The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve...

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate.
He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through. Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said. He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty, "Stew ... made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."
Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away. "But Mister, please help ." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside.
He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good." George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought. George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do.
Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on. "Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.
As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me." George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease. "Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."
The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio. He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area." George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain." George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.
The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.
"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer. "Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt." The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!" The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."
He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pee shooter away." George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week ..." George handed the gun to the cop. Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can." He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answ! er. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out." The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer." "Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.
George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer. "Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?" "GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread.
Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.
Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran." George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other. "That guy work here?," the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."
The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?" Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything." "Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."
George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day." The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you." "And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."
George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours." The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier. "And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said, "Now git home to your family." The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good." "Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."
George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?" "I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"
"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."
The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder.
"But you do celebrate the holiday, George."
"You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry.
The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists.
The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself."
"That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."
George was taken aback by all this stranger had said.
"And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.
"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."
The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."
George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.
"You see, George .... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas." George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord."
~ author unknown ~
 

M-E-R-R-Y C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S !!!!

M-E-R-R-Y C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S !!!!


I'm on a "Merry Christmas" mission and I'm in full throttle. My little yellow VW Beetle has turned into a Christmas billboard with Merry Christmas written across the back window. Yes, I've decided to trek off to work everyday on the public highways with a message that seems to offend people.


At stop lights, I even turn my music up a little louder, and to top it off, I sing along with it. Don't I know that stopping at a red light to roll my windows down only to share the joy of Christmas carols on public streets is a No-No? Don't I fear the Christmas Gestapo and those who would have me remove the written message from my car?


I'm sorry folks, but the only person I'm concerned about "offending" during this Christmas Season is the Lord
Himself. LEAVE THAT MANGER ALONE! We've allowed the Baby Jesus to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those offended by Christmas are still not happy.


I refuse to let this happen. I'm going to do my part to make sure "Merry Christmas" doesn't become extinct. Because like it or not, if the believers in Christmas don't take a stand now, it's gone forever!


Listen folks, the Christian Community has been underestimated before; we will have to show ourselves again.


I walked into a Wendy's Restaurant the other day and was rather exuberant with my "Merry Christmas" greeting to the manager. He didn't have much of a response and I said, "Where's your Christmas Spirit?" He said, "We're not allowed to use the words "Merry Christmas" when greeting customers. We can only say "Happy Holiday."


This morning I grabbed a quick breakfast at a Whataburger Restaurant. I noticed there wasn't a single decoration in the store. I asked the manager why they weren't decorated for Christmas. He told me the corporate headquarters decided not to send any decorations to any of their stores, and he didn't know why.


After I heard about all the Macy's and Federated Stores taking down their Merry Christmas signs, the Target stores not allowing the Salvation Army to "Ring the Christmas Bells," and the many incidents of children, choirs, and bands not allowed to play or sing Christmas Carols, I realized it was happening right here in my own little Texas town.


How can this be? Not Texas!


We do, however, have a store, Hobby Lobby, that plays nothing but Christmas carols during the season. On Christmas Day they run a full page ad in our local newspaper. That ad is not to promote the store, but uses the entire page to tell the story of Jesus' birth. Now that's taking a stand. We need to thank them.


When I saw a news report the other evening of children being taught new words to a song we've sung for years - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - I was saddened to hear "We Wish You a Splendid Holiday."


I know now that it's just a matter of time that the "Merry Christmas" greetings will be gone. Look around your town. Notice the "Holiday" greetings and not "Christmas." It's happening right before our very eyes.


Start singing the songs; go down the streets of America singing to your heart's content. Get some of those wash-off markers that these kids use to write on their car windows when they're rooting for their hometown football team. It's easy to do, and if a torrential rain washes it off, write it on there again.


We've got to get this message out!! "Go Tell It On the Mountain . . . that Jesus Christ is Born." Sing it, speak it, be a billboard for ourLord.


