Posted by Jared Barden on Dec 26, 2007 in
Personal Continue reading for a summary of the 2007 Barden Family Christmas.
Christmas started a little early for me this year, since our company closed around 3PM on Christmas Eve. In keeping with Barden family tradition, we had pizza with my parents for our Christmas Eve dinner. After dinner we made our way to the church for a special Christmas Eve service where we were treated to various special musical performances and various Scripture readings.
Our Christmas “party” really kicked off after the service, because Danielle and I spent the night at my parents’ house, since we didn’t have any big Christmas celebration of our own planned. That night our running Christmas joke began, when my dad mentioned that two of the Christmas movies they had recently watched, “were really good stories.” I know it doesn’t sound funny reading it, but it definitely was at the time. After finishing a round of “really good stories we headed off to bed.
Christmas morning started somewhere between 9 and 10, when we rolled out of bed. Funny how easy it is to sleep in on Christmas when you’re “older.” After a round of cinnamon buns we opened up presents from my Grandparents and my parents. We didn’t get a lot of gifts this year, as compared to other years, but the gifts we did receive were very thoughtful and had meaning to them, like the stein my Grandparents gave me that my Grandpa purchased when he was stationed in Germany during the Korean War.
Christmas afternoon continued with a delicious pot roast my mom cooked, and then we pretty much spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching loads of those cheesy Christmas movies, many of which were “good stories.”
Lots of people say that Christmas is about family, and while spending time with family is great, Christmas is all about the birth of Christ, without whom we would have no hope in this world.
It’s funny, no matter how much our society tries to make Christmas about presents, Santa, cookies, family, etc. it will always be about the birth of Christ, and there isn’t a thing you or I can do about that fact.
His birth is the greatest present of all.
Posted by Jared Barden on Dec 26, 2007 in
Politics Senator Jim Webb convened the United States Senate for a whopping 57 seconds today in order to prevent any recess appointments by President Bush.
Our tax dollars, hard at work, keeping the Senate “open” to prevent appointments. What has politics in this country come to?
And I know that Republicans do/have done the same sorts of silly things before, but this just seems a bit much to me.
Posted by Jared Barden on Dec 10, 2007 in
Sports Today Michael Vick received his sentence for his much-publicized involvement in his illegal dog fighting “business.”
If I read correctly Vick was handed down a sentence of 23 months, and according to John Clayton, he could possibly get out on good behavior after approximately 19 1/2 months.
What surprised me was that, due to his plea bargain, Vick cannot appeal this sentence, so it looks, if I’m ready everything correctly, like he will actually serve this jail sentence. This is in stark contrast to other celebrities who spend, oh, a day or so in jail for their DUI or other offense.
I’m glad to see that “justice will be served,” at least in a sense. Although it still bothers me that we are making such a huge fuss about this. Not that what Vick did wasn’t terrible and tragic – it was. But these were dogs, not people. What about the athletes, etc. that commit horrible acts against human beings? Where is the outrage there? What Vick did was wrong, and he should definitely be punished. Should he be given another chance as an NFL player? I suppose that will be up to an NFL owner to decide in the year 2009.
I love dogs. I wrote about the passing of my own dog recently. And though we might say they are like people, they are definitely NOT people.
It seems sometimes in our society that we have our priorities out of line.
Posted by Jared Barden on Dec 10, 2007 in
Personal Just wondering if anyone can shed some light on why anyone would be telling, “scary ghost stories” at Christmas time?
I was listening to The Most Wonderful Time of the Year today, and that thought struck me.
Any thoughts?
Posted by Jared Barden on Dec 6, 2007 in
Personal Today I got a surprise invitation to lunch with an old friend. It was nice to just “shoot the breeze” for a while at Subway and forget about all the things that have been causing me worry over the last few weeks.
Worry is a funny thing. And I don’t mean funny, “ha ha.” The Bible says not to do it, and Jesus said not to do it. And for good reason too. It’s a terrible thing that can just about paralyze you if you let it. It seems to set in like a thick cloud sometimes and just doesn’t want to leave for anything.
Fortunately it’s been getting better lately. My family has been incredibly supportive, and I believe both Danielle and I have grown a lot during this time.
Tonight’s message – Worry, Don’t Do It.