Category Archives: Holidays

The true meaning of Christmas

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Despite all the efforts to combat it, Christmas is here. What was once a celebration of Christ’s birth has become artfully hijacked. In some ways it’s been converted into a time of commercialism. In others it’s become simply a time of tradition; family, food, fun. I’m not saying the exchange of gifts is bad and, quite frankly, this world needs more tradition and family time. Whether good or bad, these things are a distraction from the true meaning of Christmas.

One thing I first realized when I became a Christian is that there’s way more to the Christmas story than I’d ever known. Jesus didn’t suddenly spring up and change the way God dealt with man forever; his birth was foretold. Around the time of his conception, you didn’t have to explain to an Israelite who the Messiah was. He was foretold by the prophets. His lineage was known and predicted, as well as his birthplace of Bethlehem. They were literally waiting for him to arrive. Check out Isaiah 53 and you’ll see how important Christ’s arrival is, and what was foretold.

Another thing I realized is that we Gentiles are not God’s chosen people; Israel is. We, however, through the faith in Jesus that his nation didn’t have, are grafted in. In both the old and new testaments, Jesus is referred to as a light to the Gentiles. As Paul points out in Romans, the grace God shows the Gentiles is intended to provoke Israel to jealousy. He made a covenant with them that he will not break, and his wish is that they’d come around.

The Christmas story as told in Luke is simply beautiful. I love to try to picture that starry night (because I’m a starry night kind of guy) and the magnitude of the events that unfolded around Jesus’ birth. People were waiting for his birth. This night was prophecy fulfilled, the opportunity for God’s chosen people to be redeemed. Later on, because he wasn’t the type of Messiah they wanted, they rejected him. When Stephen was stoned in Acts chapter 7, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He was ready to redeem his people, but again they rejected him and killed the messenger, Stephen. Thus we are now in the church age, the time of the Gentiles.

Christmas 2008 has been such a blessing. Little PJ turned two last week, and his brother is now one year old (and walking!). We’ve got a White Christmas, something I’ve been dreaming of for the past few years. My wife and I, although busy beyond belief, occasionally get time to stop and remark how thankful we are for the blessings we’ve been given. Times are hectic, but this too shall pass.

One other down side every Christmas is that my dad disowned me when he found out I wasn’t going to a Catholic church any more. He hasn’t spoken to me since, and it’s been around five years now. I don’t remember the exact time it started. He didn’t attend my wedding, didn’t visit us in the hospital when our boys were born, and he’s never even met his grandchildren. If I come to the house, he leaves the room until I have gone. I can’t really get too upset by dwelling on it, because it’s his decision. The man that told me all through my youth that it’s important not to ever leave a loved one on bad terms, because there’s no telling if something might take them from you, has thrown his own advice out the window. Hopefully little PJ and Jonathan, along with our prayers, will someday help soften his heart.

Today, Christmas Eve, marks the 10th anniversary of the day I brought Scooter home from The Birdhouse, tucked in a little pet carrier box which I stuffed in my coat to keep him warm. This also marks the first Christmas I’ll spend without him. My wife believes that the boys are allergic to him, so he’s been exiled to my parents’ house indefinitely. I turn white hot with anger when I think about it – not at my wife, of course, but at the situation. I love that little bird. I know he’s blessing my parents with his unique personality.

One thing I didn’t get to enjoy this year was caroling, although I did pause to remember a caroling visit to one of the nursing homes back in Christmas 2006. As we walked the halls singing, many residents would stand in their doorways and sing along. I could barely continue through the tears when I’d see a little old lady standing at the entrance to her room, singing the fourth verse of Joy to the World (or any of our other Christmas hymns) from memory. These days most people, myself included, don’t even know how many verses the popular Christmas hymns have, and certainly don’t know the words to those verses. I was touched beyond description. If you ever have the opportunity to go caroling for these folks, don’t let it pass you by. It will leave you a changed person. I’m sorry I missed it this year.

