Saturday, December 17, 2011

Saturday Shout Outs- Christmas Edition!

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through my blog,
I was looking for someone to bring me Egg Nog!
I'm making fudge and balls of sausage and cheeses,
all so we can celebrate the birth of Jesus!


OK, so I am no poet.  But it is that "most wonderful time of the year," and I am getting so psyched to celebrate with family and friend.  Today's shout outs will be a little different, and as I remember some special groups of people and share my Christmas wishes for them.  Even if you are not mentioned by name, please know who important you are to me, and remember that this is the season of the giving of the greatest gift even give- the love of God whose name is Jesus!  Now on with the shout outs!

  • To my family- Marilyn, Will, my Mom- I wish you didn't have to put up with me.  But you do.  And I am blessed because of it!
  • To some of my oldest friends who I know occasionally stop by - Steve Semmler, Lisa Moran, Tammy Foster, Beth McGalliard, Denise Langley and Carl Semmler- I wish the gift of health, continued vigor and zest for life.  And plane tickets to Tampa.  Because we really miss you all!
  • To some of the people who supported this blog a long time, and through their support brought so much joy back into my life, I wish the gift of happy times with family and friends this holiday season.  Thank you Lisa Spires, Meagan Halquist, Cindy Martin, Charles Freedle, Connor Lewis, Kelly Trace, James Robinson, Millie Simmons, Caitlin Esry, Bethany Esry, Brook Phelps, Lauren Cacciatore, Debbie Davis, Jennifer Kuramochi, Jocelyn Session Ward, Todd Willis and so many more. Your friendship has meant more to me than you can ever know.
  • To my dear Tampa friends like Lisa Jewett, Hal & Joanne Gastler, Zach Wehr (and Jackie!) Nina Mock, Alexandra Smith and Stephanie Owens I wish the gift of a blessed holiday season.  And maybe dinner with my family.  Now THAT'S a gift!  LOL
  • To old friends with whom I have new and wonderful connections these days- friends like Wayne Cook, Cyndi Browning, Jeremy Godwin, Marie Allen, Ashley Broadhurst, Darin Miller and so many more- I wish the peace of Christ in your hearts and an understanding of the words of Jesus when he said to his disciples, "Let today's own troubles be enough for this day."  Old friends are the best!
  • To my Twitter family, who somehow manage to put some jazz in even the worst of days, I simply wish that somehow, someday, we will meet face to face and be able to share our joys and concerns in a more traditional manner.  If that means I'm getting old, so be it!  To Jason Huffman, Christie Weatherby, Jenn (Sis) Ganley, Robert Damron, Angie Battle, Amy Nabors, Kevin Weatherby, Sam Lassiter, Stacey Rocque, Tracee Persiko, Tom Zalatnai, Eric Hendrickson, Beth Green, Len Evans, Patti Gibbons, Heather Campbell and a few hundred more- thank you!
  • To Teresa Tysinger and Jerry Hanbery, dear old friends who manage to bring a smile to my face every time we speak, I wish the gift of a getaway weekend in Spanish Wells.  Not together of course- that would be scandalous!  I just know they could both use some R & R.  And if you know Teresa, be sure and ask her about her rockin' new haircut!  :)
  • To my dear old friend Becky Memmelaar, who has been through so much this year and shown such incredible faith while doing so, I wish a few non-eventful months.  Rest for her weary heart.  And the knowledge that while we cannot be with her in SoCal, we are with her in spirit and in prayer.  Always.
  • To all of the former students I served in various places scattered around the country, I wish for you the gift of happiness, and for us the gift of re-connection.  I love being in touch with so many of you; I wish to be in touch with all of you.  You will never know how much you mean to me.  Well, I guess you do now- I just told you!
I guess I'll stop there, although I am certain to have left out some folks who mean the world to me.  My wish for everyone this Christmas season is that the Light of Christ will shine brightly in you and through you, bringing joy and peace to everyone you encounter.  You have all brought so much of that joy to my life...and I thank you. 


Because of Jesus,

3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much Carl! Grateful to cal you friend. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12/17/2011

    ditto.....very grateful to call you friend, for all you have done for me and my family, back in the day and continually through your love, support and this blog that i enjoy each time i read it. and why not a scandalous get-away to spanish wells - you all deserve it and it will give us more stories for the blog :) and always you connect all of us, those whom have never met through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by connecting us and having us praying for one another through your stories and requests. YOU ARE STILL IN MININSTRY - THANK GOD!!!

    Love you always.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you, my friends, for such kind and loving words. Tammy, I am so sorry to hear about your Uncle Edsel. Such things are always more difficult when they occur during the holiday season. I love you, miss you bunches and look forward to the day when we can call be together again. Old friends are the best!

    ReplyDelete

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