Christmas can be such an interesting time. We get together with family, exchange presents, eat lots of food, and should be celebrating the birth of the Son of the Most High. It should be a happy, joy filled time, bursting with thankfulness towards EL SHADDAI at the very least. Yet for so many people its an uncomfortable, semi-joyous time. You may or may not get what you want, you have to be civil towards your relatives (who you don't really like) and celebrating when Christ chose to bind Himself to a weak, human form is far from their minds.
I'm not sure what the point of all that was but there it is.

For me this Christmas (and every one preceding it) was a very good one. I started reading a book about church membership and discipline, which I am just barely in to but really looking forward to. I also received for Christmas the Johnathan Edwards Essential series, which I am also really looking forward to reading. I am also getting a new pair of cowboy boots which I really need. As well as several other good things, including the first CD from the Welcome Wagon. If you haven't heard them, you should go do that, NOW! Anyway, it was a good Christmas. 

Another thing that made it a good time was that after Christmas, my dad, brother and I went down to my dad's cousins ranch to go hunting. Before anyone gets on me for hunting let me lay a few things out first. I hunt for meat, not for sport. We hunt so that we can have another source of meat. Also, killing one of God's creatures is not an easy thing to do. However, it is within our Biblical rights, and God provided His creatures to nourish us. I am thankful for what He has given, and it was a reminder that what He has given is precious, and that He has provided for us. 

It was also a time to marvel at God's creation. If any of you have been to South Texas you know it that is a bleak, one might say even desolate place. At the same time it is amazing to look at the plants, and animals that God has designed to survive in such land. There are even small bits of color that God has made to brighten up everything else.We can choose to look at the world around us as mundane, or we can marvel at what God has created, even in the little things.

Here are a few photos from our trip. Some are from near my grandparents house.





We shall meet down the road.

P.S. My candy cane attacked me today. Watch out for them, they be deadly.