My wife took care of Christmas shopping for our family, although I did make a last minute trip out for a little special something for her. I tend to go to Kirkwood mall once a year (not counting Scheel’s), mostly because I don’t care for having to shield my eyes from the way the girls are dressed down there. This time of year I crank up my iPod, put my head down, and finish my shopping all in one day. Among the random songs came a couple of Christmas songs by gospel singer Robert Robinson, whose voice will send shivers up your spine. I had the privilege of sitting about thirty feet from him at a concert where he belted out What Child Is This…if I’d been standing, I fear my knees would have failed me. Wow. If you saw a guy with watery eyes wearing a motorcycle jacket and an iPod this Christmas, that was me.

Two events that always signal the Christmas week are: James Bond marathons and the 24-hour “Christmas Story” marathon on TBS. I own the DVD of “Christmas Story” after being introduced to the movie in 2003. How I went 20 years without discovering this masterpiece (and Christmas staple) is beyond me…but that has been rectified. And I still watch it on satellite, despite the fact that the DVD sits ready and waiting. What can I say, it’s tradition. We also watched the usual Frosty the Snowman and other Rankin-Bass features, because they’re tradition too. I’m not going to teach my kids that there’s a Santa Claus, but I do find the TV specials entertaining.

We’ve got plans to just stick close to home and enjoy our precious little family (minus bird) this year. Our property is blanketed by a thick blanket of nice white snow, our little boys are finally old enough to partake fully in Christmas festivities, and the Lord has continued to show himself faithful (even when I’m not) throughout another year. I hope your Christmas is as memorable as mine. If you’ve got anything you’d like to share about your Christmas, please enter it as a comment. Merry Christmas!

All is the way it should be, finally

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It seems like it was only a couple of days ago that I lamented the fact that the capitol hadn’t been displaying its Christmas colors. I expected the familiar Christmas tree shape to light up on the day after Thanksgiving, for some reason. I’m not sure where I got that idea from, but in asking others I found that many of them had the same impression.

I was about to wonder if they’d be skipping it this year, given how atheists all over the place freak out at the sight of something representing Christmas or Christianity and try to sue it out of existence. Look how they tried to sue the city of Fargo for having a Ten Commandments monument on city property! But then I got a note on Facebook from Attorney General Wayne Stehnejem saying that December 9th was the night the windows would light up. I waited eagerly, and tonight the windows (and star above) were lit. Fantastic.

It just seems that little bit more like Christmas now that Bismarck’s most prominent landmark is part of the display. Familiar things like this are what make a hometown more lovable!

Who was showing their Christmas spirit Saturday night, and who wasn’t

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Color me disappointed. I was hoping that the State Capitol building would be adorned with colored windows to form a Christmas tree, as is typical for the Christmas season. I had expected it to be so the day after Thanksgiving, but sadly that was not the case this weekend. Hopefully that situation gets rectified soon.

As I drove through the capitol grounds, I noticed that the Sakakawea statue was getting a face full as the snowfall began to intensify. I set up my camera in the middle of the road with a clamped aperture and long shutter delay, set the timer, then splashed the statue with light from a handheld flash unit to fill in the shadows. I’m quite pleased with the way it turned out. Then it was on to one of my favorite Christmas destinations:

You can always count on the folks of Northview Lane to make sure that the Christmas spirit is alive and well! Even without a whole lot of snow on the ground, this street is a winter wonderland every year. I’ll probably take my family through it tonight, now that we’ve had a bunch of flurries overnight!

There was already plenty of traffic; the locals know when this display goes online each year, and there were plenty of people driving up and down the hill. Friendly hint: TURN OFF YOUR HEADLIGHTS and just use your vehicle’s running lights if you want to enjoy the show and make it more pleasant for others. It’s hard to enjoy the lights when someone’s high beams are blasting you in the face; that’s what happened to me last night.

