![\"\"](\"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/Picture-61.jpg\" "\\"Picture")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Let me challenge you to do something really important! \u00a0I was sorting through our Christmas movies on DVD over this weekend and found a copy of Christmas Vacation. \u00a0It’s a really funny film, but my favorite scene is when Chevy Chase is locked up in attic and he find the box of old 8mm films and starts watching his times at Christmas when he was a young boy. \u00a0 The last time I had all my family together at home back in late July we planned an evening of looking at old slides and videos from when they were all young. \u00a0My oldest son Scott is 41, my middle son Wesley is 38 and my youngest, Catherine is 35, and \u00a0we have six grandchildren ranging form 14 to 3. \u00a0Everyone loved that evening, everyone laughing at how we all used to look in years past. \u00a0It may have been one of the most enjoyable evenings we’ve had as a family!<\/p>\n
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As you gather with your family this Christmas season, dig out the old films, pictures and videos and spend a little time remembering together the history of your family. \u00a0I will be privileged again this Christmas to have everyone home again for the holidays. \u00a0We will plan a lot of activities that will have us all down in the floor, around the fire, celebrating the other great gift, each other.<\/p>\n
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I will also take time to read the Christmas story to my grandchildren and we will attend the Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church. \u00a0I plan to take every individual aside during that week and thank them for all that I appreciate about them. \u00a0Some day I will not be here to do that, so I will do it while I can.<\/p>\n
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Here’s my suggestion; take time this Christmas to share your love with everyone you come in contact with, because in sharing your love, you are sharing His love!<\/p>\n
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Sherelene and I have been getting our Christmas decorations up over this weekend and with every wreath we hang and when we lit the Christmas tree last night, I’m more filled with that warmth and excitement that I’ve had ever since childhood about this wonderful magical season. \u00a0Share that magic with others. \u00a0When shopping, open a door for some one wish people a Merry Christmas, find countless ways to share the love that He brought into the world!<\/p>\n
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My friend, Scott Diussa, introduced me to a great Christmas song a couple of years ago, let me share the words with you now.<\/p>\n
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“I Celebrate The Day” by Relient K<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the first time <\/p>\n And so this Christmas I’ll compare the things I felt in prior years <\/p>\n To look back and think that <\/p>\n And I, I celebrate the day <\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n My first Merry Christmas wish for you!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the pilgrim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let me challenge you to do something really important! \u00a0I was sorting through our Christmas movies on DVD over this weekend and found a copy of Christmas Vacation. \u00a0It’s a really funny film, but my favorite scene is when Chevy Chase is locked up in attic and he find the box of old […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chronicles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3861"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3864,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3861\/revisions\/3864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe point I could convey
\nIf only I could find the words to say to let You know how much You’ve touched my life
\nBecause here is where You’re finding me, in the exact same place as New Year’s eve
\nAnd from a lack of my persistency
\nWe’re less than half as close as I want to be<\/div>\n
\nThat You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior
\nAnd the first breath that left Your lips
\nDid You know that it would change this world forever<\/p>\n
\nTo what this midnight made so clear
\nThat You have come to meet me here<\/p>\n
\nThis baby would one day save me
\nIn the hope that what You did
\nThat you were born so I might live
\nTo look back and think that
\nThis baby would one day save me<\/p>\n
\nThat You were born to die
\nSo I could one day pray for You to save my life<\/p>\n