Now I'm done

I told you yesterday that I was finished with the Cowboys.

But then I heard about this.

It touched me deeply.

Now I'm done.

Happy New Year.

Final Thoughts

I must say that I was totally embarrassed.

By what you may be asking? By this.

Now I know what you're thinking. It's just a football game. It's not the end of the world. And you know what? You're probably right. It's been a few days and the world hasn't ended. But it still left a sick feeling inside.

It's the first time in a long time that I've turned off a Cowboys game before halftime. I just needed a break. Only then to turn it on for a few moments in the third quarter and see one of the 5 turnovers that led to touchdowns for the Eagles. I then decided that I had had enough.

Enough of Tony Romo. Enough of Terrell Owens. Enough of Wade Phillips. Enough of Jason Garrett. Enough of Jerry Jones. Enough football for the year. Enough of the Cowboys.

That is, until next year. And I'll be sucked in once again to all of the hope, hype and drama.

Merry Christmas

I hope that all of you are having a very Merry Christmas.

Desperate Kid

Very funny. So, how far would you go to get the present you want?

(Facebook users may need to click view original post to see the picture)

Early Christmas

Christmas came early to our house. Since we'll be traveling later this week and be gone on Christmas day, Santa came early and dropped off the presents.

So today we sat around in the living room and read the Christmas story in Luke and prayed together. Then we jumped into the presents. And let me say there was a pile for each of my kids to open....they must have been extra good this year.

Let me just say, as my kids get older it's so much fun watching them open their gifts. It's like each one is a brand new adventure. My son just rips it open and tries to see as quickly as possible what is hiding under the paper while my daughter who is now 8 just opens a little bit of the paper and tries to figure it out that way.

And after each gift we'd get a few screams about how great the gift was and then it was on to the next one. On and on we went. But once the presents were done neither of the kids got the one present they really wanted. You know the one they specifically asked Santa for.

Maybe this was mean, but we kept their main present inside our room hidden from them until the end. Then I gave them the message that there was one more present waiting for them inside my room. They each ran in and grabbed the final present and brought it back to the living room to open. And then the fun really started. Alexis was brought to tears and Caden was jumping around the room yelling.

It's always incredible to see your kids open the gifts they really want. I know they probably have way too much stuff, but it's really fun to see them open gifts.

We are truly blessed. Thank you Lord for my wonderful family.

No Line on the Horizon

It's official. It's coming March 3rd. The new album from U2:

No Line on the Horizon

Nice.

The Nativity

How much do you know about the Christmas story?



(Facebook users will need to click view original post to see the above video)

Christmas Gifts

My wife is one of the hardest people to buy Christmas presents for. It's not that she's picky, she's just not into getting "stuff." It's easy to buy presents for my kids (And I've probably done too much of that). But she really is happy with what she has.

I know what you're thinking...what??? A wife that doesn't want diamonds or pearls or a new Lexus? What's that all about?

That's one of the great things about her. She's never been consumed with getting more "stuff." And I have to admit, that's something I've never been good at. It just seems that the more I see, the more I want. But not her, she really knows the difference between something she needs and something she wants.

So that leads to this Christmas. I'm in the middle of trying to buy her something great for Christmas. As you may know, I've already purchased her something but my son couldn't keep it a secret. So now I'm a week away from Christmas and it's like I'm starting from scratch.

She has given me a few things on a list. Even circled a few things in a catalog so I wouldn't get the wrong thing. But here's a small conversation we had last night before we went to bed:

Me: "So is there like one thing you can think of that you would like for Christmas?"
Her: "Well, I was thinking that it would be great to have a Composter.
Me: "What?"
Her: "Well, I just made soup tonight and I hate getting rid of all the waste from the vegetables, it would be great to use them for something. And we could use the compost as fertilizer on the lawn."
Me: "Is that something Target carries or do I have to make my own?"

So I'm on the look out for a great composter. Forget jewelry or clothes.

So, Merry Christmas Crystal. You're the best wife a man could ask for...I love you.

Christmas Tree

I know it's late, but we finally put up the Christmas Tree. Check out the video below for all the details.


Christmas Tree from Marc Cauthon on Vimeo.

(Facebook users may need to click view original post to view the video)

(Thanks Los for the great idea)

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Stop and take a minute to watch this video from CNN. You may want to grab a Kleenex first...

Click Here.

What do you want for Christmas this year?

Twists

I like to watch movies. I really love the experience of seeing a movie in the theater. (Although I much rather the "experience" of paying only a dollar at the red box!) And when a new movie is coming that I really want to see, I mark it on my calendar and let Crystal know that it's coming. I try and avoid reading too much stuff about this new movie because I don't want to spoil anything before I see it. And I make Crystal go to the movie with me if not on opening night then on the first weekend.

And maybe you're like me, but while I'm watching the movie I like to try and figure out what's going on. Now let me explain before you get too upset, I don't tell the people next to me what I think is going to happen, it's like a little game I play inside my head. It seems that most movies follow the same themes.

But sometimes, there are movies that make you think you're heading one direction and then suddenly they go somewhere else. Maybe it's a special twist (I see Dead People, Luke, I'm your Father, Sweep the leg...oh wait, that's the Karate Kid!) or an unexpected turn in the plot, but the movie takes you somewhere you weren't expecting to go.

And when I walk out of those movies, it's almost like my breath has been taken away. It was like I lost this challenge in trying to figure out the movie. The director and writers kept me in the dark. I tend to talk about those twists and turns with other people. Even when I didn't like the movie I have to admit that I couldn't figure it out.

Now in life and with God things seem to work this way too, right? We pray about things and it looks like God has us moving a certain way. And since we're so smart about everything, we can almost predict what should come next. It's like we're sitting in the movie called "Life" and we're figuring out inside our head what should come next. It just makes sense right?

But then in Life an unexpected twist happens. And if I'm honest with myself, a lot of the time I don't like the new twist. It's not the logical place to go next. Doesn't God know that I've already figured this thing out? This is how the miracle should happen, this is where Life should go next. Then I complain to God, I question, I argue and complain some more.

But then I'm reminded in such a subtle little way that He is still God. And the question is, "Do I believe that?" Even when I don't understand this new "plot" in life or the direction things are going I have to understand and believe that He is still God.

I still trust Him.
I still believe Him.
I still pray.
I learn to keep my eyes on Him.

I don't need to try and figure everything out, He has that part under control. My job is a job of faith. (And what a HUGE job that is!)

So I still go to movies, even when the movie takes me places I never knew I'd go.
And I still pray. Even when God takes me down roads that I never knew I'd have to go.
And I still believe. That everything works according to His plan and purpose.

How about you?