How do Santa and Mrs. Claus get around? Surely you know this one: On an icicle built for two.

Hello Tuesday and also welcome to my regular readers here on this December 20th, in the year of 2011. I started to use the phrase 'my retinue' but my understanding is that designation is reserved for groups that follow noble or elevated personages. I wouldn't want to pass myself off as that even if I were to be standing on the top of a step ladder. DQMOT, BICBW, BTA, HHOK, BFN, :). That's my attempt at using the abbreviations that folks use when texting or facebooking. Translation: "Don't quote me on this, but I could be wrong, but then again, ha ha only kidding, bye for now, smiling." That smiling is indicated by the :). I sure hope they won't be selling those teaching dvds on how to learn this language. Here's a good one. They even have a symbol for Santa, "I'm Santa Claus", as indicated by: *<:-)(. I sure hope that helps clear up some misunderstandings out there. What's that you say? I have to be kidding? Nope. There are several hundred of these commonly used abbreviations and I can't tell you how good I feel about not knowing 99.9% of them. I love that picture of *<:-)( as he tries to use that computer by candlelight. Something about that candle just seems so right and in general there's something about that image that speaks volumes to me. One thing I see is the truth about how that no Santa would be complete without his mug of Community or Kona Sunrise which I happen to be sipping at the moment thanks to a wonderful friend's Christmas gift. Don't worry. The two pound bag of Community is standing proudly next to the 24 oz. bag of Sunrise. So far, they are getting along quite well. Hawaii is a state after all so I guess that one being born there makes them a citizen. Just kidding. I had no intention of the getting into the birth certificate controversy. That reminds me. In page after page of those nonsensical abbreviations, I did not see a symbol for Community. Where do I send my complaint? There ought to be a law. Don't you agree?

Here's a few more folks recalling their most memorable Christmas: "I forget how old I was maybe around 1st grade. My sister had gotten me an album of a singer I really liked though she signed it from ☺. So I thought someone named smiley face had gotten me the present. My parents kept telling me to thank my sister which confused me because I thought it was from someone named Smiley Face."~ "Mine was probably 2nd grade. We got to go to Disney World!" ~ "I was out at my grandparents for vacation with cousins and aunts, and uncles, you know, just a lot of family and the power went out. I remember my Grandma following me around trying to get me to put my hair up (it was super-duper long, like halfway down my back then) and she was concerned because she thought I was going to get it in a candle and set my own hair on fire by accident. Ha ha, gotta love my crazy family!" ~ "My most memorable Christmas was when my father opened up a gift my daughter (4years old at the time) got him. It was a pair of cufflinks with the initial L on them. He asked what the L stood for and she told him LOVE." ~ " I had been in Vietnam for 11 months and wasn't sure if I would ever see my family again. My mom sent me a small metal Christmas tree that folded out to about a foot high. With no ornaments to be found, we made some out of beer cans! Of course everyone had their "goody boxes" from home to share that Christmas. One of the guys played guitar, so we did our best with some Christmas carols and passed around the goodies from home. It turned out to be a very special Christmas." ~ 

As we might expect, memories that people have are all over the page. I've known a few people who had no recollection of good times at Christmas. These bad thoughts typically reflected family issues, excessive drinking, or other types of abusive situations. That to me is tragic and it makes me all the more thankful to God for the great ones I hold dear in my heart. Last Sunday afternoon our local fellowship of believers put on a small Christmas carnival for a nearby apartment complex. The wife and I did pictures for everyone as Santa and Mrs. Claus. And just so you know. I prefer it said that way. Santa and Mrs. Claus. People on Sunday were calling us Mr. and Mrs. Claus. While that may be technically accurate, Santa and Mrs. Claus seems so much more appropriate. I know you know what I mean. One lady won a $25 gift card in a drawing. She was so excited and said with those funds she would be able to get her daughter the special gift she wanted. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was all over that property. No. We didn't have a preacher standing out on a podium in the parking lot. What we did have was people loving on other people and reaching out to them. We also featured an illusionist where every trick ended up showing forth truths about our Lord. We had an older lady come for a photo and that was fun. A few minutes later the older lady's mother came for a photo. It was a joy to see so many smiling faces. We even had a couple of kids that preferred Mrs. Claus but I checked the official bylaws and at this time I've decided, against my better judgment, not to move their names to the Naughty List. But, as they continue their journey they might want to think seriously about their behavior as it relates to Santa. Enough said. Have a great Tuesday and may God bless one and all. Amen.       ....More later.