My daughter finished up her Segment I driver training yesterday, which means I have once again pretty much become a passenger in my own vehicle. All part of the parenthood process.
And I apologize for the spotty e-mails recently. I've been working on a couple of long, tough projects to finish before Christmas and by the time I remember I still have a post to write, it's 10:00 at night! So I've just been updating the blog here. Check down below to catch up on anything you may have missed.
Finally ... Merry Christmas!
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CHRISTMAS POEM
By Pastor Zachary Bartels
'Twas 750 years before Christmas and all throughout Judah
There were idols aplenty (of Baal, not Buddha)
The Assyrian Empire was everywhere feared
Led by Tiglath-Pilesar, whose name was quite weird
King Ahaz had buckled like the belt on my khakis
And the great nation Judah became boot-licking lackeys
They abandoned the covenant and the God who had made them
And looked to Egypt for help, which had been ... umm ... forbaden.
Their enemies were mean, they were kickers and spitters
So the people lost hope, like a bunch of lame quitters
The Devil was happy; he was pleased! He was winning!
With the king a big wimp and the people all sinning
And so, without hope, they gave in to these Gentiles
As Isaiah had prophesied, a couple of exiles
The south off to Babylon, the North to Assyria
('fore that massive Diaspora from Spain to Siberia)
Could there be hope again for this covenant people?
It seems the Old Testament's in need of a sequel
For 400 years, not a peep from a prophet
God withheld the big bomb, not quite ready to drop it
Then about A.D. 1, God said, "Now, let's get to it
And reverse the great curse that came down when they blew it"
The arrangements all made and the stage all prepared
The Virgin conceived and the census declared
And up in the heavens, God let loose with his Spirit
(He doesn't say "Ho ho ho" -- when He laughs you feel it)
"On Raphael, on Michael, on Uriel, on Gabriel
Operation Immanuel will kick off in a stable"
Salvation is coming; Satan's curse is deleted
The people redeemed and the devil defeated
Old Satan was cooked -- with potatoes and gravy
How horribly embarrassing -- to be trounced by a baby
So into the darkness was born a great light
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night
[written by Pastor Zachary Bartels; used with his permission]
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WEBSITE of the WEEK: Trent Hamm writes a blog called "The Simple Dollar," as well as two books. Both book and blog contain very practical and down-to-earth advice on finances, and how to simplify your life. Today I'm highlighting his December series, called "Out with the Old, In with the New." Begin at the bottom of the page, read up, and when you get to the top, go back to the bottom and click "Newer Posts." Then do it again.
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Mark's Musings is available via an RSS Feed, a Facebook Note, the Amazon Kindle and via e-mail each weekday (usually). Subscriptions are free. ISSN 2154-9761.
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