The day has been a busy one here, with family and friends and services at two of our Churches today.  Around our ministry, we held 7 services and were able to reach many people as we celebrated the birth of our Savior!  It has been a wonderful day.  If we could just get the dog to settle down.

At home now things have begun to wind down.  All the presents have been opened, and the house has been cleaned up.  A short nap (by me) has been taken and I am now ready to spend the evening watching the Chicago Bears play some unknown team whose name shall not be spoken.

But I wanted to make sure I wished all of you a Merry Christmas.  Sometimes the reason for the season gets lost in all the busy-ness.  But it does not get lost on me.

May the joy of the One born this day in Bethlehem be yours on this day and in the year to come!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

The sermons are done, the Churches are ready to go, my clothes are all laid out, and in just a few hours the celebrations will begin.  Christmas services are really a blessing to me, and I have had the honor of celebrating and delivering a Christmas message for many years.

And unlike other years, after the last service tonight I will be able to come home with my family with hardly anything to do!  That’s right, there will be no assembling of ANYTHING tonight, which means I will just need to do a few logistical things before I head to bed.  And since I have an early service in the morning that means we will all be waking up early to open gifts.

The greatest gift of all however, is the one I will be talking about over these next two days.  The giving of God’s only Son Jesus is that gift!

I am posting early today 1) in light of this early evening, and 2) to encourage you to find somewhere to go and hear the story and celebrate it too!  There are plenty of good churches out there, and there will be plenty of room for you!  I hope you give it a go!  There is no better place for any of us to celebrate this wonderful miracle!

God Bless you!

Tommy+

I spent a lot of the day over at St. Patrick’s in Noblesville where I will celebrate and deliver the sermon tomorrow at 9pm. (I will be at St. Anne’s in Anderson at 5pm).  But I had a very productive day.  I bought poinsettias, cleaned, set up the Nativity, put up signs, and totally, and I mean totally did the worst job of decorating a Christmas tree in all of history.  It is so bad I have asked Amanda to head there tomorrow before the service to “fix” it.  But everything else looks great.

Of course all these things are just that, things. I have yet to write my sermon, but obviously I will tomorrow.  For some reason I was just worried about all the set up and needed to get it done…thank God I did.

Most of the time these things get done by other people, but sometimes I just like “doing” things that are tangible.  Sure, a sermon and a service are tangible……but not in the same way.  Sometimes it is just fun for me to set something up and see it, knowing that others will enjoy it tomorrow as much as I did today.  All our facilities are beautiful, and I am thankful for the opportunity I had today.

Now I just need a sermon, but I am not worried about that.  I am actually DONE and ready for the family stuff, so my normal December 24th shopping trip will not need to take up my time!  That will give me plenty of time to write!

So as Advent winds to a close, I hope you are thinking about how you will celebrate Christmas this year.  There will be plenty of room at all our churches, and you are welcome (and INVITED) there.

Just make sure you celebrate somewhere.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Ben has a problem brushing his teeth.  Oh it is not as if he does not want to, or is it that it is not possible to do so as he has about 100 toothbrushes, but the problem is that he walks around with these toothbrushes (Latin = toothbrishae) and then LEAVES them all over the house in places we cannot find them.  So the bottom line is that when we bring him into the bathroom to brush his teeth, there is never a toothbrush IN THE BATHROOM.  BUT if you go into the rec room in the basement, or the kitchen, you might just find one there.

Tonight’s picture was taken in my OFFICE of all places, as Steph found one and took advantage of finding it.  And to get this picture, I saw him walking in the HALL brushing his teeth and called him in.  I know, it is not exactly what 4 out of 5 dentists recommend, but I would like to think that the moron dentist who cannot agree with his friends might just comfort me by saying my youngest is going to be okay because he DOES brush his teeth.  Sure, I know that particular dentist is a liar, but somehow just knowing he is a dentist makes me feel as if I am an advocate for good dental health.

