desperadoism. 



 Love this song, but so sad.



Leave us not dwell on the melancholy feelings, but get back to the point of this totally interactive therapy session, shall we?

My favorite, serious, Christmas song is "Mary, Did You Know," or maybe "O, Holy Night."

This is not self promotion..or is it?

My favorite silly Christmas song is, of course, "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."


I know...I know... I'm ALWAYS asking you to make comments in the comments section on my blog. Why, you ask so inquisitively?

To be honest, it's to find out who is ACTUALLY reading this crap, and who is pressing the "like" button just to be nice. 

Now, don't get me wrong. If you wanna press the "like" button just to be nice, that's okay by me, but it would be super duper to discover what kind of human beans would be wacky enough to read this gibberish every day. 


So who wants to take the lead, and be the first one on your block to share your most favored Christmas song in the comments section below?

You will not be criticized, made fun of, or even ostracized for your ridiculous choice.
os·tra·cize


/ˈästrəˌsīz/
verb
past tense: ostracized; past participle: ostracized

  1. exclude (someone) from a society or group.
    "a group of people who have been ridiculed, ostracized, and persecuted for centuries"



    excludeshunspurn, cold-shoulder, reject, shut out, avoidignoresnub, cut dead, keep at arm's length, leave out in the cold; 
    I'm not being condescending by adding the definition 
    of ostracized. I just want to be helpful to each one of my readers, including myself, who wasn't quite sure about 
    the meaning of ostracized until I looked it up.

    con·de·scend·ing
    /ˌkändəˈsendiNG/
    adjective

    1. having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority.
      "she thought the teachers were arrogant and condescending"



      Anyway, here are some choices, if you can't decide on what your favorite Christmas song is...










      Soooo, now comes your one chance in a lifetime to just let go and tell the universe what your, personal, all time FAVORITE Christmas song happens to be...ln the comments section below, or on Fazebook, it doesn't really matter which, at this point in the game!




Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Can You Remember Your BEST Christmas EVER? Tell Us About It.



Even though James Comey can't remember ANYTHING, I'm sure that every one of you dear readers can recall your best Christmas ever.


What was it that made your wee little hearts beat with joy on that Christmas day? A new bike? That special doll? Singing Christmas carols to your neighbors? Eating the Christmas goose and figgy pudding? (I think I've been watching "A Christmas Carol" too much)


I think my favorite Christmas was the time burglars tried to break in when I was "home alone," and I was wanting a Red Ryder BB gun, and an angel, Clarence, visited me, because he wanted to get his wings, and I told him Buffalo Wild Wings was really good, and the real Santa slid off our roof and went to the BIG North Pole in the sky, and Tim Allen took his place.


I believe all of the afore mentioned "facts" are true, but I'm not totally sure if  I had any connection to them, because reality is not necessarily in my grasp since my high school football concussions.



However, I have a firm recollection of my dad always claiming that he stole the Christmas tree from the Christmas tree lot. Every year he pretended that he took a tree, unlawfully, and threw it in the trunk of his Ford (he always had a Ford) when the Christmas tree lot attendant wasn't looking. 




Ha ha ha! What a laugh! He was such a joker! Although, I never saw a receipt, and he would never go to the same lot again. Hmmm.

Putting all levity aside, I believe my BEST Christmas was circa 1956. 






The snow had fallen gently upon the trees, making everything look like a winter wonderland, whilst Mamma in my kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap...Oh, snizzles, there I go mixing my unrealities again!




I was only 6 in circa 1956, so I just mostly remember the smell of the tree, candy, and uh, that's about it.

But I KNOW it was the BEST, for some reason that I can't remember...much like James Comey.

So, after baring my soul to all of you, take a leap of faith and share the heartwarming/amazing story of YOUR BEST Christmas ever.

No pressure. There will only be 46,000 plus folks reading it. A piece a cake! 

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Draw Me A Picture Of Santa, Like I Did For Yoz, From Across The Sea



My friend, Yoz, lives in Stockholm, Sweden. I've never met her in person, but she's been a favorite YouTube friend for many years. 


Yesterday she asked if I would draw her a picture of me, as Santa, and the results are up above. 

Okay, I didn't have a white crayon, and I never attended the Ã‰cole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, in Paris, but I tried my best.

 Ã‰cole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts

Now I'm asking all youse guys to draw a picture of Santa, take a photo of it, and post it on my Facebook page, underneath my blog posting that says, "Draw Me A Picture Of Santa, Like I Did For Yoz, From Across The Sea."

I know you can do it! 

I am the worst artist in the whole wide worm, and I scratched something out.


Why, you ask? 

It's to bring good ole fashioned joy back in to the ancient and festive Christmas season, that a few are already beginning to complain about. 

You know who he/she is, don't you!


You don't need any fancy pants drawing boards, jumbo box of crayons, colored pencils, or nuttin' honey! Just grab what ever you got, and start creating a Santa we will all merember...remenber.









It will be FUN!  (That's what they said to me at the Army recruiter's office)



Hey, but this ain't the Army, folks! It's almost Christmas and you haven't drawn your Santa yet!

So, ya better get crackin'!