December 2004 Merry Christmas & welcome to the Fourth Edition of The Patterson Post Christmas Newsletter. For those of you that are new to this publication we have been doing this for the last three years instead of Christmas cards. We believe this is more personal as it allows us to catch up with those we lost touch with this year.
AMBER ilovescoobydoo@usexpress.net This summer Amber spent 2 weeks in Michigan with her grandparents. Upon returning she had six teeth pulled to make room for the new ones. In August she started the first grade and her favorite subjects are gym, library, music, art and saying “The Pledge of Allegiance.” Amber is learning to read more & more words and books every day! She dressed up as a bride for Halloween this year. Amber even attended her first UT football game (vs. Alabama) courtesy of Steve’s boss! Go Vols!
Amy bestwishes@usexpress.net http://imateacher.itgo.com This year as I sat to write my year’s highlights I drew a blank and asked Steve and Amber what I did all year. Steve couldn’t think of much and Amber replied, “paid the bills.” How true and honest. Most of my year was spent taking care of the family, the apartment and working, but I did manage to teach myself to make bracelets with glass bead and decorate cakes like my mom used to do. I was finally able to squeeze in a trip home to see my parents, grandparents and even my best friend and her family. Her little girl is the sweetest. But other than that I guess I have just been “paying the bills.”
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STEVE stevep@cardeologist.com http://www.cardeologist.com http://www.stevezdesignz.com Steve is still working for Premiere Publishing (The Knoxville Journal). Steve got to take pictures at the most of the home football games for Tennessee. Steve is still collecting business cards. He has had 2 articles and 2 letters to editors published in 4 different newspapers (2 in Tennessee, 1 Ohio and 1 Arizona). Steve was also on “Alive At Five” October 13 on WBIR (NBC) and the 6 a.m. news on October 14 in Knoxville for his business card collection. Steve has also been promised to be on a radio broadcast in England. Steve hopes to get 1 million one day! So remember to save those business cards for Steve and send them to him today! Steve got 2 web sites this year. One for his freelance graphic design and the other for his business card collection. Steve has also had the joy of kidney stones twice this year! Yuck!
MISSY Well this year has been a whirlwind for me. I was declawed and fixed and had to get shots all at the same time. Talk about a bad weekend! I didn’t like the new kittens my owner brought home and I showed her by “missing” the litterbox a few times. So this nice family took me in on Labor Day weekend. I like it here, especially now that they switched vets, but I wished the short one would stop squeezing me and grabbing my tail. So far I like playing with the feather on the stick and my ball with the bell inside. I like to sleep on my kitty condo, the towel shelf and on the pillow above Amy’s head. What a simple, yet grand life I lead! Meow!
LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA
CHRISTMAS
A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. “I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eye.” said Pedro. Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel. As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro’s kind words: “Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.” She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes. From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season. Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!
By Peter Marshall We yearn, our Father, for the simple beauty of Christmas – for all the old familiar melodies and words that remind us of that great miracle when He who had made all things was one night to come as a babe, to lie in the crook of a woman’s arm. Before such mystery we kneel, as we follow the shepherds and Wise Men to bring Thee the gift of our love – a love we confess has not always been as warm to sincere or real as it should have been. But now, on this Christmas Day, that love would find its Beloved, and from Thee receive the grace to make it pure again, warm and real. And we do pray, Lord Jesus, that as we celebrate Thy birthday, we do it in a manner well pleasing to Thee. May all we do and say, every tribute of our hearts, bring honor to Thy name, that we, Thy people, may remember Thy birth and feel Thy presence among us even yet. May the loving kindness of Christmas not only creep into our hearts, but there abide, so that not even the return to early cares and responsibilities, not all the festivities of our own devising may cause it to creep away weeping. May the joy and spirit of Christmas stay with us now and forever. In the name of Jesus, who came to save His people from their sins, even in that lovely name we pray. Amen
RUDOLPH’S COOKIE KISSES 1 cup softened margarine 1 tsp. vanilla 2/3 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup flour 1/4 cup cocoa powdered sugar
1 bag (9 oz.) chocolate kisses
DIRECTIONS: Beat margarine, sugar & vanilla until it is creamy. In separate bowl, stir together flour and cocoa. Blend into other mixture, mixing well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls, then bake on cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar. Makes 4 1/2 dozen
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS Steve: Sort my huge boxes of business cards into categories and keep them upto-date as I get new ones . Amy: To spend more time on my crafts and genealogy. Amber: To learn how to write cursive. Family: To institute a “family night” and stick to it!