Because all in all, good dental health is important to me, as I am an ice hockey player from the 60’s and 70’s (and 80’s) and my mouth is full of porcelain.  And I DO take care of my teeth, and NO, I do not brush with Tidy-bowl.  My REAL teeth (the ones not bolted into my jaw) are pretty pristine, and I have had I think only three fillings my entire life.  Granted, about 1/6 to 1/5 of my teeth were left on some ice rink somewhere, but the ones I have left I appreciate.

As for my kids, I really make sure they take care of their teeth.  I honestly buy more toothbrushes for Ben than food, because he is far more efficient with food and it costs less to buy the brushes.  But I remember my dentist as a kid, sitting me in a room for about 20 to 30 minutes with nothing but a hand mirror and NO TEETH.  It made an impression.

I really do want Ben….and Steph and Scott…..to take care of their teeth and they ALL will be getting additional toothbrushes for Christmas.

It’s a meaningful and thoughtful gift.  And in the end…….it is so much cheaper than an new Ipod!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

How proud can a father be?  We were in the store getting ready to check out when it happened.  That squirt gun I was buying him (I think it was a dollar), and which was unloaded at the time, suddenly became an issue.  The woman who was just shopping and minding her own business seemed to take it in stride, but in all honesty I have a problem with a pastor’s kid pulling any kind of gun, squirt or not, on anyone……particularly in the Christian bookstore.

Of course I understand that his actions probably had very little to do with his faith and probably had much to do with genetics.  We however have a saying here in our house, although I am the only one to say it, and it is “do the crime, do the time.”  And there is no backtalk about it.

The little felon, I mean Ben, was quite surprised to see the squirt gun leave his hand so quickly as I simultaneously apologized to the lady.  And it was the last he saw of it.  He however is learning.  He knew he had done wrong and he did not put up any type of futile defense.  That pleased me, although not enough to rearm him.

So we are now at home and he has been on “probation” tonight.  And I think he may be up for an early release.

It just gives me yet one more story to add to my collection.  I am just happy the dang thing wasn’t full of water.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

My house tonight was full of young women…..they all used to be teenage girls, but now most of them are 20.  They love me in a out-of-touch old guy sort of way, after all I am Stephanie’s dad.  But they really have no interest in hanging with me, nor would we be interested in the same movies, music or other things.  They also laugh almost constantly, whereas at my age and perpetual diet, I am more apt to be crying all the time.  So I figured I might actually “do” something tonight.  And unfortunately for me that made me available for something I am very poor at…….Christmas shopping. (This a a real picture from tonight too!)

Yep, Amanda had me go with her to the stores.  And first and foremost I have a very hard time in the crowds.  I never used to, but post stroke things like crowds make me very edgy, and the whole thing can be quite difficult for me.  And even more than that, Amanda always asks for my opinion, and more often than not I know that the opinion is really irrelevant…..she has already made up her mind.  That puts me on edge too.  A wrong answer is no good…..it is like a game in which very little yardage is gained.

Of course it is not my first rodeo either.  I almost always defer and say, whatever you want.  And it’s a good thing I say that too, because it always leads to what she wants me to buy her.  That’s right, she actually places an order with me every year, which puts tremendous pressure on me.  And why?  Because that is one area that I refuse to defer to her.  I have never once followed those instructions, which means ever year I have to come up with a pretty great idea to divert the attention from my defiance.

So far it has always worked, but every year I wonder if my streak is coming to an end.  One day it may, but I still have a few days.

I intend to find and buy her a meaningful gift.  And if I fail, I will just have to deal with it.  After all, I am sure she did not marry me for my “love” of shopping.  I am clearly just another kept trophy husband, and I will just need to bank on that!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+    

I have to confess……I am very happy.  Our new website is UP  St. Michael the Archangel Anglican Church/The Order of St. Michael the Archangel and it is AWESOME!  I want to thank my good friend Father Greg Lynn and the good people at Ankordesign for creating such an amazing work.  It is not quite done, but we wanted it up before Christmas!  And if you need web work done I recommend contacting Father Greg.  www.Ankordesign.com

The new site reflects a lot of hard word, not only on the part of Father Greg, but of us.  We have been in transition and have worked hard to transition our ministry in preparation of this launch.  It is the first public information about our Order as well.  And I encourage you to take a look at all of it.  We are proud of what we have put up.