This tree is a lot bigger than the photo implies. It’s also adorned with some of the coolest Christmas decorations I’ve seen, and the yard sports a lit menagerie of Christmas characters and critters.

Atop the hill is this house, which has an elaborate animated display of lights that keep time with the Christmas music broadcast on 107.5 FM. There are often people stopped near this house with their car radio going, watching the different lights (and MERRY CHRISTMAS spelled out on the lawn) flash and twinkle in time with the music. I found out that a motorcycle friend’s father-in-law owns the house, which was pretty cool. Josh and a few friends were out on the sidewalk across the street with a boom box and Santa hats, waving to passers-by. Josh told me that on the 20th they’re going to have elves out there, giving candy to kids that come by, so save the date on your calendar! Tell them I sent you. I’ll probably be there with my little boys too, as one of them will be turning two.

Until (and after) they get the capitol lit for Christmas, make sure you frequent Northview Lane this Christmas season! Oh, and if I may make one last suggestion:

Pick up this CD. Keep it handy for Christmas. I actually dubbed mine to MiniDisc™, since the stereo I put in my truck plays MDs instead of CDs. Once the snow flies in the fall, I put this disc in…and it doesn’t come out until the snow’s gone for good in the spring. Of course, I also have my iPod connected, but that’s another matter.

That’s all for now. Put in your Vince Guaraldi disc, get some hot chocolate, and head for Northview for a dose of Christmas spirit!

After only a week or so….July 4th photos posted

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This year brought something different for our family on Independence Day. I was hired to take photos for Cycle Hutt, our church didn’t do a float this year because of our new building project, and my wife and I thought it better to keep the two little boys at home on the hot afternoon. That means that I didn’t sit and watch the parade go by like last year; rather, I took lots and lots of photos of the goings-on at Cycle Hutt and around & on the float for the parade.

There are around 1800 photos overall, but I pared it down quite a bit into a few image galleries:

July 3rd: Practice, brief Stunt Show

July 4th: the main stunt show, the crowds, the fun.

The parade float, complete with a burnout stand and other fun stuff.

July 5th: Another stunt show, wrap-up with the SPEED Channel crew, and a brief group ride afterwards.

Local Riders – These guys got lessons from JasoN Britton!

Enjoy! Prints are available, if you’d like. Just find the “Contact me” link on the upper right of this screen, and we’ll get you the details.

Memorial Day 2008 in pictures

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I was able to attend the ceremony at the Veteran’s Cemetery out near Fort Lincoln today and brought back some photos for those who were unable to make it. I had wool socks and long johns on, because it was cold enough to see my breath when I first got there and started swapping lenses. I’d even tanked up on hot cappuccino before getting out of the truck. There isn’t really much to say about the sacrifice of our military personnel that hasn’t already been said, and far more eloquently than I’m able, so I’ll let my photos do the talking.

The flags were ordered half staff in the morning. As this day is one of pride as well as solemnitude, they would soon return to full position at the end of the ceremony.

Penny Ripperger, 119th Wing, ND Air National Guard. Master of Ceremonies today. Note the ND state capitol building and Blackhawk helicopters in the background…the view from out here is remarkable.

Lots of motorcycles and cars. I got there early, but as I left I saw cars parked along Highway 1806 for nearly a mile in addition to the parking set aside for them. Number of North Dakota Peace Coalition bumper stickers spotted: zero.

Patriot Guard Riders were in attendance. I was lugging camera gear so I used four-wheeled conveyance this morning. Plus, my bikes don’t have cupholders.

Flyover by the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters based in Bismarck.

Major General David Sprynczynatyk. One of the few people with a last name harder to spell than mine. His wife is a city commissioner in Bismarck.

