Outward Expressions of Christmas

Last week, I wrote about the inevitable struggles of the Christmas season and I encouraged each of us to focus on hope. That hope is exemplified by Merle Haggard’s words in his iconic song “If We Make It Through December.

GLADEWATER’S FAMOUS CHRISTMAS STORE

“We have Christmas all through the house and never take the trees down,” says Jan Greenwood of Gladewater. “Our Christmas collecting sort of got out of hand,” says her husband Don, “so we just got in the Christmas business.” They have the Greenwood Christmas Store in Gladewater.

Are we still a Beacon of Democracy?

I’m a lifestyle columnist that promotes optimism and positivity in our daily lives. I’m not a political pundit. Occasionally a subject arises that connects the two areas of positivity and politics and I feel it’s important to address. We have a problem.

CHECK YOUR MIRRORS

When you hear the carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” this holiday season, you will be listening to verses written by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In 1863, during the Civil War, Longfellow received word that his son Charles had been severely injured in battle.

2 CENTS WORTH

Beautiful day in Aspermont this morning, kind of cool but by 11:00 AM Joe and I will be able to walk, we are trying to walk 2 times a day morning and afternoon, keep the fresh air, get some sun, and it just helps to get out of the house for awhile.

Faces & Places

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.” ~Ernest Hemingway Lothrop Stoddard, Ph.D.

Maybe Even California

If you have read my weekly essays for a while, you know my favorite Christmas song is Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December.” I have written about it every year that I have penned these essays. I hope my readers do not grow tiresome of this topic, but it is a song that affects me deeply.

THE LIGHTS OF ANDREWS

Andrews, Texas has a Christmas light display that rivals something you might find at Disneyland. It all takes place on a vacant lot which has a screen mounted on a frame that resembles a football goal post. And the lights are everywhere, all synchronized to music.

Feeling Groovy

I’m not a very athletic guy. I’ve mentioned this before, but we used to be a skiing family. We’d head north to the slopes several times a year and occasionally out west to the Rockies. I never really enjoyed skiing, but Arlene and the kids did, so off we’d go.

CHECK YOUR MIRRORS

I write this column for three rural communities. The Borden Star connection is from 41 years of living and teaching in Gail. The Double Mountain Chronicle relates to the McCleskey family ties in Fisher County.