Not only a Month but a LIFETIME of Thankfulness

WOW!   I can't believe it is already November!  Where has this year gone?  It has been a year for the books.  As a family guy, there has been so much that has gone on in our family this year that I could be bitter, hold grudges, be angry.  You name it, I could be it.  However, when I look back  and reflect on this past year, I have only one thing to be, and that is THANKFUL, GREATFUL, and BLESSED!

This past year has been a roller coaster of emotions and happenings.  My wife as many of you know, has been struggling with Trigeminal Neuralgia, Vestibular Neuralgia, and Ramsey Hunt Syndrome.  She has had a battle to fight.  It has been a long hard one.  These conditions have extremely limited her mobility as well as energy levels.  Through this, we could have chosen to be mad and upset at life and God, however, we have learned to be Grateful, Thankful and realize we are blessed!

My wife and I have definitely learned the art of "Doing things on the Fly!"  We go when we can and make things happen because we just never know what the next day will bring.  We take it one day at a time.  In addition to my wife's conditions, my health has been an issue as well.

This is something that I have not shared with many people, however, I am putting it out there now.  About a year and half ago, I went in for a CT Scan for my Diverticulitis.   That very same day I get a call from the Doctors office.  You know right off the bat, that getting a call from your Dr. on the same day that you get a test run, 9 out of 10 times is generally not good news.  Well, it was not.  They told me that they saw a "Spot" on my bladder and  I needed to get it checked out ASAP.  WOW!  talking about a blow to the gut!  I still remember the sinking feeling that I got when they told me.  Now what?  Well, we proceeded to get a follow up with a urologist who would run a series of tests on me.  The test came back with what no one wants to hear, "Cancer"  Well thank the Lord that through a series of procedures, the Dr. was able to cut out all of the cancerous cells from my bladder.  I thought I was in the clear, but the Dr. "found" some more suspicious cells in my kidney area.  So the verdict is still out.  So now what?  Well, I could be mad, I could be upset but thankfully I have a huge sense of peace.  What else can I do?  This is something that is totally out of my control.  I now have to have faith and trust more than ever.  Now I would be lying if I said that I was NEVER scared, upset, worried.   That is far from the truth.  I have experienced all of those emotions and then some.  However, what is difference?   After allowing myself to just be, and experience those emotions, I now must say that I have that huge sense of peace.  I know that as I continue to place my life in the hands of my creator, and trust in Him and know that he holds my hand as well as my future, I have NOTHING to fear!   I am Grateful, Thankful and Blessed!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says this "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your path straight." (NIV)

Here is a little something to leave you with.  It is a little funny description of life that I found on the net.  I hope it will give you a chuckle but also make you think as well.

I AM THANKFUL: FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. ..
FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
AND I AM THANKFUL: FOR THE crazy people I work with
BECAUSE they make work interesting and fun!
AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL
BECAUSE? IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME

So for me and I hope for you as well, that you take a look at your life and as you examine it, you will find out that this is not only a month of thankfulness but a LIFETIME.  Be Grateful, Thankful and Blessed!

Let there be "Thanks"

Hello everyone!  It's that time of the year again!  Halloween is over and now the big push begins into the Holiday Season.  Before you know it, we will be singing "Jingle Bell Rock!"  OK, I won't jump the gun yet.   (Even though I must confess, I have already listened to some Christmas music). 

Seriously though, as we begin to dive head strong into this Holiday Season, let's not forget what the month of November is all about!   Sometimes, Thanksgiving gets overshadowed by the Christmas holiday.  It appears that it almost gets "Skipped" when you go into stores, the immediate change from Halloween to Christmas without what seems to be skipping a beat. 

So with that in mind, I know I don't want to forget what November is all about and that is being thankful!  So each day this month, I want to list one thing that I am grateful for each day.   Are you with me?  You will be surprised as you list something specific that you are thankful for.  30 days is just not enough!  I hope that that this little challenge will make you think and reconnect with what is important and really matters.

Are you ready?  Here we go!  Day #1 (2013) I am thankful for my Salvation!

