WHY DIDN'T I ASK FOR A PICK-UP??

OH WHY DIDN'T I ASK FOR A PICK-UP TRUCK?

IT WON'T BE LONG NOW UNTIL WE SEE THE WIDE EYED WONDER IN ALL THE CHILDREN'S EYES, WAITING FOR CHRISTMAS.. I THINK THEY LOVE THE DECORATIONS, THE EXCITEMENT, THE SECRETIVENESS, THE SONGS, PARADES, CHRISTMAS STORIES.. AND THE PRESENTS. CAN'T BLAME THEM FOR BEING SO EXCITED.. YET, PRAYING HERE THAT WE ALL FIND THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT IN "WAITING" FOR OUR SAVIOR TO RETURN.. AND PRAISE HIM FOR COMING AS A CHILD, LIVING HERE ON EARTH, DYING, SO THAT WE MAY LIVE ETERNALLY AND THEN RISING ON THE THIRD DAY SO WE CAN BE WITH HIM FOR EVER!... BUT, FOR NOW, TEACH THE CHILDREN OF HIS LIFE, DEATH AND HIS VICTORY OVER DEATH, AND ETERNITY WITH HIM... AND STILL, LET THEM DREAM, WISH, AND LIVE AS CHILDREN DO.. LOVE AND ENJOY THEM!!!

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TODAY I WENT OUT TO MY BUILDING LOOKING THINKING I WAS GOING TO GET STARTED WITH THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.. "WRONG" .. HOWEVER I DID GATHER ALL THE TOTES OF CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND PUT THEM OUTSIDE (they had been in my building, and because of all the pens we built this summer.. those totes plus many others had been moved here and there and back again so.. it was quite a job!) THEN THEY HAD TO BE SPRAYED OFF TO GET THE DUST OFF OF THEM.. (AND NORMAN GOT THAT DONE FOR ME) BUT, I DID FIND A NATIVITY SET (it needed to be a sort of small one) TO DECORATE WITH AT SCHOOL.. SO AT LEAST THAT IS DONE.. BY THE TIME WE GOT ALL THE TOTES CLEANED AND SUCH.. THE WIND HAD PICKED UP AND THUS THE CHILL, SO I DECIDED TO JUST COME IN AND WORK ON LAUNDRY!... LOL  NORMAN RAN DOWN TOWN TO GET SOME CHICKEN FEED.. AND NATHAN CALLED AND CAME BACK UP WITH HIM..

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BUT, A FEW HOURS LATER HIS COUSIN CALLED WANTING HIM TO COME HOME (BECAUSE THE WERE AT NATHAN'S HOUSE) SO OUR SON NORMAN CAME UP AND GOT HIM.. AS THEY WERE LEAVING.. NORMAN J CALLED BACK AND TOLD US THAT THERE WAS A WHITE RABBIT UP NEAR THE ROAD.. SO I RAN OUT THE BACK DOOR TO GET THE NET AND ??? OUR RABBITS WERE STILL IN THEIR PENS????? BUT WE WENT UP ANYWAY TO CHECK IT OUT.. NORMAN AND NATHAN STAYED UP THERE TO HELP US.. BUT WE NEVER DID SEE IT.. MAYBE IN THE MORNING! ??? GO FIGURE! ! ! ! I HATE THE IDEA THAT SOMEONES RABBIT WAS UP THERE NEAR THE ROAD, ALONE AND AFRAID ... WE WILL LOOK AGAIN IN THE MORNING ?? GOD PLEASE TAKE CARE OF IT! CAN'T IMAGINE HOW OR WHY IT WAS THERE???

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THE LAST TWO EVENINGS "MISS PRETTY" AKA "SNOOKIE" ... MOM'S CAT WAS BEING STUBBORN ABOUT COMING IN  AROUND DARK ... THEY BOTH.. (HER AND OUR CAT "MISSY") A LOT OF TIMES SIT OUT THERE WANTING ME TO PICK THEM UP AND CARRY THEM IN.. BUT THE LAST TWO EVENINGS.. SHE WILL WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE JUST ALMOST CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH HER AND THEN RUN! BUT IN A WHILE, SHE WILL COME TO THE DOOR ON HER OWN "WANTING IN!" AH, GO FIGURE!! AND RIGHT NOW, SHE IS LAYING ON THE BACK OF THE LOVE SOFA RIGHT BEHIND NORMAN'S HEAD! SHE USUALLY LAYS THERE OR ON THE ARM OF MY SIDE OF THE LOVE SOFA (if I am sitting there) "SPOILED ROTTEN!"

