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Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday December 24TH 2023, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

I wish each and every one of you following me and reading my blog a very Merry Christmas.

My traditional family “Christmas” actually occurred 4½ weeks ago in North Texas on Thanksgiving Day. For the past dozen years or so my brother has prepared a hearty home-cooked Breakfast for he and I, and then shortly after that we’ve opened all of the presents underneath the Christmas tree. Once they are all opened it’s time to watch football for the rest of the day and into the night – including for about an hour while we’re enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at around three or four in the afternoon.

On the day after Thanksgiving (“Black Friday”) Christmas is done and over for me. Well – sort of. For the first 3 weeks of December I get to observe and celebrate bits and pieces of Christmas here and there by listening to Christmas music on the radio, watching Christmas shows on television, writing and sending Christmas cards and messages to family and friends from afar, and enjoying several Christmas meals with friends and neighbors. I’m especially looking forward to my first Christmas potluck dinner with about 100 of my neighbors in our clubhouse.

We all celebrate Christmas in our own unique and traditional ways. May you spend this holiday season with your loved ones. Make and share good memories that will last a lifetime. Honor each other. Love one another.

And let’s remember why we celebrate Christmas.

And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21 NLT)

The LORD saves.

My testimony is featured here each week on #SundayScripture whether it’s part of a sermon, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord, and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2023 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Church Driving Food Geography Home Travel

Year 37 In Homestead Florida

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Yesterday was a wonderful day in downtown Sebring Florida – catching-up with a lot of my friends for the first time in over a month. I got to hang out with my favorite coffee roaster (and neighbor) at Strangely Warmed. I got to spend 2½ hours with my Sebring Historical Society family. I even picked-up a pizza and cannoli from my favorite pizzeria – Tony’s II. Even my Pest Control guy showed-up in the afternoon to spray my home for bugs. It was a good day in my new hometown.

And then there’s down south in Homestead Florida. Last week I celebrated (make that observed) my 36TH anniversary of my first arrival there during the early-morning hours of December 01ST 1987. I was there for a full week – from Sunday morning (November 26TH) to Sunday afternoon (December 03RD). I reflected last week on my 36 years in Homestead, and how it wasn’t supposed to be that long. (It was supposed to be less than 5 years.) Aside from my longtime church family that I got to preach to and enjoy fellowship with on both Sundays (and the next 2 Sundays) – there aren’t that many other bright spots in my life and times down there. There aren’t that many other reasons to visit Homestead and South Florida.

Nevertheless Year 37 has begun for me in Homestead. I’m likely spending another 25 scheduled nights in Homestead between this upcoming Sunday and the start of March, and then my visits will become sporadic after that – probably once every few months or so. I do plan to keep my longtime home (since 1995) for at least another year or so. Hotel rates are sky-high down south, so staying in my own old home is a bargain !

Down in Homestead there’s a single street with a few numbers and a few names that I’ve driven on more than any other since 1995. Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about that street. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2023 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Food Holidays Home

Happy Thanksgiving Day

#TravelThursday returns next week.

All rights reserved (c) 2023 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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1980s Animals Blogging Career Driving Food Geography Holidays Home Military Travel

Stateside

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my arrival in the south of England 38 years ago on November 10TH 1985. Tomorrow is the 36TH anniversary of the date (November 17TH 1987) that I left England behind and arrived back home stateside.

I actually don’t remember much about that day. My memories are quite vivid from the Sunday morning 2 years and 1 week earlier when I arrived in England, but when I left England – not so much.

A friend of mine drove me from our (military) dormitory over to Billeting / Lodging at dawn, and from there I got on a shuttle that I think took me all the way to the airport. I don’t think I did the whole British Rail trek going to London (like I had when I arrived). I got on my flight at Heathrow, and I was back in the Washington D.C. area a few hours later that afternoon. (I got those 5 hours back that I lost 2 years and 1 week earlier.)

My Dad picked me up at the airport, and we went home. My cat – Fluffy – went ballistic with joy and happiness when she saw me. It was a wonderful stateside homecoming.

I got to hang out with my family – dad, mom, brother, and cat – for almost 2 weeks through the Thanksgiving holiday week. Again – I don’t remember much from those 13 days, but I know that it was a good time because I was back home with my family again.

I’m with my family right now – mom, brother, sister-in-law, nieces, and dog. We’re continuing our annual November tradition that goes back almost 20 years – #ThanksChristmasGiving – or #Thanksmas. It’s where we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas combined in a single week. The Christmas tree and decorations have been up for a couple of weeks, and we are actively engaging in Christmas shopping and gift-wrapping. We’ll open all of the presents by the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving morning. Shortly after that the entire house will be filled with the aroma of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Next #TravelThursday is in 2 weeks – when I celebrate my 36TH (and final) anniversary in Homestead Florida. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2023 Christopher M. Day, CountUp