Whoever knows me, knows this.  What is most important to me is my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  I am nothing without Him!  He is my strength when I am weak, He is the treasure that I seek, He is my all in all!  It is my personal relationship with Jesus that keeps me going!  I know without a shadow of a doubt that He is the one that I can run to and He is the one that will never fail!  Even when I mess up and miss the mark, His love for me is unconditional!

Thank you Jesus for your love and salvation!  To you be all the glory and Honor!

 

New Everyday!

Today I am very thankful for a beautiful new day!  That's right a new day!  I think sometimes we take each day for granite.  However, we are not promised tomorrow.  So I say "Carpe diem"   or "Seize the Day!"  Everyday should be a blessing and we need to be thankful for each day that we have.   Every day is a New day!  A new day to start fresh.  A clean slate.  You have not written anything on yet.  The day is yours to do with as you wish.  Take full advantage of that!  "Carpe diem"  I love the scripture that says in Lamentations 3:22-23 "The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."   That is why I look at each new day as a new fresh start!  So I am thankful for each new day.  I am thankful that I can seize the day for all it's worth!  I can make it or break it, it is my choice!

No Strings Attached

Today I am so thankful for my wonderful and awesome wife!  Brenda is the love of my life and she is such a tremendous blessing to me!  Her love and support is unconditional.  No matter what, she is and has always been there for me.  She sees past my quirks and my idiosyncrasies, and still chooses to love me for who I am!  That unconditional love.  Even on my bad days!  Yes I do have them.  There are days when I get frustrated, whether it be with kids, work, or just everyday life, she is still there for me, takes me as I am and still always there to love me!  WOW!!!  What more can I ask?  We have shared this wonderful connection with each other now for over 23 years and it has been awesome and I am truly looking forward to the many more years that we have together!  My wife is the best and I would not have her any other way!  So a big THANK YOU and I am so GRATEFUL for YOU! goes out to my loving and wonderful wife Brenda Lorenzo!!!  You are truly the best!

Are You Counting?

Hello everyone!  I hope this post finds your day going well?  Mine is fantastic!  Today I am counting. Counting what you may ask?  Well, counting my blessings!  That is what I am thankful for today.  The many blessings that have come to me and are still and will come down to me!  You see, blessings can be so many things.  They can come in so many different shapes, forms, sizes.  You just have to realize that they are there and they are blessings!  I know I get accused of a lot of looking at the glass as "Half-full" all the time, but I choose to be that way and try to see the good and the blessings in all situations!  Even in the tough times.  Yes, tough times will come and they have come and will continue to come, it is just how to go through them that will make you or break you!  It all goes back to the "Counting." 

You see, when I choose to see the good in all things and count my blessings, I truly believe that it makes going through life so much easier.  Yes, I do acknowledge that the bad things are there and do effect outcomes of situations, but still I can find the blessing or the good in it somehow or somewhere!  So I will always be "Counting!" 

There is an old Hymn that says this:

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

So are you counting?  Start today and I think you will truly be amazed at what you come up with!   Now go and be blessed!!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work I Go!

Day # 7 of the November Thankfulness challenge.  Today I am thankful for my job!  Yes, my job!  Not only because it is a source of income for me and my family, but I truly enjoy what I do.  I am very thankful that I can get up Monday through Friday and go into work and do what I love to do!  I have an awesome group of people that I work with everyday.  It is fun and challenging, keeps me on my toes!  Got to love the rush!  So I am extremely thankful for the awesome opportunity to work with a fantastic group of people! 


P.S.  Now I'm in trouble because I don't think I can get the Hi Ho song out of my mind :)  Keep being thankful everyone!  You will be glad you did!

The Gift of Freedom!

Hello All,

I know I am behind on my own challenge here, however, I have not stopped being thankful for something each day.   Today (Nov 6th) is Election day here in the good old United States of America.  So today I am VERY thankful for my right as an American Citizen to vote and have this democratic process in our country to select our leaders.  As we all know, this opportunity did not come without a great price!  This freedom is a gift given to us by the many men and woman who have fought valiantly for our freedom and ability to vote!  The sacrifices that they have made so that you and I can have the opportunity to cast our ballet will never go unappreciated with me and hopefully you feel the same way.

