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!

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Is it cold where you are?

[GodBlessUSA]

It's not as cold as it's been. Strong winds just came out of no where and it's not raining or snowing, it's ice. We were suppose to get snow but it just missed us. I'm on eastern LI NY.

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Oh, then you know much better than I about cold! Sorry about the ice, I hate that stuff.

[deadhead]

Merry Christmas All

I have not even pulled out one box of decorations this year.
Posting a pic of Christmas cards from last year.

[deadhead]

Blessings to our Military

[deadhead]

Hi Billie :-) Love your decorations, beautiful!!!!

[deadhead]

"Door Of Humility"

Thank You, Mayor. Blessings to you and yours

[Aquamarine]

This post is just beautiful Billie, everything about it including the pledge. Love your Christmas decorations, your kitchen looks immaculate.

This is the wreath on my front door.

[DollyCali]

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS POEM

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
a lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in
this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?"
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

WE ALL NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL EVERY NIGHT

[Billie]

Thank you for the bump, brivette.

[Billie]

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

Thank you, lil sistah!

I'm wearing my red today. :)

Ah, how cute - I'm wearing my red today too. :)

[Billie]

Hi, Snoopy! :)

[Aquamarine]

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.

They are Heroes and we should all be grateful to them - including our democrat politicians.

[Billie]

Thank you for these wonderful pictures of our great military, EMB. Really look forward every thread to see what you've got for us today.

Milk and cookies for you today.

[Billie]

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

LOL! Okay, you asked for this one. :)

[Billie]

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

Gee, I wonder .... they're so fair and balanced, after all.

Love the picture!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Any time. Thanks!

[Billie]

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.

Thanks, Lori. I still have a few lights and stuff I could put up, but not sure it will get done - think I've quit for this year. :)

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.

I'm so sorry you can't get it to play. Was afraid of that. I saved it to my playlist from another site, and I'm still playing it over and over and over. I love that young man's voice! It is awesome the range he has - might not hear it in the Christmas music, but it's there - he can sing the highest note and the lowest with no effort.

[Eaker]

LOL!!!

Perfect!!

[GodBlessUSA]

LOL! :)