My First Christmas in Heaven

I received this email from a friend of mine Deb Bothof  on December 7, 2007.  This is her favorite Christmas Poem.    Deb's son passed away unexpectedly when he was in highschool and said this poem helped her get through her first Christmas without Christopher.  Deb I am always thinking and praying for you and your family.  =) 

Reading this poem again made me think of some friends and family who may still be grieving their losses... two in particular.  Linda Traynor passed away last year and this will be the first Christmas her family will be celebrating without her.  Terry, Brad, Heather and Dan .... Please know that all of you are all in my thoughts and prayers. 

A neighbor and life long friend Jen and her husband Matt.  Matt's father passed away this year.  Steve and I  have come to know her husband Matt who is probably one of the nicest people I have met.  Matt helped Steve with our basement by donating his time and we can't say thank you enough!  We love you and please know we are thinking and praying for you and your family this holiday season!

There are others we are thinking and praying for this holiday season as you have lost family, friends and loved ones over the years...too many to mention but you know who you are...I have some you in the labels...we love you all too! =)

My First Christmas in Heaven

My First Christmas in Heaven
I see the countless Christmas Trees
Around the world below
With tiny lights
Like heaven's stars
Reflecting on the snow
The sight is so spectacular
Please wipe away that tear
For I am spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year
I hear the many Christmas songs
That people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
With the Christmas choir up here
I have no words to tell you
The joy their voices bring
For it is beyond description
To hear the angels sing
I know how much you miss me
I see the pain inside your heart
But I am not so far away
We really aren't apart
So be happy for me dear ones
You know I hold you dear
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year
I send you each a special gift
From my heavenly home above
I send you each a memory of
My undying love
After all "love" is the gift
More precious than pure gold
It was always most important
In the stories Jesus told
Please love and keep each other
As my Father said to do
For I can't count the blessing
Or love he has for each of you
So have a Merry Christmas
And wipe away that tear
Remember I am spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.
author........ unknown

Science Vs. God

This is agood email I received from my mother-in-law Annette January 12, 2008...it really made me think...

Science vs. God

"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist
professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his
new students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a
moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you
can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"
"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could.
Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student d oes not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't,
does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he
prayed to Jesus to heal him How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer
that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water
from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella Is God good?"

"Er...yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student : "From...God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in
this world?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created
everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to
the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

Without allowing the student to answer, the professor continues: "Is
there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things,
do they exist in this world?"

The student: "Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his
question. "Who created them? There is still no answer. Suddenly the
lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is
mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus
Christ, son?"

The student's voice is confident: "Yes, professor, I do."

The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to
identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him"

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir, I have not."

"Have y ou ever actually felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your
Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God
for that matter?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol,
science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science
has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his
own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room
suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat,
unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have
anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which
is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such
thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest
-458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has
or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or
transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat.
You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of
heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units
because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, j ust the
absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom,
sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, pro fessor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it
isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence
of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light,
flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and
it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the
word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make
darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will
be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to
start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can
you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You
argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad
God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something
we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses
electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully
understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be
ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it."

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved
from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man,
yes, of course I do"

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes
where the argument is going. A very good sem ester, indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and
cann ot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you
not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a
preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion
has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let
me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has
ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the
professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one
appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of
empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no
brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain,
how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his
face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess
you'll have to take them on faith."

"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with
life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it
everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is
in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These
manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it
does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is
just
like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the
absence of God.

God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man
does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that
comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no
light."

The professor sat down.
 

How a marriage should be...

Another one of my favorite emails from Crystal...  She sent this to me November 10, 2007.

WOW -READ THIS ONE ...brought a tear to my eye

The person who did this was Jack Benny....

 

You have to read this it is absolutely beautiful......

 

Each year he sent her roses,

and the note would always say,

I love you even more this year,

than last year on this day.

My love for you will always grow,

with every passing year."

 

She knew this was the last time

that the roses would appear.

She thought, he ordered roses

in advance before this day.

Her loving husband did not know,

that he would pass away.

 

He always liked to do things early,

way before the time.

Then, if he got too busy,

everything would work out fine.

She trimmed the stems and

placed them in a very special vase.

 

Then, sat the vase beside

the portrait of his smiling face.

She would sit for hours,

In her husband's favorite chair.

While staring at his picture,

and the roses sitting there.

 

A year went by, and it was

to live without her mate.

With loneliness and solitude,

that had become her fate.

 

Then, the very hour,

The doorbell rang, and there

were roses sitting by her door.

 

She brought the roses in,

and then just looked at them in shock.

