Here's a brief Video clip...

 

 

Took this at Air show in Fort Worth.  You gotta love the Blue Angels...  Those guys can really fly...

Well, i'm way behind on blogging... sigh...

But i've got a couple of olympic champs that you may not have seen in Torino; however, to me there still the worlds greatest.

Everyone seems to do put up a Christmas Tree at least in the good ole USA, but why do we do it and what does it signify.

It seems the custom of a Christmas tree dates back to the 700s in Germany. The earliest stories center around a British Monk and missionary by the name of St. Boniface. It seems he was preaching a sermon on the Nativity to a tribe of German Druids (who appeared to think that Oak trees were sacred and could not be toppled). To prove to them that they weren't he chopped one down right there.

It seems in falling to have crushed just about everything in it's path except for one small fir sapling. Legend has it that Boniface decided that the fir's survival was a miracle, concluding , "Let this be called the tree of the Christ Child." Since then Germans started planting fir saplings on Christmas in celebration.

Then it seems a few more centuries later (in the sixteenth century), Martin Luther was walking in the Black Forest (yes , Robin Hood and him were neighboors, most people don't know this) toward his home one clear evening. The great reformer looked around and was struck by the beauty of the stars shining through the trees. Determined that his family would share this beauty with him, he decided to cut down a small tree and bring it home.

Luther hung candles on its branches, signifying the stars twinkling through the tree's branches (can you say fire hazard). His fellow Germans picked up the custom, and later brought it to our country. Now over 30 million Christmas trees are bought each year (I'm just glad someone came up with a prelit artifical one).

I think, though, we should realize that the first Christmas tree was located not in Martin Luther's home but on Calvary's hill, and came at a very great price.

As you set up and decorate your tree again this year, remember the truth it proclaims. Remember that Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), that he came to die for you and be hung on that first Christmas tree. As you put gifts under your tree, remember the gift his tree offers you. And be grateful.

Hey I just realized it's almost Dec 1st, and that means Christmas is almost here... Well it's less than a month (less than 25 days now, barely over 3 weeks..). Thank God, my wife buys almost all the presents. I just have to get her something, and the years i'm really lucky she gets that and asks me to wrap it. Can you believe it! Of course she's the power-shopper, and I can't stand to shop unless it's for electronics or outdoor sporting stuff.

Just glad the Internet now allows me the leisure of shopping on-line.. I only have to brave the mall when I see that really good price on something in the papers; however, seems some of the best deals are to be had on the web... and with free shipping -- It's great.

Oh, and now my kid's only ask a few times a day, is Christmas tomorrow? (guess at 4 and 5 years old a calendar is kinda meaningless as of yet)

One of those questions , like are we there yet?

Every kid does them.

A few more might be

Can I have a cookie? (or as many do grab one when no ones looking). Then they seem suprised when Mom and Dad figure it out... Guess we weren't as smart as we thought we were as kids.

Oh, well i'm rambling for sure now. This blog thing takes some getting used to... I better go to bed...

later.