Well, today we could say it is no longer Christmas... But I don't like that... I'm glad that all the craziness is over... But now I see posts and messages about how glad everyone is that there is no more Christmas music and it is back to what we call normal...

I can't say I would like Christmas music per say everyday... But I love music that sings about Christ and what He has done and that He was born to a virgin in order to save us and pay the price for our sins... Christmas seems to be the only time of the year where it is acceptable to sing about Christ without everyone getting their panties in an uproar... Sure we will hear about people grumbling about the wording of Christmas, Holidays or Xmas... But this is the only time of the year where I can go into a store or listen to the radio and hear the good news that Christ was born... I think that part of Christmas would be something we need everyday...

This Sunday we will be doing our Christmas... We didn't do anything on Christmas day since we just got moved back into our house and everything was crazy... So I still want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone...

It's Almost Christmas

Wow, hard to believe that Christmas is around the corner... I haven't been posting much on here... But I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and remember this;

JESUS is the reason for the season. You can deny it. You can hide it. You can get offended by it...angry about it...try to stop it. But you can NEVER change it!

I may take a break for a week or so and regroup... I need to get things settled into my house and get things ready for our Christmas at our house... We are celebrating on January 1st since we got flooded...

Finally Home

I haven't posted for awhile... I have been having alot of things going on and not feeling good... But we are finally back in our house after the flood on Thanksgiving... There is still some repairs to be made, but it's getting there... We will be doing our Christmas on January 1st instead of Christmas day... I don't think God is going to mind a bit...

But I do have my Christmas things up thanks to some good friends who came over to help out... Then I have to wrap gifts... My friend Chris is going to come over and help with that...

I want to thank all of those who have helped during this trying time... Thanks to Chris and Dick who let me stay at their house for three weeks... Wow, that ended up being longer then I thought it would be... Hopefully I wasn't too much of a pain... Then my friends Chuck and Brenda put my dogs up so they could stay together for the same amount of time... They have a who group of their own animals and adding two more must have been fun... Scott and Jenn was there for all the things that needed to get done that I couldn't do... And wow, there are many more... But thankfully we are back in our house and things are returning to normal if there is such a thing...

This is Getting Old...

I know this isn't thinking right, but I wish my house was done... There are times I think I just need to go back over there and get my dogs and take a chance... But then my fleeting moments tell me that isn't the smart thing to do considering all things... Then I would be feeling worse than I do now... I want to just have it done... They said work should start Tuesday or Weds... Will it be today? I doubt it... I'm going to have to call to see what's going on with this... I know I grumble over it, but then what good does that do since that isn't going to get them moving faster... I think about all the people, not just me that are being put out by this situation and I'm not happy about it... My dogs are at Brenda's, I'm at Chris's and Chuck... Well he is wherever he plants himself... But I need to know for my own good whats happening at the house... Being in limbo is not a good place to be... And for it to be over Thanksgiving and Christmas... UGHHHH... I need some kind of Christmas normalcy without all the drama... But then again... Well! I'm going to leave it there... But then what is normal anyhow... I don't think there is such a thing anymore... I think the stress of not knowing what's going on is just as bad as not feeling good... Ughhhh...

I feel bad for everyone who has been helping... I know they say it isn't a problem... But then I feel like I'm taking advantage of people...  Even though they say they want to help... But how much can you ask of a person before it gets to be too much? Not only is Chris and Dick there for me and have gone way way above and beyond... But so have Brenda and Chuck, Jenn and Scott and so many others...

I guess I should be grateful that there are good things happening and people are in worse situations then I am in... But right now I am having my "Sandie Moment..." I'm not sure... But this is my thoughts today... I'm tired and ready to rest what brain I have left... OK I'm done grumbling and going to go sulk for a while...

Just talked to the landlord and he says he is meeting or talking to the contractor tomorrow... I hope it is a productive talk... He said he understands how inconvenient it is for everyone and will get the contractors out to get things done...

