Christmas Eve 2009

Christmas songs play in the background soothing the harried shoppers
Sounds of the season, so they say, to make them feel more giving
Those who know the season, know it means much more
Than tired songs rising above clinging cash register drawers

A baby crying in a barn--surrounded by the dirt and mud of the world
A world and people that he loved so much that he came to visit
He did not arrive like the kings of earth--puffed up, proud upon their thrones
But the King of the Universe came to earth in a straw filled, back lot, dirty barn

Because of love and for only love--he came to give his life
Because of love, he left his throne and shed his royal robes
Because of me, and you, and everyone else
He became like us and accepted a mission that would end in painful death

The cars in the parking lot trapped in a horrible, not-going-anywhere gridlock
No one can go in or drive out of the mall to reach the stores to buy their wares
The shoppers are trying to rush home with their gifts ready for giving
Yet don't know the first gift of Christmas, was given to them

From the barn out in back of a motel off the beaten path, lost in the suburbia of its day
A garage full of leftovers where, had it been today a lawn mower would be waiting for springtime
The King of the Universe, the long awaited one, the Messiah invaded our world
Not to conquer with his sword, but to save us with his blood, and his gift to us is life

It is Christmas, the songs are softly playing on the radio in my truck
Does anyone still listen to the words and connect them with that gift?
The gift that was given to us, and confirmed by travelers not even from that place
The gift of life, of family, of love; given to us on Christmas and remembered to this day



and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. -- NET Bible Eph 5:2

Merry Christmas
and may God send His blessings upon you now
and in the year ahead.

Snow Days Result in Christmas Frenzy

The Baltimore Sun reported it widely--The malls are staying open late this week to accommodate shoppers who couldn't get out because of the snow this weekend! The malls are open until midnight!

Wow--

So who is going to shop that late?

Oh yeah, I would have, had I not completed my Christmas shopping yesterday.

Chris reported that on Monday night the entire city of Odenton was crammed into Toys R Us. And she told me she was done, too! I guess there is always one more gift to buy.

I really don't know why it is I wait until that very last moment to get my shopping done. I do have most of it done--but I guess I like the ambiance of the last minute rush of the holiday season. No--it is probably more that I am a procrastinator of epic proportions!

I was in the parking lot of the local mall yesterday--crawling slower than a snail looking for a parking spot. It was absolutely unbelievable the amount of traffic--cars everywhere all going no where.

Once I found a spot--then I had to face the living humanity of the crowds--which were crushing. And people wonder why I don't get excited about shopping? Especially, Christmas shopping. But happlily I can report that I am done. I bought the last gift of Christmas. Yay.

Well--except for the inevitable returns, it will all be over in a couple of days anyway. And then we can begin the process of doing it all over again!

After a nice long break for summer, of course! Beach, diving, travel--warm/hot summer sun! Bring it on!

JHTBH

I bet you're wondering what is the significance of the title.

I heard this abbreviation the other day and was fascinated by it.

It is: Just Happy To Be Here

And I am, too.

Every day.

Especially after the weekend. I was amazed how all of our neighbors pulled together to get everyone cleared of snow. And even though my street was not plowed until about 2:30pm on Sunday--where really did I need to go?

So, when I'm getting all hot an bothered about not being where I think I want to be, I need to remind myself about JHTBH! Because, think of the alternatives!

I got in my car yesterday--turned the key, it started and I was free to conquer the world. Where else should I have been?

I know--diving off the Florida Keys--but that is a dream, my happy place and not reality. Somewhere I can go to in my mind.

Aside from that--JHTBH and don't forget it!

Monday Musings - December 21, 2009

I'm going to do something different this week. I am going to use only photos for the Monday musings. These are all pictures from 2009--various places and events.
The above is wine on the vine at Keswick Vineyards, VA in October 2009


A March wedding in Texas. Where is Cinderella?

A U.S. flag on the USNS Hoyt S. Vandenberg, 80 feet deep off Key West, FL taken in July

Footprints in the sand, Cocoa Beach, FL in July

The indiginity of it all, Islamorada, FL in July

Tarpon on patrol or I'm having fish for dinner! Dry Tortugas, FL in July

A shuttle has been by. Cocoa Beach, July

I love snow. February in Maryland.

Lounging at the Hemmingway House in July.

Gramma, who are we cooking for dinner? March in Maryland.

Dude--where did the year go? Maybe it is down there? July in Cocoa Beach.

Pictures from the Storm of December 2009--This Just In

OK--I was so busy yesterday that I didn't get the pictures from the storm together--but we have a few Since church was canceled this morning, I have a few minutes to get the storm pictures together for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy them. Today dawns, by the way, bright and sunny!

First--a couple words--the Great Blizzard of 2009 ranks only as the 5th all time single day storm in terms of snowfall in Maryland history. But--December 2009 is officially the snowiest December on record with the storm from earlier in the month and this one.

The World outside Our Window December 19, 2009

Snow--while some find it beautiful, I find it cold although it does make for some nice pictures and it makes the world seem white and clean. It washes away the sins and stains of the world I guess.

Our neighbors are awesome. We received about 22 inches of snow here. I love their snow blower. We wound up clearing the driveway twice AND are heading out in a few minutes today. This was taken at dusk--about 5PM and the reflection of the flash off the falling snowflakes is kinda neat.

