Welcome Home Craig

Craig arrives in Kansas City today at 9:00 a.m. He will be in Osage City until Sunday then heads to Columbus for the week. He flies back to NYC on January 9.

New Years Eve

Where I wish I could be on New Years Eve......................

A Thursday Visit

We had a visit from Brian, Allison and Allison's aunt Elaine from Texas on Thursday afternoon. We had dinner at the Red Onion in Joplin, then they headed back to Garnett. Jack enjoyed the company as well.............

Looking At Myself

As I begin a new year, I ask myself what changes do I need to make to become a better person in 2011? I like the following story. Makes me think about how I look at others..............

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.
The next morning while they are eating breakfast,
The young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
Nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others
depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

Good Friends

It was great to see our good friends the Hutton's from Osage City on Wednesday. Troy, Kerri and Georgia were on their way back from Christmas in Branson. They met us in Pittsburg for lunch. Troy is the high school principal in Osage City.

Jack is Back

Jack arrived home yesterday around 9:00 a.m. from the doggy motel. He was happy to be home. After filling his belly, he decided to participate in his favorite past time........sleep.

Craig had the day Off

New York City Snow Storm.

Dinner at the Country Club

We enjoyed dinner yesterday after church at the Forest Ridge Golf Course in Broken Arrow before we headed back to Columbus.

Craig Enjoy the Snow

New York City is expecting 12 inches of snow and 45 mph wind. Blizzard warnings. Craig enjoyed the day!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from sunny Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. A cool 25 degrees. I wish I was in Yuma.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Christmas Break

I begin my Christmas vacation today. We are headed to Broken Arrow to see our parents. Merry Christmas to all!

My Five Favorite Christmas Songs

What are your favorite Christmas songs? There are several great holiday songs. I hear several on the radio and attending church and school music programs each year. As always I like all types of music. Here are my top five.

1. O Holy Night

2. Me and My Drum (Little Drummer Boy)

3. White Christmas

4. Here I Am to Worship

5. Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

Debbie's favorite: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Pigs Won

We had a great trip to NW Arkansas except for the final score. The Pigs beat the Lady Sooners. I might never hear the end of it..........................

We enjoyed our time with mom, dad, Chris and Whitley. We left early Sunday and attended church at the Southside Church of Christ in Rogers. After church, we ate chicken, family style at the Monte Ne Inn at Beaver Lake.

What in the World!

OU Women's Basketball

If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know my mother is a huge Oklahoma women's basketball fan. We try to make a few games each year. The Lady Sooners play at Arkansas on Sunday. Guess who is going?

Branson Christmas

We had a great time at SDC and shopping during our Christmas weekend with Brian and Allison. Great food, fun and very COLD weather!

Weekend

This weekend we have Christmas with Brian and Allison. After the Columbus Christmas Parade on Saturday morning we are headed to Branson. The picture is from last year when we all were together the day after Christmas for our Branson trip (It was COLD).

Craig will be celebrating with us hopefully on New Years Day. He finishes finals next week and has to work during the next two weeks.

SOONERS BIG 12 CHAMPIONS

SOONERS BIG 12 CHAMPIONS

Route 66 Catoosa

Took these pics this past summer leaving Tulsa. I'm a history fan of Route 66.

SOONERS WIN

SOONERS WIN

Thanksgiving Pics Continue

Thanksgiving Pics

Family and Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. Good food and family time. Jack protected the turkey.

A Thanksgiving Story

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2005 BLOG

A Thanksgiving Story

I grew up in a Navy family moving all over the United States. A usual stay was about a year or two years as we traveled coast to coast during the 60’s and 70’s. It was a great experience growing up. We lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Louisville, and Baltimore. We visited about every state and major city seeing the history of our great country.

A Thanksgiving memory that I will always cherish was one that started off very sad. My dad was overseas on several ships during the Vietnam War. Growing up, my mom and brothers and I had to lean and depend upon the local church family for the encouragement that we needed for the many lonely months that he would be gone. One Thanksgiving in San Diego was a very sad, but special, Thanksgiving that I will never forget. My dad had been stationed on the U.S. Long Beach and was deployed for about a 12-month period. My dad, along with several military men of the congregation, was going to be gone for Thanksgiving. We were all very sad and depressed that our fathers would not be home to celebrate Thanksgiving. Since several of us were in the same situation, we decided to have one big congregational Thanksgiving Dinner where we would come and support each other. What a special time that was. There were over 100 people sitting down and feasting at a table and thanking God for the blessings of the past year. Thanking God for a Christian Family that can support each other in times of trial, heart aches, and sad occasions, but also a time for praise to a God that blessed a group of His people on a special Thanksgiving Day in 1973.

The “L” Street Church in San Diego was a very special Church. It still holds great memories of that special Thanksgiving during my childhood. But with all those great memories of “L” Street, the Central Church, I believe, still has the most loving, caring and encouraging individuals that God could ever place in one Body.

This Thanksgiving, as you sit around your table thanking God for the blessings of the past year, thank God specifically for the members of the Central Church. I am thankful for each one of you and the significant part you play in making the Central Church a Church that practices their ABC’s Daily!

May God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving Season!

Thanksgiving

It's Turkey Time!

We will host Thanksgiving Dinner for my parents, Brian, Allison , Mike, Doreen and Emma. We wish Craig could be with us, but understand the holidays are a busy shopping time, especially in NYC.

OU Football

Will the Sooners beat the Cowboys?

New York City Trip Day 5

Day 5

I got up early and went to buy donuts. I decided to eat them in Lincoln Park watching the kids and teachers walk to school.

We said goodbye to Craig and got a taxi to LaGuardia.

The plane, of course, was three hours late.

We landed in KC around 5:30 p.m.

To end the trip, we ate at Arthur Bryants BBQ.

We made it to Columbus around 8:45. What a great 5 days enjoying Craig and our favorite American City! Craig, thanks for a great time. We love you and miss you.

New York City Trip Day 4

Day 4

Deb and I got up early to go get fresh bagels. We also met Craig for worship at Times Square Church. It was a great service with abut 3,000 people. Great worship.

After church we headed to one of my bucket list items.....a trip to Yankee Stadium. It was impressive. We had a quick lunch and headed to Times Square to purchase Broadway tickets to see Mamma Mia.

After getting the tickets, we went by the United Nations and walked back to Times Square to eat at Rays Pizza (the best in NYC) and bought vanilla cake at Magnolia Bakery (Deb got her favorite, fresh banana pudding)

Then the Broadway play, Mamma Mia. It was great!

After the play, about 11:00 p.m. we went by Papaya for hotdogs.