Thanks for the kind word, you guys. I love sharing the history of the area...as much as I love learning of it. I've never been called a "great asset" before............but, I have been called a great A..., ah, never mind. As I made contact with a lot of great people out there, in my endeavor in researching history, I learned how different they can be. One of my favorites is Margaret (Pinetree)...Imagine my surprise when I offered her elk steak, only to find out that she is an Elk lover. Despite some differences, we tend to get along okay.
When some people read my stuff, they think I am totally wrong, even though I'm supporting things with facts; others read it and slap me on the back, amazed at the facts that I used...even though there were a few times that I was pushing a 5 on the "Liar, Liar Pants on Fire" meter.
What I am trying to say is that sharing history and legend of our hometown is a blast for me, and it seems to bring different folks together as they read that history. Because I love my hometown, I will never tire of talking to others about it.
I received word from a friend of mine up north that it's Christmas time up there, too. In the season of brotherly love...brought forth by a Savior born this day, my partner fell head-over-heals for someone that was different then he...in a story called Christmas Love:
Josh is a ranch hand, and the last snow filled the back of his work truck with snow. The snow added weight to the bed, preventing his truck from fishtailing over ice. After concluding a trip to town for supplies, he spied a group of Gothic-style dressed teens helping themselves to the snow in his truck bed. Feeling a little peeved, he said to them, "Look, it you're gonna take the snow, at least take off all that arm and hand jewelry...you're scratching the truck!"
Smiling, the group did so, and then started a free-for-all snowball fight. Josh joined in. It didn't take long for the truck bed to be emptied of all its snow, the parking lot to be littered with broken snowballs, and a large group of teenagers to be exhausted from all the play. Including a ranch hand named Josh. He looked over and saw a girl his own age, breathing heavy and sweating from the snowball fun. She shook a little from the cold, and Josh gave her his coat. He cast another look her way and noticed that her make-up had been mostly erased by the snowball fight. "Hey, you're kinda pretty. I think I love ya." His face turned red when he realized it was too late to withdraw the words that seemed to tumble out of his mouth. Through a makeup smeared face, Kathy mumbled back, "Yes, I know." She stuffed a snowball down the back of his shirt. Josh must of done something right, they are going on their fifth year of marriage this month.
May this Christmas bring you joy, laughter and fulfillment as you celebrate it. For it was a Savior who was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid down in a manger who brought a gift that is beneficial to all of us...no matter how different we are.
