The Christmas season is a pretty emotional time this year for our family since the patriarch, Lee Jr. Moody, passed away on July 20; not to mention missing all of the other dear friends and relatives who are no longer with us.

But, we know Dad is there in spirit not only now but forever.

I am going to be lazy this week, and just share some of what I consider some meaningful Christmas quotes:

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store. Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace. Christmas is the day that holds all time together.”

“Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values.” — Thomas S. Monson

“Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us — a time when we can look back on the year that has passed and prepare for the year ahead.” — David Cameron

“The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love and of generosity and of goodness. It illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than in things.” — Thomas S. Monson

“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” — Dale Evans

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” — Calvin Coolidge

“Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves. It directs our thoughts to giving.” — B. C. Forbes

I think this year I am going to spend some time reflecting on Christmases past and appreciate what this life has to offer. Much of it is about watching the younger children having fun and making memories that will live on forever.

All readers out there, have a Merry Christmas…from son Jamie and my house to yours. Enjoy time spent with the family and friends. Happy birthday, Jesus! [And happy birthday, Mom, who will be celebrating her 89th on Tuesday].

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Don’t forget:

• The Treaty City Seniors will not be holding any more dances on Monday at the VFW Post on North Ohio Street in Greenville during the holiday season. The next dance will be Jan. 9.

• Ansonia American Legion will host 50-cent wings and card night on Wednesday. The Legion will be open on Christmas Day, starting at 3 p.m. with open jukebox and snacks provided and again on Dec. 31 when at midnight, pork and ‘kraut will be served. There will also be an open jukebox that night.

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Happy birthday to:

• Dec. 28 to Bill Gantt, Holden Long, Carol Cox and Joe Werner.

• Dec. 29 to Betty Burnfield, Pat McCarthy, Benjamin Cooley, Don Keihl, Brad Slyder, Heather Midlam, Cindy Bowman, Bruce Hetzler and Kayla Young.

• Dec. 30 to Harry Moody, Monica Stover, Kaitlin Moody, Stacey Kammer Barnt, Aaron Matthew, Kylee Freeman, Travor Hemmerich, Christa Bonfiglio, Brooke Neal, Craig Prenger, Keith Burk, Kerry Reier and Alena Wickham.

• Dec. 31 to Robert Foster, Dennis Moody (55), Chad Wagner, Justin Wilson, Amber Neal, Mary Ann Grilliot, Donna Bixler and Dawn George Mikesell.

• Jan. 1 to Jeff Minnich, Seth Phillippi, Paula Harbison, Rick Price, Ted Liette and Kerry Foshee.

• Jan. 2 to Ervin Baker (90), Shirley Phillippi, Steve Wilson, Ron Gard, Kathy Widener, Rick Hahn, Jason Crawford, Seth Klingshirn, Karie Stickley, Darrell Biddlestone, Jerry Miller, Brook Hilderbrand and Stacy Gibson.

• Jan. 3 to Jamie Francis Wisner, Mike Lawson, Linda Alexander, Travis Henderson, Kendra Billenstein, Kate Custer, Teresa Shinn and Scott Rodeheffer.

Happy anniversary to Terry and Donna Black on Dec. 21; Tim and Katheleen Nealeigh (50) on Dec. 26; Steve and Christ Bonfiglio on Dec. 30; and Al and Linda Gasper on Dec. 31.

Happy belated anniversary to Brad and Beth Davis (5 years) on Dec. 18.

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Don’t forget to pray for: Tom Brumbaugh Jr., Darla Bowman Miller, Cheri Antrobus Davis, Rosemary Goodpaster Wetzel, Pastor Don Brode, Bill Collins, Scott Clark, Steve Schafer, Tom Hawkins, Chris Young, Greg Moody, Robin Grice, Connie Apple, Jodie Glick, Ron Kreitzer, Kohen Thwaits, Jerrod Pratt, Keith Starks, Scott and Judy Stahl, Dawn Oldiges, Judy York, Lowell Elsass, Linda Johnston, Stacy Dorko, Tracy Bailey, Shannon Peters Hall, Jack Riegle, Bruce Knick, Aiden Turner, Brody Wilson, Terri Martin, Marie Rieman, Carol Bollheimer, Roger McEowen, Lara Brunner, Al Bliss, Tim King, Gary Poor, Clinton Linebaugh, Layna Best, Jean Eastridge, Justin Ungericht, Alishia Clark Funk, Glenna Curry, Mike Bale, Phyllis Gibbons, Rosemary Wetzel, Angie Young Noggler, Kenny Borger, Mary Marshall, Jenson Fullerton, Gary Reier, Carmen Sanders, Michael Allen Clark, Elmer Long, Anthony Joyner, Shirley Mead, Harry Moody, Jim Moody, Shelly Hoffman, Betty Grimes, Kathy Magoto, Dean Brewer,

Also, Lisa Hall, Tammy Shapiro, Ken Martin, David Magoto, Phil Clark, Sonny Hunt, Don and Nina McDaniel, D’Arleen Waymire, Pappy Harshman, Delores Duncan, John Klipstine, Elsie Svajda, Dave Sherman, Sue Chitty, Phil Chilcoat, Christine Pipenger, Paul Barton, Terry Ungericht, Gracyn Blackburn, Robert Codling, Dave Starline, Bob Hiestand Jr., Kathy and Tom Hamilton, Joanne Sharp, Ivan Miller, Cindy Elson, Cary Van De Grift, Dina Dancer Morris, Teresa Mayo Amspaugh, Tina Kiser Deaton, Tonia Thompson, Fred Monnin, Stephen “Brownie” Brown, Nate Epperson, Brad Pipenger, Faye Schlecty, Sheila Reed, Bill Beasley, Steve Cunningham, Kody Ketring, Bob and Sandy Finkbine, Kevin Dickey, Brenda Grimes, Margaret “Peg” Bundy, Kevin Hemmerich, Penny Starns, Tim Heck, Vanna (Hannam) Abbott, Addie Henderson, Samantha Smith, Todd Walls, Ron Kramer, Dana Holzapfel, Kara Didier, Carla Welch and Bill Schuette.

And, pray for all those others who suffer from the many debilitating diseases, and may God bless all of our military people serving and protecting this nation, as well as rescue, fire and law enforcement personnel who put their lives on the line to protect us.

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Jamie and I sincerely extend our condolences to the families of: Yvonne Mangen, Rick Lewis, Loudonna Timmerman, Elvin Adkins Sr., Garold Rismiller and Gladys Deaton.

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Think about it: “Our duty is not to see through one another, but to see one another through.” —Unknown