Sunday, November 25, 2012

Finally Made It !

After two previous unsuccessful attempts
we finally made it to Neely's Barbecue Parlor
in New York City.

Parking was quite a challenge again but
we didn't give up and finally snagged a
spot about 2 blocks away.




Here I am can't wait to eat


The restaurant is on a corner and quite large.


A beautiful red chandelier


Neely's merchandise


Memphis ribs and collard greens
So good !


Pulled Pork


Mac & Cheese
This was my favorite of all we ordered


All 3 sauces were so good.
Original - Sweet & Spicy



The inside was really nice






Gina & Pat Neely



Saturday, November 24, 2012

Sea Bright NJ

Hubby took me on a ride today.
We drove down what is called
Ocean Avenue.
This road runs right down along the ocean.
From Sea Bright to Belmar.
Oh my gosh.
As much as I saw on TV what happened.
As much as I saw on facebook photos.
As much as people told me about these town.
Seeing it with my own eyes and knowing
how it looked this summer was shocking!

The photos are great because I was in the a moving car.
This was a beach club.



Every house for miles had debris piled high.
You drive past and see a families life.
Valuable, memories - We saw many folks
working and digging through the debris hoping
for anything that could be saved.


piles of debris



Every store boarded up


So sad, instead of summer umbrellas and sun tents
there are now, Military tents housing national guardsmen
helping with the restoration.


Piles and piles of debris


Trees uprooted, sand piles everywhere


These are cabanas from the beach club. Hard to see in the
photo but they are tilted almost 1/2 way over



This is Monmouth Beach Community Center



What use to be the lovely boardwalk to walk - piles of debris.
Not one single board left to walk on.


We drove past the pavilion in Belmar where we always
have the Walk For Life. It is right on the boardwalk and
is really lovely.  We just did the walk on Sept 30th.

 

120 Walkers representing 29 churches raised a total $41,855

Here are the photos I took




Here we are before we headed off !


Who would have ever imagined just 4 weeks later this
entire Pavilion would be gone and the entire boardwalk gone!


Now all you see are safety fences and sand. Not one
single piece of this boardwalk remains.
I saw walkers today walking in the road on pavement.


Here is a video showing the wonderful work of
Calvary Chapel to help folks:
You will see a Pastor in the end Bruce& Karen Koczmen.
I use to attend their church before I married and now go to
my husbands fellowship. They are doing wonderful work.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfXhYdzWUV8

Friday, November 23, 2012

Black Friday - Not Me !

I never participate in the "Black Friday"
shopping madness.

I can't handle the crowds and really
just don't need anything that bad. HAH

I prefer peace over sales. hah

I have spent the last several Black Fridays
decorating our home.  Hubby usually
has to work so I take advantage and
decorate !

Christmas Tree 2012 !



Our Christmas Village
I want to live here such fun!



Sweet little Nativity



Carolin' Kids


Hubby bought me these dolls on our first Christmas.
I love them. They are old looking.
It was a total surprise.
Showed me he pays attention to my taste.



Total apartment view



Stocking were hung by the fire . . .


Lights on view


Love snowmen, Santa from Polar Express,
Bunny is velveteen rabbit my Grandmother bought me years ago.
The reindeer was always under my tree as a child.


Okay Santa I'm ready ; )

I love this story. 



I bought the Macy's Virginia this year !

 
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

But most important what did sweet Linus remind us:




Luke 2:2-14

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,[a] who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving 2012



On this day of thanksgiving
I wanted to post the top 10
things I am most thankful for:

1) My Lord and Savior Jesus

For God so love the world, that
he gave His only son that whosoever
believes in Him shall not perish,
but have everlasting life.
John 3:16


2) my bible

Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and

rejoicing of my heart
Jeremiah 15:16


3) my husband and marriage

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
 and he receives favor from the LORD.
Proverbs 18:22


4) my family

How he blesses them! They raise large families there,
 and their herds of livestock increase.
Psalm 107:38


5) my home

I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill.
And in the proper season I will send the showers they need.
There will be showers of blessing.
Ezekiel 34:26


6) my health

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart;
good news makes for good health. 
Proverbs 15:30


7) my friends

When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes.
In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!
Job 42:10


8) my job

And my God will supply every need of yours
according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19



9) my Solomon, my treasure in heaven

Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy,
and thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:20


10) my church

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do,
but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25








Beautiful song on giving thanks !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1WmzRxBGFY






Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
I Chronicles 16:8