So on this Election day, I am very thankful for my gift of freedom.  So I challenge everyone of you regardless of your political preferences to exercise your freedom to freely vote.  Just remember to be very thankful for all the men and woman who have fought for this right and freedom!

Counting on God!

Day #2 in our November Thankfulness Challenge.  So what am I thankful for on this second day of November?  I am thankful for God's provision!  In Him I have all that I need or could want.  I am so thankful that I am in the hands of a loving God who knows my needs and meets them according to His riches and glory!   Sometimes though, I have to admit that it is hard to see this.  There are and have been days when I look at my bottom line and think and say to myself "I don't know how we are going to make ends meet?"  and I would find myself starting to get frustrated and upset, then I am reminded that God will and has ALWAYS provided!  On my own, I don't understand how, but it does, God always meets mine and my families needs!  I just have to learn to rely on His provisions and not my own!  So for day two of this challenge.  I am very Thankful that I can "Count on God!" and that I know that my needs are met in Him and according to His economy and not mine!  God is so good and to Him I give all the glory!

So I encourage you today, if you are feeling down and you think you don't know how things are going to work out, I highly suggest you look up, and "Count on God"  He is your provision and HE Will supply all your needs!

Be blessed everyone!

"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. 

An Attitude of Grattitude!

Hello All, I can't believe that it is November 1st!!!  Where has this year gone?  Last year I started the November Thankfulness Challenge.  This was where one would choose something specific they were thankful for during the Thanksgiving season.  This year it would be 22 specific things that you are thankful for.  It is a challenge, but I am sure that you can do it!  Are you up for it?   Join me.  You will be glad you did.  As I did this challenge last year, it truly made me look and see how many things that I have to be thankful for!  It has kept me looking on the brighter side of things through out the year!  So are you on board?  I hope so.  Let the challenge begin!

So here I go, Day 1.  I am thankful for the support of my family!  My wife and kids, as I have taken on the adventure of going back to school this past year!  They have supported me in this and have sacrificed themselves to help me do what I truly have been wanting to do for a long time now.  So I am extremely thankful that I have their support during this time of my life where I am pursuing my higher education.  I could not do it without knowing they are behind me!  They are my cheer leaders and encourage me when I get down and tell me to hang in there and that I can do it!  Having that support goes a long way in creating that "Attitude of Gratitude!"

I Blew it!

Hello Everyone!  I hope this blog note finds your day going well?  For me, now it's great, but last week it was not so great.  Yup, Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky was not his usually bubly and happy self.  I had a bad day, wait let me rephrase that...I had a bad week!  Most of my friends and family know that I am just a overflowing bubly case of joy.  I usually don't let anything get to me and I am just an all around nice kind of guy.  Well, this past week, I BLEW IT!  Yup, I had a very stressful and bad week at work.  It was a particulary long week, we had some systems fail and and I am the lead on these systems.  So needless to say my hours were very long, about 12-14 hour days for the last week.  Not to mention the stress load that goes along with trouble shooting and trying to come to a resolution.  Well, I let all this stress get the best of me. 

I try never to bring the stress and issues of work home with me.  I try my best to leave them at the door when I walk out for the day.  However, that was definately not the case this past week.  I brought all that stress home!  OK, now you can see where I am going with this.  Not  a good thing!  I found myself all that week withdrawing from the family.  I found myself getting very quiet and not wanting to talk or letting little things get to me that normally I would not even bat an eye to.  That should have been the warning sirens right there.  MAYDAY MAYDAY...ALL HANDS ON DECK...but I was so consumed in my stress and the issues of the week that I did not see the forest for the trees so to speak.  Well this all came to a head on Thursday this past week.  I came home and was very quiet and not talking very much.  I was also letting all the little things get to me.  This is where my reality check came in.  THANK GOD for a spouse who loves me so much that she is willing to tell it to me straight.  My wonderful wife called me out!  Guess what, I still did not see it!  I said that I was not stressed and that I just had a very long week.  I tried to deflect and push back everything on her.  Well, needless to say once again, THANK GOD for a spouse who loves me and tells it to me like it is, she told me that she did not like this Joe that she was seeing and that I needed to change my attitude.  Well that night, I did some self-reflecting and praying, and YES I did now see exactly what she was saying.  I had let all the stresses of work come home with me and took all that baggage from work and off loaded it at home.  Not a good thing to do!  So I did apologize to my wife and told her how sorry I was for bringing the stress of work home and makeing my family take the brunt of it!

