Canyon Life

<sup>The Roman Emperor Claudius II was fighting many wars. He wanted a
strong army, but many men did not want to be soldiers. Claudius thought
the men wanted to stay home to be with their wives and children instead
of leaving to fight wars.
Claudius thought of an awful solution to his problem. He decided to cancel
all marriages! No one in all of Rome could get married. Claudius thought
that if the men couldn’t get married, the men would ignore the women
and want to be soldiers.
Valentine, who was a priest, believed that people needed to get married.
He thought that if they were not married, they would be tempted to sin by
living together without being married. So he secretly and illegally married
couples anyway! He performed the weddings in secret places, so the
Roman soldiers would not find out.
But they did find out. Valentine was arrested and brought before the
Emperor. The Emperor thought Valentine was a well spoken and wise
young man, and encouraged him to stop being a Christian and become a
loyal Roman. Valentine would not deny his beliefs, and he refused. He was
sent to prison until he could be executed. While he was in prison, he sent
out letters to his friends and asked to be prayed for by writing Remember
your Valentine.
Valentine was killed on the 14th or the 24th of February in the year 269 or
270. We celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th in honor of St.
Valentine.
Although it is not known whether this legend is factually true, it is a good
story anyway. It is nice to think of someone who believed in marriage and
was willing to risk death to do what he believed was right.</sup>

I recently read a series of books about Christian martyrdom that took place forty years after the death of Christ. People who wouldn't recant what they knew to be truth, saw Jesus after his death, rise into heaven. Did you know that over five hundred people witnessed that event? These people stood up for their belief that Jesus was the son of God, even when facing all sorts of torture. Being fed to lions in an arena for sport, covering men and women in pitch to be human torches at the arena, beheadings, crucifixions, starvation, beatings, just to name a few. Emperors like Nero, who would not tolerate religious freedom, especially Christianity. He wanted all the people to worship him! A man, who murdered innocent people, castrated little boys and dressed them up as women so he could marry them, tortured children, and much worse. Even now, in the middle east, people are not allowed to worship the Christian God. If you are a Muslim, and convert to Christianity, you will be put in jail. This happens today. You can be killed if you profess Jesus as Messiah. In North Korea, the people are required to bow down to their leader at various times throughout the day. Even in America, religious freedoms are slowly being revoked. ESPECIALLY Christianity. And no, don't lump Christians in with that horrible baptist church in the south, or churches that say they can predict the end, or preach hate, they are not Christians. The bible promised this would happen. Jesus told us that the world will HATE you, if you believe in me. Gauge your own reaction to what I write, does reading this paragraph make you think me a fool for calling Jesus my savior? If I said I love Allah, you would not have the same reaction. Why is that?

Holidays are now behind us, again. That season went by so fast! Kids are back in school, schedules are back on track. January is here, and with it comes a weird wave of warm weather. I think it was 84 degrees yesterday! Not that I'm complaining, I like the ups and downs of California weather, you just never know what you are going to get. I do miss the seasons, like we had in Nevada, but I will say, it's kinda fun to go swimming in the ocean in the winter. A little sunshine does me good.

Today they are burying my grandpa, I can't go, it's way up north, but I'm thinking and praying for my family today. They are saying goodbye to the last of that generation in our family. I'll always remember fondly my grandpa's old Navy tattoos. They were scandalous!

Here's another set of random pictures from my phone. Maybe someday I'll use a real camera. Maybe not.

Here's sweet little Mr. Darcy, who is now getting along with all the dumb dogs and taking over as alpha male of the canyon house. Cats do that.

Irvine Spectrum, all lit up and pretty.

Christmas morning, at my ex mother in laws for her annual brunch. We do this every year, she makes the best waffles and candied bacon. This year my dad came along, we went to church first and opened presents in the afternoon when we got home. Worked out well.

New Year's Eve at Brett's sisters house. We went to church, barbequed some burgers, played some games. Lovely night with family.

I remembered to take a picture of our tree this year. Not sure why I think that's important.

