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

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

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!

[luvie]

Thanks for inviting us into your home...it is lovely!

[Mama_Bear]

Thanks, LUV. Each year I say I am not going to over-do the decorating thing, but every year, once I get into the Christmas boxes, there is no stopping me until everything is dragged out and all over the house.

[luvie]

Well, it looks so elegant! I wish I could get into decorating all over the house...but my snowmen are all that I'll do this year.

[Mama_Bear]

Your snowmen are so pretty, LUV. I love collections, like your snowmen and my husband's Santa collection. I have to stop myself from "collecting"....especially Christmas things, like angels and Christmas bears. I just don't have room for more "things".

[luvie]

I know! It's hard to know when to quit! LOL! Those are just a few of the ones I have!

[Mama_Bear]

Pinging you all to a photo of WVNan's beautiful granddaughter, Emma. A FReeper in the making, no doubt (and maybe a future florist or horticulturist?). :-)

[DollyCali]

It'll be hard to decide to who will get the nativity.

the one with the strongest Christian committment & love of tradition? (which will hopefully be one with family to continute the "pass down". Need to have a typed & maybe plastic protected paper that is stored wtih display to tell the history/ care/ family use etc. In gerations ahead it will be appreciated. I LOVE the stories with these types of tranditons. Each family can surely START their own memeories etc but the ones from past years are great.

[DollyCali]

love the pix of little em.. thanks for helping nan, lori.

Lori, I love you pix & decor. What a lovely rod/drape scenario in your living room also. classy

for here.. Funny now with more pets inside for winter, my decor for holidays is modified from what I did years ago. I still have the old lovely things (hurricanes & delicate flowers etc. ) but they by in large stay in boxes in favor of things that don't get broken, destroyed, "played with" by cats. More durable etc.

Tulip , I often keep the lights up & like them on often. I have the mini multi colored lights in various rooms. Of course the cats do pull them down & I am continually putting them back, but i love the gentle light, colors & effect year round. I have a lot of Hatti decor in one area & the bold colors, voodoo masks etc are really set off by the lights.

[DollyCali]

tulip.. forgot to ping you to 208

[DollyCali]

[dixie sass]

Hey Cuz, how is that granddaughter doing? How are you doing? What is happening in the beautiful state of West Virginia?

[dixie sass]

Morning, love the pictures!

[luvie]

*giggle*..cute snowman...wish I could add him to my collection!

[dixie sass]

She is so precious!

[The Mayor]

December 10, 2005

The Big News

Read:
Isaiah 9:1-7

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. —Isaiah 9:6

Bible In One Year: Colossians 1-4

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas."

Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He totally missed the big news—man had flown!

Many people today make a similar mistake when they hear the word Christmas. They don't think of Jesus and His miraculous birth. Instead, they think of family gatherings, festive meals, decorations, and gifts. To them, Christmas brings nostalgia and memories of childhood.

Now, all this celebration isn't wrong. But if that's all that Christmas means to us, we are missing its true significance. The real meaning of this special day is summed up in the words of the angel to the shepherds on that night long ago: "I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).

That's the big news of Christmas! —Richard De Haan

One day has left its mark in time
For all mankind to see;
It is the day when Christ was born—
That day made history. —D. De Haan

Don't celebrate Christmas without inviting the Guest of honor.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
10 Reasons To Believe God Became A Man

[WVNan]

Hi cuz dixie! What's going on in WV? Panic, my dear, panic. More duties than month coming up. Christmas is pure chaos at our house every year. Worse this year, as Christmas falls on Sunday. OTOH, maybe it will be better, because we will be in church where we belong instead of trying to "please" everybody. And how are things down your way? Any snow yet? We didn't get a flake. Hardly ever do.

[WVNan]

I love that devotion, Rus. Sums it up doesn't it? As I told dixie, it will be better to be in church this Christmas day. Did you get snow this time? We didn't.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Dream on, elfy! Your Boss is gone!

Wolfie's your new Boss.

Hmmmm.....you're a fat rascal, don't know whether to bake, boil, broil or fry you.

Raw might be tasty, would save the time and trouble of having to cook you.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Most beautiful, *fuzzy*!! : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Really cute doggie card!

Thanks, *Luvbo*. : )