Page 16 - - THE SPECTATOR, Ozark, Ark.

, Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Christmas For Me
by Clydene Overbey I think Ill buy a small tablesize Christmas tree this year. It has been a long time since Ive had one. Christmas has been a sad time for me. I still honor the day of Jesus birth, its not what makes me sad. It is the warm spirit that I miss. It is the family all being together, the table full of people. Not stuff, but loved ones. As I grow older, so many are gone out of my family. They are all in Heaven waiting at the gate for me to join them. It is the people that I miss. Then there is the complete disregard so many seem to have of the fact that Christmas is the day that Christ was born to the Virgin Mary. There is not enough reverence to that fact anymore. I was really irritated to receive a flyer declaring, Shop now for Black Friday, blah blah blah. Too much shopping, knocking others around to obtain something. Most things from ads have limited supplies and not many are lucky enough to get one. Then there is the Happy Holiday thing for a greeting. Hey, people, Merry Christmas. The Holy Spirit has been squeezed out of Christs birthday. How can anyone feel the joy and spirit of Christmas when they have rushed around since before Thanksgiving? This should and is a very joyful time of year, but some of us have problems during the holidays and sometimes are overcome with great sadness when we remember the loved ones who are not with us. And, many people have no one to spend these times with and are besieged by loneliness. We all need caring thoughts and loving prayer right now. I praise God for His Son Jesus who He sent to this earth to present me with my salvation. I love the reading of The Christmas Story in Luke-2: 1-14 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 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

An Evening with Tim Ernst at ATU

RUSSELLVILLE Arkansas Tech University will host a presentation of nature photography during An Evening with Tim Ernst at the Doc Bryan Student Services Center Lecture Hall in Russellville on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. Admission will be free and open to the public. A book signing and reception with refreshments will follow the presentation. Ernst will present a program entitled Buffalo River Beauty. The event is sponsored by the Arkansas Tech Department of Parks, Recreation and Hospitality Administration, TAKAHIK and Monfee Medical Clinic. 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. No matter how many times I read or hear someone read this story I get goose bumps and joy. I need that this time of year when I slump into despair. I need it to lift me up.

SNOW ANGELS Emma (L) and Ethan celebrate the snow day in Ozark by making snow angels Friday morning on a driveway along McIlroy Street.

Senior Moments
by Bob and Dorothy Rattan

(Years Gone By) A professional photographer is constantly looking for eye catching scenes or things of human interest to photograph and possibly sell to interested parties such as newspapers or magazines. One day the photographer was driving along the coastline when he spotted an old man digging clams. He had about two weeks growth of beard, was wearing baggy trousers and a worn-out sweater. The photographer stopped the car and just stared at the man for a minute. He thought to himself that this would make a perfect picture and will sell for a good price. The only problem was he was without his tool of trade, his camera. He approached the clam digger and learned he had been digging clams in the beach area for 35 years. He asked the old fellow if he could meet him at this very spot at about 9 oclock in the morning. The next morning they both arrived at the shore promptly on time. The photographer with his camera and the

Sno-cone machine being recalled

LaRose Industries is recalling Snoopy Sno-Cone Machines sold nationwide from September 2012 to July 2013. A brass rivet can fall out of the sno-cone machines iceshaving cylinder and into a sno-cone, posing a risk of injury to the mouth or the teeth. This recall involves Cra-ZArt Snoopy Sno-Cone Machines with one of three batch numbers BCH003005A280812, BCHTRU001 A17-0812 or BCHTRU004 A16-0712 is printed on the back of the white plastic doghouse and on the side of the box. The words SNOOPY and SNO-CONES are on the front of the machine and CraZ-Art is on the back. Consumers should contact LaRose Industries at (855) 345-4593 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.laroseindus tries.com for a free repair kit.

old gent with a clean shave and wearing a suit. We have mentioned before, we dont have a computer, maybe strange, but true. A lot of our friends do have computers and some of them pass on to us quips and jokes concerning us seniors they receive on their e-mail. If you have a computer you probably have already read some of the material we write. The following is one such senior moment passed on to us. If youve read it you probably related with it. Dorothy and I relate with this so well that for a moment we thought we were the original writers. It goes like this: Do you have AAADD? Its age activated attention deficit disorder. This is how it manifests. I decide to wash my car and as I start toward the garage I notice there is mail on the hall table. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trash can under the table and I notice the trash can is full, so I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first, but then I think since Im going near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I notice there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk and as I approach the desk I notice a can of Coke that I had been drinking. Im going to look for the checks, but first I have to remove the Coke, as I picked up the Coke it felt warm so I decide to put it in the refrigerator. As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye, they need to be watered. As I see the Coke down on the counter I discover my reading glasses that I thought were lost, so I decide to put them back in the desk, but first I must water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill the container with water and see the TV remote control that someone left on the kitchen table. Tonight when I want to watch TV Ill be looking for that remote, so

Id best put it back in the den where it belongs, but first Ill water the flowers. I splash some water on the flowers, spilling most of it on the floor, so I set the remote back down on the table and pick up some towels to wipe up the spill. Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do. At the end of the day the car isnt washed, the bills arent paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers arent watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I cant find the remote, I cant find my glasses and I cant remember what I did with the car keys. I really cant figure why nothing got done today or why Im so tired because Ive been busy all day long. I have come to the realization that this could be a serious problem and I probably should get some help for it, but first I think Ill check my e-mail. So do me a favor, forward this message to everyone you know because I cant remember to whom all I sent it. We hope you enjoyed this and dont tell us that you dont relate to it just a little bit. It was given to us to share with others. Try to forget the troubles that pass your way, but remember the blessings that come each day.

Holiday Deadlines
With the Christmas and New Years Holidays coming up The Spectator will observe the following deadlines for all news and advertising for these dates: Dec. 24th edition - - deadline Thursday noon, Dec. 19th Dec. 31st edition - - deadline Friday noon, Dec. 27th. We appreciate your cooperation for these early deadlines.
The Spectator will close Christmas Eve at noon, and re-open Friday, Dec. 27; and close New Years Day.

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