Socks full of fruit, nuts and ribbon candy. We never had real stockings, but we didn't know somehow, or just didn't care. Hanging mistletoe over the door. Momma's traditional jam cake, that only Daddy ate. Pecan and coconut pies, homemade of course. Fruit salad and cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce. Opening gifts on Christmas Eve and waiting for Santa to bring the rest Christmas morning. Going on hay rides and singing Christmas Carol's.  Nanny and Pa coming to our house, then going to theirs...(I miss em all). 

As long as I can remember we have always gone Christmas light lookin. My Daddy would load us all up in the old plymouth and off we would go. I'm sure that's why I still love all the lights. Even the Vegas lights, that's about all I love out there, LoL. I love passing on the traditions from my childhood. Even though sometimes life takes us away from the things we love the most, we always tend to gravitate back to them eventually.

I really want to encourage you to take the time for the things you love the most.....it might not always be there. Make some memories, start some traditions, bring back some old traditions.  HAVE SOME FUN!!!

Oh how I love y'all and appreciate your love and friendship...you are my FRAMILY!! Muah
BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8

Every year my Sweet Little Daddy would load us all up in the truck. Me, Sharon, Karen , Ray, Momma and Daddy would go down to the levy and march out through the cedars to find the perfect Christmas tree. I don't remember having anything but a cedar tree for a Christmas tree. To be honest I didn't know anybody else did either until I was grown, LoL. We would watch Daddy cut it down and then he would drag it back to the truck and load it up. Then back to the house we would go to decorate it. Oh yes and he would always find us some holly and mistletoe somewhere along the way. Momma would pop some popcorn and we would start stringing it while Daddy put the lights on the tree. He said that was his only job was the lights and we could do the rest, but he always  stayed around to watch and be a part of it.. I remember the little silver ice sickles we saved from year to year. Remember when we used to save things and not just re-buy them, haha! Oh the memories I have of my wonderful family. Were we the perfect family, NO. Did Momma and Daddy fight once in a while, Yes. I choose to remember the good times. The older I get the more important the memories are. We weren't very well off financially but we were millionaires in LOVE. 

Thank you Sir that I have always been loved my whole life. Thank you for my wonderful Daddy and Momma that raised me right and gave me a legacy of love to carry on and give to my children. I'm so grateful..

BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8

You know that the real meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus. When we celebrate HIS birthday. When we remember the time that Jesus willing came to the earth as a baby, knowing in advance that He would die on the cross. 

For so many years the bible was just a story book to me. It was a History book. Jesus was a real man. He knew what He would going to have to do ahead of time. To honor Him, I'm going to continue to teach my children and my grandchildren the real meaning of Christmas. I think in doing that it will cause us to be a closer family.

When it's all said and done...Christmas Is Not About The Presents...It's About The Memories....

Don't forget to take the time in all the hustle and bustle of your preparations for Christmas to make some memories!!!

BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you say things they aren't taken the right way. You can say the same thing to two people and they can hear two completely different things. Or you can mean something one way and someone will take it another way. I think this happens a lot of times because of things in our past or hurts from our past.

I can remember telling Jeff, why did you say that to me? You make me feel stupid. He would always say I didn't mean it that way. Do you think I would have married a stupid women..LoL But because someone had said it mean to me in my past I automatically assumed he meant it the same way. Or I would ask him what are they thinking?? He would say they aren't thinking. He was very good at disarming me.

I have decided to try and always look for the positive side of things. Notice I said try...I'm still working on me!!!

One understood Word from God can change your whole life!!

BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8

I was a single mom raising two children alone. I had been away from the Lord for several years and was trying desperately to find my way back. My son Josh had started riding bulls at a place outside of Tyler, TX, Nicki Wheeler's. I told him if he ever was going to be any good at it, he was going to have to start trusting in the Lord. He said mom we have church every Saturday night at the arena. I said whatever... I had never heard of Cowboy Ministry at that time. I said I'll just go with you and see for myself. So I went with him the next Saturday and sure enough! There was Dean and Linda Winborn. Dean had pulled his truck up out back of the arena. He put the tailgate down and set up his sound system. The kids just started gathering around. I was in total amazement. After the service I went to meet them. Dean invited me to come back and sing so I did. 

After that I found out that they were having a Bible Rodeo Camp in Canton, TX. Josh wanted to go for the bull riding. The tuition was $100. I didn't have an extra $100.00 ugh. So I contacted them and they said if I would come and sing and help they would waive the fee. i was so stinking happy. I really wanted Josh to be around these people. In the mean time I came up with the $100 and so Amber got to go to the barrel racing, Whooohooo. So we are set and the day finally comes.

