Born Unto You
 Luke 2:8-14

Luke 2:8-14 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Unknown and insignificant to many, the shepherd’s life was one of hardship and isolation. It was a job that paid meager wages, a job without glory and little recognition. Being a shepherd was not a career choice. In a society such as Israel’s, somebody must watch the sheep. As a result, the poor man was able to carve his notch in society by hiring himself out to render this service to other men.

The hills of Judea were the work place of the shepherds. The soil was rocky, the hills and mountains were rugged and treacherous. The terrain was filled with wildlife from which the sheep must be shielded. Judea was hot in the summer and cold in the winter, cold enough at night to take the sheep out of the fields and place them into the folds. Being a shepherd was not necessarily back-breaking work, but it was certainly a lonely life almost sure to end in financial poverty.

God chose this class of men to be the first recipients of the greatest tidings ever revealed unto man kind. Was this a mistake? Could the angel have mistakenly delivered the message to the wrong people? There was no mistake. Unlike most monarchs, Jesus was a King for the people. “to all people.” The angle from the Lord delivered the message with pinpoint accuracy to those for whom it was intended, the people. The angel revealed "unto you a child is born." The Sovereign of the universe would come and be born to the people. The king would not be born within the walls of a royal palace, but rather in a barnyard stall where He could experience from the first day, the life of the people for which He came to save; the humble, the poor in spirit, the meek.

What happened next I like to refer to as the poor man’s concert. They, smelled like sheep, they were unshaven, dirty, and wearing their working clothes, yet these unsuspecting shepherds of Judea were the only guests invited to this heavenly concerto. A heavenly host proclaimed the praises of God for what was revealed to man. The peace that comes by knowing the Savior... now revealed. The love and goodwill that God bestowed on that day will never have its glory repeated. For on that day we, the people, were given the Gift of God. Emmanuel. We should give thanks for the birth of the Savior who is Christ the Lord. For without His birth, there could be no death and without His death, He could not become the firstborn from the dead. Oh how great the salvation in Jesus! How generous the grace of God who made it possible for all people to be saved through faith.

Perhaps you feel as unknown and as insignificant as a nameless shepherd in Judea. Be assured the Lord knows who you are. And though we never hear with our mortal ears the heavenly host praising God, on the day of your obedience to the gospel call, the heavenly chorus burst forth in songs of joy for the next measure of the poor man’s concert.

By Kenneth R. Peden
From Expository Files 10.11; November, 2003

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL... A GOODNIGHT!

Lady R (Di)

CHRISTMAS TIME... IS HERE.

I find myself spinning like a dog chasing it's tail... and it's making me dizzy!  I could bore you with life's woes, but the bottom line is... I'm taking a break until after the New Year.  My life has enough going on in it right now, that "just one more thing" could break the camels back.

We've been painfully watching my MIL slip away from us while she is in the end stages of COPD, and we are at a point that Hospice is with her round the clock. Without going into the whole story, I'm sure you understand what Hospice means, and it's just not a pleasant thing.

The current news of the precious Angels from Sandy Hook presses down on the heart and keeps you reeling, along with your own sadness. The days on the calendar continue to tick away, even though I feel like my world is on hold for some reason. That happens to you when someone very dear to you is dying and everything else in life fades to the background.  Why won't things just stop for a moment so I can take care of everything? 

Take time to be with your families and enjoy them while you can.  This is the season of CHRISTmas and I hope you all have a very Merry one!

Until next year...

Lady R (Di)

FRIDAY FUNNY - THE POND

An elderly man in Louisiana had owned a large farm for several years.

He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up

nice with picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and some apple and peach trees.

One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while, and look it over.

He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit.

As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.

As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.

He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.

One of the women shouted to him, "We're not coming out until you leave!"

The old man frowned, "I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked."

Holding the bucket up he said, "I'm here to feed the alligator..."

Some old men can still think fast.

PIC OF THE WEEK - HOG HEAVEN CHRISTMAS

My tree is up and decorated! Yay!  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

HOG HEAVEN CHRISTMAS

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

Update:  Just wanted to let all you pet lovers out there know, Joker is much better.  He almost acts like his old self again. Thank you for your get well wishes!