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I LOVE THIS PICTURE.. REMINDS ME OF A

 PRECIOUS MEMORY OF THIS SUMMER AND A PICNIC WE GOT RAINED ON.. I MEAN IT POURED DOWN THE RAIN.. LORDY, WE WERE AT A TABLE FAR AWAY FROM THE ROAD.. IT STARTED QUICKLY.. SO JENNA GRABBED A TOWEL AND PUT IT OVER OUR HEADS AND WE TRIED TO BE STRONG AND SIT THROUGH IT.. WHEW WAS IT EVER RAINING! WE WERE ALL DRENCHED!!! STILL, IN SOME WEIRD WAY, IT WAS "GOOD MEMORIES"

===================================== SO TODAY, I HAD NORMAN DROP HER OFF A LITTLE SOMETHING TO ALSO BRING BACK SOME SWEET MEMORIES OF LONG, LONG AGO! LOVE YA SIS!!!
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We can never know about the days to come

But we think about them anyway, yay

And I wonder if I'm really with you now

Or just chasin' after some finer day

Anticipation, anticipation

Is makin' me late

Is keepin' me waitin'

And I tell you how easy it feels to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me
But I, I rehearsed those lines just late last night
When I was thinkin' about how right tonight might be

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways
So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
(These are the good old days)

And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are.....the good old days)
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PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOURS, THAT SOMEHOW THIS UPCOMING FEW WEEKS WILL REVIVE MANY, MANY SPECIAL MEMORIES, BOTH OLD AND NEW FOR EACH OF YOU, AND BRING YOU A SPECIAL HAPPINESS! ... PRAYING TOO THAT GOD WILL RICHLY BLESS EACH OF YOU AND YOURS SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, AND WITH HIS PERFECT LOVE, GRACE, PARDON, MERCIES, GLADNESS, SAFETY, JOY, AND LOVE AND RESPECT OF FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS, AND ALL THAT YOU MEET! AND THAT HE'LL WRAP HIS LOVING ARMS AROUND EACH OF US AND HELP US ALL TO HAVE A LOVE FILLED CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND TO START THE YEAR WITH HIS PERFECT AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!

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Santa's Prayer By Warren D. Jennings

The sleigh was all packed, the reindeer were fed, But Santa still knelt by the side of "His" bed.
"Dear Father," he prayed "Be with me tonight. There's much work to do and my schedule is tight. I must jump in my sleigh and streak through the sky, Knowing full well that a reindeer can't fly.  I will visit each household before the first light, I'll cover the world and all in one night. With sleigh bells a-ringing, I'll land on each roof,
Amid the soft clatter of each little hoof. To get in the house is the difficult part, So I'll slide down the chimney of each child's heart. My sack will hold toys to grant all their wishes. The supply will be endless like the loaves and the fishes. I will fill all the stockings and not leave a track. I'll eat every cookie that is left for my snack. I can do all these things Lord, only through You, I just need your blessing, then it's easy to do. All this is to honor the birth of the One,That was sent to redeem us, Your most Holy Son. So to all of my friends, least Your glory I rob, Please Lord, remind them who gave me this job."
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PRAYING FOR MRS TERRY... PRAYING ALWAYS FOR LITTLE EVAN, AND ALL THE CHILDREN WITH EB OR ANY OTHER DREADFUL DISEASES, AND THEIR FAMILIES...PRAYING FOR HANNA.. (EVAN'S SISTER) AND HER HEALTH ISSUES.. GOD BLESS AND HEAL THEM PLEASE AND THANK YOU.. PRAYING FOR EVERYONE WITH CANCER AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.. PRAYING FOR OUR COUNTRY THAT GOD WILL BLESS AND GUIDE OUR LEADERS TO DO WHAT HE KNOWS IS BEST AND RIGHT FOR OUR COUNTRY.. PRAYING FOR OUR SOLDIERS, THAT THEY WILL ALL

SOON BE BACK HOME SAFELY WITH JOBS TO COME HOME TO AND FOR COMFORT AND INNER PEACE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES...
PRAYING FOR ALL THE "UNSPOKEN PRAYERS" FOR EACH OF YOU AND ASKING THAT YOU'LL PRAY FOR OURS TOO AND THANKING YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.. SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR EACH OF MY CO-WORKERS HELP US LORD TO ALL BE CLOSE, CARING AND HELPFUL TO EACH OTHER, PLEASE BE WITH THE KIDS AND HELP THEM TO CALM DOWN. SEND SOMEONE TO HELP KEEP THEM "IN LINE AND TEACH THEM SOME RESPECT".. PRAYING FOR EVERYONE LOOKING FOR JOBS, PLEASE LORD HELP THEM ALL TO FIND A DECENT JOB, SUITABLE FOR THEM... PRAYING FOR BETTY JO, TIMMY, AND KRISTIN, PRAYING THAT THEY WILL FIND INNER PEACE AND HAPPINESS!... PRAYING FOR SHARON MAE  AND UPCOMING OTHER SURGERY!... PRAYING FOR HAPPINESS, REST, LOVE, AND GOOD HEALTH FOR JENNA .. PRAYING FOR CHRIS, AT HIS NEW JOB AND THAT HE WILL LIKE IT AND THEY REALLY LIKE HIM AND IT BECOME A LONG TERM 'LOCAL' JOB, AND FOR HIS TOTAL SAFETY.. PRAYING FOR JEFF THAT HE WILL HAVE HAPPINESS AT WORK, AND A GREAT BIG RAISE, AND FIND TRUE HAPPINESS IN HIS LIFE... UNSPOKEN PRAYERS FOR NORMAN J. AND HIS FAMILY... PRAYING FOR SPECIAL GUIDANCE IN MANY THINGS "UNSPOKEN" AND INNER PEACE ... AND AS USUAL AND ALWAYS, GIVING GOD THE THANKS, PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORY IN ALL THINGS IN JESUS HOLY NAME, AMEN!