I am like a star shining brightly...

Are you aware that there was a meteor shower last night (Friday, December 14th)? Well, if you weren't, you now know. So I went out and watched with a few friends. We drove to a little hill in a mountaneous region, laid down some blankets and stared at the sky. Small downside, it was freezing. Seriously, it was so cold that my feet took at least an hour to thaw out. But, I actually saw quite a few meteors and it ended up being pretty fun.

While I was out there though, I did think about how long it had been since I'd taken time to just relax, sit back, and think. I am constantly analyzing my life, I keep a running inventory of everything that happens, should happen, and shouldn't happen. Yeah, I'm a little obsessive about it. But that isn't what I'm referring to when I say that I haven't taken time to just think. I suppose that a more appropriate word would be ponder or cogitate. It was refreshing to shut off the constant to do lists that I have running through my head and just ruminate about life. So, I would just suggest that we all do this. A new acquaintance has been telling me that southern Californians are always rushing, we're constantly on the go. My challenge is that you take a little break from the seemingly neverending tasks that you need to comlete and just take some time to center yourself, to refocus. I can't guarantee it, but I'm pretty sure that if you do so you'll be refreshed and reinvigorated. :)

Anyway, I feel like I've been lagging lately on my blog, and so to make up for it I've decided to included a lot of random, but nonetheless fantastic, photos today. So, hope you enjoy!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I love this time of year, the sights, the sounds, the smells. Well...I should be more specific; I love most of the sights, sounds and smells that define the Christmas season. There are of course some things that drive me crazy, and for those of you who know me well, it shouldn't be hard to imagine what those things are.

Yes, my OCD-ness really kicks it up a gear during this time of year. For example, there is a house one street over that has one tree with multi-colored lights, one with green, one blue, and one orange. Really? Orange? Did I miss the memo that said orange is a Christmas color? Come on people, try and keep it classy. I am all about the simple, subtle Christmas decorating. I love white lights, there are some tasteful multi colored lights too. But what I've noticed is that people have a tendency to go overboard with the decorating. If one is good, then they think that adding 5 more will be make it better! This is not the case. And having to see the ridiculous gaudy spectacles that people transform their houses into makes me cringe everytime I see it.

On a more positive note, it is refreshing to see so many people who are thinking of others, who go out of their way to be kind (unless they are shopping and there is only one of the item that they want left, then they go a little crazy). Anyway, a friend sent me an email a few weeks ago which was a editorial written by Ben Stein, who is Jewish. Basically he said that he is not offended or upset by people wishing him a "Merry Christmas," or by seeing a gigantic Christmas tree in Time Square, he thinks that people ought to be able to celebrate their own religions and not have to worry about infringing upon others who may not share their beliefs. Isn't that a refreshing opinion?

In this age when there is such an emphasis on what is politically correct and on causing the fewest ripples possible in the metaphorical pond in which we live, I love that someone is standing up to say hey, this country was founded by people who wanted to get away from oppression, let's try to not duplicate that. I know what you're thinking, I am being a little ridiculous by comparing being able to say Merry Christmas to the struggles that the Pilgrims and early Americans faced, but I am nothing if not overly dramatic. So basically I am encouraging everyone to step up and say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever you want to.

Taking that a little further, the missionaries handed out some pass along cards for the Joy to the World DVD and challenged us to find someone to give that to. So hopefully by my next posting I will be able to update you all on that. But until then, Merry Christmas!