[all I got for chirstmas...]

Hello again, fellow readers! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm sure you understand, though. With Christmas passing over, I figured not many people will be reading others blogs  :) If you were trying to read, I apologize. I wasn't meaning to be one of those bloggers that doesn't post just because they don't feel like it  :P


Anyway, a few days ago I posted "All I Want For Christmas" on my blog, and as a note on my facebook profile. Well, today, I am going to do... "All I Got For Christmas" and here it goes...


I got...



a lap desk with a light...



neon pink converse all star...
this is a bad picture though, considering that I didn't get high tops...



paint!!!



$20 cash....



an iTunes gift card ($15)...


and before I post this next picture, you may want to know
that my dad used to be in a band, and I really want to sing when
I get older, so I have a karaoke, a recording 4-track, 3 microphones
and now....



a microphone stand!


and also...



a voice changer for my mics...



a new phone, an LG Rumor Touch/ purple...


and a few other things that are smaller such as candy...


Well, I have to go  :) 
See ya',
Anna Marin

[oh, the joy of christmas cards!]

How many of you made a Christmas card? My family did, and here is it (we have 7 kids, and 2 adults... with one on the way, and adopting as well  :) )

(Copywrite to original owner)

[sounds of the season...]

!!!MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE EVERYONE!!!

(PS: the above photo came from Olivia Collin's blog Horse Feathers: http://ofhorsefeathers.blogspot.com/)


How many of you are just obsessed with Christmas music and carols? I am!!!
Okay... I meant the kind of "obsessed" as where you think about them all the time and are singing them 24/7!!! Yeah, that's me....


Some of my favorite Christmas carols have significant meanings from long ago, where they originated from. I am only going to name one, but however, know there are many many more than any of you will ever in a million years care to read about (wink, wink)...

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Most of you (hopefully) know the song that begins, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." Yeah! That's the one! The other day while I was at my best friend, Carmen (we run a blog together called the Barefoot Sisters: http://barefootsisters.blogspot.com)'s house, her mother read us the meaning of The 12 Days Of Christmas:

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A Partridge in a Pear Tree
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Two Turtle Doves
The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Three French Hens
The Three Theological Virtues:  1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Four Calling Birds
The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Five Gold Rings
The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch:  1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Six Geese A-laying
The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Seven Swans A-swimming
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Eight Maids A-milking
The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Nine Ladies Dancing
The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness,
6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control.  (Galatians 5:22)

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Ten Lords A-leaping
The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Eleven Pipers Piping
The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James.  (Luke 6:14-16).  The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans.

and last.... but not least...

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Twelve Drummers Drumming
The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.

[all I want for christmas]

This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Leigh Ann (who I have never met in real life) from http://leighannmathews.blogspot.com

... a blogger Christmas wish list... what a great idea... although... I only want one thing for Christmas...


      

So many people this Christmas are going hungry, starving even. So many people this Christmas are going to be shivering out in the cold. So many people this Christmas are going to be killed, or are going to kill themselves. So many children this Christmas are going to be crying. So many soldiers this Christmas are going to be killed because they were defending out country. So many people this Christmas are going to be asking for a couple spare nickles to feed their children, and no one will give it to them because they need it all to buy Christmas gifts for us. None of us need presents this Christmas. Even if we may want them, we have all we need. We have Jesus, food, water, and a safe house. Some people don't have a safe home, water, or food this year, and those are the ones that really need  presents...

The only thing I want for Christmas is that everyone that is safe and has everything they need will pray for those that aren't as fortunate. There is one song that I bought on iTunes that really explains the whole praying concept...

Justin Bieber- Pray

I just can't sleep tonight, 

knowing that things ain't right. 

It's in the papers, it's on the TV, 

it's everywhere that i go. 

Children are crying, soldiers are dying, 

some people don't have a home. 

But i know there's sunshine behind that rain, 

I know there's good times behind that pain (hey) 

Can you tell me how i can make a change? 

I close my eyes, and i can see a better day, 

I close my eyes and pray. 

I close my eyes and i can see a better day, 

I close my eyes and pray. 

I lose my appetite, knowing kids starve tonight 

Am I a sinner? Cause half my dinner, 

Is still there on my plate. 

Ooh i got a vision, to make a difference, 

and it's starting today. 

Cause i know there's sunshine beyond that rain, 

I know there's good times beyond that pain 

Heaven tell me i can make a change. 

I close my eyes, and i can see a better day, 

I close my eyes and pray. 

I close my eyes and i can see a better day, 

I close my eyes and 

I pray for the broken-hearted, 

I pray for the life not started. 

I pray for all the ones not breathing, 

I pray for all the souls in need. 

I pray, can you give em one today? 

I just can't sleep tonight, 

Can someone tell me how to make a change? 

I close my eyes, and i can see a better day, 

I close my eyes and pray, (Ooh) 

I close my eyes and i can see a better day, 

I close my eyes and i pray, (ooh) 

I pray, I pray 

I close my eyes and pray

Justin finally wrote a great song with a fantastic message! I'm a believer (or a... belieber) that we can all do great things if we try our best!!! You go Justin!