Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

After three weeks of solid rain,

I’m ready to say goodbye to 2015,

and hopefully see some sun in 2016.

 

But before bidding farewell to 2015,

let me give a big “thank you”

to Eric Weddle of the San Diego Chargers

for setting a great example

of the way a Dad should be.

 

Three days ago, he was fined $10,000

for remaining on the field at half-time

to watch his daughter dance during

the mid-game festivities.

 

True; he does have a multi-million-dollar

contract for the next 5 years.

Yet still, in a world where many parents

can’t even get off their cell phones

to watch their kids at the playground

(made the news where I live...sad),

paying a $10,000 technical fine

to watch your daughter dance

is a most cool act.

 

The message to his daughter:

“You are important to me!”

 

That’s a message I’d like to see

more parents pass out in 2016;

you’re kids are watching

(even when they appear not to)

and they do crave your attention

(even when they pretend they don’t).

 

[And to those of you without kids yet,

please just file this away for the future]

 

Here’s praying for a most wonderful

2016 for all y’all!

 

Have a blessed and awesome New Year!

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

the true spirit of Christmas

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

I was trying to dig up this old story

for a friend of mine.

 

If you search for

“the rifle a Christmas story,”

you will get links to the

1997 movie, A Christmas story,

the story about little Ralphie,

and how badly he wants

a Red Ryder BB gun,

even though everyone,

including Santa, tells him,

“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

 

But the story I mean is one called

The Christmas Rifle;

written by an unknown author,

it deals with events of

a Christmas Eve back in 1881;

and it tells a story that evokes

the true spirit of Christmas.

 

Yes, here is the one:

 

http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/issue/2015-1/article/the-christmas-rifle

 

There is nothing I can add to that.

 

Have a blessed and awesome Christmas!

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

“I have shown you in every way,

by laboring like this,

that you must support the weak.

And remember the words of the Lord Jesus,

that He said,

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 

--- The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:35 (NKJV)

 

Christmas gift ramble

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

That time of year has snuck up on us again:

the frantic hectic “gotta-buy-something-for-

so-and-so-lest-they-think-I-forgot-them-

and-dis-me on-Facebook” time.

 

Facebook?  Smart phones?  Texting?

 

When did we as a society get the idea

that we need access to everyone,

and vice versa, 24/7?

 

When did we decide we want what we want

for the lowest price possible

and we want it sent over-night

to our doorstep,

only to be horrified by the low quality

and trash it the next day

to move on to the next new thing?

 

The only One to whom we need access 24/7

is God alone; and, thankfully, no smart phone

or Facebook account is needed for it. =D

 

One time, when I ran Ultra-light Boats,

a man came to me and said he wanted

one of my 24-pound kayaks.

But he didn’t want to buy the plans

and build it himself (fun & rewarding);

he wanted me to build one for him,

and he wanted to know the price

as well as how long it would take.

 

I told him it would cost $600

and take me at least 6 weeks.

 

Him: “I can go to Walmart and get one

for $199 and have it today!”

 

Me: “Yes, you can do that, but it will

weigh at least twice as much.”

 

Trying to tell him that quality costs

and craftsmanship takes time

did not work with this person.

 

Basically, he had seen one of my

24-pound-boats at a show, hanging in mid-air

from a couple of pieces of fishing line.

He thought it “looked cool”

so he just had to have one.

 

And that brings up a great point:

did he really need a kayak that light?

Was it an actual need,

based on his intended use?

Or would the Walmart one work just fine

for the distance he intended to carry it?

 

Years ago, a salesman did us a huge favor

(really huge, considering he was working

on commission and basically shorted himself).

 

My wife and I were looking at hot tubs,

and trying to decide on what size to get;

the salesman told us,

“Buy one for your actual needs,

 not your imagined needs.”

 

He elaborated that many people come in

and buy a 12-person hot tub,

just in case they have a picnic

and all the guests decide to try out

the hot tub all at the same time

(imagined need),

when 99.9 percent of the time

it will just be the guy and his wife

who will be using it (actual need).

 

We took his advice, and bought a small one,

small enough that it made the move

from Florida to Georgia,

and is still in use 10 years later

(just used it this morning;

 thank you most-cool salesperson! =>).

 

So, when it comes to gifts,

my wife and I try to take the time

(her much more so than me;

 my wife is awesome at this!)

to make sure it is something

that the recipient will use

and use for a very long time.

 

And let us not forget the best gift of all.

It’s something that will “cost you”

without affecting your wallet.

 

Long ago, my friend, Amber,

spoke to me about everyone wanting

a piece of her time;

hence, she was parsing out to those she loved

little slices of “Amber-time.”

 

I like the concept of that, and,

often times, a piece of your time

is what one of your loved ones

desires most of all.

 

Thus endeth my ramble. =>

 

May the peace of God,

the love of God,

the grace of God

be with you always;

may you have a blessed and awesome

and most Merry Christmas!

 

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

“For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

 

--- Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV) The Jesus Prophecy  

anxiety...got any?

 

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

 

It’s that crazy time of year again,

the holiday season,

the pre-Christmas season,

the time between Thanksgiving

and the start of the New Year,

the time when many of us are

“FREAKED OUT,”

and filled with anxiety.

 

Many of us have thoughts like:

 

“When will I find the time and money

to buy all the things I think I need to buy

for all the people for whom I think

I need to get them?

 

“How will I divide up all the time,

the precious little time we have,

to meet with all the extended family

while making sure that no one

feels like they got left out

or short-changed?

 

“How will I EVER get done

all the HUNDREDS of things

that ‘I’ think I need to do?!?!?!?!?”

 

Well, the first thing I need to do

is to get the focus off of myself,

and the things that ‘I’

have managed to convince myself

need to be done.

 

My friend, Jon, gave a talk on this

just this past weekend;

it was quite timely,

and I’d like to share the highlights

for any of us that might be thinking,

“anxiety...got any?

 Oh yeah, I’ve got plenty, pal!

 Here, let me lend you some!” #_#

 

He had three main points to consider:

 

1) I can't control everything...

...but I know that God is in control!

 

2) I can't please everyone...

[that hit home! I can’t tell you how many times

 I have tried to do that and failed miserably!!!]

...but the only One I need to please is God alone.

 

3) I can't get this time back...but I can allow

God to show me what I need to do in this moment.

 

Roger that.

Whenever I pray about what I should do,

instead of freaking out and trying to

“do it all”

I wind up doing less

yet having more peace about it

as I truly feel the right things got done.

 

And while it's true that we

cannot get this exact time back,

I was reminded of this Bible verse

(a dave-fave =>):

 

"So I will restore to you the years

 that the swarming locust has eaten" 

 

 ---Joel 2:25

 

 

So whatever we think we have lost out on,

if we are faithful to God and follow His ways,

He will hook us up and restore us in ways

that we cannot even fathom. 

 

And who couldn’t use a little restoration

at this time of year?

 

I pray for a little restoration,

a little peace,

and a little less anxiety for all of you! =D

 

 

Have a great week!

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave