It’s that time of year again and with only two weeks or so till Christmas here’s my epistle. If I don’t do it today… it’s gonna be ‘after Christmas’ sales before I do it.

Lots of changes this year for lots of folks. It’s been the craziest election cycle I’ve seen in my 65 years… some were happy, some disappointed and far too may are still suffering. I’ve got good friends that have lost their jobs after many years punching the clock… economy sucks and that hurts everyone. There is a definite feeling of hopelessness around… big time.

I’ll bet all of us are having a harder time finding the extra money to put in our trucks… my discretionary spending fund is extremely low and I keep seeing things and people that need help that I can support. Those are more important than finishing the truck.

I’ve been listening to my pastor more this year and trying to put his preachin' into my daily life. Sometimes it’s easy to make a change… while other things are a constant uphill battle which shows me I need more work. Sometimes I think he’s reading my mind in my sleep !!!

The older I get (and it seems this only began after 50… why’s that) my priorities and my attitude have shifted quite a bit…hopefully in a positive way. I find very few ‘critical things’ that have to be done. It’s easier to walk around some things till later. I’ve never had one project walk off by itself and get someone else to do it…they are always waiting on me. It’s seems as I age I see more and more opportunities to do good for others before myself, occasionally to my detriment in time but they always leave me in the positive column in attitude. I wish I could hit the lottery and have the where-with-all to make some significant changes in some folk’s lives.

This is my reflective time of year… I don’t do resolutions but I find opportunities for course corrections.

Here’s my list of things to do with an approximate priority.

Take care of my family… both close and extended. Your family is all that will claim you… treat them right. Mend whatever fences are damaged.

Use opportunities I see to help friends when needed. Far too many times I’ve said ‘let me know if I can help” but never gave it another thought when I know someone needed help and was too proud/hardheaded to ask for it… I’ll make my offers sincere and follow through. One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn to accept is help. Pride is my enemy here. I’ve learned your real friends want to help when you need it.

Pray more and for more folks. There is an enormous need for prayer these days. I’ve seen what miracles come from prayer, both in my family and others. One of them calls me “Granddaddy”. People suffer silently and lots of folks have some tremendous hardships on them now days. I can’t always be able to help them physically or financially but I can pray like crazy for them… and BTW?? This group of folks on FTE are in my daily prayers.

Try to keep a positive attitude… this is a hard one. When things get crappy or hard or unfair I find myself in a negative state of mind and it reflects in what I’m doing (or not doing) … but if I turn that “frown upside down” it truly makes me feel better physically and mentally. Smile. Hell, it ain’t hard and it helps. It can help other people too when they see YOU smile on a crappy day. AND it will drive the people that are trying to get you crazy. I’m smiling more.

Take better care of myself physically. I tend to survive on whatever convenient junk food is available and don’t give enough thought to diet and exercise. I need to change that if I plan on living long enough to finish my truck ! That’s my incentive ! I fuss at family and friends about smoking or drinking but don’t fuss at myself enough… time to change.

Make those people that mean the most to me know they mean the most to me. Not by buying them big gifts but by loving them beyond measure and making sure that they know that I do… take NO relationship for granted !


That’s about it… but it’s really a lot and I need a lot of work on some areas… maybe you do too ??

Every year I end my epistle with the same thing… a request for my friends

I want each of you to do something for me this year. Enjoy your Christmas completely. Gather together with family and friends and have an excellent time. YOUR TASK IS TO MAKE IT AN EXCELLENT TIME. Do something foolish or funny, act like a kid… remember how ??? Kiss an ugly cousin and tell them you love them and how great they are looking. Hug every child in your family and tell them you love them. So many kids have a Nintendo DS as their best friend. Walk up to a total stranger and say Merry Christmas. Do everything you can possibly do to make this Christmas special…for your family and everyone around you. BE the spirit of Christmas this year . You can never know the one person who really needed to hear you say those words or needed that hug. It happens… it happened to me more than once and I had no idea. Hopefully, you’ll be totally exhausted from it. You won’t regret being tired.. it will give you the best Christmas ever. I promise.

I’ve said this in the past and it suits me to say it again…we’ve got lots of new folks that haven’t been subjected to my blather yet

My Christmas and New Years wish for all of my FTE family…

I hope that you and your families are in good health and spirits.
I hope that you are close to all of them and share good times often.
I hope if that isn’t the case and it's your fault that you fix it …. Soon.
I hope that you can't begin to count all your friends.
I hope that you have a God that you believe in and talk to.
I hope he listens to you and answers your questions and prayers.
Thank your friends for being your friend and tell them how much it means to you
To have them in your life.
I hope you'll share these Christmas wishes and thoughts with every one you encounter, both friend and foe, loved one and stranger.
Be politically incorrect and wish EVERYONE Merry Christmas!!
Remember who’s birthday it is !!!!!
I hope you'll drop a dollar or two in the Salvation Army Bucket… make that bell ringer feel useful.
Perform random acts of kindness to strangers…
I hope you'll send a Christmas Card with a check in it to the local mission or to Toys for Tots, or pick up a gift for an Angel Tree child.
I hope you’ll pray for our service men and women who won’t be home this Christmas.

I hope everyone here at FTE has a wonderful Christmas week. Be safe in your travels, be sincere in your expression of friendship and abundant in your love for those around you… especially the little ones. Show them the way to celebrate these special days.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my friends and family at Ford Truck Enthusiasts.

John

 

Wow jniolon, you are a man of many words that are straight from the heart and I sir am glad to be an FTE friend. So many times we forget what Christmas is all about and many young people have no ideal to start with, so many kids are born and then just thrown out into the world and neglected by their parents whom are too busy to raise them or just don't care. These kids need our help, really. To you sir, thank you and may this Christmas and New Year bring peace and love to you and your family.

 

Right back at cha, Homade...as well as all my FTE friends!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous 2013

 

It is a good time of the year, one when we all strive to get along just a little bit better. I am glad to be on this forum with many good people. My business is doing well and I pay little attention to politics on a daily basis. I don't think much of it really makes a difference and over the years it all evens out eventually. My truck is coming along and if I ever actually get some time away from work (self employed) I will work on it more. I really thought I might get it road worthy by Christmas, but I haven't touched it for two weeks now and next weed doesn't look any better. But work is good for me right now so I am not complaining.
Merry Christmas and may everybody have a great new year!

 

John
Every year this pops up and as I read it I wonder how to respond
Every year I am at a loss except for Thank You
So
Thank You John Niolon
I will try harder to stick to your guidance

 

Amen!!!!!!

 

I just renewed my membership about a month ago. And this is really why I do.
I want to thank all of you for any help, comment, view, phone call, text message, email, picture, private message, or thought.

John thanks for taking the time to write that.

Happy Holidays, politically incorrect...Merry Christmas to everyone!

 

God Bless you John, and my prayers are there for you and your speedy recovery so you can get back to caring for your family in the manner you desire, and get a chance to finish your truck, too. Merry Christmas.

 

look forward to reading your Christmas posting every year, guess it is getting close. Merry Christmas everyone.

 

It's hard to add anything to that!!

Merry Christmas!
Dan

 

Well said, as always!

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

John,

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
I've been anxiously awaiting your annual words of wisdom and well wishes. You have a great knack for expressing thoughts and emotions. Your gentle nudgings and guidance do a world of good and help us fellow FTE'ers to be better people in this world.
Thank you for all you do and thank you for caring for all of us.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Bobby