On a personal note, Amanda, Steph, and Ben are home.  Tonight is an adventure!  I am glad to be where I am tonight.  The future is bright, and thanks for letting me share!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

I received this picture from Amanda tonight for my blog.  It is their last night there and I have to say I was a bit surprised……not to see Steph and Cassie in or around jail mind you, but I had no clue that Cassie was on the trip.  Apparently they picked her up in St. Louis on their way to Kansas.  Amanda thought she had told me, but she had not.  So as you can imagine, the picture was quite a surprise.

Of course Cassie is like a second daughter to me, but one who at least “acts” (she is an actress) like she values my opinion and thinks I am not ancient.  I am sure the truth is that she is a marvelous actor, but for now, and for all the future, I intend to pretend.

But my conversation with my apparently brain-dead wife was full of funny stories.  Apparently at Amanda’s grandpa’s (Gramps) house Ben picked up one of those long “picker-upper thingy wingys” and called it “his gun.”  So Ben and Gramps spent the afternoon shooting at each other, Ben with his gun, and Gramps with his gun that look remarkably like his cane.  I am sure Cassie was the director.

But all good things soon come to an end, like my 5 days now of not being wrong.  As Ben says, “in just one more sleep,” they will be home.  And I suppose it will be fine that they return.  In all honesty I am not sure how to live when I am not wrong, so I have been kind of lost.

Okay, just one more sleep….that is unless the picture is real and I need to head to Kansas to bail those two out…….again.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+

Obviously Ben is out in Kansas visiting “Cowboy Grandpa,” and part of having a grandpa that is a true to life cowboy, is horses.  And yep, Ben got to ride a horse today.

Of course he has no idea of how often he will be able to do this in life, as my wife grew up on a ranch and all of them are pretty horse-savvy.  No, not like the Sarah Jessica Parker kind, but the better looking kind, like Trigger, Mr. Ed, and Secretariat.  Horses were a big part of their upbringing and their dad, “Cowboy Grandpa,” still rides them.

I can hardly imagine how proud my father-in-law must be……and what a villain my wife must have been for taking him off that horse (if she didn’t have Steph do it.)  It is not his first ride, because he does not remember, nor will it be his last.  My only regret is that he was not wearing his “real” cowboy hat that his grandma (Nanny) bought him, because Steph and I made sure it went with him on the trip.

So please enjoy the picture like I am.  Lord knows what this boy will turn out to be, but as for today he was a cowboy……and on a real horse.

I just wish I was there to see it!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

I probably shouldn’t have talked to her while I was tired, but she did say she was sending me a picture, and I THINK it had to do something with all of them getting abducted by aliens in Kansas.  That kind of thing happens a lot out there, and I suppose by Monday or Tuesday I will know whether or not I am single or married.  Aliens tend to take people or leave them, from what I have seen on TV, but regardless, the pictures are spectacular, and I need to share them.

Amanda and her mom (and regardless of whoever is with them) never stop to rest…..they are always out doing something.  Together or apart, they are often the same person, going to see things or be a part of something they find interesting.  Tonight it was these “lights” and a live “nativity scene.”  (AND ice cream.)  They are always into seeing or doing something, but ice cream seems to be included much of the time.

As for me, I am feigning concern while enjoying the bliss of no “to do” lists or “projects” around the house.  Oh yes, I am certain these are not aliens, and I am also certain this small break from chores is but an illusion.  What I am thankful for (besides the break) is that Ben is having the time of his life as he is his grandma’s pride and joy, and she is far more than that to him.

But I have been working all day and it has been primarily on our new website.  It is spectacular and it should be up within days.  I just fill in info, but the designer  is a genius!  The downside is that it is almost 10pm and I can barely see.  Lord knows what I have posted!

So perhaps I shall call it a night.  I am not sure what to make of the picture, but one thing is for sure.  If any aliens DID ABDUCT my wife I am certain they would drop her off in due time.  She does not care how the chores get done.  And they will get their fill of that soon enough!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+