HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!

We would like to start today by saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY from all of us at I’m just sayin... to all of you who we call Dad. Dad was born in 1942 (making him even older than KC... WOW). I’m not going to do a big email with different things about him because I’m saving that for his 70th, but I will share a couple of thoughts.

I’ve never known Dad with dark hair.

I have a little scar on my right hand (you can still see it if the light hits it the right way) from when we both went for a foul ball at a James Island High School baseball game back when I was about 10 or 11 years old (his fingernail dug into my hand as I grabbed the ball a split second before him). Odd that I still have that scar after 20 years but I’ve got nothing to show for rolling my truck.

Dad used to like having Doubting Teri scratch his head.

He would yell at us if we tried to tickle his feet.

I once heard Dad and Sonny talk about modifying a big wooden wardrobe to make it an entertainment center. They were speaking in Math, which sounds a lot like English but I couldn’t understand a word they were saying.

Dad knows just enough about computers to want to try and use them.

He’s changed his house enough that only one or two rooms are the same as they were when he and Mom moved in.

There are other things, but I’ll save them for the 70 things about Dad in a couple of years.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!
Have you ever wished Christmas would come early? Well I’ve got good news for you! My not-so-new-anymore-but-still-newer-than-the-150-year-old-church-I’m-a-member-of Favorite Church (Ashley Ridge Church, a United Methodist Community of People Wanting to Have Christmas Come Early) is having their Christmas Eve Service TOMORROW NIGHT at 6:30pm. That’s right, in the eyes of ARC, December 22 is now Christmas Eve. That would mean, of course, Christmas is now on December 23. YAY!!!!!!!! Anyway, I (along with The Family) will be attending this Not Really on Christmas Eve Christmas Eve Service. I’m excited. Word on the street is the first 1,000 people will receive a gift. I doubt it will be as good as the gift God gave us when he sent his Son to die for our sins... but I hope they at least try to make it close to as good. This brings us to the
I’m just sayin... Top Five Gift Idea’s For Ashley Ridge Church To Give To The First 1,000 People At Their Not Really On Christmas Eve Christmas Eve Service: (This is just a working title)

5. Boxing gloves
4. T-Shirts with the best post from Our Life on the front and the best post from I’m just sayin... on the back
3. Bibles with each book autographed by the man who wrote it
2. Bibles autographed by God
1. Autographed picture of Jesus

I can’t wait to see which gift I’ll get!

Winthrop Update: The Eagles lost at Dayton last night 58-73. They play at Kentucky at 1:00pm tomorrow.

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private William Bensinger (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions in April of 1862 in Georgia. His citation reads:

One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta.

Seaman James Benson (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 20, 1872 on board the USS Ossipee. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Ossipee, 20 June 1872. Risking his life, Benson leaped into the sea while the ship was going at a speed of 4 knots and endeavored to save John K. Smith, landsman, of the same vessel, from drowning.

First Lieutenant William H. H. Benyaurd (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 1, 1865 at Five Forks, Virginia. His citation reads:

With one companion, voluntarily advanced in a reconnaissance beyond the skirmishers, where he was exposed to imminent peril; also, in the same battle, rode to the front with the commanding general to encourage wavering troops to resume the advance, which they did successfully.