I say all this for everyone out there that may be stressing out and bringing all that junk with you to your familes or significant others.  Take stock in what they have to say to you.  Once again I am greatful that I have a loving spouse who is willing to tell it to me like it is.  She gave me a great reality check and a well needed attitude adjustment!

I sure thank God that His mercies are fresh and new every day.  I thank God that I can get up in the morning and know it's a new day.  I thank God that I can run to him and ask for forgiveness and it's there for my taking.  Because I know that I sure need it.  I also thank God for my wonderful wife that He has placed in my life.   She is a wonderful and loving spouse whom I truly appreciate.  She is so full of unconditional love and has the boldness to tell it to me straight.  Thank you Lord.  My prayer is that you have someone like that in your life.  Someone that is there for you.  Someone that can tell it to you straight and put you back on the striaght and narrrow.  Someone that can give you an attitude adjustment when needed.

A Proud But Challenged Daddy!

My son told me about something he did in school yesterday that just made me one proud Daddy.  He told me about how he told one of his friends that they needed to ask God for forgiveness and ask Jesus into their hearts.  He told them that Jesus forgives and that he could take the junk out of their lives. (I'm paraphrashing here, but you get the idea) 

WOW!  That is what I have to say.  He is not ashamed of the Gospel and telling other people about Jesus.  We told him that he is being bold and we are proud of him for standing up for his faith in God! 

The boldness of a child that will stand out and have no fear about telling someone else about Jesus!  That makes me take a step back and ask myself "Am I that bold in my faith?"  Could I be as bold to tell my friends or coworkers about Jesus and the plan of salvation or would I just let the opportunity go by?  Lord help me to be as bold!  We should not let our fears about what others will think or say when we step out and share our faith with others.  Is that not what Jesus commands us to do?  "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel"  It is the Great Commission, not the "Great Suggestion".
So as I write this, I am a very proud Daddy but also a challenged one...Will you be bold?   Will you take a stand and step out and be a witness for Christ no matter what?  Lord help me to do that!

Valentine's Day-What is love?

Hello Everyone!  Happy Valentine's Day to you!  I hope that everyone is geared up and has spoiled their significant other with wonderful pleasantries and expressions of love today.  Valentine's day is a great and wonderful day set apart for "Love."  However, this got me to thinking, what is true love all about?  We immediately think of love as being that deep down warm fuzzy feeling that we get when we see our significant other or we get that box of chocolates or gift from them.  Love though is more than just a feeling, it goes much deeper than that.

 I go back to 1 Corinthians Chapter 13:4-8, better known as the Love chapter to get the meaning of love.  It goes like this.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
What an amazing picture of Love.  Now the REAL challenge....Substitute the word love with your name and that will bring it all the way home.  These are questions that I ask myself all the time...Is Joe patient, is Joe kind, is Joe not jealous or boastful, is Joe not proud or rude?  Is Joe not demanding of my own way (in other words...A Cry baby!) is Joe not irritable, (Sometimes tough after a long day of work), is Joe not keeping a record of wrongs, is Joe rejoicing about the injustices,  or is Joe rejoicing when truth wins out?   Will I never give up, never loose faith, always be hopeful and endure through EVERY circumstance?  Now that is "True Love!"  Challenging isn't it?  Are you up for it? 

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Moving Forward

Hello everyone!
Have you ever done something that you regret?  Have you ever said something that you wish you could take back?  I think we all have including myself.  The real question is what are you doing or going to do after the fact?  Are you going to let your past mistakes haunt you for many days and years to come?  What is the right thing to do?  I think we have to move past them and move forward, not dwell on them.  We should not let our past mistakes, words or deeds control us.  We need to move forward.

