It's Christmas Time in Tennessee!

We've been to Granny and Pa's, been shopping on Black Friday and volunteered at Fantasy of Trees. We've put up 2 Christmas trees and lots of decorations, and we still need to put lights outside on the deck. But we are making progress.

The most important thing to me right now is thinking about Mary, mother of Jesus. We've been discussing this at church, and no matter what time it is, now or 2,000 years ago, Mary must have faced shame. What do you say? You are pregnant with the Christ child although you are a virgin. Yeah, right. Who came to her rescue and believed her? Joseph, her future husband, and Elizabeth, her aunt, who was old and pregnant with John the Baptist. I've always loved the verses in Luke where Mary goes to Elizabeth. As soon as Mary enters, John the Baptist, in his momma's belly, "leaps" with joy. What a joy. Then follows Mary's song of gratefulness. In the midst of such adversity, she gives all the credit to God.

Not only does she bear and give birth to the Christ child, God in human flesh, she lives his life with him. We don't know much at all about his life, other than his minstry. I love the scenes from the Passion where she is remembering "unimportant" aspects of his life as he is walking to his death. I also enjoyed Anne Rice's novels on Jesus' young life and life just before his ministry. I really enjoyed her take on Jesus' first miracle -- turning water into wine at a wedding. The bride was one who loved Jesus.

Oh well, I guess I'm ready for Christmas, but I'm focused on making sure that we focus on Christ instead of the madness that we Americans have made it today. God Bless us all.

Thanksgiving

We are ready to go to Granny and Pa's for our traditional Thanksgiving. It changes each year a little, but the constant in the equation is food, lots of very good food. Last year, we gently asked Granny how she made her dressing. The result is a perfectly handwritten recipe that Isaraporn (Ploy) Kitcholwiwat scribed. It is awesome. The boys, especially Rain, think they need to stop eating to "store up" for tomorrow. I told them not to worry. Dinara has told them that the mashed potatoes are to die for, so we better peel and cook a big bag of potatoes.

So we are about to treat the boys to Granny and Pa's little house where they have lived since 1973. And have them experience turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, turnip greens and turnips (if they are adventurous), pinto beans, cranberry salad, cranberry in a can, fruit salad, corn bread, rolls, chocolate cake, chocolate chess pie, and more. I think the German and the Thai kid will go back home thinking Thanksgiving in the USA rocks, at least in the Thompson household. Just wait for leftovers!

I hope every one has a wonderful, adventurous, and most importantly, safe Thanksgiving with their families. It is a time of thanks and a time of giving. It is a time of realizing what the people who came to this country over 400 years ago (I know we are a baby country) sacrificed a lot. We talked today at work about what would have happened or how our country would have developed if the pilgrims had landed at Myrtle Beach instead of Plymouth Rock. Oh my!

Discovering Old Photos -- Digital Style

About six months ago, I bought a Canon Canoscann which converts old photos and negatives to digital images. I was waiting for our desk to be done to install it. So desk is done -- yeah! And digital scan is now installed. Joe figured it out and scanned one of my favorite photos, from the negative no less.

It was taken at the Pepsi 400 on July 4, 1993. We had pit passes from a client, and I am known for my ability to get photos (and get autographs). I had this photo enlarged and took it back to the Daytona 500 in 1994 and got it autographed by Dale Earnhardt. It is framed downstairs, and it is one of my prized possessions. I had waited patiently behind pit wall during pre-race activities (for a long time) waiting in the same spot, waiting for that shot, I hoped. Dale Earnhardt noticed me (at least I hoped) and sure enough when he hopped in the car, he looked right at me, in that steely look, with his head barely above the window frame. If you notice the open face helmet, that was something he insisting on wearing. He said he couldn't race the same without the vision. Ultimately, it was that type of helmet and the impact of a head on into the turn 4 wall on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 that ended his life. Now, the drivers are in like cocoons, with wrap around seats and all sorts of protections that this accident led to in terms of innovations. Racin' just hasn't been the same since the day Dale Earnhardt died.

Enough

I'm reading a book called Enough - Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. It is really good, and it really made me ponder what it means to be content. Adam Hamilton quoted Paul, when he wrote in Philippians 4:11-12, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need." Then, he makes four points to finding contentment. First, remember that it could be worse. Second, ask yourself "How long will this make me happy?" Third, develop a grateful heart. I think of Hallerin Hilton Hill whenever I think of this point, because he says every day, live this day like it could never be lived and be grateful. Gratitude is the key to abudant life. Fourth, ask yourself "Where does my soul find true satisfaction?" What does Paul follow with these thoughts? "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

Yeah!! I figured out how to put photos on my blog. Now if I can figure out some more. We were getting ready for our open house at Baker Donelson's new offices. We were able to get a good number of Senator Baker's photos, working with Thompson Photo.

But we needed some photos that fit the conference room theme -- the Dogwood. I got home from church, and there was a light rain. The azaleas were at their peak, along with my lonely little Dogwood tree. So I got my camera and took some pretty good pics. I wish I had time to do more photo editing, and these photos only had a little bit.

Fall in East Tennessee

The weather this Fall has been absolutely amazing. I'm watching Rain and the puppies play in the yard, and it is about 68 degrees with clear blue skies. Almost all of the leaves are down, and we are winterizing the boats today and tomorrow. So that means the last boat rides (at least in our boats) for the year.

We had an interesting service at church today with lots of fellowship and the message talking about whether Facebook, texting and email met the definition of fellowship. It doesn't really, although it is a good way to keep abreast of each other. Fellowship is really together time -- face time.

I've got to figure this blog thing out, and I'm going to start posting more regularly. I just need some followers.

Getting Started

I think blogs are cool, so I wanted to start my own. I hope to be able to share things with people who I care about and give insight into those who don't know me. I think our lives, our liberty and our ability to pursue happiness are very important so that is where I got my title. Living on the edge.