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If you would pray for my Uncle Bill and family, I would appreciate it. He’s not doing so well, and needs all the good vibes he can get. Thanks.

My sister and husband had their baby, Griffin Vaughn, this last week. He’s very sick, but seems to slowly be getting better. Updates soon. Please pray for him and our family during this difficult time.

My friend’s mother passed away about thirty minutes ago. She went peacefully. She’s survived by her husband, Al, her daughter, Katina, and her son, Alan, amongst many other family and friends. Marilyn was our local social services gal in the town I grew up in. She was always really funny, liked to laugh - had the best laugh ever, in fact. She gut busted. I love laughs like that. They’re the best.

Sometimes I forget God’s up there, especially when times seem particularly tough. But there are always moments when you least expect it, usually, that He sorta shines through and shows you he’s still around. Usually those moments rejeuvenate faith, and you keep hold of them until they dull again, and you need a little kick in the pants to keep you back on track. I know she’s with God in a place where the water is so very blue. I’m sure the moment she strolled into Heaven, Cally tipped her hat to her and welcomed her home. That part brings comfort, solice, and happiness. Regardless, we’ll still miss you, Marilyn. But we’ll see you again, and I know you’ll always be with us. God bless.

I spoke with my friend tonight. Her mother is dying. They say it’s only a matter of days, at this point, but they’ve said that for a few weeks now. My friend’s mother said she saw heaven last night. She said it is beyond imagineable how beautiful it is. The water there is the most brilliant blue color. She also said Callie, my friend’s dead daughter, was there, and that she tipped her hat at the hospice nurse that was in the room at the time.

I don’t know why I’m telling you this. There have been many counts of people seeing ‘the other side.’ My sister, who is an RN, told me of a woman who said angels were in her room, and the woman was so happy; not afraid. You hear stories like that, and you can’t help but wonder what’s next.

I think I talked about this last year, but I don’t really understand how people can be offended by things dealing with Christmas, if it has a religious undertone to it. For example, a coworker was talking about how she wanted to decorate our department, and I overheard her say, “Well, reindeer should be okay - it’s not overly religious.”

Huh? Christmas = Christ Mass. I guess I don’t get it.

I find it kind of funny that The Davinci Code movie wound up sucking. What’s even more perplexing (and sad to me) is how many people want to find so much truth in these “new discoveries.” When Tom Hanks was questioned his opinion regarding the church’s outrage on this movie, he said the movie wasn’t a documentary. The whole thing is fiction. Yet I know so many people who are reeled in by all this, as if it could possibly be true. It’s a movie, folks!

We’re leaving for Ohio early tomorrow morning, so I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I planned on posting a really cute picture I took last weekend at my sister’s, but alas, no iBook that stores all my photos. I love you and God Bless! See you in the New Year!

I checked out a a local newspaper site this afternoon, and read this little tidbit. Stuff like this really upsets me.

I think I pose a pretty interesting question that obviously gets overlooked: What is your reasoning for celebrating Christmas if you don’t believe that Jesus Christ is our Saviour? I mean, isn’t it really that simple?

I don’t get people who complain about the symbolism of Christ and Christanity in public forums, yet there they are essentially celebrating Christmas - but they want to do it in their own fashion. “Hi. I’m going to make this the Giving Counter, because a tree represents Christanity.” What happened to the true meaning behind Christmas, anyway?

I was reading CNN this evening, and ran across an article regarding an old church that was uncovered in a prison yard near Megiddo, Israel. The prisoner was removing rubble at the site, which was planned to be a new prison ward, when his shovel unearthed an elaborate mosaic, unveiling what may be the Holy Land’s oldest church. Read more here.