You might be saying..."Wait a minute!"  You don't know what I've done or said.  Maybe not, but I do know this, we server a mighty and merciful God who DOES NOT remember the past!  It is covered under the blood of His son Jesus!  The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22-23 "The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  GREAT is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning!"  The Bible also says that “In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7-8).   We can also be assured that our sins are thrown as far as the east is from the west according to Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far He removed our transgressions from us”   2 Corinthians 5:17 says this "This means that ANYONE who belongs to Christ has become a NEW person.  The OLD life is GONE; a NEW life has begun!"
So I just want to encourage you today, if you have been struggling with forgiving yourself of things in the past, or if you have been or are currently thinking I can't get past this, YES YOU CAN!  There is a song that rings out in my heart every time I hear it and it just reminds me that I'm not going back, but moving forward...I'm moving forward, what about you? Here are the lyrics to the chorus.

I'm not going back
I'm moving ahead
Here to declare to you
My past is over in You
All things are made new
Surrendered my life to Christ
I'm moving moving forward

Cling to this song and I pray that you decide to move forward and not look back!  Let today be the day that you move one and declare that your past is over and that ALL things are made new!  God Bless!

Lessons Learned

Hello everyone!  I'm back!  After taking a month long break from blogging, I am back.  This post will be longer than most of my previous post but hopefully you will read on. 

During the month of January, like most everyone, we all like to make New years resolution to better ourselves and our situations.  Yes I did make some, but I would like to look at them more so as goals not resolutions.  I believe that we need not just one area of our lives to "resolve" to get better or to change, but make it a total make over.  Every area of our lives.  So this is what I decided to do, I decided to make my resolutions or I now like to say "My goals" for the year in all areas of my life.

• Physical
• Mental
• Spiritual

Here is what I plan on doing, yes I am announcing it to the world so I can also be accountable to what I say and do.  So here it is...

• Physical-My goal is to loose 60 pounds this year!  That seems like a lot but if you take it in little chunks it equals out to 5 pounds per month.  I am trying to get into an exercise routine and be more active and eat healthier.  It is all for the good.  I am also proud to report that I not only made my monthly goal but exceeded it!  I am very happy for that!  I have lost 6.5 pounds during January!  So I am on my way! 
  
  What about you?  What are you doing to better yourself physically?
• Mental- There is an old saying that goes like this..."A mind is a teribble thing to waste."  I agree.  We have to keep challenging ourselves not only physically but mentally as well.  I believe you never stop learning.  This year, I set the goal of reading at least one book a month that will help better myself, my relationships, my spiritual life, my job.  I have also set the goal of listening to various motivational speakers through their podcasts.  Keeping my mind sharp. 
  
  What are you doing to stay sharp mentally?
• Spiritual-  This is one area of my life that I hold dear to me.  My faith.  I have been challenged this year to pray harder than I ever have before, draw and seek God more than I ever have.  I have resolved to do the following to help me in my pursuit of drawing closer to God.  I have made it a goal to read through the entire Bible in a year.  I have also made it a goal not to let a day go by that I am not in prayer.  Begin and end my day with prayer.  Keeping a journal for all the requests.  I have also been attending a weekly prayer meeting that our church has for our men every Monday night.  I believe that through the reading of God's word and seeking God through prayer that my spiritual goals for myself and my family will be made!
  
  What are you doing for your spiritual life?  What keeps your spirit man charged up?  Don't let your tank get on empty!

So through this past month of January, it has been a real big challeng for me.  I am expecting great and wonderful things to come for the year of 2012.  Not only for myself, and my  immediate family, but also for my extended and church family as well.  Greater things are yet to come!  I believe, I'm praying, I expect!  I Cor 2:9 says “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Getting Back To The Basics

I watched a movie last night that really made me grateful but also made me think. The  movie was about a family who's son had a serious illness and how they came to learn how to cherish every moment that they had with their son.  Well, that got me thinking, do I take for granted what I have?  Am I cherishing every possible moment that I have with my family?  Am I taking the time to stop and take moments out from my busy schedule and just enjoy my family?  I am a very blessed man and God has blessed me with an awesome wife and two wonderful children.  I should be making sure that I take every opportunity that I have to spend with them, to love them to cherish them.  We are not promised tomorrow, so we need to take every possible moment we have to pour into our families! 

