oh boy

Oye.
This is the move that will not end. It just keeps going on and on and on...

"Christmas is more than trees and twinkling lights, more than toys and gifts
and baubles of a hundred varieties. It is love. It is the love of the Son of
God for all mankind. It reaches out beyond our power to comprehend. It is
magnificent and beautiful. It is peace. It is the peace which comforts,
which sustains, which blesses all who accept it. It is faith. It is faith in
God and His Eternal Son. It is faith in His wondrous ways and message. It is
faith in Him as our Redeemer and our Lord. We testify of His living reality.
We testify of the divinity of His nature. In our times of grateful
meditation, we acknowledge His priceless gift to us and pledge our love and
faith. This is what Christmas is really about." Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign,
Dec 1997,

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten
friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write
a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest
your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a
grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand.
Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone
else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your
gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love and then speak it again. Christmas is a
celebration, and there is no celebration that compares
with the realization of its true meaning-with the
sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself
unselfishly in the things that matter most."

Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, Dec 2002

oh golly

Wow.
So this is just a rant, or maybe a rave. Who knows?
New construction...just what exactly do they mean by "move-in ready"? It obviously doesn't mean that things are cleaned. Nor does it mean that stuff is done. It doesn't mean that paint has been touched up, that tile has been sealed or even that the carpet has been vaccumed! It also doesn't mean that floors have been swept or that sinks have been cleaned, that windows can be seen out of or anything else. A new mystery in life, that's what this is. So I guess that's a rant. 'CAUSE I AM SICK OF CLEANING MY BRAND NEW 'READY TO MOVE INTO' HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't know about the tile, but my skin is totally sealed. And the transfer of tiny random carpet fibers from the floor to my skin is complete. So, my skin is now move-in ready. Too bad there isn't room for the furniture.
On the flip side of this coin, I can tell that I will love this new house. It has a friendly feeling to it. It's a nice, relaxed, well-mannered house, that will grow easily into a family home. I put out the first bird feeder last night, and it fits. There are some houses that don't lend themselves easily to actually being lived in by someone like me as I expect alot out of a place...it has to look nice, behave itself and not make too much work, it has to be a friend to all who enter, to the birds and flowers and little barking dogs. This house will do that. It has that feel to it. It and I will be friends. That is good to know. We waited and prayed for guidance and God has blessed us with the right place. Whew. And thank heaven, literally!

My favorite Christmas Hymn is O Holy Night. I feel that it IS Christmas. Below is the brief history behind the song, followed by the lyrics. O Holy Night The words and lyrics of the old carol 'O Holy Night' were written by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure in 1847. Cappeau was a wine seller by trade but was asked by the parish priest to write a poem for Christmas. He obliged and wrote the beautiful words of the hymn. He then realised that it should have music to accompany the words and he approached his friend Adolphe Charles Adams (1803-1856). He agreed and the music for the poem was therefore composed by Adolphe Charles Adams. Adolphe had attended the Paris conservatoire and forged a brilliant career as a composer. It was translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight (1812-1893). O Holy Night Christmas Carol Lyrics O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O holy night, O night divine! O night, O holy night, O night divine! Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming, Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land. The King of kings lay thus lowly manger; In all our trials born to be our friends. He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, With all our hearts we praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, His power and glory ever more proclaim! His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Coming Soon...

Coming to McIntyre Hall, Mt. Vernon WA, summer of 2008

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Presented by The Amazing Lyric Light Opera of the Northwest

http://www.LyricLightOpera.org

Synopsis:

After a handsome but conceited prince treats a
beggar woman poorly, the woman turns out to
be a beautiful enchantress and turns the prince
into a beast. Further, the prince's staff is all
transformed into objects to do with their profession.
The prince is given a magical mirror to view the
outside world. To break the spell, he needs to
learn to love a person for who they are, and get
her to love him before a magical rose loses its petals.
Meanwhile in a nearby village, a beautiful young
bookworm (Belle) feels lonely and out of place.
She lives with her eccentric but kind father,
Maurice. Soon, Maurice goes off to compete at
an inventors' fair but gets lost in the woods and
ends up a prisoner at the beast's castle. Belle
eventually finds the castle and makes a
deal with the beast to let her father go
in return for her staying there with the
beast. As the beast's inner kindness slowly
reveals itself, Belle grows to be in love with
him. However, a jilted, self-centered and
overly-masculine suitor from Belle's village,
Gaston, takes a posse to 'save' her from the
beast. Gaston ends up stabbing the best.
Luckily, when Belle rushes to the beast and
expresses her love for him, he comes back
to life again as a handsome prince.

A Song for Today, Tomorrow and onward...

Incubus - Drive Lyrics

Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear
And I cant help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer
It's driven me before, it seems to have a vague
Haunting mass appeal
Lately I'm beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, I'll be there
So if I decide to waiver my chance to be one of the hive
Will I choose water over wine and hold my own and drive, oh oh
It's driven me before, it seems to be the way
That everyone else get around
Lately, I'm beginning to find that when I drive myself, my light is found
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, I'll be there
Would you choose water over wine
Hold the wheel and drive
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, I'll be there