The story of this "Baby Jesus" alone has brought about more goodwill at this time of year than any other day we celebrate. How can we sit back and allow Him to be snuffed out of our lives?


Is it Jesus, or is it His followers that the "offended" don't like? What kind of revulsion galvanizes one to campaign so vehemently against the mere mention of His name, the mere singing of a carol, or the mere visual of a sign that says "Merry Christmas?"


I can listen to my own boss at work use some of the vilest words and follow up with, "Excuse my French." I may cringe inside at his damning of God's name, but I tolerate it. So if you don't like me wishing you a "Merry Christmas," I'll say, "Excuse my joy." You may cringe that I celebrate the Birth Of Jesus, but just tolerate it.


I cannot be concerned that "Merry Christmas" offends you. If I'm not careful, the day will come when saying I'm a Christian will offend you.


I'm offended that you're offended. How about that?


When we get to a point that we can no longer take part in a tradition we hold dear, we have no choice; we either defend that tradition or we give it up to those who say NO. That's it . . . period. So, which will it be?


I'm not giving up my "Merry Christmas Joy" to anyone. If I know of someone that celebrates another holiday during this time of year, I will be glad to wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is and I'll shout it to the world and wish you a grand celebration.


Just give me Christmas!! To you merchants: Stop being so hypocritical and "filling your tills" on the back of Jesus!! Who do you think is the symbol of giving at this time of year? It was the Wise Men bringing gifts to the newborn Christ-child.


You want your coffers full, but have ordered your employees to take down all the Merry Christmas signs. If that's the case, I'll buy gifts at a place that understands my joy.


If you're worried about offending someone, you just did. The most recent Newsweek survey shows that 82% of Americans believe that Jesus is the Son of God. So, in trying not to offend a few, you've offended many.


It's okay to jump into the "Merry Christmas Spirit" when it fills your cash register, but let's call it something else . . . and don't stop giving . . . and don't stop buying. . . we'll just change the name and you'll never know the difference.


I know the difference and I'm feeling it greatly. It's hard not to be aware that townships across our country have actually banned the singing of Christmas Carols because it might offend someone. And it's not just the religious songs; it's the secular ones too. No more "Jingle Bells" or "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" because they're

associated with Christmas. Boy, aren't we getting sensitive?


If we're not celebrating Christmas for the hope it gives with the birth of our Savior . . . there is no hope!!


I noticed a few years ago that we changed the name of Abraham Lincoln's and George Washington's birthday so as to be all inclusive regarding the Presidents. Hark, if we should recognize anyone as exceptional. Now it's called Presidents' Day.


Well, if we're going to be so all inclusive, next month I'll have to refer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as Civil Rights Leaders' Day. We don't want to exclude great Americans like Rosa Parks or Cesar Chavez, do we? And to think that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton might be left out. We might need to change Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Grandparents' Day to All Parents' Day. Just lump them all together.


It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? So what's the difference?


My freedom to celebrate Christmas in the tradition of the Christian religion is as much my right as it is your right to be offended by it.

So.... what are we going to do? Did anyone hear me ?!!
What are we going to do?!!


Do we defend a person's right to go forward with a time tested tradition (how about 2000 years?), or do we defend a person's right to end it all because they're offended? As long as we live in this great land and have the freedom to express ourselves and what we believe in, we will always offend someone.

If we try to make everything right for everyone, we won't have anything for anyone.


May you always have Christmas in your heart!
Amen!!!!

Yer Hillbilly friend in TN...


Ross

PROUD father of an American Soldier


4330 Golf Terrace, Suite 109


Eau Claire, WI 54701

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RANDI DAWN MOFFAT, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU... HOPE YOU HAVE A G R E A T DAY... AND MANY MANY MORE SUPER DAYS... WE LOVE YA... DAD AND MOM MOFFAT  

Today's Quote

Think it more satisfactory to live richly than die rich.

-Sir Thomas Browne

Remember My Birthday?