109th Congress. House Resolution 891, declaring that the USA will prevail in the Global War on Terror. Resolution includes: “honors all those Americans who have taken an active part in the Global War on Terror, whether as first responders protecting the homeland, as servicemembers overseas, as diplomats and intelligence officers, or in other roles; … declares that the United States will prevail in the Global War on Terror, the noble struggle to protect freedom from the terrorist adversary.” This man, Earl Pomeroy, voted NO. But he never misses a photo op.

Vice Admiral Jeffrey L. Fowler, Bismarck High School graduate and current Superintendent of the US Naval Academy. His parents got to see him address the ceremony as keynote speaker today!

The color guard from Standing Rock. The brave Native American warrior is NOT a thing of the past.

Following the rifle volley, the cannon salute. The cannon was fickle today, but the crew performed admirably. Only those of us close up could probably see a few finicky rounds being unloaded. In true North Dakota and Bismarck-Mandan Blog fashion, there’s a windmill in the background.

Flags returned to full staff. We don’t just mourn our fallen military personnel, we rejoice in the honor of their service…and not just those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Anyone who wears the uniform is a true American hero for their service. I for one am grateful for the freedoms I enjoy due to their steadfast defense of our nation.

That’s pretty much it. I have other photos as well, but these tell the story of the day pretty well. All this typing has also helped me regain feeling in my fingers; working a camera with gloves on isn’t very realistic! I hope you enjoyed this look at the ceremony and I ask that you take a moment to consider the brave men and women who carry the safety of our nation and our freedom on their shoulders.

This will probably impact Mor-Gran-Sioux in December

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I’m sure you remember the Paul Schaff House, which I jokingly said could be seen from space at Christmas. While others have held the title of most popular and extravagant Christmas display in Mandan in the past, he has reigned in recent years. According to this report by KXMB, he’s hanging up the lights. No, not on his house…hanging them up for good.

While he says he will hang some Christmas lights next year, just not fifty thousand of them, he’s probably going to miss the notoriety…albeit not as much as we will miss his annual holiday displays. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something in particular that took the wind out of his sails. Perhaps this addition to his Christmas display for 2007 holds a clue:

One of the garage doors was adorned this year with the message, “In loving memory of Ann. Wife, Mother, Grandma.” I am guessing at the punctuation, since it’s probably pretty tough to do with rope lights.

This isn’t how I originally intended to show you this photo. I had planned on writing a simple message of condolence to Paul Schaff that I doubt he’d ever read, but one I felt compelled to put into words. While I haven’t met Mr. Schaff, I’m one of many people who derived a great deal of joy from his labor each Christmas season. Now, however, the photo accompanies the sad news that we won’t have his Christmas displays any more. But the real loss is that of a wife, mom, and grandma.

I hope it isn’t intrusive to mention this openly. Since he put his words into the area’s most popular Christmas display, I’m guessing Paul Schaff doesn’t mind that we all know of his loss. This is simply a way to share kind feelings back toward him for the joy he’s provided .

So…we’re sorry for your loss, Mr. Schaff. We’re also sorry for the loss of the special touch you put on Mandan’s Christmas each year. Like your display said this year, you’ve got loving memories of Ann…and we’ve got loving memories of your Christmas cheer. Thank you for the thousands of smiles you’ve brought each year, and for all the faces you lit up along with your home.

Happy New Year!

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After working the Wizards game tonight I braved the cold and snapped some photos of the state capitol building with 2008 lit in its windows. Brrr!

This marks two years of blogging. It’s too late to get into too much detail, so I’ll post some stats later on in the day. But here are a few numbers I can paste right from my reports:

689 entries using 226,483 words;
750 comments using 74,632 words;
147,691 votes stored in 13,612 bytes;
1,019 photos stored in 373,866,496 bytes.

I can’t believe I’ve written 689 of anything! I’m even more astounded at all the cool photos I’ve been able to take, over a thousand of which were deemed “blogworthy.” I’m truly blessed in that I get to take all these pictures and write about what I see, and then that people actually take the time to read and view them. Crazy. If only I was able to make money this way…

It’s late and I want to cuddle with my wife. I’ll summarize some site stats and stuff later on. Happy New Year!

