2019 December 31 Tuesday

2019 December 31 Tuesday in Liberty Hill, Texas

didn’t think it was predicted to go below freezing overnight. SURPRISE!!!

I was going to say that this was another go no where do nothing day. But they would be inaccurate. And I have proof.

My Very Fit Pro watch shows that I walked over a mile and was active for over a half hour. So there!

his is New Years Eve. The fireworks are going off around us in celebration. We, to celebrate the close of another year, stayed up until almost 9 p.m.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

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  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 87 in our Texas home

2019 December 30 Monday

2019 December 30 Monday in Liberty Hill, Texas

his was a go nowhere, do nothing day. I took a sunrise photo. But I missed getting a sunset.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 86 in our Texas home

2019 December 29 Sunday

2019 December 29 Sunday in Liberty Hill, Texas

very pretty sky just before the sunrise. It looks kings of surreal, don’t you think?

was pleased to bring the message today at Cross Tracks Church. The title of the sermon was “How Herod the Grinch Tried to Steal Christmas.” I also wrote the children’s sermon in the style of Dr. Seuss.

fter church we went to Golden Chick for lunch with friends. We were unaware that the soft drink machine had been turned off and there was no ice. It was due to a water main leak.

Ella had already beaten me once before this photo was taken. It shows her beating me a second time.

This it’s her beating me for the third time. Does this qualify as spousal abuse?

This was my turn to win.

have to lay-in-wait for the sun to reach the horizon for photos like this

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 85 in our Texas home

2019 December 28 Saturday

2019 December 28 Saturday in Liberty Hill, Texas

long with the lack of sunshine we also had a very very brief rain shower. Also very windy (15-25 mph) today. I’m glad I worked on the topper yesterday when the weather was nicer. I’m also glad that we accomplished all the away from home chores, so that we do not need to go out today.

e spent some time playing Fast Track this morning. Green beat Red 2 to 1.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 84 in our Texas home

2019 December 27 Friday

2019 December 27 Friday in Liberty Hill, Texas

essiry, now that there is some honest-ta-god fog! That ain’t some ya-I-kin-drive-full- speed-through-that fog. (Pardon my accent)

h, it’s way better now that the sun is up. (Said tongue in cheek)

worked on the inside of the topper today. I put down a sort of subfloor with pieces of plywood that I had on hand. I should explain that the truck bed has two heavy steel rails the run crosswise near the center of the bed. They are there to mount a fifth wheel receiver hitch

similar to the one pictured here. I removed the hitch but left the rails in place. So, the plywood was laid between the rails as well as in front of and behind in an effort to create a more level surface. At some future date I will add a second layer of plywood. However, I wanted to get things out of the topper and back in prior to the predicted thunderstorms for tonight and tomorrow. Once the wood was in, I rolled out a layer of rubber mat material similar to this

On top of the mat was laid a 5×7 area rug from Wal-Mart.

hen I was done with the project and had put every thing back into the topper, we went grocery shopping. I was going to order it online then pick it up at the store. I really like doing that. It frees my time and keeps me from impulse buys. However, Ella had been mostly stuck at home for the last month while I was off being Santa. So we went into the store with our list. On the way home I commented that I thought we’d bought $100.00 worth of groceries and $50.00 worth of junk food.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 84 in our Texas home

2019 December 26 Thursday

2019 December 26 Thursday in Liberty Hill, Texas

espite the weather warning, I don’t see the heavy fog close to home. That, however, doesn’t mean a brilliant sunrise.

bout 10:30 we began the drive into Leander and the laundromat.

nce The laundry was done, the big question was, “Where are we going to eat?” We decided on one steak house but found another on the way there. Ella had steak, a sweet potato, and a skewer of mushrooms. I had a rack of ribs, rice pilaf, and a skewer of mushrooms.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 84 in our Texas home

2019 December 25 Wednesday – Christmas

2019 December 25 Wednesday – Christmas – in Liberty Hill, Texas

“What Christmas Means to Me”

hris-mus and Christ-mass are two of my favorite holidays. They weren’t always. I grew up on a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses, agnostics, and atheists. None of which celebrate the Christ Mass.

he atheists and agnostics did, at least, celebrate Chris-muss. You know the difference, right? For a long time I didn’t know the difference. I didn’t even know that one was a holiday and the other a holy day.

hrist Mass celebrated the birth of the Christ child, the promised savior of sinful man. He is the fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham that, through him, all people will be blessed.

hris-mus, (notice the way it is pronounced … Chris rather than Christ) on the other hand, is a secular holiday that celebrates gift giving. Santa Claus, flying deer, evergreen trees, and colorful lights.