Remember My Birthday????!!!!!!
As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated. During this time there
are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer.
It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration.
I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite
and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts. But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.
The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face......... and I wanted to be with them and share their table. In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me. Since I was not invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a great time. To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying : "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"... as if the party were in his honor ! At 12 midnight all the people began to hug each other ; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and .... do you know .... no one hugged me. Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one ? I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left. Every year it gets worse. People only remember to eat and drink, the gifts, the parties and nobody remembers me. I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you. Today, I only want that you believe this with all you heart. I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I'm still making the final arrangements. Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invitation, will be left outside. Do you know how you can answer this invitation? it is by extending it to others whom you care for... I'll be waiting for all of you to attend my party this year...
See you soon .... I love you !
-Jesus-



"Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth." Psalm 46:10

Subject: Your Cup of Coffee ~ From Clinton and Joanna

Subject: Your Cup of Coffee

Your Cup of Coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to
visit their old University of Notre Dame lecturer. Conversation soon
turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the lecturer went to the kitchen and returned
with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic,
glass, some plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them
to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the lecturer said: "If
you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving
behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want
only the best for yourselves, that may be the source of your problems and
stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you
consciously went for the better cups and are now eyeing each other's cups."

"Now, if life is coffee, then the jobs, money, and position in society are
the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality
of life doesn't change."

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee
in it.

From Uncle Ivan...

Stan: Got home 11-30-05 am doing good so far but sure am weak from the hospital, came home last night then your Aunt Freda came down with the 24 hour virus she was so sick. But some better this morning.
Will try to send you more later. Uncle Ivan

Jim Rowland update...... From Cousin Joanna... Many thanks for the informtaion...

Hi, Just thought you would like to know.............
Jim finally got out of ICU about midnight last night. He is now in a room and seems to be feeling much better. I think he is hoping to get to go home today, but we'll have to wait and see. Doris spent the night with us last night and has now gone up to see him. I think it was to his advantage that he stayed in ICU so long. His Dr. seems to stay pretty busy and just doesn't get around to his patients until late in the evening, then there was also the problem of finding a room, anyway it looks like he is doing well. Hope youall are also doing well. We think of you often, just don't take time to let you know it. :)
I also talked with Freda last night, they are doing better too. She wasn't feeling well the night Ivan came home from the hospital, but was doing much better last night.

Happy Birthday Austyn... big number 6!!

I know.. Grandpa has a lot to learn about photoshop cs2... but this is a neat shot of Austyn ... He is always thinking.. the wheels are spinning.. Austyn, Grandpa is proud to have you as a Grandson! YOU are COOL! Happy 6th Birthday from Grandpa and Grandma Moffat! Click to enlarge... enjoy the day!
 

Jake practicing his craft....

Mrs. Moffat's baby boy... got his first real big time job welding for Classic Fabrication. He has agreed to go to work for a business in Carney, OK. (Jake puts it another way.. he passed the welding test!) that builds oilfield equipment in a big time way. He is really fired up and ready to rock and roll... and speaking of that, he is also getting back to his music. He has decided it just might be a gift from God and perhaps he should develop it more. He has written over 6 songs this past weekend and is hoping to make a new cd with the new material to go with his other three already has. So he is a busy man of late. He also has been my right hand man through all my heart problems, running our farm like it was his... He has really become a very dependable person of late, and is coming into his own... all I can say ... watch out world.. jake is on his way!! weld on my son, weld on... 

Jim Rowland is home now... we think...

Jim Rowland had surgery on his arteries in his neck... and they should also be home today. Heard that Jim proved to them he was still in "Charge" of things, as he made them take 4 hours to do a 2 hour surgery... haha... Well, Jim, we both got to "get our monies worth" buy taking more of the Drs. time than they thought.. haha.. we do know how to get our monies worth, don't we!! 

Uncle Ivan....

Uncle Ivan has been in the hospital and is doing better.. Seems a cold become very serious and didn't want to go away. The good news, if one can call it that, is they found out Uncle Ivan has Sugar Diabetes. It is a silent killer and now that he knows he has it, it can be managed. He and Aunt Freda get to come home this evening they hope. Will let you know more as I learn more.
. 