FRIDAY FUNNY - TAKING CARE OF YOUR SCHNAUZER

Joker

Author's note: I'm sorry I was absent Monday, but my little Joker has a pinched nerve at the base of his neck which has been consuming my attention.  It's a terrible thing to hear the little guy cry and whimper in severe pain and I cannot do anything to alleviate the problem.  We have him on anti-inflammatories that are starting to help him, but we may not be out of the woods with his problem.  Our vet said, dogs can suffer the same fate as humans when it comes to disc problems and spine issues. The funny thing is... we are talking Chiropractic therapy to avoid surgery.  Go ahead... roll your eyes, but I have been known to be a bit off the deep end when it comes to my four legged babies. In light of my dilemma, I've decided to share this loving pet owners demise as she does the necessary things to take care of her own precious baby. Enjoy!

My wife found out that our dog (a Schnauzer) could hardly hear, so she took it to the veterinarian.

The vet found that the problem was hair in the dog's ears. He cleaned both ears, trimmed the hair, and the dog could then hear fine. The vet then proceeded to tell Andrea that, if she wanted to keep this  from recurring, she should go to the store and get some Nair hair remover and rub it in the dog's ears once a month.

Andrea went to the store and bought some Nair hair remover.  

At the register, the pharmacist told her, "If you're going to use this under your arms, don't use deodorant for a few days." 

Andrea said, "I'm not using it under my arms."

The pharmacist said, "If you're using it on your legs, don't use body lotion for a couple of days."

Andrea replied, "I'm not using it on my legs either.  If you must know, I'm using it on my Schnauzer."

The pharmacist says, "Well... stay off your bicycle for about a week." 

FRIDAY FUNNY - CRABS AND BLONDES

A lawyer boarded an airplane in New Orleans with a box of frozen crabs and asked a blonde stewardess to take care of them for him.

She took the box and promised to put it in the crew's refrigerator. He advised her that he was holding her personally responsible for them staying frozen, mentioning in a very haughty manner that he was a lawyer, and proceeded to rant at her about what would happen if she let them thaw out.

Needless to say, she was annoyed by his behavior. Shortly before landing in New York, she used the intercom to announce to the entire cabin, "Would the lawyer who gave me the crabs in New Orleans, please raise your hand."

 Not one hand went up... so she took them home and ate them.
 
Two lessons here:

1. Lawyers aren't as smart as they think they are.
2. Blondes aren't as dumb as most folk think.

PIC OF THE WEEK - THE ELF

I was AWOL from the blog during the holiday, but it was for a good cause. I took and cooked Thanksgiving diner to one of my nephews who's a student at Florida State in Tallahassee.  My brother (his dad) came up from Tampa and we were able to give the boy a righteous first holiday in his own place. Leaving his fridge stocked with awesome leftovers to boot.  

I'm sorry I didn't get my Friday Funny posted, but I figured I would make it up to you today.  I decided I would combine my Pic of the Week with something funny.  Trust me when I say... nothing's funnier than this elf I know...

THE ELF

My other brother... the Elf!

Working on his dance moves... "We are Santa's Elves."

Christmas is coming and you know the story... be afraid... be very afraid!!

Have a great week everybody!!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - CHILDREN'S HARBOR CHAPEL

Last weekend, when my friend and I were leaf peeping, we popped in at the Children's Harbor close to Kawliga Bridge on Lake Martin and took some pictures.

CHILDREN'S HARBOR CHAPEL

A lovely day for a wedding, don't ya think?

 
I have a lot more to share about this place, so I'll be sure and bring you back...  It's awesome!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - THE MIRACLES OF MOTHER NATURE

The Miracles of Mother Nature... 

 

 

A man was driving down the road and ran out of gas. Just at that moment, a bee flew in his window.

The bee said, 'What seems to be the problem?'

'I'm out of gas,' the man replied.

The bee told the man to wait right there and flew away. Minutes later, the man watched as an entire swarm of bees flew to his car and into his gas tank. After a few minutes, the bees flew out.

'Try it now,' said one bee.

The man turned the ignition key and the car started right up. 'Wow!' the man exclaimed, 'what did you put in my gas tank'?


