Edge of the end of the year

Well, another year is nearly gone and I get to look forward to my upcoming 40th birthday in March. It really doesn't seem like I have walked the earth as long as I have. I've noticed how much faster the years seem to go as I get older. It's funny, I'd thought time would slow down as I aged. Not so. I've seen terrific as well as horrific changes in the world in my time here and I really fear for what is coming for our next generation. The materialism and self-centeredness I see saddens me. I've seen people go from knowing and caring for their neighbors and their own families to not even knowing who they are. I've seen death, divorce, greed and pride tear parents and children apart. But even with all this, I know that God is in control, but I also know he will eventually pass judgement. Unfortunately, that judgement will rain down on the righteous as well as the unrighteous. I wonder what I can do, if anything, to change things but I feel powerless. So I pray and hope and do what I can with like-minded believers to make a difference. I just wish I felt it was enough. When it comes down to it, I think only a sweeping revival across our nation with people sincerely repenting and turning to Christ is the only hope to revitalizing our nation. Maybe we'll see one soon. Here's hoping for a better year!

Aftermath

Well, the Christmas festivities are winding down and I have to say I enjoyed the family get togethers much more this year than in years past. Usually on my Mom's side the house is so packed you can't move and there is just too many people. Not so this year. Most of my grandmother's children were there, but a lot of the grandchildren weren't. While I missed some of them, it did make for a much more enjoyable visit. After visiting there, we went to our church service @ 6pm on Christmas eve. It was great. Just a short service to remind us of the real reason for the season. If you couldn't feel God's presence there, you would have to be totally spiritually dead. After that we went home and let the kids open their Christmas eve gifts (new PJs) and tucked them in for the night. Susan and I spent a romantic evening together with the lights dimmed in front of the Christmas tree and fireplace just enjoying each others company. Christmas morning was hectic as usual since we had Susan's parents, her sister's crew, and her Uncle Jess and Aunt Mira over for breakfast. We all enjoyed the fellowship and especially liked watching the kids open their gifts. Then it was off to my Dad's family get together at noon. This was the smallest crowd for a Christmas that I'd seen for his family, but those who were there, it was really nice. As always the food was great and I enjoyed talking to family I hadn't seen in a while. Now that all that is over, we get to prep our home for the realty by the new year and plan our return to Cookeville. That's all for now....

My first Blog

Well, this is my first blog. I'm not much of a writer, but I do fancy myself as a storyteller. I love to tell stories as well as read them. My sons are always asking me to make up stories about their favorite characters in Star Wars or Transformers. Since my boys are only 6 and 3 I try to make the stories funny and light-hearted. Although for some reason they like an occasional scary story as well. I guess that is common to most young boys. I plan on using my blog as a place to express my interests in everything from comics to music as well as a comment on my daily life.

Of course with this time of year Christmas is much talked about. The boys are all excited about Christmas and can't wait to open their gifts. We have several family traditions that I absolutely love. The first of which is allowing the kids to open one gift on Christmas eve. That gift is always new pajamas. The next one is the Christmas stockings. They have to go through their stockings on Christmas morning before they open their other gifts. Its a lot of fun and they love it. Since we never did the stocking thing in my own family as a kid, it is the most enjoyable thing for me. My inlaws give me and my wife a stocking every year because they know I enjoy that part so much. Usually they give me $1 tools and small kits of nuts and bolts, precision screw drivers, etc. I love it! I wonder what I'll get this year. I love Christmas. Don't you?