FAMILY CHRISTMAS GATHERING

We are having our family Christmas party today, on Dec. 21st, because Donna has to work on Christmas day!

We have done this before and it always feels exactly like Christmas to me!

I guess Christmas by any other date would be as sweet, or whatever Shakespeare or Dickens said about it! 

Yes! I will do a video of the festivities, and it will look something like this!

MERRY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I just want to thank the sweet person 
that helped us get our car fixed on Tuesday! You know who you are!

I want to thank Greg and Dan for playing my song and letting me do funny stuff on their radio show! 

My wife, for putting up with my grumpy moods!

My special YouTube friends who make me feel special!

For Jesus!

For Snoopy!

Merry Christmas, again!!!!

Yaaaaaaaay!

http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-wilde-9

THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY

I don't know much about Oscar Wilde, but his quote below is one of the most profound things I have ever read!

How often have we said, "What does she see in him?"

Or maybe, "What does he see in her?"

According to Mr. Wilde, it's not in the seeing at all that makes us love someone. It's all in the hearing! However, not hearing with our ears, but with our hearts.

Everyone has an inner song they sing that only they can hear, but at times, in some beautiful, magical way, God allows another person to hear that song.

No amount of wealth, beauty, poverty, shabby or fancy clothes, hot cars, deformities, poor grammar, skin color, nationality, or ANYTHING, can overrule the powerful attraction of that inner song that only you can hear in that special individual.

What a special gift God gives when he let's us hear the inner song of someone who, on the surface seems ordinary, but then he allows us to hear the most beautiful, awesome, magnificent song pouring out from their wonderful, loving soul! 

Not a song with words and music, but one of the spirit, of feelings, born of pain and joy, of laughter and crying, that touches not your ears, but the deepest part of your heart.

Have you heard that song from another?

If so, God has blessed you beyond compare!

OUT OF THIS WORLD WEDNESDAY

As you may recall, Gary was surprised by the Ghost of Glirkmas Past, who would soon show him all his past Glirkmas  joys, memories, experiences, warm hugs, fireplaces, dear friends, and festive fiestas...olay!

The GOGP magically makes a giant movie screen appear on Gary's poop deck of his shiny silver space ship, and tells Gary to sit down in front of it.

The room grows dark, ancient Glirkmas music begins the softly play, and...and...then...uh...nothing happens!

The music stops, the lights turn back on, and there's Gary, sitting in front of a blank screen!

"What gives?" Gary says in an irritated manner.

GOGP-"Don't you get it, Gary? You were always so busy training at the Academy, going on missions, saving worlds, fighting evil villains, and being a hero, you never had a REAL Glirkmas!"

Gary thought, that's right, THIS would be my FIRST REAL Glirkmas celebration EVER!

"A word of warning," said the GOGP! "Do not let ANYTHING prevent you from having a Merry Glirkmas this year!" 

Suddenly, he turned into sparkly little stars, and floated through the wall of Gary's shiny space ship!

"That was so cool!" Gary loved the little sparkly stars fer sure!

Gary nods off to sleep again, and wakes up to the sight of Yellow Rose celebrating Glirkmas at her home! He can see her, and all her family and friends, but they can't see him! 

Someone...or...something taps Gary on his shoulder (does he have a shoulder?), and he sees a beautiful girl ghost that introduces herself as the Ghost Of Glirkmas Present! 

Ghost Of Glirkmas Present- "Gary, see how much fun Yellow Rose is already having with her loved ones?"

Gary- "Yeah, but how did she beat me home! We both had to travel the same distance, and she's already celebrating!"

GOGPRESENT- "You're missing the point, Gary! See how Yellow Rose is able to relax and enjoy her holiday without worrying about saving the universe? You need to chill and enjoy your Glirkmas holiday when you arrive!"

Gary- Talking to himself- "How did Yellow Rose beat me?"

GOGPRESENT- "Oh, brother!" 

The Ghost Of Glirkmas Present now gives up, and turns into blue smoke, seeps through a small pin hole in a port hole of Gary's shiny spaceship, and is gone!

What will Gary experience now?!!

Return here on Glirkmas day to find out!!

By the way, Glirkmas is on the same day as Earth's Christmas!

A FEW MORE LINES FROM MY BOOK

We always got a real Christmas tree. It wasn't really
Christmas without a real evergreen tree like Jesus had.
It was purchased around Dec. 1 every year. (Dad would
say he stole it off the lot). 

It was taken down on NewYears day.
Needless to say, when we took it outside and put a
match to the sucker, it simply exploded like raw gasoline.

I looked forward to that each year.
It is nothing short of a miracle that we didn't have a
major fire in our home with mom and dad smoking their Pall
Malls, candles, and me, loving the whole concept of beautiful
fire.

I can't remember mom ever buying a decoration for the
tree. They were all heirlooms or something made by the kids
in school.

I made the world's ugliest ornament by putting paper
mache on a potato, painting it white, and dabbing red spots
on it. ( My mom cherished it.