Fascination of stars Tragedies

What is it with our preoccupation of stars... What I am thinking about is how Christie Brinkley owes 531 K... I don't think that is any of our business and some things should remain private... Is it that we don't have enough of our own crap going on that we need to point out all the flaws in everyone else... I don't see where stars are any different than what we are... They wear cloths, have money problems and anything else... There isn't anyone exempt from money woes and problems... I just don't know why people are focused on the bad with stars and others and can't pay attention to themselves more... Maybe they like to just say"SEE I'M NOT THAT BAD"... When really we all that bad... I was going to list some of the stars troubles/woes... but then I decided I have enough of my own and wouldn't want the world knowing mine, why would stars and others want us to know all of theirs... Some things are left better behind closed doors...

Christmas, Holidays and Xmas...

I was talking to a friend today about Christmas... And what we were talking about is where has the reverence for Christmas and Easter gone? I wonder this too... It seems like it is more about what people are going to get and not about Jesus... Sure, we have thousands that are up in arms at this time of the year when some use the word Holidays over Christmas or use X instead of Christ... I will go more into that in a few... But my pet peeve at this time of the year is that people have the give me's... It shouldn't be about who gets the most or has the most amount of money to spend... It shouldn't be about maxing out credit cards to buy the special gift that is better than anyone else's... I would rather have my family and friends pay their bills and provide for their families instead of getting me something I really don't need... If they want to give, give from the heart... Those are the best gifts... I love it when I see something special and I know it would be perfect for that special person...

Then I hate to add this to my blog so parents if you have kids and you still want them to believe in Santa, have them leave the room.... I'm letting the cat or the clause I should say out of the bag... THERE IS NO SANTA... Drives me nuts that more kids know who Santa is over Jesus... Something is wrong with that! It's messed up...

But then, I don't think Jesus would be very happy with how the world celebrates His birth... I can't see Him doing any of the things we do... He would be out there helping, healing and sharing the truth with those around Him... He would put the focus on what is important... I get ticked when I look around and see people who celebrate Christmas and they don't believe in Christ... That tells me it is a money game... Or you get those that say it is all about family... Family is great and it's wonderful to be with family... It drives me crazy when there is loads of gifts under the tree and then they are opened up without looking at the tags to see who gave them to them... Or they don't take into consideration how much time and energy it took to pick out that special gift for that special person... I think we are a spoiled world that's heading down a terrible path... We are full of greed and the give me's... I don't see where Christ is in much of Christmas unless they are using His name to target those who want to spend...

I use to love going to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Services... I don't think our church is going to do one this year... I wonder if I should have a small get together if I rest at my house and we can have our own service... I was thinking about this for about a couple of weeks... Nothing big... Just sing some songs and have someone read the Christmas Story out of Luke and light Candles as we sing Silent Night and then we go on to our families... Then end the evening with Hot Cocoa and light snacks... This is my thought as of right now... Having so much down time, my mind gets going on the things that can be done... But I will see if this happens... I guess it all depends on if I can get someone to help with it...

The Real Meaning: This was taken from a website called The Real Meaning of Holidays... Couldn't argue with this...

But is the holiday season really a time for celebration or stress, or is it more than just a mere season? If you really look at it, the holiday season is not just for celebrations, decorations and gift giving. Christmas is a time for giving the best gift in the whole world and that is love. This powerful and stirring emotion has been pushed so much into the background of the celebration even though this very much is the reason why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. During Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Savior, the one who sacrificed his life because of his love for us. Wouldn''t it be more significant if we learn to live our lives like He did and share our love with others too especially during the holiday seasons? Helping those in need and sharing your love to the unfortunate persons would surely make your holiday more meaningful than ever.

OK... So now a little bit of history... Wikipedia

We have all heard about the war of the words when it comes to Holidays and X mas... I always say CHRISTmas because I don't like the X instead of Christ... If we are celebrating the birth of Christ, shouldn't we put the focus on CHRIST?

