A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-9,10,11-05...From East to West Freepers Decorate Best

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, Mama_Bear, GodBlessUSA ~

Good morning, FReeper FRiends! We're Christmas'ing all this month at the Finest, and this weekend you are invited to join us on a tour of the Finest Homes, where many of our regulars are going to share their decorations with you in their posts throughout the weekend. In addition, we would love to see your Christmas trees, your outdoor lights, favorite decorations, recipes, Christmas traditions in your home.

Because the thread may get really *graphics-heavy*, I ask that you keep your photos a reasonable size (both physical and in bytes), but do hope you will feel free to post as many as you like, and drop in often to see the offerings of others. I will start with a little bit of Christmas in my kitchen, which helps get me in the mood to bake cookies and other goodies we don't need but think we can't do without. :)

As we share our photos and traditions with others, I'd like to share a link to a wonderful Christmas album: "Merry Christmas With love" by Clay Aiken, who has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. My favorite song is #6: "Mary Did You Know". I've been listening to it over and over and over, but you should be able to listen to all of the songs on that CD.

Clay Aiken ~ "Merry Christmas With Love"

Mary Did You Know

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know.. Ooo Ooo Ooo

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

From My House to Yours.....

Merry Christmas, Ya'll!

09-27-05 ~ Hall of Fame #13

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-05-05 Military Monday 12-06-05 Finest Christmas Tables, Part I 12-07-05 Christmas in New York 12-08-05 Bush Booming, Democrats Still Depressed

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Billie]

[Billie]

One of the most fun things of Christmas Open Houses and parties is reading character in the rites and decorations that people choose. Christmas is the time of year to let yourself go, tie ribbons on everything, smother pies with whipped cream, eat too many goodies, stay up too late ....

This weekend, you are invited to the Finest Open House, and we ask that you share some of *your* traditions and decorations with us. Let's go!

[The Mayor]

December 9, 2005

Door Of Humility

Read:
Philippians 2:5-11

God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. —Philippians 2:9-10

Bible In One Year: Philippians 1-4

Over the centuries, the entrance to Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity has twice been made smaller. The purpose in the last case was to keep marauders from entering the basilica on horseback. It's now referred to as the "Door of Humility," because visitors must bend down to enter.

As we age, bending our knees becomes more and more difficult and painful. In the physical realm, some people courageously undergo knee replacement surgery. To avoid years of increasingly painful joint damage, they endure several weeks of agony.

Like physical knees, spiritual knees can grow stiff over time. Years of stubborn pride and selfishness make us inflexible, and it becomes increasingly difficult and painful for us to humble ourselves. Seduced by false feelings of importance when others submit to us, we never learn that true importance comes from submitting ourselves to God and to others (Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5).

As we celebrate Jesus' birth, it's good to remember the Door of Humility, for it reminds us that we all need new knees—knees that will bend. Humbly is the only way to enter the presence of God.

What better way to honor the One who bent so low to be with us. —Julie Ackerman Link

Christ's humble birth should help us see
What life in Him can bring;
It's not acclaim that we should seek
But service for our King. —Branon

The road to victory is paved with humble submission to God.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Why Would Anyone Want To Be Holy?

[brivette]

bump

[GodBlessUSA]

Your thread is soooo Beautiful. Your decorations are gorgeous Billie. :)

I'm wearing my red today. :)

[Dubya]

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

051203-N-9866B-247 Pacific Ocean (Dec. 3, 2005) - Aviation Boatswain’s Mates direct an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter onto the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5). Peleliu and Expeditionary Strike Group Three (ESG-3) are underway off the coast of Southern California conducting Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation for an upcoming scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf (RELEASED)

051207-N-8157C-140 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Dec. 7, 2005) – People gather to watch the 64th commemoration of the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The ceremony, which included remarks by keynote speaker Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen, is held annually to honor those who served during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Dennis C. Cantrell (RELEASED)

Remember Pappy Boyington and his Black Sheep squadron? Here's what his squadron is flying now:

051203-N-9866B-072 Pacific Ocean (Dec. 3, 2005) - Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Roberto Gonzales directs an AV-8B Harrier, assigned to Marine Attack Squadron Two One Four (VMA-214) "Black Sheep", as it lands on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5). Peleliu and ESG-3 are underway off the coast of Southern California conducting Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation for an upcoming scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf (RELEASED)

051203-N-4154B-013 Persian Gulf (Dec. 3, 2005) – The guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) sails through the waters of the Persian Gulf. Donald Cook is part of Carrier Strike Group Two (CSG-2), currently conducting maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Matthew Bash (RELEASED)

[Billie]

Good morning, Mayor.

[Eaker]

TheMom,

If you let Peanut stroll through your lighted Christmas Village again I'll take some pictures!

One of Squantos' Christmas traditions is punting puppies over the tree!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Hmmm, why don't the celebrities that support the troops get any play in the media?

051203-N-3541A-001 Norfolk, Va. (Dec. 3, 2005) - Actress Kelly Preston talks with Navy family members at the United Service Organization (USO) holiday party at Rockwell Hall Gym on board Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va. The USO's annual holiday party gives service members and their families from throughout the mid-Atlantic region a chance to celebrate the holidays together. The party originally started in a partnership with Cox Communications as a way for families of deployed service members to record and send messages to their loved ones. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 3rd Class Davis J. Anderson (RELEASED)

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning, Billie. Lovely decorations. I will post a few photos of mine sometime this weekend. I am still in a big decorating mess right now - boxes everywhere. Not a pretty sight. LOL.

BTW, I tried to play "Mary Did You Know" from that site you linked, but my media player won't play it. Don't know why.

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Does "red" fox count?

[DollyCali]

MORNING ALL!

Lovely Billie.Simply beautiful table. And man, no one is going to get NEAR my kitchen, yet alone me post pix of it! Yours is gorgeous. Looks like something out of House Beautiful.

I hope you post more of your home. Each room that you have something in. All of us would love to see them.

I will come up with something along the next few days.... but right now & am tripping over boxes in most of the house that came from an attic section that is leaking.. more fun here.

Lori, Billie, I could not play it either. I downloaded a few different things.

[GodBlessUSA]

Absolutely. LOL! :)

[DollyCali]

great Pix EMB.. thanks.. love the one of Kelly preston.. pretty lady! and I like her hubby too!

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' Billie. Your decorating should be in the Good Housekeeping Christmas edition. Great pictures! You must have a very big living room with two trees side by side. :)

Our decorating is a work in progress. Photos will be posted a little later. Meanwhile, thanks for "Mary Did You Know."

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

I don't have one but wish I did this morning! It was supposed to be -2 last night, it wasn't too far from that this morning when I left for work.

[DollyCali]

Kelly Preston and John Travolta

[Diver Dave]

Hmmmm. Now I'm getting an error msg. I musta broke it.

[GodBlessUSA]

I keep saying, if we have to have an early winter, then please may there be an early Spring! :)