If you have not taken the time, especially during this time of the year, learn to cherish your family.  See what is truly most valuable in your life.  Don't take them for granted.  Live and love for today!  I believe you will be a better person and be glad that you did!  It's time to "Get Back to the Heart of Christmas!"  Are you with me?  Let's do it!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Family Traditions

Hello everyone!  I hope this post finds you well?  As we get ever so closer to Christmas day, I am wondering what every one's favorite family tradition is or was?  December is the month to remember all the good times that we have and have had with friends and family.  I know that in my family, being of the Hispanic culture, we have many traditions.  The best one that I love is on Christmas eve looking forward to the tamales and menudo!  Yummy!  I know, for most of you, the menudo part is an acquired taste, but I think everyone can agree upon the tamales!  Every Christmas Eve my family and I would go around and visit all of the extended family.  I would not eat all day knowing that at every stop there would be some good food awaiting me!  My favorite stop was at my Nana's.  I knew she had been hard at work all that week preparing all the tamales and menudo!  We would walk into her house and the smell would just grab you!  You knew you were in for a feast!  My Nana is gone now, but the tradition of tamales and menudo on Christmas Eve lives on. 

Again, this is just one of many great memories and traditions that I have for this time of the year.  So what are yours?  I would love to hear them.  If you don't have any traditions, I encourage you to start one!  I believe you will be glad  you did!  Enjoy the Christmas Season everyone!

Do You Need a "Silent Night"?

Hello everyone!  Well it seems like the December rush is well under way!  People out shopping, the hustle and bussle of the holiday season is here.  I got to thinking the over the weekend about all that goes on during the month of December.  I was pondering about how most of us seem to just go go go!  That seems to be our mantra during this time of the year.  Holiday shopping, visiting with friends and family, planning events, there is just a lot going on.  Now there is nothing wrong with all of this.  It's great to visit with family and friends, go shopping and enjoy all that goes along with these types of activities.  However, I wonder, do we need to sometimes take a step back and pause for a moment from our busy schedules to just think about what this time of the year is truly about?

Think about that one silent night where the shepherds were out on in their fields keeping watch over their flocks by night, it was on that quiet silent night that a glorious event happened.  The great angelic announcement of our Saviours birth!  We should to take a moment to step away from the hustle and bussle and not forget what this season is truly about! Celebrating our Saviours birth.  The greatest gift to man-kind.

So do you need a "Silent Night"?

No Grinches Here!

Republic Media Front Lobby Filled with Toys bound for St Joe's

Hello everyone!  I am just amazed at how this time of the year can bring out the best in people.  Working at a news station you here the good things as well as the bad.  A few weeks ago, someone tried to be a Grinch to the kids of St. Joe's Hospital here in the Phoenix Valley.  Someone broke into a storage locker and took the toys that were suppose to be for the kids of the hospital.  12 News found out about this and put the call out to our viewers.  They came through big time!  For the full story see the 12 News story here

http://www.azcentral.com/video/1305306733001

Our front lobby is now filled with toys of every sort bound for the kids at St. Joe's Hospital!  The generosity of our viewers is beyond words!  I am constantly amazed how this time of the year brings out the best in people!  I only hope and pray that we could tap the Spirit of Christmas all year round.  Can you imagine how things would be if we would keep this type of giving and being generous all year round?  So my challenge to everyone out there today is just that.  Keep the Spirit of Christmas all year round and don't loose the giving spirit, the joyful heart, the smiles that come during this time of the year!  Keep it going.  I believe you will be glad you did!

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Hello Everyone!   I know I have been silent for the last few days, but can you believe it is actually December 1?  Where has this year gone?  It certainly has flown by for me.  What about you?  I am so excited!  We are now officially into my most favorite time of the year!  Christmas!!!  Yes, can you hear it, see it, smell it, touch it?  It is all around us.  So my question to everyone is this.  What makes Christmas special for you?  What are some of your favorite Christmas memories?  When you see all the lights hung and the Christmas trees that are up, what does that do for you?  I know in me it brings me right back to my childhood days!  I have so many fond memories of Christmas time with my family!  I can remember the days of anxiously waiting for December 25th to come around.  Waiting for the day that I could get up and open all the gifts that were under the Christmas tree! 

