December 2004 Post 4

Merry Christmas & welcome to theFourth Edition of The Patterson PostChristmas Newsletter. For those of you

that are new to this publication we have been doing thisfor the last three years instead of Christmas cards. Webelieve this is more personal as it allows us to catch upwith those we lost touch with this year.

AMBERilovescoobydoo@usexpress.net

This summer Amber spent 2 weeks in Michigan with hergrandparents. Upon returningshe had six teeth pulled tomake room for the new ones. InAugust she started the first grade and herfavorite subjects are gym, library, music, art and saying“The Pledge of Allegiance.” Amber is learning to readmore & more words and books every day! She dressedup as a bride for Halloween this year. Amber evenattended her first UT football game (vs. Alabama)courtesy of Steve’s boss! Go Vols!

STEVEstevep@cardeologist.comhttp://www.cardeologist.comhttp://www.stevezdesignz.com

Steve is still working forPremiere Publishing (TheKnoxville Journal). Steve got totake pictures at the most of thehome football games forTennessee. Steve is still collect-ing business cards. He has had 2 articles and 2 letters toeditors published in 4 different newspapers (2 inTennessee, 1 Ohio and 1 Arizona). Steve was also on“Alive At Five” October 13 on WBIR (NBC) and the 6a.m. news on October 14 in Knoxville for his businesscard collection. Steve has also been promised to be on a radio broadcast in England. Steve hopes to get 1million one day! So remember to save those businesscards for Steve and send them to him today! Steve got2 web sites this year. One for his freelance graphicdesign and the other for his business card collection.Steve has also had the joy of kidney stones twice thisyear! Yuck!

Amybestwishes@usexpress.nethttp://imateacher.itgo.com

This year as I sat to write myyear’s highlights I drew a blank andasked Steve and Amber what I did allyear. Steve couldn’t think of muchand Amber replied, “paid thebills.” How true and honest.Most of my year was spenttaking care of the family, theapartment and working, but I did manage to teachmyself to make bracelets with glass bead and decoratecakes like my mom used to do. I was finally able tosqueeze in a trip home to see my parents, grandparentsand even my best friend and her family. Her little girlis the sweetest. But other than that I guess I have justbeen “paying the bills.”

MISSYWell this year has been a whirl-

wind for me. I was declawed andfixed and had to get shots all atthe same time. Talk about a badweekend! I didn’t like the new kit-tens my owner brought home and Ishowed her by “missing” the litter-box a few times. So this nice familytook me in on Labor Day weekend.I like it here, especially now thatthey switched vets, but I wished theshort one would stop squeezing me andgrabbing my tail. So far I like playing with the featheron the stick and my ball with the bell inside. I like tosleep on my kitty condo, the towel shelf and on the pil-low above Amy’s head. What a simple, yet grand life Ilead! Meow!

LEGEND OFTHE POINSETTIAA charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl

who had no gift to present the Christ Child at ChristmasEve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel withher cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness ratherthan joy.

“I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, ifgiven in love, will be acceptable in His eye.” said Pedro.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the road-side and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioningthem into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunchof weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed thanever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back atear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro’skind words: “Even the most humble gift, if given in love,will be acceptable in His eyes.” She felt her spirit lift as sheknelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.

Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms ofbrilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that theyhad witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.

From that day on, the bright red flowers were known asthe Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night,for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!

NEWYEARS RESOLUTIONSSteve: Sort my huge boxes of business cards into cat-

egories and keep them up-to-date as I get new ones .Amy: To spend more time on

my crafts and genealogy.Amber: To learn how to write

cursive.Family: To institute a “family

night” and stick to it!

CHRISTMASBy Peter Marshall

We yearn, our Father, for thesimple beauty of Christmas –for all the old familiarmelodies and words thatremind us of that greatmiracle when He who hadmade all things was one night tocome as a babe, to lie in the crookof a woman’s arm.

Before such mystery we kneel, as we follow the shep-herds and Wise Men to bring Thee the gift of our love– a love we confess has not always been as warm tosincere or real as it should have been. But now, on thisChristmas Day, that love would find its Beloved, andfrom Thee receive the grace to make it pure again,warm and real.

And we do pray, Lord Jesus, that as we celebrate Thybirthday, we do it in a manner well pleasing to Thee.May all we do and say, every tribute of our hearts,bring honor to Thy name, that we, Thy people, mayremember Thy birth and feel Thy presence among useven yet.

May the loving kindness of Christmas not only creepinto our hearts, but there abide, so that not even thereturn to early cares and responsibilities, not all the fes-tivities of our own devising may cause it to creep awayweeping. May the joy and spirit of Christmas stay withus now and forever.

In the name of Jesus, who came to save His peoplefrom their sins, even in that lovely name we pray.

Amen

RUDOLPH’SCOOKIE KISSES

1 cup softened margarine1 tsp. vanilla2/3 cup sugar

1 2/3 cup flour1/4 cup cocoapowdered sugar

1 bag (9 oz.) chocolate kisses

DIRECTIONS:Beat margarine, sugar & vanilla until it is creamy. In separate bowl, stir togetherflour and cocoa. Blend into other mixture, mixing well. Refrigerate for about 1 houror until dough is easy to handle. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each kiss,covering completely. Shape into balls, then bake on cookie sheet for 10 to 12 min-utes or until set. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar.

Makes 4 1/2 dozen