Makayla in the Snow

Makayla loves the snow and she is a great snow dog.

Chritmas 2009 After the Storm

So last night, we had to take a picture of the Christmas lights on the house in the snow. You can see we didn't try to go anywhere yesterday. The cars are still marshmallows.

Wedding Picture to Remember

A mid-October wedding in Upstate NY is bound to be fraught with challenges.

But sometimes--when the wedding is in the afternoon on a frosty, crisp autumn day interesting things happen.

This shot at sunset of Andie and Brian actually top my list of best ever wedding shots.

I like the mist in the background rising off the field in front of the trees and the hues of the sunset as it fades.

We tried a bunch of pictures as the sunset was happening--but this one seemed to be the best!

Maybe I'll enter it into a competition at a fair next year.

Dragonfly Summer

It seems this was a summer to notice dragonflys.

And there were two images that really highlighted our photographic efforts against these ubiquitous creatures this summer.

One in Cocoa Beach while we were waiting for the Space Shuttle Endeavour to launch on July 15th. We were standing on the side of the causeway with some thousand of our newest friends waiting for the launch and Chris noticed this dragonfly striking a pose.

The other while we were doing a nature walk on Merritt's Island--just north of Cocoa Beach about two weeks later.

I can still smell the damp, musty odors of the trail and leaves on the nature walk as I look at this picture.

It was hot!

But our friend dragonfly was trying his best to keep the pesky mosquitoes away.

I must give credit where it is due--Chris took both of these awesome pictures!

But I still hold fond memories in my mind of both of these experiences.

A Sunny Afternoon in a Quieter Place

So after my brief respite at the beach, the other day. I began to think--I wonder what my best images of 2009 really are? Not that some are more or less better than others--but some just express an emotion that really helps me to remember the fonder times as I struggle through the dark days of this season.

This image--I call Monticello Monarch, and although taken during our early October trip to Charlottesville, VA; it caught my eye for its color and contrast.

As we strolled around the walking path outside Monticello, Chris and I came upon this very busy butterfly--probably just preparing to migrate to warmer climates for the winter. I wish I had migrated along with the butterfly.

I can still smell the flowers in the gardens and enjoy the leaves on the trees in my mind. And I also remember the winding trail through the woods as we walked down the mountain from the main house to the visitor center.

Not just an image--but a memory!

Christmas Gifts--Men vs. Women

And there it was--an article I linked to titled: "The Gift That Needs Forgiving," or "Gifts You're Better Off Not Giving." The title made me smile and I clicked the link to read more.

And this article was so true! the differences between men and women when it comes to Christmas gift shopping and giving.

There are a couple excerpts from the article I want to share with you:

Of course, gifts between couples can backfire in either direction. But—please don't shoot the messenger—men seem to be more clueless than women.

Women tend to care more about gifts. They shop more, and think more about them. They attach more emotion to them. And they can be more demanding and less direct. (If I ask my husband what he wants for the holidays, he will say "nothing" and mean it. If he asks me, I will say "nothing," as well. And God help him if he believes me.)

Making matters even worse: When it comes to bad gifts, women have the memory of elephants. Take Donna Clark Goodrich. In 1962, she asked her husband for a recording of Handel's "Messiah." Instead, he got her a parody LP of the Kennedy family by impressionist Vaughn Meader. "I've never let my husband live that Christmas down," says Ms. Goodrich, 71, a writer in Mesa, Ariz.

If it weren't for the gifts and all the shopping and all of the stress--I think Christmas would be a great holiday!

The eating is good, the parties are grand, and the general jovial nature of people in holiday spirit is fantastic. But it is the gifts. We even make fun of the gifts at office parties by having white elephant gift exchanges or Chinese gift exchanges.

We need to listen to each other--but the article continues later:

Then why so many bad gifts within couples?

It's simple, really. Sometimes men aren't listening to their wives. But just as often, women aren't clear about their desires. They want men to pick up on their subtle clues, rather than telling them outright what they'd like. As one woman I know explains, "It means we are special to them if they detect what we want without us telling them."

But here is the bottom line:

And there's the rub. When men receive gifts they hate, they typically shrug them off. Women, faced with the same dilemma, feel hurt.

Really? Now I think I understand.

I admit, there have been a few gifts that I have not appreciated that I continue to hold on to the memory of--but for the most part I couldn't even tell you what I received last Christmas let alone from who! Except for Makayla from everyone--but she was probably one of the greatest Christmas gifts I ever received, well at least since my first bicycle when I was a kid. I still remember that Christmas morning . . .

OK--the solution to the gifting problem!

Women need to lighten up and men need to listen up!

Merry Christmas

Waiting to Relax

I needed to get to my happy place for a bit.

I went through my pictures of last summer in Florida. The diving, the partying, the walking, the visiting, the watching the shuttle launch.

This was the one that most expressed my happy place---palm trees, sand, and a wicker chair in the sun on the beach!

Ah, and the memory of the day, too! Lunch at the Islamorada Fish House and a sweet day in the Florida Keys!

I can see myself in the chair, sipping a great glass of wine and having a conversation with someone about the way the waves are crashing on the beach. Following the fish as they swim in the surf and keeping an eye out for the occasional seagull or other shore bird. A Christmas light wrapped palm in the sand to lend light as night falls and I haven't moved.

It certainly is a long way from the foul weather we are experiencing right now. And the dark days!