StillwatersIowa

Merry Christmas everyone. Today we celebrate God's gift to us. We do that in a variety of ways. We give each other gifts. We enjoy watching the excitement and anticipation of our children and grandchildren as they do their programs and open their presents. We all have our different traditions. Earlier this week we were invited for lunch at Pablo and Paula's house made by Paula's mother visiting from Jamaica. We started with a Christmas drink made from flower pedals. The main course was ox tail, curry chicken, and scampi. It was spicy enough to make you perspire. It was tasty. You just had to remember to take little bites. We finished with dessert and coffee with rum and brown sugar added. Harmony among family and friends is one gift I am so thankful for. Working and playing together with each other's interest in mind is priceless.   This past Friday evening we celebrated Christmas as a family. Jan had an unbelievable meal. Mike made a video of the past year in review...

Twas the week before Christmas and all through our house, no one was remembering it was the birthday of my spouse. So I hurried to the office, my mind was in a fog, thinking of best wishes, as I write my blog. I met Jan about thirty eight birthdays ago. I don't remember her birthday however I do remember the first Christmas I spent with her and her family while we were dating. I wanted to make a good impression on her father so I bought him a really nice insulated coverall. Well, being a bibbed overall kind of guy he opened his present and said, "what in the world are these for." Sixteen birthdays later we had six kids. All eight of us kind of grew up together. With seven to take care of it's no wonder Jan learned how to be such a good cook and a great babysitter. It's a blessing to have all six children and their spouses living in the area. As you can see in the picture Jan still cooks for all of them once in a while. If you know Jan very well at all you know...

Most of us reading this blog have been made in America. We were born here and our parents had the freedom to raise us with their values, showed us how to handle responsibility through work, and taught us the importance of being a citizen with character. Abraham Lincoln once said, "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it. The tree is the real thing."    Now we are the adults. Many of us have raised, are raising, or may raise our families in this wonderful country. There have been a few obstacles, ruts, and mud holes on our road through life however for the most part we have been blessed to the point of being a privileged generation. I realize our country is struggling economically. As a society we have promised everyone, everything. That is why we now have more people riding the government wagon and fewer people pushing it. The folks riding feel society owes them a living. The folks that are pushing the wagon are g...

Most folks were made to enjoy hanging out together. God created us all with different personalities. However our personalities are designed to interact with each other. Just wandering around in a group with no purpose hoping the water doesn't freeze doesn't cut it. We learn at an early age it feels good to give, receive, and share. (In Atalie and Michael's case they are sharing their Thanksgiving snacks.) Giving, receiving, and sharing develops relationships. As we grow up and continue those relationships we start to care about each other.Relationships are the glue and caring is the purpose that motivates us to have a plan to make a life rather than just wandering around like geece hoping things don't freeze in around us. Below Mark, Becky, and Kurt are watching Mike try his hand at a game called Angry Birds. I think the younger generation actually just renamed Pac-Man.  Relationships and caring about each other and the people they work for are absolute ...