Wednesday's Roll Call

Dear Lynda, It sounds like you will be having a very joyous family celebration this evening. Thank God for close-knit families. What a houseful you are going to have. I will pray that your parents are able to join you and that they will be bearing good news, Lord willing. When I read your response to question #3, I wept. What a beautiful memory! I could almost envision the snow falling down around you. My dear husband declared his love for me while we were sitting on a bench in the moonlight overlooking Lake Taneycomo near Branson, MO. We had spent the day at Silver Dollar City and decided to watch the sunset together before driving home. I can still recall his arms enclosing me and holding me close as I started to shiver from the cool night air. I loved that feeling of warmth and security with a little bit of tingling mixed in which swept over me at his embrace. I too felt that God had sent someone very special to become a part of my life. Thanks for sharing your memory, Kathy

Hello all, love meeting you here! Its certainly colder here today than I care for. It won't get out of the 20's today and tonight into the teens with wind chill down in the single digits. Yipes! But it is supposed to be back up to the 60's by Saturday so maybe I can hang in there. I am definitely NOT a cold weather person. My QOD answers are: 1. favorite Christmas song---- "Oh Holy NIght" 2. I'll be at home for Christmas. Two of my sons families will be there and the other son and family are coming for New Year. 3. Lots of wonderful memories over the years. As a child it was probably the Christmas I got the big blue bicycle! As an adult it was the year my youngest son was born. We had 3 boys ages 3yr , 2yr and 6 months, we were several states away from home in full time ministry and no money for gifts. With no request from us, two churches took us to heart and we had so much Christmas gifts, food, toys for the boys until it almost literally overflowed out of the house! It was amazing and I still come close to tears just thinking about it. Blessings to all!

Dear Ginakay, What a happy Christmas memory! It is the unexpected gifts from others that make the holiday season so special to me. I had a similar experience as a single mother. I was enrolled at college full-time and I was on a very limited income. I found a local country church to worship at earlier in the fall not knowing how much they would bless me at Christmas. One evening I received a knock on the door, when I answered there were several bags of presents for my three children and the complete makings for a christmas dinner. I was so surprised and thankful. Thank God for unexpected kindnesses shown to others! Kathy

Hey everyone, It is a beautiful (all be it, nippy) day in South Carolina. How can someone look at nature and not belive in God? I truly feel that he is guiding me through the process of getting ready for surgery and will guide my physicians during the process. QOTD: Favorite Song: Walking in a Winter Wonderland Spending Christmas: At home, family will come over to my place for dinner Favorite Memory: I have so many...I used to watch White Christmas every year with my parents and sister. Both my parents have now passes. I watch it every year and can't help but cry. I miss them so badly. I also watch Miracle on 34th Street...it was also one of my mom's favorites. As a child, the Christmas I received my Rub-a-Dub dolly. Man, I loved that doll...that really dates me!!!! Have a blessed day. --Kelly

Dear Kelly, Today it was a nippy day 16 degrees with a wind chill around 10. A beautiful snowfall began around 1 pm. It was a light feathery snow instead of a heavy wet snow. I also like your song. Especially the part about building a snowman. White Christmas is a wonderful movie. Is that the same as the Bing Crosby song? I heard him sing that song with Danny Kaye in an old movie. I think that movie was called Holiday Inn. I'm not sure though. Miracle on 34th street is another beautiful movie. I just love the scene at the end when the camara focuses in on the cane leaning propped against the wall. My parents are still living but all my grandparents have passed away and lately I am really missing my maternal and paternal grandmothers. I don't know if it is because I am now a grandmother or not. The movie our family always watched was It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I remember the Rub-A-Dub dolly as well. I guess I must be a little dated too. My special doll's were Raggedy Ann and Chatty Kathy. My dad states I am still a "Chatty Kathy". LOL Thanks for sharing your memories with us, Kathy

Hello everyone! Well, it is cool here in the south but I'm not complaining. All is well here. I will be glad when hubby gets home. He is down in Sanford, FL (close to Orlando) at a meeting and will be home probably on Friday. I had a wonderful lunch with a friend from church. She is such a wonderful lady who truly knows the bible and loves our Lord and Savior! I look forward to getting to know her and her family better. She is also a foster mom. Anyway, as for the QOD: 1. Okay, I have to agree on O Holy Night and Mary Did You Know. Have you heard Mark Lowry sing that song? I think if I remember correctly he is the one that wrote it. I might be wrong though. Ever since I heard him sing it (on a CD of course) no one else can do it justice. 2. We will be traveling to Arkansas again to spend Christmas Eve with Paul's family. His mother is Methodist and in the past we have gone to the Christmas Eve service with her. Then Christmas morning we will spend it with my family. 3. Okay, I have several. One is always trying to "catch" Santa putting out the gifts. I used to try every year but never could. He was always too smart for me. Also, the memories of putting up our Christmas tree with Momma and my sister, Mary. I also have memories of always finding my Christmas presents before Christmas. I've quit doing that now though. LOL Anyway, ya'll have a great day! Shelly

Mark Lowry was the writer of the song. He also wrote a children's book using the lyrics. I need to ask though, are you sure your not confusing hearing David Phelps sing it, not Mark? They were both part of the Gaither's when the song was written, but Mark doesn't have a very good voice. He alsmost "talks" the song. David on the other hand reaches notes that an opera singer couldn't touch!! Dawn

No, Mark Lowry sings. He has a great voice too. David Phelps does too, but Mark Lowry can sing too.

Hey Shel, I agree that Mark does a great job with that song. But to me the #1 person for singing it is Michael English. Gives me goosesbumps to think of it

Dear Shel, thank you for sharing your Christmas memories with us. I agree I really love Mark Lowry's version of that song. Of course I also enjoy it when my husband sings that song at our church during the Christmas season. We have dear friends that live in Arkansas. They live near Siloam Springs. I will pray for your travels during the Christmas season. A favorite Christmas memory of mine which I did not share includes Santa and his reindeer. My father was in the Air Force and while we were stationed in San Antionio, TX the following event occurred. We were traveling home on a beautiful Texas night. The stars were twinkling so pretty. We children were drowsy from an evening of fun and games at a friends house. It was Christmas Eve. As we were starting to rest our heads against the car seat my father exclaimed " Look, Mother" and pointed out the front window. Of course we children sat up exclaiming "What is it?". My father claims "he is not sure what it is" but as we are listening to the radio we hear a news bulletin about Santa being spotted in the skies over our city. My father looks at my mother and said "I knew it We are out too late" You should have heard the cries from the back seat. "hurry Daddy I don't want to miss Santa" after all we knew we had to be in our beds before Santa could come to our house. WE shortly arrived home and you never saw four children scurry so fast to get to bed. We were trying to beat Santa you know. It was later when we were all grown that my dad confessed to us that the news bulletin had been a recording that he and his friends made and that the lights in the sky had been an airplane taking off from the airfield. Somehow we just couldn't believe him despite his assertions that it was true. I can't recall the gifts I received but I do recall that journey home on Christmas Eve. Kathy