ow I have grown into being Santa. I enjoy it. Santa is an example of the best of what we are as humans. He is a loving, jolly, and giving soul, who puts everyone’s happiness above his own. He goes out of his way to be a servant to all. And he gets paid in cookies and milk. How great is that?

owever, as we’ve all heard. Jesus it’s the reason for the season. So I’ve made it my mission to put Christ back into my Holy day greeting by saying,

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 84 in our Texas home

2019 December 24 Tuesday

2019 December 24 Tuesday in Liberty Hill, Texas

ggs, toast, and bacon for breakfast before Ella and I headed for Lakeline Mall. Ella came along to get pictures taken with Santa today.

his was the view from our deck as we were leaving home this morning. The sky was bright, but no add-in

nd this was the sun almost coming over the horizon as we arrived at the mall.

worked 8-12. It’s done. No more children and adults to sit on Santa’s lap or give him hugs. Today I had many adults and late teens to sit on my lap for pictures. I also had a few children, who had previously had pictures taken, stand in line and wait their turn just to talk to Santa again.

tar Buffet was my choice for lunch. Ella had suggested a steak house. Though that sounded good, I felt like more variety than steak, potato, and broccoli.

e had to stop at Wal-Mart for prescriptions and odds and ends. However, we arrived shortly after they closed for lunch.

hen it was home to rest before going in to Liberty Hill for the Children’s Christmas performance at Cross Tracks Church. You could tell that most of them had worked hard on their parts.

Candlelight service followed the children. Lots of scriptures and lots of singing.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 83 in our Texas home
  • 40th and final day as Santa at Lakeline Mall, Cedar Park with 1 at La Cantera, San Antonio

2019 December 23 Monday

2019 December 23 Monday in Liberty Hill, Texas

re-dawn from my deck at home. I took this shot as I was leaving at seven o’clock to go to work. This was the next to last day for the season.

he sun was just peeking over the treetops when I arrived at Lakeline Mall this morning. I worked 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. actually I worked a little after 2 because they forgot that my shift ended at 2 and hadn’t put a break in the line.

he odd things that I’ve had youngsters (toddler to pre-teen) ask for this year.

  • Luggage
  • Electric toothbrush
  • Toothpicks
  • Stapler
  • The Mall
  • Vending machines
  • A claw machine
  • Thermos
  • An ice cream dispenser
  • A cotton candy maker
  • A Lamborghini
  • Pillow
  • Lava lamp
  • Net to catch insects

The most ask for items Thurs year.

  • Legos – always the most asked for
  • LOL everything (several boys also ask for LOL items)
  • Nintendo switch
  • Barbies items
  • Nerf guns
  • Drones
  • Polaroid cameras
  • Paw Patrol

Sad things asked for.

  • Dead grandmother to come back.
  • To see a dead uncle again.
  • A gift for my father, where ever he is.
  • Peace and love in the family
  • Mom not to work so much

Just after Sunset this evening.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 82 in our Texas home
  • 39 days as Santa at Lakeline Mall, Cedar Park with 1 at La Cantera, San Antonio

2019 December 22 Sunday

2019 December 22 Sunday in Liberty Hill, Texas

he fog wasn’t bad this morning from our deck at home. However, it was soon noticeable once we were on the road. The further into Leander that I went the denser the fog became. By the time I drove into Cedar Park it was less foggy. I can’t say that the fog delayed me in any way. That was because there was also less traffic to slow me down.

oday’s schedule at Lakeline Mall was 10-2. That allowed me time in the morning to drop Ella off at Cross Tracks Church so that she can sing in the choir and attend worship as well as Sunday school. A friend brought her home and, maybe, out to eat first. I will also picked up my breakfast from the breakfast bar at church.

his is my carpet that I brought in to the Santa dressing area so that we wouldn’t have to contend with the filth on the floor. However, Charlie had also brought in a carpet and laid it on the Sunday before I came in Monday with mic piece of carpet. So for most of the Season we’ve had a double carpet. I will be rolling mine up and taking it home.

God bless and g’nite

  • Visit my devotions blog new devotions every day (nearly)

  • My NEW sermons blog Armchair Sermons. Sermons posted Sundays 10 AM central time.

http://armchairsermons.wordpress.com

  • Tom and Ella Daily Journal of Our Lives

https://tomandellajournal.wordpress.comhttps:/

  • All content (except quotations) ©2019 Thomas E. Williams
  • Day 81 in our Texas home
  • 38 days as Santa at Lakeline Mall, Cedar Park with 1 at La Cantera, San Antonio