This 2014 Christmas season, I got our outside Christmas yard decor and
lights up and running by Thanksgiving of which is the earliest to date. This
page is basically a copy and paste from our 2013 Christmas as far as the
indoor and outdoor decor but this year without the 12 feet tall snowman and
the 8 feet tall Polar Bear and driveway lights.
The blower motor on the snowman apparently lost much efficiency and wasn't able to fully
inflate the snowman and the company no longer makes the 12 feet one and down
sized it to 8 feet. Each year we tend to scale back a little due to products of
maturity and the date on our birth certificates.........grin if you must.
My bride enjoys the Christmas season tremendously and we both
keep elements of Christ in all of our decor both inside and outside since
"Jesus is the Reason for the Season."
My bride did have some help this year decorating her Christmas tree by one
of our grandsons Trevor Lane Huneycutt which was a big help to her and
really appreciated. As usual, I did the brawn stuff like setting up
the tree and bringing boxes up from the basement, etc., whereas she does the
more intellectual and artistic decorating.
Our Star of David which is 10 feet across and about 40 feet off
the ground was still in good shape from last season and only had a few bulbs
burned out or broken and still looked excellent. Our cross in the back
yard operated for a week and several sections of lights went out and
unplugged it and will refurbish it come Spring when the weather is more
conducive. Pix below of the Star of David above
the three Peace On Earth angels:
Most of our Christmas decor both inside and outside has remained
unchanged the past 5 to 10 years and each year we downsize a little more but will
continue to display the outside decor as long as I am physically able to do so.
In the future, I might have to employ the assistance of a bucket truck to
repair and refurbish the Cross and the Star of David. My comfort zone
above the ground is now around 25 feet and 40 feet above the ground brings
about some additional prayer for certain!
My bride and I are thankful for each and every day that the Lord allows
and I am going to copy and paste something that I wrote in one of my
short stories from
four
years ago which still sums up my view for our Christmas Holiday and Season.
With all the commercialization of our CHRISTMAS Holiday and so many
attempting to get on the Political Correctness
Band Wagon of not
wishing to offend anyone and to me, they have no backbone and don't stand for
anything that really matters and are mere puppets;
"Pull my little strings and
I'll do anything." Without Jesus Christ our Lord and
Savior, there would be no Christmas since
Jesus is
the Reason for the Season! Whatever your personal
Faith and Religion are, it is your choice and right; I choose to be a
Christian! I have a lighted
Star of David and a
Cross elevated
about 40 feet above ground to give symbolic tribute to Christ and the Christmas Season and
several Angels to go along with the traditional seasonal decor.
Laus Deo "Praise be to God." With
that said, below are some of the Porter Home Christmas Yard Decor; Click on
the thumbnails for a larger screen view:
Click on below thumbnail pixs for a larger screen view of our standard
inside Christmas decor:
My bride stated that she wanted to change the entire decor and theme of
the Christmas tree next year and I am sure by then she will have new
ornaments in order to do so. She changed the decor a little but didn't
find what she was looking for. It seems this year there wasn't as much
Christmas decor available in the stores for sale for what ever reason.
Also, we noticed that not too many homes in our town were placing outside Christmas
lights like they have done so in the past. Our street looks like folks
have boycotted Christmas with no outside decor or lights to mention other
than what we had in place.
THE PORTER FAMILY AT THE SMOKEHOUSE GRILL NEAR JEFFERSON,
SC 12-21-14
The Porter family which included my brother Allen and his family; Betty
Jo, Monica, Jason, Porter, Kambrie, Cammie and Kristyne; My
sister Susan and husband Douglas from Reidsville, NC, whereas my bride and I met this past
Sunday at
The Smokehouse Grill near Jefferson, SC and had a wonderful meal.
Fellowship with family is most rewarding anytime you can make it happen,
especially during special Holidays. Afterward, we drove to Monica and Jason Kearns's lovely home in Mt Croghan, SC and had cake
and coffee and continued with the friendship and fellowship. Didn't
have the ole trusty camera with me this time but made some lasting memories
nevertheless!
CHRISTMAS EVE FINGER FOOD PARTY AND GIFT GIVING
The immediate Porter family met at our home for some finger food on
Christmas Eve with my bride aka Joyce, Laura, Shane, Travis, Trevor, Steve,
Xander and myself present. Lisa was sick and unable to attend and
Cris, Shane's son must have had a serious date scheduled. Our son and
his family live in Vista, CA and we do miss them on these special Holidays! We had a
great time and below are thumbnail pixs taken. Click on thumbnails for
a larger screen view:
The best part of Christmas is and was watching the small kids with such
excitement, energy and enthusiasm awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus to
bring them gifts. I can still remember my own excitement back in the
early 1950s trying to stay awake at night and catch a glimpse of Santa
Claus, his sleigh pulled by the Reindeers with Rudolph and his bright shiny
red nose leading the way, stopping on our roof top with Santa Claus to
descend down the chimney to deliver the Christmas gifts we had requested
which was wonderful and magical indeed, however I never managed to stay
awake to witness the event. It is sad that there are many not able to
enjoy such amazing times for whatever reasons. I am so thankful that
our parents (deceased) allowed us to enjoy the secular part of Christmas and
at the same time teach us the true meaning of Christmas which my Bride and I
have done the same thing with our children. Our parents enjoyed the
Christmas Holidays just as much as we did and I certainly do miss
them and our Grand Parents as well.
Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-25-14.
LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please take this
moment to accept him by Faith into your Life, whereby Salvation will be
attained.
Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest
any man should boast.
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.”
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God.”
Open this
link about faith in the King James Bible.
Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Open this
link of Bible Verses About Salvation, King
James Version Bible (KJV).
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God;”
Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth
the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God?”
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me."
