I have such mixed emotions about Christmas.  Here is the good and the bad.

Good:

The brokenness sort of sums up Christmas I suppose

Family
Friends
Christmas Parties
Christmas Music
Good Cheer*
Peppermint Mocha
Christmas Candy
Cookies
Snow+
Silent Night
Christmas lights
Christmas Carols
Jesus of course

*It's fake good cheer.  Almost nobody is really cheery at Christmas.
+I don't like snow unless it is ON Christmas.

Bad:
Pine needles on the floor all the time (real needles from real tree or fake needles from fake tree; doesn't matter)
Kids tearing apart decor
Extra Christmas services at church that everyone wants to enjoy but no one wants to help with
Christmas music
Greed
Entitlement
Ugly Sweaters (Not to be confused with its much more likable cousin the ugly sweater party.  If only the sweaters were reserved only for the parties...)
Distance from family
Snow

I suppose the good is still better than the bad, but sometimes I'm a real scrooge.  The bad, if looked at correctly, simply is another display of our brokenness and need for a savior.

Those are a few of mine.  What are some things you like and dislike at Christmas?

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is an odd holiday.  Don't get me wrong; I absolutely love Thanksgiving, however, isn't it weird that on the same day we go from talking about what we are thankful for around a table containing more food than the continent of Africa, then turn around and stand in line at Wal-Mart so we can get that $5 toy stroller and $10 waffle maker?  It's a little backwards to me, yet I still love Thanksgiving. I decided to do a list of 10 things I'm thankful for.  In no particular order...

I'm thankful for:

• Jesus 
• My wife Pam
• Mom and Dad
• My kids
• My church
• My job at my church
• My friends
• My in-laws
• Pam's job that allows us to fly to cool places
• Our new waffle maker (only $10 at Wal-Mart)

Those are just a few.  What are 10 things  you are thankful for?

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California

I am back folks.  I am blogging again.  I've decided it's time.

A few days ago I returned home from a trip to California where I visited my parents and some of my brothers and a sister that are still living at home (sheesh guys grow up.)  The trip was fun.  Here are some quick highlights:

We played in the ocean.  I boogie boarded with mom and dad.  The kids played in the sand and redefined the meaning of "SANDwich".  We found a sand crab and chased seagulls.

Dad and I went golfing for an entire day.  It was loads of fun.  It was also the most time that I've had with my dad for a long time.  It was great to spend the day with him.  Mom made an unsuccessful attempt at a heart attack that same day so there was plenty of excitement to go around.

Pam, Zaley, and I took a drive east to the Sierra Nevada mountains and visited Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park.  The Sequoias make my must see list.  You feel so little and insignificant standing among these giants.  If more people would spend a little time in this forest entitlement wouldn't be the problem that it is today.  Humility is a wonderful gift received during a day with the sequoias. 

We were lucky enough to be present for the adoption of my cousin Austin.  He is the newest member of the Oliver family which as grown to a full baseball lineup.  What a great celebration.  It was so fun to see family that I never get to see.

Dad and I took Gabriel, Micah, A.J., and Brian to Boomers to mini golf.  The boys had a great time hitting into castles and gingerbread houses.  We then watched Cristian play football.

We had a fun trip.

Now we are home and dealing with all the consequences of a week long vacation.  Pile of work to get done, Pam going to 3am to 8am shifts, babysitting all day, etc...  It is quite the adjustment.

My parents took such good care of us while we were there.  I am thankful that we have such a great excuse to visit such a beautiful state. 

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