Holiday Meaning: In the United States, "Happy Holidays" (along with the similarly generalized "Season's Greetings") has become the most common holiday greeting in the public sphere within the past decade,[citation needed] such as department stores, public schools and greeting cards. Its use is generally confined to the period between United States Thanksgiving and New Year's. Commercial use of the term "Happy Holidays" to replace "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" dates back at least to the 1970s. Use of the term may have originated with the Irving Berlin song "Happy Holidays" (released in 1942 and included in the film Holiday Inn).

In the United States, it can have several variations and meanings:
As "Happy Holiday", an English translation of the Hebrew Hag Sameach greeting on Passover, Sukkot, and Shavuot.
As "Happy Holiday", a substitution for "Merry Christmas".
As "Happy Holidays", a collective and inclusive wish for the period encompassing Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Winter solstice, Christmas Day (The Nativity of the Lord), Boxing Day (St. Stephen's Day), the New Year and Epiphany.
As "Happy Holidays", a shortened form of the greeting "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Xmas Meaning: The greetings and farewells "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Christmas" are traditionally used in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, commencing a few weeks prior to Christmas (December 25) of every year.

The phrase is often preferred when it is known that the receiver is a Christian or celebrates Christmas. The nonreligious often use the greeting as well, however in this case its meaning focuses more on the secular aspects of Christmas, rather than the Nativity of Jesus.

Its meanings and variations are:
As "Merry Christmas," the traditionally used greeting for those from America and the UK, composed of merry (jolly, happy) and Christmas (Old English: Cristes mæsse, for Christ's Mass).
As "Merry Xmas," usually used to avoid the length of "Merry Christmas," with the "X" (sometimes controversially) replacing "Christ." (see Xmas) However, "X" is actually the Greek abbreviation for Christ, although this is not well known.
As "Happy Christmas," an equivalent that is commonly used in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as "Merry Christmas."

As of 2005, "Merry Christmas" remains popular among countries with large Christian populations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Philippines, and parts of Western Europe not affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox rites.

It also remains popular in the largely non-Christian nations of China and Japan, where Christmas is celebrated primarily due to Western cultural influences. Though it has somewhat decreased in popularity in the United States and Canada over the past decades, polls from 2005 indicate that it remains more popular than "Happy Holidays" or other alternatives.

I know this next statement isn't politically correct... But I'm not a very political person to begin with... SO HERE IT GOES!!!

Merry CHRISTmas to everyone... 

Ready to Decorate for Christmas...

Things are getting there at my house... I'm hoping pretty soon it will be all done... Once the insurance gives approval the contractors can start... Then we can all get back to normal and I can get my Christmas things done... I have alot of wrapping and decorating to do, lol... Chuck knows usually when Thanksgiving day is over, there goes my tree and all the pretties of Christmas... My heart goes out to the Landlords... I can't imagine what they are going through... I think things happen for a reason and God knows what those reasons are... Things could have been much worse... But for now, we are waiting to see what can and can't be done... I hope that when Chuck is at the house this weekend he will do some cleaning up around the house and such...

Suppose To Be a Warmer Winter

Yesterday I was listening to KLOVE radio station and they had a story on there where the were saying this winter is going to be warmer than usual. Then today I see on St. George New's page where there are winds up to 93 miles an hour, semi-trucks blowing over, schools closing north of us and not far from where we moved from snowing... I don't think the report was including Southern Utah or any of Utah, lol....

This is one of the posts that's on facebook from channel 2 news out of Salt Lake...

More Information on the storm from KUTV Channel 2 News

There is a lot of damage being reported to us in Davis and Weber Counties. We are talking about power outages, trees into homes and even semi trucks toppled by high wind gusts. The National Weather Service says they have recorded a wind gust of 100 MPH in Davis County. Do you have wind damage at your home?

I don't think that sounds mild... But for the most part today is the first day that we have had much of what looks like a winter... We have been in the 60's for the most part... I just thought it was funny how yesterday the report from the radio came out and then today we have this...

This picture is from Centerville, Utah