Dear Reader:

One Christmas, many years ago, Mandy decided to make and give gingerbread ornaments. Since then all the cute ones have fallen and broken over time, but, of course (Murphy’s Law) the “blond-haired, strange-looking little gingerbread girl ornament, racked with tears, holes, and lost appendages, still survives. She is my favorite ornament….her “tackiness” makes Christmas “real” by making me laugh!

Quinn Caldwell, (All I Really Want) brings a humorous take on Christmas and decorations for his December 6 modern-day meditation. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope you do too! It made me laugh and laughter doesn’t cost a penny to give or receive!

Is there anybody else out there who hates tasteful Christmas decorations? Who’s appalled by genteel ornamentation? Who, when faced with a color -coordinated Christmas tree covered in matching ornaments, has to fight off the urge to set it on fire just to liven things up a bit?

I mean, this is CHRISTMAS we’re talking about, people! CHRISTMAS!  The day that unto us a child is born? The day that made all of heaven sing in wonderment and joy? The day the Creator of the cosmos entered history and changed it for flipping ever?

This calls for tinsel!

It calls for projects made in first grade with gobs of hardened glue and glitter. It calls for colored lights- the big colored water bubbly lights! It calls for motorized stands and blinking stars and construction paper chains and singing ornaments!

Christmas is not a day for restraint; it’s a day for blowing the doors off their hinges. I’m not saying you have to decorate your house. I’m just saying that if you’re going to decorate it, you best make it look like a party! 

When God decided to decorate for Christmas, God hung an enormous star in the heavens, not a string of demure white lights. No doubt the neighbors were appalled, but it sure did  draw a crowd!

So today, celebrate the God who didn’t hold back anything. Be unrestrained. Put on some music, loud, and start decorating. Make it look  like a party up in here, and praise God’s holy name!

………………….

The author, Caldwell, would be very proud of me this year…I still might have the “demure white lights” around my porch BUT this year they are the blinking kind…one section of the porch is lighting up constantly while the other sides wait their turn. It’s like doing a wave at a football game. I love it!

When Honey and I exchanged fun Christmas gifts Friday she gave me this clay “Fall Angel” who looks like she either fell into a pile of coal soot on one side of her face or she got a really bad sunburn.

But Honey knew I would think it was funny and give her a home where she was loved and accepted. (I told her about Mandy’s gingerbread girl ornament and how I  thought the two would hit it off…they did!)

And speaking of Honey…the Holiday Pottery Sale was in full swing when I got there a little after 10:00 yesterday morning. Here’s a few pictures of some of the crowd gathered at that time…

So until tomorrow…“God grant that I might decorate my life so outrageously that wise ones come from all around to learn what I know about You. Amen.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Before I left for Honey’s Holiday Pottery Sale… Walsh, Mollie, and the boys came over bringing breakfast ( I baked cinnamon rolls for everyone… but especially Rutledge)…I think he either ate five or six of them…we lost count.

Walsh and Mollie had come to get the rest of the old window sills that were taken out during the renovation last August. She has sold just about all of them on Craig’s list…lots of artists and home decorators  love to paint and decorate the panes….especially at Christmas. It just makes me happy that so many creative people will turn the old window panes into something fun and beautiful!

*I think the title for Rutledge’s and Lachlan’s “duo” photo should be “The Dynamic Dingle Brothers sing “O” …Little Town of Bethlehem!

Seeing this photo of Lachlan reminds me of the video Tommy sent yesterday about the story of another  little Lachlan…Lachlan Tannery who passed away last May from a rare form of leukemia….he was only two and a half years old. He was also a huge Clemson fan and the family has been adopted by the football team and showered with love and support.

He was also a twin and just a couple of days ago…his brother, Calhoun, named Grand Marshall of the MUSC Angel Tree parade, represented and honored his brother by participating in the parade.

Here is a link to Lachlan’s story and a link to the MUSC Angel Tree Christmas Parade. We mentioned the Tannery family earlier this year and ESPN picked it up and showed the story

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=14292485&ex_cid=sportscenterTW&sf16569680=1

3-year-old honors twin brother’s life as MUSC toy parade

*Anne has such a green thumb…I knew exactly where to deliver the paper whites bulbs earlier this week….look at the progress already!

*Another year, another Christmas….thank you dear God, thank you.

2014

2015

Next year I have got to find a four picture frame….

Congratulations Clemson…it’s been a long hard road…but a “perfectly” memorable season to treasure.

This special season has brought much happiness into many fans’ lives. An early Merry Christmas present! For us “older-timers” we know how unique seasons like this are….if we are lucky it is an once in a lifetime achievement…maybe two if we live long…long enough! This is the “We were there” season for the memories!