I heard the bells...

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
  And wild and sweet
  The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said:
  “For hate is strong,
  And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
  The Wrong shall fail,
  The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
  A voice, a chime,
  A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And the bells they’re ringing
Like a choir they’re singing
And with our hearts we’ll hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

Do you hear the bells they’re ringing?
The life the angels singing
Open up your heart and hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

adapted from “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and
“I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” by Casting Crowns.

Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to you all.

My mom is the best

Aside from the usual reasons most people love their mothers, I love my mom because a large chunk of my sense of fun comes from her, and for me, the whole gaming thing comes from her. It has a lot to do with her ability to maintain a childlike nature throughout her life.

After my wife and I put our kids to bed here on Christmas Eve (well, it was when I started this post), my mom gets these huge presents out of a closet, handing one to my dad, my wife and me. “You have to open these now,” she says. Okay...

A few minutes later, the three of us are firing away at each other with our brand-spanking-new Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 blasters while my mom took pictures. LOL What a blast! (Yes, that’s my wife screaming a battle cry as she charged around the corner at me. At least, I think that’s what happened—it’s all a blur... :-)

Thanks, mom. You’re the best!