Jon and Randi's new website.....

Just wanted to let everyone know that we aren't going to post on this site anymore. We have a new home now!

Visit our new site at

http://www.jonandrandi.com

This is our new home on the web. We hope to add a lot of new stuff along with the new site to, things to use to pass the time.. haha..

Andrew and Madison's Christmas Program is December 16th at 7:00 pm at the Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Andrew and Madison's Christmas Program is December 16th at 7:00 pm at the Hillcrest Baptist Church. There will be a program where all kids have a part (even the babies) then snacks and finally Santa will be there for pictures...

Bring the camera's...


Heather

From Joanna ..... this am...

Hi, Just thought you would like to know Uncle Ivan is in the Parkview Hospital, in El Reno. He was admitted yesterday, after going to the Dr., again, for a bad cold that has hung on for a couple weeks. The Dr. thought it might be going into his lungs, so thought they could treat him better in the hospital. I talked to him this morning and I think he is feeling better. He thinks they will probably keep him a couple days, then he will be back home. Please keep them in your prayers.

Also, prayers for Jim & Doris. Jim is having surgery today for a carotid artery. (hope I spelled that right) He is to be at the hospital at 11:00 and guess surgery will be around 1:00 pm. Will let you know how it goes.

hummm........

If there is not joy in religion, you have got a leak in your religion.

-Billy Sunday

wow... home AGAIN!!

It finally hit me... on Tuesday night of this week how very lucky I am that my first heart attack did not cost me my life! Wow. It hit like a ton of bricks! I just simply had not idea... and now after my second time in the hospital in less than a month, I have come to realize how wonderful it is to be alive, even with the aches and pains of ole age! My brain had no concept of my close call, as I felt better than before after my stint was put in at the Tulsa Heart Hospital. I "knew" it was cool, and that I had a heart attack, but my brain was not living it! In life, I had no idea... none what so ever about what I had happen to my body. I am used to "being sick" and getting over it.. and your body tells you to take it easy, but I had no "sick" pains, none... felt better than I did in years, so I was hitting it hard, regaining the lost years... and then wham... It hit me! What happened was another long story. Why it happened the Dr. thinks is this... on my second spell... where the stint was put in, there is a small artery that branches off and it is not one of the three most important... and the stint blocked it off and my heart, not used to this one being blocked called to it... and did not receive an answer and called and called and .... pain started... I don't need it to live, but the heart (muscle) was used to calling and getting from it... I will just have to accept that I can not do as before... and will have to take it easy now. sigh...
Have been resting since, and walking small doses around our home. I have figured out it is 200 big steps or 600 feet from the center of the road in front of our home to the gate post just east of our barn. This means.. 9 times around it and I would walk a mile... not near as exciting as walking the mile one way across our property or ok... Ann... 1.4 miles one way... sigh... and and .. hahaha...
I start back with the wellness center next week, I hope.
I had all my family round me on the second trip too. How wonder it is to start the healing process with lots of family around you.
I am richly blessed... I have the best kids, in laws and grandchildren in the world, and I mean that! I am most blessed because of my wonderful loving wife, my very best friend of 33 plus years, who has stayed by my side through some very tough times... times that might even have made me leave me!! I can not hardly type this for the tears... she is my rock. She is my life and I love her very very much, my Ann! Thanks for standing by me. For loving me! for being my best friend!
Well, recovering now... today is the day we picked to celebrate one of the best holidays around.. the day of Thanksgiving. And we are very thankful of all the many blessings we have been given and give praise to God for those and all of the wonderful things to come. We are richly ... very richly blessed!
Some of the things we are very thankful for... Jake is in welding school, has completely changed his life, is working towards the goal of becoming a commercial welder. He has an A average in his class at Meridian technology Center in Stillwater. He has become a rock that Ann and I can lean on... Heather, inspite of all she went through, is alive and back to work and doing quite well! We didn't lose her, nor did we lose Madison Ann... Paul is getting to work days not including weekends starting in a month or so, and has already got his deer this year! Tammy is working on her teaching certificate, and is really doing quite well, and is almost done. She is a super mom to Austyn, who is, it seems, setting milestones every day! From staying with friends, to his art, to his discovery of the things we take forgranted everyday! And Andrew is almost 21 at the rip ole age of 3! His way of putting things he views in his world is matched only by the best broadcasters in the world! His love for his sister is unmatched. Randi is being another super mom to Kailtyn. She started her new job as office manager in Ada is loving it. Kaitlyn came up and her and I fell asleep on the couch one afternoon not long ago... and that was the coolest thing ... wow.. She is "running" everywhere, and will be wanting the keys to car before long... and Jon is doing well, has become a college man again. He has enrolled and will be finishing up his degree before long. He is moving up the "food chain" at his office, and is now in a management position, and is enjoying it.
Phillip is still with Rains and is helping ship goods all over the USA! He is still doing his pottery, and has several folks who are wanting him to do brick work on the side. His artist side has become quite well known in the community... and his work is known for being right, well done, and his gift as an artist shines through, so those who want only the best are chasing him...
Goodness WE ARE RICHLY BLESSED this holiday season....

