Thinking of Christmas

Hi everyone. Well, here I am, at home, recovering from this cold that descended rapidly upon me after our return to Orlando. Of course, the free time I find myself with is too precious to sleep away. So even though I feel crappy I'm shuffing stuff around the house and unpacking all of our wonderful Christmas goodies, and generally being neurotic as usual. I had some thoughts before Christmas and I have some now as well. I think all of you know that Katie and I were planning to stay in a hotel, fully on my desire and with the purpose of avoiding some of the chaos and giving my allergies a rest. As you all know those reservations myseriously fell through. That very same night, we downloaded a sermon from Summit, our church. I can't remember if I told this to any of you or not. In this sermon our pastor Isaac pointed out that in the biblical account of Jesus' birth, there seemed to be a marked emphasis on the fact that he was born in a manger. This has a purpose. A stable was a messy place, where animals were often born. They also ate and pooped and peed there. The manger was in the center of this mess. The message is that Christ was not afraid of our messiness and the disarray of our lives, and that God put Jesus right where we need him to be: in the thick of it. When I heard that, it was as clear to me as anything has ever been that I needed to stay with dogs and cats and all of you freaks :) Because I love you all so very much. Despite my wheezing (thanks for the inhaler, Kim), it was a great time. I am so thankful most of all for my beautiful wife Katie, but also for this entire family, who does Christmas in a big way with even bigger hearts. Thank you for the overabundance of goodness. Praise Yahweh for the goodness and mercy He shows all of us the entire year through. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Picture Instructions

The Official Callihan Family Blog

Here are the pics from our Christmas at the Warners!!! It was a fantastic week. For full enjoyment, scroll down and read up from where it starts with "Twas the night before Christmas" since I didn't post them in reverse order like I guess I should have to have them in order for you ;-). Anyway, enjoy. Also, if you don't have Picasa yet on your computers . . . you need to get it. It is a free download that manages your pictures. It has a button that you push to "blog this" that take you right to our blog site (to sign in) and you can post pics right away! Very cool. Also does other cool things with the pics. Thank you guys so much for the awesome gifts. You are the most awesome gifts, though. Of course.

Love you, Mom

This one . . . I LOVE THIS FAMILY!

 

NOT THIS FAMILY!!!!!!!!!

 

You mean this family??????

 

I love this family . . .

 

Mom and Dad Moments

 

Lots of presents to open for all . . .

 

You're probably wondering why I called you all here . . .

 

This really is going by in a blurr, isn't it?

 

Its pretty early . . . who broke the rules???

 
 

YaDaYaDaYaDa . . . It's Christmas Morning!!!!!!!!!!

 
 

While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads . . .

 
 

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there . . . the children were nestled all snug in their beds . . .

 
 

The stockings were hung on the wall with care . . .

 
 

especially some spouse . . .

 
 

too many creatures were stirring . . .

 
 

And all through the house . . .

 
 

Twas the night before Christmas . . .

 
 

Here We Go a Caroling

 


Dad and I have been caroling about 20 years out of the 28 Christmases we have been together and this was . . . well . . . the most interesting . . . 

The Official Callihan Family Blog

OK – The long awaited Christmas blog from Mommy – well at least I’ve been waiting to get a chance to do it. A blogging tip, btw, it is smart to write your comments in word, then cut and paste into the blog – that way you won’t lose your work by some quirk of the internet halfway through your writing. (That was free.) Anyway . . . these are the things that have been on my mind to share this Christmas season with all of you.

I have actually been thinking and acting on a theme this Christmas season – JOY – that is, the age old acronym Jesus, Others, and then You, or for me, the definition of Christmas JOY. The letters have to come in that order. So here is what I have been thinking . . .

