The Christmas Spirit

I have been happily amazed this Christmas season. I took over the Angel Tree ministry at our church when my friend Krista moved to Colorado. For those who may not know, Angel Tree is a prison ministry. Prisoners sign up their children to receive gifts from them through us. The plan was to hand out tags for two weeks after both services. On our first Sunday out, and after our first service, every single tag was taken. I was blown away! I had people coming up still wanting to get an angel, and giving me their number in case we got any more. During the next week phone calls were made and we got a few more names. Again, as soon as those tags were out, they were gone. And, the generosity of those that have bought gifts is also touching. I've seen a few of the gifts, and I know two little girls who will have the prettiest, warmest coats around town!

And for more Christmas Spirit is my niece Haley! She has got her hometown buzzing with giving to others for Christmas. Here is the article written about her and her Christmas wish. And if you would like to see the toy drive you can go to the news website at www.kswo.com Look for Haley's Holiday Hope.


By Sgt. 1st Class STACY NILES
214th FiB PAO
There are at least two times a year when children are asked the all important
“what do you want” question — at their birthday and at Christmas. For 9-year-old
Haley Moore those two dates are less than a week apart, and she said all the toys
make her feel a little overwhelmed. So, this year for her birthday the daughter of
Sgt. John Moore, the training NCO for 696th Forward Support Company, will donate
the toys she will receive at her birthday party Sunday to the children at the
J. Roy Dunning Children’s Shelter, Inc. in Lawton, OK.
“I get a lot of toys (for Christmas and my birthday),”said Haley.“I want to help
people who can’t afford toys or can’t get them right now. “People should think of other kids as their own kid and buy them a toy for Christmas,”said Haley.
Haley said she hopes people are inspired by her efforts to help other charities and
eventually this spirit of giving would spread throughout the county and people would start giving all year long. Locally, Haley’s wish is coming true with Haley’s Holiday Hope toy drive today at the Lawton YMCA from 5-8 p.m.“She wants kids to bring an unwrapped toy to donate to children who would otherwise do without,” said
Haley’s father.“She wants to make sure that someone who wouldn't get a present gets one this year.” The toy drive is the first of its kind to be held for the J. Roy Dunning Children’s Shelter by someone as young as Haley, said Theresa Alf, assistant
director of the shelter.“What a wonderful, compassionate little girl,” said Alf.
“Children do things for the shelter all the time, but not to this extent. Not the whole birthday thing. “We see kids every day, but rarely do they do something like this to touch us,” said Alf. “We are tickled pink. This is absolutely marvelous.”
“Haley’s always had compassion for people and animals,” said Moore of the aspiring
zoologist. “This makes me feel like I did something right in raising her. “I’m very
proud of her selfless attitude in putting others first instead of herself,” said Moore.

Haley said her goal was 300 toys. The toy drive(which was held Dec. 11)exceeded her expectations and monetary donations were also given to total around $1400. Way to go HALEY! And to the people of Lawton, OK! Merry Christmas

Snow? Here? Absolutely!

Let it Snow!


Here are some of our SNOW pictures! We had a lot of fun!

The first traces of snow




A little more...


It's getting deeper....;)


Our house looks pretty...ready for a white Christmas!


Buddy ran the puppy 500 until he couldn't run anymore!


Neat picture of the snow coming down


Joseph building a snowman on the tractor seat




Snow covered tree...


Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas Poem

This is Dedicated to my brother, John-U.S. Army, my son, Brian-U.S. Air Force, and for all serving in the our military -- Whether they are stationed at home or over seas. Love you Guys!

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."

Author Unknown

Thanksgiving Holiday

Being Thankful...



I was very thankful this year to have my family at my house for the holiday. My son Brian, and his wife Ashlynn came in on Wednesday night about supper time. I made Brian his favorite Spinach Lasagna as requested. Dinner was ready when they arrived and I texted My other son Jeremy, that dinner was ready and Brian was near. So he also came for dinner. Joseph, son #3, still lives with us...he's still in high school, he helped me to get ready. My husband, unable to leave work, joined in the visiting later in the evening. We had a nice meal together, talking and so on. It is nice as the kids get older to have this "friend" relationship with them.
Brian & Ashlynn spent all of Thursday with Ashlynn's family. We chose to have our Thanksgiving on Friday, so we wouldn't be splitting them between two families and meals in one day. My parents came down on Thursday afternoon. Mom and I did all our sweets baking. Friday morning I did do a little bit of Black Friday shopping. Can't tell you where in case a certain someone reads this. Then we got back to the kitchen for our Feast preparations.
We sat down to eat around 3:30 or so, and everything was great! Loved having a full house.
I began thinking of the feeling you get when someone says thank you. Sometimes you don't even know you've done something to be thanked for. But, it makes you feel good inside when you're appreciated. So, I would think God also likes to be thanked for ALL HE provides for us. And it also reminded me of a story in the Bible where the one healed Leper returned to say Thanks. God Bless you All!

Luke 17:11-19

Ten Healed of Leprosy

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a]met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."