Christmas on two wheels

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After a fun afternoon of Christmas frivolity, my wife remembered that I’d made a comment about riding motorcycle today. She suggested that I do so, and I didn’t need any arm twisting. Rather than get a sportbike wet and dirty, I decided to grab something with knobby tires. By the way, knobbies do NOT work on ice. I got it pretty loose a couple of times, but that’s all part of the fun.

Here’s the view from atop Tom O’Leary hill. There were some kids snowboarding when I rolled up. I had my crappy Olympus camera with me, not my nice Canon SLR, so I wasn’t able to do any really challenging shots. It was just nice to be able to enjoy a ride on my summer toy while the kids on the hill were able to enjoy riding their winter toys. We had quite a sunset tonight, too…I think everyone on that hill got some enjoyment out of it.

After running into a friend of mine from Madison, Wisconsin at the intersection of Avenue C and Griffin Street (no, not literally running into) and sharing a discussion about how nobody has sunsets like North Dakota, I flew down to the Memorial Bridge area to get a shot of the brilliant red sky. I wasn’t as fast as the sun, but there was still a little bit of a rosy glow (or pinkish hue) on the horizon as I snapped this shot beneath the Memorial Bridge(s).

My prayers for a White Christmas were answered this year, and yet I was still able to ride motorcycle on Christmas day! I think we’ll call that the best of both worlds. So what did you do for Christmas?

Christmas at the blockhouse…and I can still feel my toes!

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You may have noticed some lights atop the hill at Fort Lincoln lately…not every night, as I discovered this weekend, but most nights. They’ve got one of the blockhouses adorned with white Christmas lights, the one that sits on the edge of the hill nearest the river. It’s quite easy to see from Fox Island, actually. I could take a picture of it from there…but that wouldn’t be any fun, would it?

Thankfully my friend Ken was willing to take a hike up the hill in the single digit temps and wind to take some pics of this event. We dressed warm, stowed our camera gear in my truck, and made our way south. State Parks pass firmly affixed, we entered a serene and completely abandoned park and began our walk at the bottom of the blockhouse hill.

The hike itself was great, and not even cold, other than the fact that my Airwalks wanted to kill me. They’re great shoes, but apparently use anything other than a dry surface to try to pitch me on my head (or worse). Once we got to the top, however, it was a matter of parking the tripods in the right place and snapping away. I’d get the shot set, activate the shutter, then stuff my hands into my gloves for a few seconds. We got a pretty good variety of photos and were able to have free run of the place until we finally started getting cold. That wind sure does bite!

We walked back down the hill (okay, I skated as much as walked) and hopped into the nice warm truck for a drive past the Schaaf house and back into town. Neither one of us had done our fair share of photography lately, so this was a great time for both friendship and our favorite hobby.

If you’re in the mood for a hike and have five bucks or a state parks pass, hoof it on up to the blockhouse! I recommend swinging through Fox Island recreation area first and looking across the river, just in case their generator ran out of gas. It would be a real bummer to brave the cold for nothing!

Santa drives a Freightliner for the first time in 14 years

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If you’ve traveled east Boulevard Avenue in the past week or two, you may have spotted this truck parked at the intersection with 14th Street. 14th is appropriate, because the guy I talked to says this is the first time in 14 years that he’s done this with one of his trucks. I’m glad I was there taking pictures when he pulled up!

Plastic Santa at the wheel, with snowman riding shotgun. I hope Santa has a CDL and keeps a valid log book!

I’m told that the only casualty of this unique Christmas display is the bear perched atop the truck. He snagged a low-hanging wire while the truck was backing in, snapping his brittle plastic head off. A little duct tape and some ingenuity got him back on duty, and you’d never know the difference. I guess you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs!

Make sure you drive by 14th and Boulevard to check out this big rig!