Mr. Darcy is the reason I had to take the tree down in a hurry. He got really good, really fast, at climbing to the top and knocking down all the ornament. Two glass ones broke, which would not have been a big deal, but they were made by my recently deceased grandma, and that's the only thing I have of hers.

My favorite pain in the booty niece, working on NYE. Make me a mocha!!!

We took Brett's sister and brother in law out for an NYE ride in the desert. I believe they liked it. 

A small portion of the tri tip I prepared and grilled for the wedding we catered. I think I stood at the grill for five hours. 52 pounds of beef, thirty chicken breasts, grilled corn on the cob, grilled bacon wrapped shrimp. Phew. I love serving like this.

In other news, this squirrel was watching me take a shower yesterday. Perv.

Got a call today. Grandpa Dean has passed away, they found him around noon today. Four months after the love of his life died. I know I've heard of that happening with couples, but still, I'm in shock. 

Grandpa was a sweet man. He was 71. Praise God, his hope was in Jesus. We'll meet again.

Here's cousin Jill with Grandpa in October I think.

Grandpa and some other family, my dad is there, all the way on the right. Grandpa was my dads stepdad, from his teenage years on. Thanks God, for sending Grandpa to us.

November's long gone, we're already smack dab in the middle of December. Sheesh. I can't keep up. I just got back from the airport, my mother in law should be safely to Reno by now, kids are asleep (I think), Brett's in bed with a yucky virus. I just started some Christmas shopping tonight, all online, I don't like shopping in stores much. Who needs to, when amazon has free shipping? 

I think I will stick to random picture posts for awhile. I can't seem to sit down long enough to actually structure a real blog post, not that I'm that proficient at it to begin with. No matter!

Brett and his sister drove to Reno a few weeks ago to see their momma, then they ran into a storm on the way home. I miss snow, but I don't miss driving in it all that much.

Sharon and I. Disneyland passes are so much fun during the Christmas season. We just stroll and people watch. Coffee, a beautiful sister, cheery atmosphere.

We can't stop with the moustaches. We just can't.

Awwww. This is my sweet cousin Alex, she visited last week. She's 17, loves horses and roller coasters. Love her. Alex is autistic, Disneyland is one of her very favorite places to visit. They give her the pass that allows her to skip waiting in lines. Feels like cheating.

Alex's sister Samantha and their momma, my stinker of a cousin Jennefer. Last year around this time, Jen was finishing up her chemo and radiation for cervical cancer. She's been cancer free for a few months!

Lisa and I. I think we were at the Christmas Coffee.

Tower of Terror, Jennefer has great hair. Me, not so much. Someday I will have long and flowing hair, perhaps it will be blonde. Perhaps I will quit making that face in pictures.

Perhaps I won't stop making that face in pictures. At least Sam looks cute.

That big wind storm last week, buncha trees landed on my porch. One put a big hole in the roof. We were not as bad off as all my family in Arcadia, they were without power for days, looks like a disaster zone up there. I don't think they've seen a storm like that in decades.

The Christmas Coffee centerpieces, Lisa made 65 of these. Beautiful!

The nieces and nephews came out yesterday to visit with Brett's momma and make Christmas cookies. I think this has become somewhat of a tradition.

Kids Music Team at church, learning some new songs. So blessed to work where I do.

I'm too busy to blog, and a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Women's Retreat, Palm Springs, my friend and I prepared food and served 300 women. So fun. My favorite thing was the dessert nachos.

I moustache you a question....

Partners in crime, when it comes to all things food.

I'm my yard last week.

Fall Fest. Brett worked his butt off for this event, 13,000 people showed up. Awesome.

James making balloon animals at Fall Fest. His costume made him quite popular.

James as Santa, Matt as a video game character, Tyler didn't really have a name for his deal. And my brother David. The bunny suit from Donnie Darko.

A lil creepy. Dave stopped to visit on his way to AZ for a skydiving event. He DJed.

Disneyland with Brett's sister and girls.

Boys doing something. Together.

S'mores inside out thingy.