An Occassional Glimpse Into My Life

Atlantic SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT
000
WONT41 KNHC 301605
DSAAT
SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1100 AM EST FRI DEC 30 2005
SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE
EASTERN ATLANTIC HAS DEVELOPED INTO A TROPICAL STORM ABOUT 1000
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES. A SPECIAL ADVISORY ON
TROPICAL STORM ZETA IS IN PREPARATION AND WILL BE ISSUED IN AN HOUR
OR SO.
FORECASTER FRANKLIN

Well, it is over. The time of the year when we all pause after the hustle and bustle to enjoy family, good food and drink and remember what this time of year is all about. "He is the reason." Thomas was sooo much fun. As you can see he really got into things in a big way. Take a look at all the pictures in Flicker.

This was somewhat of a different Christmas from years past. Because of the hurricanes of this past year and Amy's teaching position, we were presented with some opportunities to help some that are much less fortunate than we are. I was so proud of Amy in the way she saw the real meaning of Christmas and stepped up and assured that at least one family who had lost all in Katrina and another family who had not had a Christmas in several years would have a Merry Christmas this year.

It is well put in The PDL Devotional this morning:

"Whenever we give, we are partaking in the nature of God. It is not naturally human to give; it is entirely God-like. If there were any value in the commercialism of Christmas, it would be this. It gets us thinking about what someone else might like for a change, and it gets us giving. We spend our money on someone else. We enter into someone else’s life; we make someone else important. And since giving is one of the things that lends purpose to our lives, it would be wise to carry over some of what we experienced this holiday season and see how we can incorporate more of this sensitivity into our daily lives—keeping in mind that giving is an attitude and an action based on it. It doesn’t have to be a material gift. It can be the gift of our time or talents—even our thoughts" From John Fischer, Purpose Driven Life

Back to our Christmas, Thanks Michelle and Jeff for inviting us to share Christmas Day with you and Thomas. It was awesome. Thanks for the gifts and the love. We love all of you so much.

As we approach the new year, you can't help but wonder what lies ahead. If it is anything like 05, there will be many new challenges to face. But, we accept the challenge. For we know that with God's help we can overcome whatever is brought our way.

For a different version of The Night Before Christmas check this out
http://queenkat.blogspot.com/ She is from New Orleans and lost everything.

till then

I was sittin' by the fireside
Taking a walk through the snow
Listening to a children's choir
Singing songs about Jesus
The blessed way that he came to us

Why can't it remain
All through the year
Each day the same
That's what I wanna hear
It's truly amazing
That spirit of Christmas

Ray Charles

Till then Merry Christmas Everyone

Here are a couple of photos I found today. This lady is cleaning her house in New Orleans. Notice the mold on the ceiling. As I said a whole new meaning to housecleaning.

The other photo is Katrina making landfall.

till then

Rather slow day at the office today so I started looking on line for Christmas Vacation web sites. I came up with the following:

http://www.wavsite.com/sounds.asp?id=17 sounds from the movie

http://www.funtrivia.com/quizlistgold.cfm?cat=5993 Trivia. Post your score. I need to watch the movie again 9/15

http://www.movie-list.com/trailers.php?id=christmasvacation Original trailer

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/movie_quotes_scenes/30170 quotes

Something to do to enjoy the movie again.

"Burn some dust, eat my rubber."

till then

Jeff, hope you are not offended, but I found where to delete you as a contributor. No hard feelings.

You know the ones like the police use to direct traffic.

I had the task last night of helping direct traffic at the church for our drive thru Nativity scene. I discovered that this flashlight has magical powers. It instills these powers to the one holding the flashlight. I first noticed my new power when a car approached and I raised the light and it immediately stopped. When it was time for this car to move I raised the flashlight and made a motion with it for the car to move forward and it did. Amazing. This light even gives its user the ability to tell a car where to stop. You point the light at the car then to a spot on the pavement and the car moves to that spot. Even more amazing .

Well, I just had to make more use of my new found powers over the hundreds of cars entering our parking lot. I started pointing at cars causing them to move forward to the spot I pointed to on the pavement. I caused hundreds of cars to move just with a wave of my red cone flashlight. I could make cars stop, move, go to a certain spot and do just about anything else I wanted them to. What a rush of power.

So if you want to feel the rush that I felt, go out and get you a red cone flashlight and try it in the street in front of your house. You will wield a power of Herculean proportion.

Till then

Here is something I just ran across about "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

A HOLIDAY CLASSIC THAT WAS ALMOST NOT TO BE
What remains extraordinary about this project is that when the original rough cut was screened to CBS executives in 1965, they deemed this show a Disaster! They said it was awkward, depressing and completely inappropriate for a Christmas special.Devastated, the creative team exited that meeting thinking that their instincts had utterly failed them. All that would change on December 9, 1965. when the show aired, America was SPELLBOUND and no one (including the suits who possessed not a SPECK of insight) could have imagined that this masterpiece would become an icon that announced the arrival of the Holiday season with a legacy spanning 40 years!Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack is critical to this enigmatic and one-of-a-kind success story. Bravo to all!-Comment at the iTunes Music Store

Thank you Charlie Brown

Today started with church and then a whirlwind trip to Wally World for groceries and shopping with Amy for her party tonight and presents for the family they are giving gifts to tomorrow. It is the family of the girl in one of the other 3rd grade classes that would not have any Christmas presents if not for the teachers and Family Life Specialist at Ridgeview. We should all count our blessings that we have what we have.

