Keeping Christmas

Keeping Christmas (HT Gunnar Simonsen)

Henry Van Dyke

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There is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.



Are you willing...



• to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you;



• to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world;



• to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground;



• to see that men and women are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy;



• to own up to the fact that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life;



• to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness.



Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.



Are you willing...



• to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children;



• to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old;



• to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;



• to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;



• to try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you;



• to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;



• to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open—



Are you willing to do these things, even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.



Are you willing...



• to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world—



• stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death—



• and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?



Then you can keep Christmas.



And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?



But you can never keep it alone.



- Henry Van Dyke

Posted via email from sawagner30's posterous

Nashville

Wow last week in Nashville was awesome. Austin and I had such a great time. We celebrated his 18th birthday at Morton's. Always an incredible meal. We were also able to catch several concerts. 2 events really stand out. First, I was able to join Austin at Rocketown for Tooth and Nail Records. This was where several of Austin's favorite bands performed. I had finished up with my showcase where we had picked up some awards and found out that his showcase was still going on. So I sent a text to see if he'd mind if I hung out with him. Needless to say we didn't get back to the hotel until 12:30 am. Morning came early and we were so glad for Starbucks.

The second was attending the Dove Awards. I was really fun to see the show through his eyes. I have had the privilege of attending for many years. This was his first. Although we did not win in our categories we had a great time.

It was great being able to introduce Austin to many of my friends in the industry. Next year we hope to have Josh join us. That would be an awesome adventure.

Until next time.

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

Reach

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give everyone a quick status update. Everything is going really with my health. All the docs are very happy which in turn makes me happy. I’ll be seeing my oncologist the first week of June for a scheduled checkup. We will then have a CT Scan to make sure that everything is clear. Please pray for me in the next coming weeks. I have been feeling great which has allowed me to slip into overdrive. I have taken on several projects at once. With that I need to keep up my strength and rest. I will also be traveling more than I have in the past couple of years over the next few months.

I will be heading out to Nashville on Sunday (after attending Austin’s audition for the drumline at Appalachian State) to attend Gospel Music Week. Austin will be making the trip with me. We are going to have a blast. Several of my old record company friends cannot wait to meet him. We will also be attending the Dove Awards. We are up for a couple that night. Austin is hoping that we win our categories so that I’ll have to accept the awards. He thinks that would be great. We will also celebrate his 18th birthday while we’re there. I will also be back in Nashville a couple weeks later because I’ve been elected once again to the board of the CMTA (Christian Music Trade Association). After that I’ll be traveling to Orlando for our annual trade show for a week. In between all that there is Austin’s graduation. I can’t believe where the time has gone.

The other thing is for Austin. He has taken on putting on a benefit concert for 3 groups. He has been planning this for months. There will be 3 bands playing that night. Austin’s band will close the concert. He put this video together and posted it on the website http://www.reachconcert.org . One of the causes is for a mentor of Austin. He has pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting double lung transplant at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. David has been the single biggest influence to Austin throughout his music career. What we’re asking for is prayer. Pray that we will reach the students of Asheville, and Western North Carolina to motivate them to action. Please watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyMQxmlzpiE

Blessings

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

Latest News

It’s been a couple of months. All my test are coming out great. Finally had the port removed from my chest. That’s a really good sign. See the oncologist in another 3 months.

Austin finally settled in on school for the fall. He’ll be going to Appalachian State. It looks like he’ll be majoring in business instead of music. He still wants to be in the marching band there. He goes for auditions in April. That would be really cool for us. ASU opens up against LSU this year.

Josh is doing really well. It looks as if some things may be coming together for him to finally get into the music business. We’ll see how things come together.