My children are very last minute people. So that morning we are up early and Amber can't find her pony tail holder. I don't want to be late and we are going all over Canton trying to find a service station with a pony tail holder, LoL. It's funny now, but it wasn't then...ugh. So we finally get to the arena. Linda steps out of her camper and says y'all introduce yourselves to each other. Well here comes a very tall man out of the dark. There is a guard light behind him so I can't see his face at all. He said hi my name is Jeff Hogner and I say hi my name is Carol Hogner....Oh my gosh, my name isn't Carol Hogner. My poor kids are mortified, LoL. They are thinking we can't take her anywhere. Anyway we all laugh and go on our way. Long story short, two months later we were married and well....you know the rest of the story!!

All is well with my soul. I'm grateful for a day with too much to do. Hannah and I got up early and just now stopped. It was just what the doctor ordered. I'm so grateful to say that the Lord has healed my broken heart. He uses all of you on a daily basis to encourage me. My mind, will and emotions have been at peace today. Thank you for caring enough to pray for me and my precious family!! Oh how I love each one of you!!

BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8

Have you ever noticed that the bible says some variation of these these 2 things more than anything else? "Praise the Lord! & Fear not!"


I'm no genius, but my thought is; maybe if we walk around praising the Lord and not being afraid, things would go waaaay better in life.  


JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT by:Dianna Littlepage


To good not to pass along!!
BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8

I was so excited to get to help with the vendor's service the last Sunday at Vegas. On Saturday we went booth to booth and invited them to church. I have to admit this is very hard for me. Silly I know, but being honest! LoL We made several new friends that day that did come to church the next day. Whooohooo We went to find out who to talk to about the sound for the next day. We found Anthony Lucia and he called and asked for us. (Thanks Anthony) He told us Ben would be there the next morning to help us. He smiled and said you don't have to worry about a thing. If Ben said he would be here he will be here. Well sure enough we get there on Sunday morning and here comes Ben. One of the nicest people you could ever meet. Between him and Lu the sound was awesome. We had about 50 people in service. I got a lot of hugs after. Lu always does the closing of the service. She shares a little and then does the salvation plan. We had several rededicate their life that morning. One of them was Ben. We found out that they had called him at the last minute and asked if he would come and help. Once again the Lord had a plan. I'm grateful He lets me be a part of His plan. Thank you Sir!!

What if Christmas is true?

What if the story is real?

What then?

Not the story about Santa and his elves, but the Christmas story, the one about the Baby being born in a manger in Bethlehem.

What if the birth of the Christ child is not merely a heartwarming tale, but the day in history upon which and by which all other history is measured?

What if God is not a debate but the Divine, not a fable or a philosophy, but fact?

What if God had indeed spoken the universe into existence?

What if, by specific design and intent, God had created Earth, and Man upon the Earth?

What if we honestly are God’s children, created in His image, just like the Bible says?

What if Lucifer’s war against God  is actually ongoing, and like all cowardly terrorists, Lucifer is seeking to hurt his foe by waging a destructive and deceitful war against the ones God loves, His children?

What if God had chosen the names by which He is known so that they would not be mere slogans but powerful statements of purpose and comfort? Yahweh, the great I Am. Emmanuel, the God Who is with us. Jesus, the God Who saves.    

What if, incredibly,  God had expressly wanted to be with us here on Earth so that later we could be with Him in Heaven?

What if it God had  strategically planned for Jesus to be born under a cloud of innuendo to a poor couple living in a occupied nation so that absolutely everyone who ever learned of Him would know that nothing about the circumstances of their birth would disqualify them in the eyes of God?


What if the reason the local shepherds and the wise men from afar were selected by God to celebrate Jesus’ birth was so that all people, in all strata of society, from all nations of the worlds would know that He wants them to join in His joy?

What if Isaiah’s prophecy is as true today as it was nearly eight hundred years before that Christmas birth in Bethlehem when Isaiah said: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”?

What if the only reason that Jesus was born to us as a baby was so that He could die for us a man? 

What if no amount of good works or religious activity can get you into Heaven?

What if the only worthy act you can do and the single godly work that you must do is the same one Jesus told to His disciples, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

What if Jesus was giving a clear and accurate report when He said, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day”?

All of that, combined, is the Christmas story.

What if Christmas is true?


What then?


--END--

BlessingS
Carol/MJ
Psm 138:8