Tonight was the first night of our Drive Thru Nativity at Church. We had over 2500 people drive through. Not the turn out we had last year. In 2 days there were over 10,000 people drive through. We fear the long waits last year is keeping many people away this year. Well, tomorrows weather calls for a 30% chance of rain for tomorrow night. That will be bad. Hopefully the weather will hold for us.

Till then

Well another great visit to Round Rock. The T man is something else. Although he was not at his best, a little stomach thing, it was fun to see him. How far he has come in just a few weeks since Thanksgiving. He is all over the place now. No longer the little baby in arms. However, since Nana and I stayed back with him this morning it was really nice having him just lay in our arms and watch Blues Clues. He got a second wind and we were off to the races though. We had a great time and are looking forward to Christmas Day. How fun will that be.

Congrats to Jeff on a personal best today in the Frosty 5K. Great job. Just maybe I will be inspired to start some running. We'll see.

A side note to the "Griswald's". You have a great start. Now I expect much more next year. Let's see how much stuff we can get in the front yard. Jeff, how bout some blow ups.

Till then

Well, as I expected, it was a great afternoon. As predicted The AirForce Band of the West Christmas In Blue program began with the herald trumpets featured on the Star Spangled Banner and ended with the herald trumpets and Oh Come All Ye Faithful. Really put me in the Christmas spirit.

Only distraction was a young lady behind us who periodically began speaking in Latin and going into some dialogue about how the Lord Jesus Christ says repent of your sins. Happened several times. Not sure what was up. I told Mom, maybe we should not judge too quick as it might have been God inspired. Never know. It was strange. Seemed everytime it got quiet she would tune up. The two ladies she was with refused to take her out.

I sat listening to many of the standard Christmas songs, Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Joy To The World. The MC, Nancy Gonzalez from KSAT, openly said that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The singers sang about the baby Jesus and we were wished a Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays. I thought this was not politically correct anymore. This was a group representing the Federal Government. Paid by tax dollars. Wow, how refreshing to know that Christ still is considered by our men and women in Blue to be the center of Christmas. So what gives with all the judges that say you cannot display the Ten Commandments and a manger scene is not appropriate in front of a county courthouse. Let the people who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms to display the Ten Commandments and have a manger scene in front of the county courthouse decide the laws of the land. We would be much better off.

Till then
Merry Christmas not Happy Holidays

Well, today was the first day for Lifetime Fitness in SA. We all went this afternoon for a workout. It is awesome. What a great facility. I love the TV's. KP and I went and bought FM radios so we can listen. It made the time pass by so quickly. When I was on the treadmill, watching Tiger hit the little white ball on the TV, the time flew by. Before I knew it I had done my 3 miles. Then went to the free weights and then some other weights. It felt great to work out again. It has been over a month since we have been in the gym.

Tomorrow will find us at church in the AM, then lunch at Luby's or Jason's, then off to Trinity to what has become a Christmas tradition for us, "Christmas In Blue" presented by the United States Air Force Band Of The West .http://www.lackland.af.mil/bow/. Promises to be a great show, beginning with the Band of The West herald trumpets playing the Star Spangled Banner and then later in the show returning for O Come All Ye Faithful. Awesome.

Well, KP and I will be making a quick trip to St Louis next week. I have a meeting on Wednesday afternoon, then we will enjoy a great steak dinner at The Range Steak House at Harrah's, then make a donation to, as KP put it, the Missouri educational fund.

I have it on good authority that Santa is getting his sled checked out and getting all the presents packed for his world tour on Christmas Eve. So, everyone be good, say your prayers and Santa just might have something for you.

Till then

Atlantic - Carib - Gulf of Mexico
Tropical Weather Outlook (en Español*)Tropical Weather DiscussionTAFB Atlantic Forecasts and Analyses
There are no tropical cyclones in the Atlantic at this time.

Cops asked a Deerfield Township, Ohio, man who covered his house with 25,000 Christmas lights rigged to dance when holiday music plays to pull the plug on the display after a car wreck Tuesday night

Here is a link to a story about him

http://www.snopes.com/photos/arts/xmaslights.asp

Oh My Jeff are you going to give it a try?

Yes today you get two post. We went to see Brandon play at Hooligans last night. Great show even if he had some trouble getting the sound right. Not his fault, the clubs. I got to meet the guys from the new Texas Country Station that has started here. Did some politicking for Brandon. They really like him and play his CD a lot. Anyway a good time was had

Some of you may have thought hurricane season was over. This is Hurricane Epsilon. It became a TS on 11-29 and remains at hurricane level today.

Again an unbelievable hurricane season. We will hardly end this one when the next will begin.

Till then

Today The Univ of Colorado released their expectations for the 2006 hurricane season and once again it does not look good. 17 named storms with 9 hurricanes. Normal is 11 named and 6 hurricanes. The US has an 81% chance of being struck by a Cat 3, 4 or 5.

Think Texas number is up?

I know this, it will be late in the fall before I book a cruise next year.

Till then

Epsilon is only the 6th hurricane in history to occur in December.

Certainly the season to beat all seasons.

Let's hope 2006 is not as "interesting"

Till then