The bee answered,

Wait for it...

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Wait for it...

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I see you smiling!!

Have a great weekend everybody!!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - LOOKING UP

One of my very best friends came up from Panama City Friday to spend the weekend with me, and we had such an awesome together.  It was a beautiful day Saturday so we decided to load up my puppies, take the top off the Jeep and head to the country.  We are at our peak right now for fall foliage peeping, so we were able to get our eyes full!

The nice thing about riding around "topless" is when you look up...

LOOKING UP

 

Not much color, but we laughed and called this... the "Ball Tree".

 My friend is from Massachusetts originally but has been living in Florida for several years now, and she was really enjoying the color display.  It's funny what you miss when you move away to somewhere so different.

STILL PEEPING!

I hated to see her leave Sunday, but I'm thankful we had a wonderful couple of days together.  Until the next time...

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - THE CUTEST LITTLE ASS YOU'LL EVER SEE

 What? Not what you were expecting? 

Made ya look though, didn't it? (Sorry folks... this is the day I get to be the one laughing!) Hahahahahaha!!

Have a great weekend everybody!

PIC OF THE WEEK - WIND CREEK

Wind Creek State Park is a favorite spot for Harley and I to ride through while out on our Saturday jaunts.  We love to meander to a secluded spot, (easy to find this time of year) and sit on a picnic table and gaze out over Lake Martin while we have a drink and stretch our legs. 

I'm very fortunate to have spent much recreational time on this local body of water and I never tire of looking at it.

WIND CREEK

 

We had a cold weekend last week, but the temps climbed right back up to the 80's this past Saturday.  The skies were such a splendid shade of blue, it made the reds and yellows of the changing foliage pop out in sharp contrast.

It was a great weekend! I hope you all can say the same. Have a great week everybody and remember...

tomorrow... GO VOTE!!

Lady R

P.S.  On a side note... I would like to apologize to my readers who have left me comments on several of my last posts. I've been very busy with some projects here at home and at my church, that I have neglected you all without responding to any of them. I just want you to know, I have read them all, and I hope to respond to them soon. Please know how much I appreciate your following my blog, even if I don't show my gratitude any better than I have. Thank you!

FRIDAY FUNNY - HOW TO TELL IF A CATHOLIC IS DRIVING TOO FAST

HOW TO TELL IF A CATHOLIC IS DRIVING TOO FAST

Hail Mary, full of grace...

Have a nice weekend everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - THE SWAMP

Just so you all know... the Swamp Thing is my neighbor... see him? 

THE SWAMP

 
This beautiful swamp is about 2 miles or so from my house and we pass by it almost every time we leave the city limits to go riding. I love how it looks during the Autumn months.

Maybe he'll show up Wednesday night, hanging around the 'hood scaring all the little children... and stealing their treats. BOO!!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - ARE WE THERE YET?

I feel like time is traveling so fast...


I hate mirrors! Have a great weekend everybody!

Lady R

PICTURE OF THE WEEK - SERENITY ROCK

I have lots of pictures of us in, on, and around Lake Martin.  It only takes about 45 minutes to get to the area and it seems to be a great subject for my photography also. 

I took this picture a couple years ago, and for some reason, I'm more drawn to it today, than I was back then.  Maybe it's because I've been spending a lot more time with my spiritual devotions lately, and this rock seems like the perfect place to spend some quiet, serene time.

SERENITY ROCK

Ahhhh... now doesn't that make you want to sit back and relax... and escape into your own thoughts and prayers.

Have a blessed week everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - FIVE RULES TO A HAPPY LIFE

Headstone of Russell J. Larsen in the Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Utah.  I wonder if he died knowing he won the 'Coolest Headstone' contest?


FIVE RULES FOR MEN TO FOLLOW FOR A HAPPY LIFE:

1. It's important to have a woman who helps at home, cooks from time to time, cleans up, and has a job.

2. It's important to have a woman who can make you laugh.

3. It's important to have a woman who you can trust, and doesn't lie to you.

4. It's important to have a woman who is good in bed, and likes to be with you.

5. It's very, very important that these four women do not know each other or you could end up dead like me.

THUNDER THERAPY

Once upon a time... in a land not so far away was a lady rider who was under lots and lots of stress. She was under so much stress, that she was seeing cows when she should have been seeing dolphins! (not really, but I thought it would be funny to tie-in to my Friday post!)  She knew she had to get herself back on track, so she loaded up the Boy, and headed south to Panama City Beach to get some therapy... Thunder Beach Therapy.