J ------ Jesus --- I was lying awake for several hours in the night at Bob and Bek’s a few weeks ago and I did a little Bible study after the Lord began to speak to me on something. I have never been much for the Christmas list thing – I know some of you are into it, and that’s fine, but I like to buy gifts a little more spontaneously, and I like to get them spontaneously too. Anyway, you know how thoughts get jumbled together when you are trying to get back to sleep, well, I was thinking about some teachers at school that I am wishing I could reach for the Lord, and that led to me thinking that I wish I had the gift of Evangelism (which I don’t) which led me to wondering whether one could ask God for certain gifts, which led me to doing a Bible study on the verses that talk about earnestly desiring the greater gifts – so apparently you can. So, at the top of my Christmas list is something I am asking God for – the gift of evangelism – so that I can somehow reach some of those within my reach. And I think that would be the top of Jesus’ list too, the ones He loves and who don’t get it.

O ----- Others --- After Jesus, and before me, myself, and I comes others. This is where I have a word for all of us this Christmas. Having the opportunity to be together this year is a rare and great opportunity. But the only way it ever works is if EVERYONE is ALWAYS thinking about OTHERS and NOONE is EVER thinking about THEMSELVES. I know – pie in the sky – right? Well, the closer we come to that the happier everyone will find themselves. Because even though you can get your own way faster by yourself, when five other people are more worried about it than you are – how much sweeter is that? That is the essence of heaven. You guys all know that when you were growing up and got in an arguing, selfish, snitty, routine I used to tell you that was the essence of hell. I believe it is. So keep it simple, keep it unselfish. Love is gentle, love is kind, love is not rude, love suffers long, is not envious, doesn’t boast, love never fails. A rough paraphrase of I Cor 13.

Finally . . . Y ------ You --- You are in there too, you know. So do take care of yourself. Do get sleep, do take allergy meds if you need them ;-), do take time out for yourself, do enjoy yourself. I can tell you from experience both ways – when I’ve done it right, and when I’ve done it wrong – that if you have Jesus and Others in place the Y always seems to show up and you will end up with true Christmas Joy!

With lots of love,

Mom C

I think I finally did it!

I finally got on the blog site. Stay tuned for my real blog entries as soon as I am done wrapping a gazillion presents . . . none of 'em for you guys, though ;-)))

Christmas Wishlist's 2005

_____________________________________

MIAH & KIM:

both:  digital camera,
gift certificate to restaurant
board games-Beyond Balderdash, Yahtzee
digital camcorder

MIAH:  
dress clothes
cool ties
anything from his amazon wish list (9 pages of stuff to choose from)
ski gloves, hat & winter coat

KIM:
old navy or target maternity clothes,
ralph lauren perfume-romance
dvds-(cinderella, tommy boy, friends seasons-i have season 5 &9)
purses
wallet
pajamas to wear at hospital
slippers-that cover toes
____________________________________
BEKAH  &  BOB:

Bekah: Everything

Bob: Everything minus anything girly.
____________________________________

KATIE:

subscription to Dwell or Architectural Record magazine, candles, mini juicer (like this), nail polish, eyeshadow colors, lip gloss, earrings, accessories, purse, belts, wireless headphones, computer mouse (i like this one), "History of Architecture" by Jonathan Glancey, hydration backpack for running (like this), running gear, 19" flat-panel LCD monitor for computer...


SHAWN:

Clothes, etc: Express 1MX shirts (size M), boxer briefs, dress socks, belts, wallet, watch with wide leather band and square face (like this), over-the-shoulder bag (like this), aftershave balm.

Toys: external USB 2.0 hard drive (15o+ gigs), radio controlled car, iPod clock/radio stereo (this is awesome), legos, Alienware PC of destruction (like this, ha), doorway chinup bar.

DVDs: Gladiator, Braveheart, The Patriot, Batman Begins, Alien Quadrilogy, Iron Giant, Passion of the Christ, Scent of a Woman, Total Training for Adobe After Effects 6.5 Pro Win/Mac.

Video Games: "James Bond: From Russia with Love."

Books: "About Face: Reviving the Rules of Typography," "Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 2: Advanced Techniques" (3rd Edition, Version 6.5), Chronicles of Narnia book set, books on CD (politics, government & US history are great subjects), any book on the Russian Avant-Garde, any unique coffe table books on photography, design, furniture, etc.

Websites With Stuff I Like: YouWorkForThem (everything design-related), Aesthetic Apparatus (their test prints are awesome), Karmaloop (cool clothes, etc.).