Then, went to get the telephone,

to call the florist shop.

 

The owner answered, and she asked him,

if he would explain, Why would someone would

do this to her, causing her such pain?

 

"I know your husband passed away,

more than a year ago,"

The owner said,

"I knew you'd call, and you would want to know.

 

The flowers you received today,

were paid for in advance.

Your husband always planned ahead,

he left nothing to chance.

 

There is a standing order,

that I have on file down here,

And he has paid, well in advance,

you'll get them every year.

 

There also is another thing,

that I think you should know,

He wrote a special little card...he did this years

ago.  Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here,

that's the card that should be sent to you the following year."

 

She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.

Her fingers shaking,

as she slowly reached to get the card.

 

Inside the card, she saw that he

had written her a note.

Then, as she stared in total silence,

 

this is what he wrote...

 

"Hello my love, I know it's been a year

since I've been gone.

I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to

overcome.

I know it must be lonely,

and the pain is very real.

Or if it was the other way,

I know how I would feel.

 

The love we shared made everything

so beautiful in life.

I loved you more than words can say,

you were the perfect wife.

You were my friend and lover,

you fulfilled my every need.

I know it's only been a year,

but please try not to grieve.

I want you to be happy,

even when you shed your tears.

 

That is why the roses will be sent to you for years.

When you get these roses,

think of all the happiness that we had together,

and how both of us were blessed.

 

I have always loved you and

I know I always will.

But, my love, you must go on,

you have some living still.

 

Please...try to find happiness,

while living out your days.

I know it is not easy,

but I hope you find some ways.

 

The roses will come every year,

and they will only stop,

When your door's not answered,

when the florist stops to knock.

 

He will come five times that day,

in case you have gone out.

But after his last visit,

he will know without a doubt!

To take the roses to the place,

where I've instructed him

and place the roses where we are,

together once again.

 

Sometimes in life, you find a special friend;

Someone who changes your life just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop;

Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world.

 

Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it.

What Love is!!!

Here is another favorite of my emails from my friend Crystal who sent this to me September 18th, 2007.

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes.
What does Love mean?
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

---

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

Rebecca- age 8

---

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

Billy - age 4 (Man this one is deep!)

---

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."

Karl - age 5

---

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."

Chrissy - age 6

---

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

Terri - age 4

---

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

Danny - age 7

---

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"

Emily - age 8

---

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

Bobby - age 7 (Wow and DOUBLE Wow!)

---

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"

Nikka - age 6

(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

---

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."

Noelle - age 7

---

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."

Tommy - age 6

---

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."

Cindy - age 8

---

"My mommy loves me more than anybody.
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

Clare - age 6

---

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

Elaine-age 5

---

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."

Chris - age 7

---

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."

Mary Ann - age 4

---

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

Lauren - age 4 (We all need to think more like this!!!)

---

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image)

Karen - age 7

---

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."

Mark - age 6

---

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

Jessica - age 8

---

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
"Nothing, I just helped him cry."

---

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds and give this a shot! All you do is simply say the following small prayer for the person who sent you this.

God bless all my friends in whatever it is that You know they may be needing this day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power as he/she seeks to have a closer relationship with you. Amen.

Then send it on to five other people, including the one who sent it to you. Within hours you caused a multitude of people to pray for other people. Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life.

P. S. Five is good, but more is even gooder!

Parking Ticket

I got this email from my dad today.... Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting.  Well, for example, the other day my wife and I went into town and went into a shop.  We were only in there for about 5 minutes. When we came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket.  We went up to him and said, "how about giving a senior citizen a break?"  He ignored us and continued writing the ticket.  I called him a turd.  He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires.  So my wife called him a sh..-head.  He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first.  Then he started writing a third ticket.  This went on for about 20 minutes.  The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote...  Personally, we didn't care.  We came into town by bus and saw the car had an Obama sticker. We try to have a little fun each day now that we're retired...  It's important at our age.

I am peeing my pants from laughing!!!  We can all learn a lot from this couple.  Don't take life so seriously!

Email from Del:

Every once in a while my dad sends me funny emails and I hate deleting them from my inbox so I think when I find a good one I am going to keep it in this blog.  Here is one I received today.

There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.

One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about.

The letter read:

Dear God,

I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension.

Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension payment.

Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with, have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope.. Can you please help me?

Sincerely, Edna

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars.

By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman... 


The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.

Christmas came and went. 

A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God. 

All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.

It read:

Dear God,

How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? 

Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift.

By the way, there was $4 missing. 

I think it might have been those bastards at the post office.

Sincerely, Edna