 
No appointment necessary... the doctor is always in! The lady rider was so happy to have a really cool place to hang out and listen to the rumbling thunder.  Having been here many times before, it's beginning to be one of her favorite hideaways.

 
As the beautiful weekend unfolded, blue skies and sunshine accompanied the smiles and miles that brought several other stressed out riders together.  Slow cooked meats, ice cold beverages, and toe tapping music was flowing abundantly.  Rejuvenation was imminent!

 
Chillin' and relaxin'... the order of the day.

The lady rider was having such  a good time during her therapy session, she decided to treat herself to a new look.

Yes, the jury is still out on this one, but no fairy tale is complete without the color purple and some butterflies! Tee hee!

After a long day of therapy, the lady rider and all the other riders would seek out their shelters and reminisce over the days events.  What a better way to do that, than with something like this...


Ahhhhhhh... beautiful!

The lady rider and all her riding friends really enjoyed some great thunder therapy, and since Thunder Beach comes around twice a year... they will all live happily ever after. 

THE END!

FRIDAY FUNNY - STRESS

I'm not sure exactly how it works, but this is amazingly accurate.  Read the full description before looking at the picture. The picture below has two identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary's Hospital, London.

Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water.  The dolphins are identical.  A closely monitored scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical, a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins.

The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing.

Scroll down and look at the photograph, and if you find more than one or two differences... you need to go on holiday.
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Oops! I'm outta here!!  Have a great weekend everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - THE RESURRECTION

The pastor of a certain Baptist church had called all of the little children to the front of the church during the morning service. They were all dressed in their cute Sunday outfits and the pastor had them all sit down around him.

The pastor spoke: "This is a beautiful sight - you all look so handsome and pretty. Now, today we're going to talk about the resurrection. Does anyone here know what the resurrection is?"

One little boy raised his hand, and the pastor said, "Jimmy, please tell us what the resurrection is".

Jimmy, beaming with pride because he knew the answer, announced in a clear loud voice, right into the microphone: "When you get one lasting more than four hours, you gotta call a doctor!"

It took a solid 10 minutes before the pastor could speak again - and then there was so much laughter going on that his sermon was forgotten - but Jimmy's answer won't be.

FRIDAY FUNNY - HOW FIGHTS START

You may have seen some of these before, or they may even be about you... but nonetheless, they are still funny. The first few are definitely for the men, but don't worry ladies... I put a few gems in for us.

FOR THE GUYS...

**********

My wife and I were watching "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to have sex?"

"No", she answered.

I then said, "Is that your final answer?"

She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, "Yes".

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And then the fight started...

**********

My wife sat down on the settee next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, "What's on TV?"

I said, "Dust."

And then the fight started...

**********

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, "I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds."

I bought her a bathroom scale.

And then the fight started...

**********

A woman was standing nude in the bedroom mirror.  She was not happy with what she saw and said to her husband, "I feel horrible; I look old, fat, and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment."

The husband replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect."

And then the fight started...

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AND NOW, FOR THE LADIES...

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My wife and I were sitting at a table at my school reunion, and I kept starting at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.

My wife asked, "Do you know her?"

"Yes," I replied, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since."

"My God!" says my wife, "who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

And then the fight started...

**********

After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's license to verify my age. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home.  I told the woman that was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, "Unbutton your shirt."  So, I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair.  She said, "That silver hair on your chest in proof enough for me", and she processed my Social Security application.

When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security Office...

She said, "You should have dropped you pants.  You might have gotten disability too."

And then the fight started...

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SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST...

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Saturday morning I got early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and slipped quietly into the garage.  I hooked the boat up to the van, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour.  The wind was blowing 50 mph., so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed.  I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."

My loving wife of 5 years replied, "Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?"

And then the fight started...

Have a great weekend everybody!! And... NO FIGHTING!!

