The Third Day of Christmas

The first 'gift' was completely spiritual, the second- well, sorta, and the third... well... it is certainly important enough to mention!

I keep on my iphone (I found its first flaw today- you must take your gloves off in 20 degree weather to use the touch screen- they need to fix that) the current temperature for Wichita Falls, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and Rochester, New York. I do this because all of my family lives in one of these four places... because, believe it or not, all except for our small Texas off-shoot, all live relatively close to one another.

Today in Wichita Falls the temperature stayed below 32 all day. In Rochester it hovered near 50 around late noon. I mention this because even though they were shockingly warmer than us all day, I never once wished to trade anyone places.

So... today I reflect on the gift of my Texas birth. If these gifts are about things that have had a great importance in my life then this one surely has. Early in the month of February I was born in a small north Texas town- thank you Jesus!

To a lot of people in the United States this means nothing; however, to Texans it means everything. This gift brings about a multitude of joys: the knowledge of good food; the ability to strike up a conversation about the weather with someone I don't know; the joy of living in a conservative state; knowing the social rules of leaving a crowded parking lot; and knowing how to make a delicious glass of 'sun tea.'

I have visited New York, as well as many other states, and I am so happy I live in a place where even at Christmas we are still a little slower than most. Even the long lines in Texas are so much happier than in other places. It is just a wonderful place to be.

We may not have very much snow or any of that 'white Christmas' stuff they sing about- which is perfectly fine with me because I HATE winter and cold weather anyway- but there is no other place I would rather call 'home.'