We had hoped to celebrate with Uncle Ivan and Aunt Freda Moffat of El Reno, but Uncle Ivan has a cold and can not make it up. We will miss you all.

Got a wonderful call from Ward and Melanie, Ann's brother and sister in law in Florida. They are doing well.

Life is precious... enjoy!

'My Father Was a Wildfire'

The only son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash talks about his parents' faith, their relationship, and their musical legacy.
Interview by David Caldwell

John Carter Cash is the executive producer of "Walk the Line," a movie opening Friday that recounts the sometimes tempestuous and ultimately triumphant love story of his parents, the singers Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

It quickly becomes evident from talking to John Carter Cash, 35, the couple's only child together, that in making the film he was seeing through the final wishes of his parents, who died within four months of each other in 2003. Cash, who lives near Nashville and is a music producer, got Joaquin Phoenix to play his father and Reese Witherspoon to play his mother----just as his parents wanted. Cash spoke with Beliefnet about his parents' life together, especially about the unshakable faith that helped them through hard times and became the bedrock for their marriage--as well as his life.

Do you think it's a film a lot of people will enjoy?

Yes, I do. I think people will love it. My parents had a vision for a movie about this that, first of all, told the story of their love affair, their life together, and their early relationship--how they made it through their struggles, how they got together and stayed together. The film succeeds at that greatly. My father and mother both OKed Joaquin and Reese for the parts and were both very positive about Joaquin and Reese doing their own singing. I believe this film stays true to the vision that my parents had. It's a movie about their love and their life, and they set it all up. It was theirs all the way.

How much does the movie deal with their faith?

My mother's faith becomes very evident in watching the film--her strength in God. The film deals with my father growing up as a young man and his struggles. My father resoundingly professed his faith in God later. It becomes evident early in the film how my father wanted to have faith in the Gospel. But the major focus in the film is their love affair. It's not really a film about their faith. The point where the film stops off is the point where my father truly begins to seek out Christianity. The point where he started is where the film ends. My parents' number-one goal was to have a movie about their life, and how their love helped them come together. I believe we've done that.

There is not a lot of attention paid to his recovery from addiction. Was that on purpose?

Really, the movie ends where he's beginning to clear up. There isn't much focus on his recovery.

You have a strong faith. How much of that do you owe to your parents?

My father told me early on about having a life in God. Their faith was the light of their life. They always professed it--their faith and their relationship with Christ. I learned by example, from watching them get through their struggles. They'd always come back to their faith. My father and mother were together because of their faith.