The ornaments were old, faded and chipped. They
ranged from big round ones, the size of a grapefruit, `to
very small, like a cherry. Then, there were the long, slender
ones that, I think, were supposed to look like the Christmas
star. They had real fragile centers that would disintegrate
at the slightest touch. (Whoops, there goes another one,
Sorry!)












We had some paper chains, popcorn strings, tinsel, and a
well worn silver star on top.

We believed with all our heart, that we had the most
beautiful tree in town.

When brother Dick got married and moved out, he got
an aluminum tree that had a color wheel that reflected
three different colors in succession.

We viewed it as a sacrilege,
A real Christmas required a real Christmas tree!

Christmas Eve. St. Louis. Circa 1960.

Outside the frosted kitchen window (by the way, the
frost looked like' little white pine trees or tiny little
ferns that God painted around the edges of the pane of
glass)

I saw the misty hoar frost upon the lawn (not to be confused
with "hooker" frost), and suddenly, huge snowflakes
(about the size of pit-bull puppies), started falling down, oh,
so gently.

Down, down, down, then up a little and down again and; a
little to the left, then right a wee bit, rocking to and fro in
the sacred Christmas wind that once cooled the manger
where Jesus slept so adorably.

Pure, white, pristine, unadulterated snow. (About three
feet deep, according to the bicycle handlebars).

The porch light revealed hidden "diamonds" in the
frozen white "angel's dandruff", while a bunny had to hop
way up and down, way up and down, to transmigrate himself
(or herself) through the deep cold pile of a billion unique and
completely individual, snowflakes.

MAHESS MUSIC MONDAYS

A little Christmas video I did at one time in my lice.

Merry Christmas!

SORRY! I'M SO BEHIND ON STUFF!

Christmas tree went up today,

10 days 'till Christmas time,

So much crap we've had to do,

From ridiculous to sublime!

Family, car, and health stuff,

All took priority,

Over decorating the household,

And our little Christmas tree.

Don't think that I'm complaining,

God has blessed us truly great,

We have food and clothes and shelter,

We're just running a bit late.

It seems that in my older years,

Christmas is much sweeter,

The memories more vivid,

My heart warms like a heater.

When I think about my childhood,

In St. Louis visiting kin,

We always felt so welcome,

When they bid us "come on in!"

Gifting was more simple,

Only one or two,

Nothing very fancy,

Not a big tadoo.

My Mom would buy some apples,

Oranges, nuts and candy,

This all was such a treat for us,

We liked it fine and dandy!

Just wanted everyone to know,

You are in my heart and mind,

Just like when I was just a boy,

And you treated me so kind.

Merry Christmas to my loved ones,

May peace flow unto you,

God please bless you precious ones,

Make your wishes all come true!

This is what my wife put on Facebook yesterday in a desperate plea for help:

We need a miracle! Medical expenses for little Granddaughter Breanna have devastated the finances of our son-in-law, Matthew Heeren and daughter, Ash Heeren to the point where they will lose their home if no help comes.
The fact is, without her medicine, Breanna will not survive very long.
Lately, Ashley and Matt have had to choose between making their house payment or buying Breanna's medicine she desperately needs for Cystic Fibrosis. Of course, they had to choose Breanna's medicine.
As most of you know, Matt serves in the military, he served our country in Iraq, works full time at Methodist hospital, and serves with the National Guard. Ash, has been going to school for the past few years, trying to get her nursing degree, while trying to keep up with the never ending Doctor and Hospital visits.
It is literally impossible for them to keep up with the thousands of dollars for medical expenses each month.
We need your prayers for a Christmas miracle that will save their home and keep Breanna breathing.
We know how so many are struggling and we are leaving it in God's hands to send the help Breanna needs.
God is loving and merciful and we truly believe he will answer our prayers and yours before time runs out on this beautiful family.
Thank you, from the heart!
Donna and Danny

She did not ask for money, because we know God is the one who will have to help them, very few people have enough money to relieve their situation. We need to leave things in God's hands, and we believe "prayer changes things," like I read on a little plaque when I was a child, and that's what I firmly believe.
Today we took Ashley and Matt to the Cracker Barrel restaurant for Ashley's birthday, and some kindhearted, wonderful person paid our entire bill, anonymously! 

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there.

 Author: Amy Li



I have written about my sister Dee-Dee a number of times before, and this time I just want to thank her and her husband Stan for always being there for me.
Even though I've been a misfit,
Since I was a  child,
My big sister loved me,
The times when I was wild.

When I acted selfish,
Made everybody sad,
Dee-Dee always seemed to know,
I wasn't really bad.

She cheered for me at football games,
Even though we always lost,
She was always my defender,
When someone I had crossed.

I did not deserve her loving care.
When she tied my shoes at school,
And never put me down too much,
When I acted like a fool.

Dee-Dee has a heart like Mom,
She gives without a thought,
Of ever getting a return,
For the happiness she's brought.

Just ask the ones who know her,
They will all agree,
There is no one kind as her,
She's been wonderful to me!

I truly owe you heartfelt thanks,
My guardian angel, Dee-Dee,
May God bless you and keep you well,
And also Stan, your sweetie!!