Random Christmas Eve Morning Thoughts:

We Joiners have been running like crazy on most days leading up to Christmas (tomorrow). Here are some loosely-connected random thoughts regarding the season. I hope these thoughts will take the place of our usual Christmas email post.

• Julie (julie.hammer@cabcwaco.org) and Clint (chammer@stromaviation.com) will welcome Caleb Lee Hammer into the world some time in February. Julie continues to serve Columbus Avenue Baptist Church as Children's Minister. Clint's work at Strom Aviation continues to amaze me. The boss calls Clint with an urgent message to find 25 guys who can be at work in four days. Clint says, "No problemo." I'm proud of Clint and Julie. 
• Matt (mjoiner@wc.edu) has been promoted. He is now the Director of Decatur's Weatherford College (www.wc.edu) campus. Kelly (kdjoiner@gmail.com) continues to be the absolute best caregiver/nurse in the labor and delivery section of Denton's Regional Hospital. Trinity and Reagan are thriving! 
• If you're a Facebook junkie, check out Matt's page: 
• Julie's page is here:
• One of my good friends believes I'm having a "kid moment" because I, too, have a Facebook page. Guess so. Here it is:
• I'm not sure if you're required to "become friends" (sign up for Facebook) in order to see the pages, but it's worth a try. I've re-discovered a lot of old friends on Facebook. You might want to join!
• Mother continues to amaze us. She has lots of conditions, aches, pains, and fears associated with being 96 years old, but she keeps on going. I try to avoid arriving at Governor's Ridge mid morning when she's waking up. She wobbles and totters quite a bit as she greets the day. Scares me. She still loves to visit with friends and family members on the phone. If you're lucky, she'll hear the ring (940-627-1281) or see the strobe light blinding nearly anyone (not Mother...she's almost blind already) and answer the phone. If you're really lucky, we'll phone you on my cell phone (940-399-8863) and talk a while.
• Jo's teaching 1/2 a day at the high school...helping old friend Jason Sneed administer the high school choral program at DHS. She has several voice students.
• I (Gerre) have several voice students and continue to help in small ways at the funeral home. I am serving as interim music minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Lewisville.
• I'm preparing to teach an online Music Appreciation course this spring for Weatherford College. I've been feeling overwhelmed with the thoughts of managing this abstract classroom, but am starting to feel okay about the prospects.
• I've been having fun making simple movies with Picasa3. You may want to download it, find out how easily movies are made, and thank me later. You might want to send me your photos, let me make a movie for you (like the simple ones below), and pay me later.
• I have a short list of chores to take care of before Christmas guests arrive, so I'll scoot. I'm trusting the God Who made everything that was made to bless you with every good and perfect gift in 2009. He has a good plan for our lives. Looks like we might have some rough economic sailing in the near future. Reminds me of an old gospel song. Pardon the editing: "In times like these, we need a Savior. In times like these, we need an anchor. Be very sure. Be very sure your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock. This rock is Jesus. Yes, He's the One. This Rock is Jesus..the only One. I'm very sure. I'm very sure my anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock." 
• Jesus changed everything. 

Friday Evening Thoughts

Here's what I'm thinking about on this Friday evening:

• We live in a beautiful Decatur neighborhood. Yesterday, a bunch of nomads taped a flyer on our front door that said, "Don't be the only house in your neighborhood without Christmas lights." We're not the only ones in the "hood" without lights, but there aren't many. Jo couldn't take it. She and 4 year old grandbaby Trinity plugged in the lighted reindeer which I'd chunked out of the attic a few days ago and strung some rope lights to accent the sidewalk. They were proud of their work. I was busy in my office. I wasn't too interested. I'm still not too interested. Maybe now the nomads will leave us alone.
• Went to Mother's place today. She was still asleep at 9:00, so I turned on a lamp and started a crossword. She woke up 30 minutes after I arrived, we visited a minute, and she started shuffling arouind to start the day.  She wobbled and totterd until she finally got her legs under her so she could take a shower and start the day. I'm realizing every day how weak she and frail she is.
• Started thinking today of Robert Young in San Antonio. Bob is the son of my dad's sister. We haven't been good about staying in touch through the years. I phoned Bob this evening and had a great visit about his kids and their achievements. I got Bob's email address and look forward to re-connecting with this part of my family.
• I sang for a Christmas program earlier this week. Phoned the man who asked me to sing and asked, "Is it okay if I bring a date tonight?" He said, "Sure."  I took Trinity Grace Joiner, my grandbaby. She was a doll. I was so proud of her. I stood her up in a chair and sang, "The Christmas Song" to her for my last song. Good times. As we were driving back from the event, Trinity said, "Granddaddy, you forgot to sing 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.'" (We had sung it in the pickup on the way to the program.) I had chosen to "cut" Rudolph from my part of the program, and Trinity missed it a lot.  Soo.......I  made a recording (a bad one with a lot of "hiss") and put some pictures (Trinity, Reagan, Mother, etc.) to the music. Find it here.
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• Getting late for us old people. It's 9:00 on a Friday night.  Hope all is wel where you are.

-gerre-

A movie for you. Mother is the star!

Click on the video and watch.

Here are the folks in the photos:

• Mother
• Carol
• Karen (Carol's oldest daughter)
• Jessica (Karen's oldest daughter)
• Owen Grady 
• Gerre and Jo
• Matt and Kelly
• Matt and Kelly's babies (Trinity and Reagan)

The singer's not too hot.