Through all of my father's struggles--which are evident in the film--the audience can see that faith in God would help to provide him with truth, vision, and direction. So faith was always very important to me. I think early on in life maybe, as so many people do, I rebelled against one thing or another--whether it be music, whether it be the freedom that comes from the relationship with God. I had to go through my own struggles to find my relationship with God. That relationship that I've built has been a result of my own struggles. Sometimes, you find peace through misery. Having said that, what's most important for me to do now is to keep my peace. And the way I do that is through prayer and a life with God.


"Nobody could save him from anything."

Your half-sister, Kathy, was interviewed a week ago by the Nashville Tennessean after members of the family watched an advance screening of the film. She said she walked out of the film five times because she thought her mother, Vivian Liberto Distin, was treated poorly. Is it hard when you're making a film like this to make everybody happy?

Well, what we have is a story about the formation of a relationship--a strong relationship. My father was a wildfire. Really. Nobody could save him from anything. His family turned away from him, and he broke up with his first wife. It just happened to be that when he was going to get back up on his feet, my mother was there. The movie is not about his relationship with Vivian [who died earlier this year]. That was never my father's intention, or my mother's, to have a movie about their life before they met. What they wanted was a movie about their love, about their life together with God. However anybody feels--how I feel, or how my sister feels or whatever--I still stand strong and true and firmly that this is the movie that my parents together would have made. That's all that matters to me.

You've produced an album, "Home to You," by the Peasall Sisters, the girls who became famous in the film, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," singing the kind of music your mother loved. How did that all come about?

One of the girls, Leah, took fiddle lessons from my wife, Laura, for a long time. I got to know her and them through my wife's relationship. I got to be friends with all of them. Got together in the studio with them and did some demos and sought out a record deal with them. My mother--when she first saw "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"--she was exuberant when she heard those little girls. They were singing the songs that she was singing when she was a little girl with her sisters. And she said, "My God. That's me, Helen and Anita up there." She was very excited about their music. That's really when I first got to know them. I was connected with them in many ways early on through my mother's music and the songs that they'd sing. It made great sense to work together. It's very traditional music. It's the real thing.

Do you think there was a heightened interest in your mother's music, and bluegrass music in general, after "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

It reawakened people who were interested in "old-timey" music, the roots of bluegrass music. Where does bluegrass music come from? All the songs in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" are pre-bluegrass. There were a lot of bluegrass musicians out there starting their careers in the 1930s and 1940s who grew up listening to the Carter family. That's the roots of the music. There's a June Carter Cash box set on Legacy Records. There's a lot of music out there spanning her career. I'm glad her music is out there. It means a lot.

You're involved now with an album called "Voice of the Spirit." Is that music similar to your mother's?

"Voice of the Spirit" was a project I'd been talking about for a long time. It began as an Appalachian record. But it's a record of all pure Southern gospel. I got a bunch of different artists together and did all of it here in Nashville. Good friends making good music. They're all brand-new recordings, but they're old songs I've found in various places, including Carter Family songs.

Today's Quote

Forever on Thanksgiving Day
The heart will find the pathway home.


-Wilbur D. Nesbit

Uncle Ivan sends along this ditty... PAUL HARVEY AND PRAYER...

Paul Harvey and Prayer




Paul Harvey says:

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be
endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.

So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue.

Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem,
I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.


If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad,
I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.


If I went to a ping pong match in China,
I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.


And I wouldn't be offended.
It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome...

"But what about the atheists?" is another argument.

What about them?
Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand.
Call your lawyer!

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or
two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do.
I don't think a short prayer at a football game is
going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other
cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our
parents and grandparents taught us to pray before
eating; to pray before we go to sleep.

Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a
handful of people and their lawyers are telling us
to cease praying.

God, help us.
And if that last sentence offends you,
well ... just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard .... that the vast majority don't care what they want. It is time the majority rules! It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray; you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right. But by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back .
and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all .. especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.

God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.


May 2006 be the year the silent majority is heard
and we put God back as the foundation of our
families and institutions.

Keep looking up.