Christmas Morning Dec 25 1982 (Me & my two sisters)

Christmas is definitely a time for us to spend time with our families!  It should be a wonderful time of getting together and reflecting on the holiday season.  A time to laugh and create bright memories for many Christmas' to come!  So what is one of my favorite Christmas memories?  I have to say that one that sticks out in my mind is it was Christmas Eve and my dad had to work the grave yard shift.  All us kids went to bed anxiously waiting for the night to end and Christmas morning to come.  I remember sleeping away and then hearing that wonderful song....."It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"  My dad was home from work!  He started up the record player (Record Player, now I am telling my age!) and let the wonderful sounds of Christmas fill the house.  Not only was dad home, but there was also a big surprise for us that happened overnight.  We had a White Christmas!  I remember my dad saying "Look outside!"  It was fantastic!  So that Christmas remains one of my favorite memories.

December is truly "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"  Merry Christmas everyone!

Black Friday 2011 -"Why do I do it?"

Today is Friday November 25th 2011, or in the shopper's mind "Black Friday"  This year it started even earlier on Thursday!  Let me set the scene for you, it's 9:00pm on Thanksgiving day, our bellies are full from the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie, now we are sitting at the table planning our "attack" for the evening.  We are excited, this year Black Friday is starting even earlier.  We carefully plan our attack as we give one final pass through all the ads from the newspaper.  What stores will we hit first.  What do we want to get, yes, I feel the rush start to happen.  Now it is about 9:45pm, we are off to our first stop, Wal-Mart!  Oh Boy!  we are in for a big surprise!  The normally empty parking lot was completely full!  We found a parking place and into the heart of the best we went, OK, the store, but what we were in for, WOW!  The store was a mad house!  Wall to Wall people, pushing, pulling and grabbing all the deals that were available!  I quickly went to what was on my list and met my wife at the designated meeting point.  Walking into Wal-Mart that evening, quickly reminded me that we were in for some serious shopping time!  We quickly got what we wanted at Wal-Mart then it was quickly off to our next stop.  We pulled up to Kohl's where we found the line wrapped around the block!  It was still 45 minutes before the store opened.  So we waited in line and discussed what we needed to get and our battle plan for that store!  The 45 minutes flew by the line starts to move, OK, let the rush begin!  We get into the store, Success!  We find what we wanted and off to the check out lines.  Another store down.  Now off to the next store, Game Stop!   Here we find another line of course!  So off we are into the waiting line.  This is where start to hear and swap Black Friday tales past and present.  Finally to the door, we are let in the Game Stop store.  We are excited, We find what we were looking for!  Our Black Friday is looking good!  Now we are off to our next stop, but first we must refuel ourselves!  Can't run on empty. It is now approximately 2:30am.  We stop to eat at Denny's of course because it is always open!  It appears that most of our fellow Black Friday shoppers had the same thing on their minds.  OK, refueled and charged up again, it is off to the next store.  Target here we come!  Most of the crowd is gone now and it is relatively quiet in the store.  To our amazement, we still found some great deals!  Now back again to yet another Game Stop where we needed to find a game that we were looking for!  Success!  It is now approximately 5:00 am.  Off to our final stop of the day.  Family Christian Bookstore.  It does not open until 6:00 am so we have an hour to kill.  We enjoy it together in the car sitting and listening to some Christmas music as we pass the time.  Now it is 6:00am.  The doors open and we are off and running again.  We found a lot of deals for us as well as our family!    We shopped for about an hour.  It is now 7:00 am in the morning!  We are FINISHED!!!  Another Black Friday in the books!  We survived and had a blast!



Black Friday 2011 @ Wal-Mart in Buckey AZ

You say, What in the world would possess someone to go out and shop in those type of circumstances?  To subject yourself to the pushing, shoving, sleep deprivation etc.?  Well, I am not crazy, but I will tell you this, Yes I do it because of the deals of the day, but it is truly because I love spending the time shopping with my wife!  Yes, I love to shop and I love to shop with the best person I know, my wife!  This is like the ultimate date for us!  We look forward to this time of the year every year!  We do it because we love the time we get to spend with each other.  We love the running around in all the drama, we love spending the time with other people in line and swapping Black Friday tales both past and present.  Ultimately though, I do it because of the time I get to spend with my wife!