Lady R

HWY 49 AND THE TALLAPOOSA RIVER

Harley and I blessed the roads again Saturday while we waited for our favorite College game to start.  I'm very happy that our ride was much more satisfying than our score, but when your an Auburn fan... well, enough said.

HWY 49

 
Hwy. 49 has always been one of our favorite roads.  Even though it looks pretty straight in this shot, it's full of great curves and hills and the scenery is awesome.  This area is just south of the entrance into the Horseshoe Bend Military Park, which is another of my favorite places.

TALLAPOOSA RIVER

We watched some folks put their canoe in while we stood around stretching our legs and swigging on some sweet tea.  It was a beautiful day for activities of all kinds!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - RODNEY CARRINGTON ON MARRAIGE

A couple years ago, we saw Rodney Carrington live in Panama City and I think he's funny as hell. I decided to share a little clip of his show for your Friday Funny today.

I'll warn you, there's sexual content and bad language... but he will still make you laugh.



Have a nice weekend everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - CLOUD COVER

Last week... we got wet.  Really, really wet.  This past Saturday, we had an excellent day to ride. Temps were not too hot and we had just the right amount of cloud cover to make the day perfect. Look for yourself...

CLOUD COVER


 
 
I couldn't help but smile the whole day. I guess you could say "I had my head in the clouds".

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - SHOPPING FOR THE LITTLE WOMAN

For those who like to get ready for Christmas early, this is for you.  I've been holding on to a collection of old advertisements that have worn out there effectiveness.  All I can say is... it's a good thing for the men of this country!

SHOPPING FOR THE LITTLE WOMAN

"My husband loves me!"

"Just what I've always wanted!"

Coffee Maker... Coffee Maker... Coffee Maker... pleeeease!!

"Aprons and feather dusters? Hmmmm..."

Have great weekend everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL

Today's Pic speaks for itself...

MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL

Millerville Highway, south of Sylacauga, AL

This picture was taken a couple summers ago, but it's a road that Harley and I travel often. This past Saturday we were riding along this very spot... and got drenched! 

Oh well... I didn't melt and "the boy" got a good rinsing. Happy day!

Have a great week everybody.

Lady R

FRIDAY FUNNY - THE HONEYMOONERS

Carrying his beautiful bride across the threshold of their Honeymoon suite, the handsome groom was giddy with excitement anticipating their first night together as husband and wife. As he set his bride down, the young groom decided that he better set some ground rules right up front for their marriage.

He took off his pants and tossed them over to his new wife and said, "Put these on."

Puzzled at his request, she took off her dress and pulled on the pants thinking it was some kind of newlywed game. She laughed when the pants were obviously too big for her, as she had to hold them around the waist just to keep them up. She said, "I can't wear these, they are too big for me."

Without batting an eye, her groom answered, "That's right. And as long as you understand, that I wear the pants in this family, we will have a long and happy life together."

The new bride smiled at her husband and let the pants fall to the floor. She then removed her panties and tossed them across to him and said, "Here, you put these on."

Not sure where she was going with this, the groom thought he would humor his bride and try to put her panties on.  He couldn't even get them up past his knees when he looked at her and said, "This is ridiculous, I can't get into your panties."

The new wife responded, "And that's the way it's going to stay until your attitude changes!"

IOWA HARLEY GIRL INTERVIEW

Extra! Extra! Read all about it. The Iowa Harley Girl, interviews... me??

I'm humbled and honored that Stephanie wanted to interview me for her blog, The Iowa Harley Girl. I met Stephanie, via the web, when I started blogging over four years ago and we befriended each other, mainly because we were both from Iowa and we rode motorcycles.  Those two common denominators was all it took for our friendship to form. 

If you haven't read her blog before, you really should go give it a visit.  Not only does she share her own adventures while riding her '05 Sportster Custom named Sadie, she's also known for her awesome interview skills and has brought some very interesting characters to the table.  Folks who love motorcycles and the motorcycle way of life. Again, I'm honored to be considered in the unique group of interviewees.

So... without further ado...

Iowa Harley Girl's 'Lady R Rides Again!'

Awwww... shucks.

Lady R