I have mentioned my lovely wife many times and have also written about her Up North shirts. We have a lot of fun looking for flannel shirts to repurpose. She sells the shirts in a couple of stores and we have sold them in a local farmers' market. She recently wrote the following. "Michigan! Michigan's …
Month: December 2020
Christmas Is: Emmanuel
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:1-4 …
Christmas Is: Trains!
What would Christmas be without trains? Many kids dream about waking on Christmas morning and finding a Lionel model train running under the tree.Almost everyone loves the story “The Polar Express”, and for good reason. The movie contains everything of childhood dreams, especially discovering Santa is real! What could be better than riding an old-fashioned …
Christmas Is: Shopping!
Don't you love shopping for Christmas presents? Shopping is exciting as we prepare for the great day of sharing gifts with our loved ones. Let’s be real. The most important question that must be answered as the “shopping days ‘til Christmas” wind down and anticipation continues to grow, is, “Where are we going to eat?” …
Christmas Is: Presents! Presents! And More Presents!
Several years ago it bothered me when the big box stores started stacking cheap buy-me-quick stuff almost to the ceiling long before Christmas. I know that Christmas is too commercial, as Linus says, but that's just the way it is. No matter what, there is still something wonderful about Christmas that seems to catch almost …
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Christmas Is: Music!
There are lots of things people say about Christmas of the excitement or dread, the fun or the stress, of family, friends, trees, decorations, lights, cookies, and feasts. But it is the music of the season that constantly surrounds us with a special presence that saturates our lives at this special time. Music is incredibly …
Christmas Is: Lights!
I wondered when and where the tradition of using Christmas lights began. I have always loved Christmas decorations, especially the lights. I still love driving around the neighborhoods to look at the many Christmas displays, some of which are incredibly detailed with thousands of lights. There are even some homes that have their own FM …
Christmas Is: Plays, Programs, and Concerts
In "A Charlie Brown Christmas" as the gang is preparing to rehearse the Christmas play, Linus is confronted by his sister, Lucy, with a script. Linus protests and complains. Lucy: "Here. Memorize these lines and be ready to recite." Linus: "Why do I have to memorize these lines? Why should I be put through such …
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Christmas Is: Anticipation!
Many years ago there was a commercial showing ketchup oozing very, very slowly from the bottle and finally falling to the hamburger patiently waiting below. The song, "Anticipation" sung by Carly Simon was playing. It was a display of advertising genius. All these years later I can still see the ketchup and clearly hear the …
Christmas Is: Hot Chocolate!
Anyone who has read a post or two of mine may know of my life-long fascination with trains real and miniature. I have dreamed of living in the days when steam locomotives carried freight and passengers across the country. I was born just a few years too late. Imagine my excitement when I discovered 1225, …
A Coffee State of Mind 