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Want to make a good business investment? Easy. Invest in your employees. Start by serving as a mentor. Let that employee learn by example to the best of their ability.  Treat them with respect.  Appreciate their service and remember they are human beings with real needs and issues.  Recognize efforts and remember everyone can contribute on different levels in order to build a solid team for your business. Take time with this investment and nurture it daily.  These are tools to help you find success. What happens from the employee perspective when the bosses recognize you are working hard and decide you need a reward? You feel like you’ve hit the jackpot.  In my case, well…in the case of everyone here at Bordas & Bordas, that may just happen.  We are all feeling lucky right now. Why? Well, the Partners of the firm have been paying particular attention to performances and efforts of the associates and staff.  They take time to encourage the growth and development of each and every member.  Sure, they care about us as people, but they also have no doubt that the more they invest in their people, the better the result.  In any business, each and every person plays a very important role in the success of a company. We were given an extra special reward this past Christmas and I already notice the return on that investment. What was this extra special incentive? In recognition of the contributions of each employee here, Managing Partner Jamie Bordas announced at our Christmas party that our efforts have not gone unnoticed. That’s when the big surprise hit. We were informed that, in the near future, we would report to work, but instead of working, we would be toted off to the airport to board a plane.  Each member of the firm and a guest will be spending a week in Las Vegas!  How awesome is that? I see how excited each and every one of our staff members are as the days grow nearer. It has given incentive to everyone to have the drive to exceed each preceding year because they see that those efforts will not be ignored. It has built camaraderie amongst staff as they plan a great trip. It’s motivation.  We set the standards high here and we settle for nothing less. Here at Bordas & Bordas, we work hard and we will play hard! Such a generous gift from such generous people and we are so very grateful for this. Thanks Jim, Linda, Jamie, Scott, Geoff & Chris!  You truly gave us a Christmas to remember and a year to look forward to.

The 2016 resolution I am hearing a lot is about “becoming and being your healthiest self.” The first place I probably heard this was Oprah’s commercial for Weight Watchers. It seems to have really caught on.  So many people are saying they want to make 2016 the year for their healthiest self. But, what does that mean? To me, it has very little to do with losing a pound or two.  It has to do with balancing all aspects of your life in a sensible manner, which ultimately paves a smoother ride to living as your healthiest you.  What happens when you become your healthiest you?  You find a happier you! To some, it may mean losing some weight.  It may mean a commitment to a certain exercise and strength training program.  It may mean learning something new.  It could be achieving a higher financial security.  It could be sustaining and building relationships, and overall making a sincere effort to be a go-getter and not just letting life pass by with regrets and what ifs. I think it’s all of the above. It starts by taking care of yourself from a physical, mental and spiritual standpoint.  This can then lead to a much better ability to meet your goals and live a fuller life. So many place too much pressure on themselves.  There’s that tunnel vision for a very specific goal they wish to reach.  However, in the process of putting so much effort in to that one certain thing, they let everything else that is just as equally important, go by the wayside.  Hence, failure.  At least, with the other things on the list. Balance is key.  Make a place for everything that is important to you and become driven to do the best you can to reach each of those goals on separate levels. But whatever you do, make sure you place yourself as one of those priorities.  One step, one moment, one day.  Change is a process.  It takes time and consistency.  Be a healthier, happier and stronger you in 2016.

Some of you may be aware that for several months now, I have been writing a weekly column in the Moundsville Daily Echo. My main purpose in writing the column is to give the readers some insight into how I think and the things that are important to me.  By doing so, folks should get a pretty good idea of how I am likely to handle issues that will come before me if I am successful in my campaign to be elected Circuit Court Judge in the Second Judicial District.  I would much rather respond to direct questions about particular issues, but the rules that apply to candidates for judicial office say I should avoid addressing specific factual scenarios.  The powers-that-be don’t want judicial candidates “pre-judging” issues that may come before them.  That certainly makes sense. There are, however, exceptions to every rule, and a case from Texas that I recently read about pretty clearly qualifies.  A few years ago, a 16-year old child of wealthy parents by the name of Ethan Couch went out to party with a group of his friends.  They stole several cases of beer from a local Wal-Mart to supply the party, which also apparently included some illegal drugs.  After getting sufficiently trashed (his BAC was .24, three times the legal limit), Couch climbed behind the wheel of his Dad’s Ford F-350 pickup and headed down the road.  Unfortunately, a few miles down that road an SUV driven by Breanna Mitchell had gone into a ditch in a minor single-vehicle accident.  A mother and her young daughter, seeing the disabled SUV, had stopped to offer help, as had a local youth minister.  Four innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Driving the truck at 70 mph in a 40 mph zone, Couch plowed into the SUV.  He killed the four people mentioned previously, and injured nine others, including two who reportedly sustained traumatic brain injuries.  Couch was charged with “intoxication manslaughter” in the four deaths. Couch admitted guilt, and his trial moved to the sentencing phase.  He faced 20 years in prison, and prosecutors sought the maximum sentence.  Defense lawyers argued that Couch should not be punished because he didn’t understand that his actions were wrong.  They bolstered the argument with testimony from a prominent psychologist, who said that because his parents had taught him that “wealth buys privilege” and that because he had been raised in an environment where there were no negative consequences for his bad behavior, Couch could not properly distinguish right from wrong.  The psychologist cleverly coined the term “affluenza” to describe a condition where a child is so rich, so privileged and so spoiled that he can’t understand that driving drunk is the wrong thing to do.  And if all of that doesn’t have your mind spinning, let’s add this one last fact: the judge bought it.  Ethan Couch, whose drunken joyride killed four people and injured nine others, was sentenced to 10 years of probation. Let’s forget for the moment that it is patently ridiculous to suggest that anyone in this country does not understand it is wrong to drive drunk, and that doing so can have grave and irreversible consequences.  Did the judge (who, by the way, retired shortly after handing down this sentence) really not realize that in imposing such an absurd sentence he was only making Couch’s “affluenza” even worse?  The judge buys an argument that this kid’s wealth has caused him to believe he can get away with anything, and then reinforces that belief by slapping him on the wrist as punishment for killing four people.  I still can’t wrap my head around it. One might at least hope that this tragic incident would cause Ethan and his parents to re-evaluate his life.  Not hardly.  After serving a little over a year of his probation, Ethan and his mother packed their bags, held a bon voyage party and ran off to Mexico, where they hoped he would be free from the onerous terms of his probation.  Fortunately, they were caught and he now faces additional charges.  Let’s hope that this time he draws a judge who still has a firm grasp on life in the real world. “Affluenza” in my courtroom?  Not likely.  I got the vaccine.

PITTSBURGH – The law firm of Bordas & Bordas has donated a total of $29,500 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh in conjunction with their Pittsburgh Steelers partnership for the 2015-2016 season. The firm, which places a heavy importance on philanthropy, donated $500 to the Ronald McDonald House for every sack made by the Steelers defense during the regular season. “We place a high value on philanthropy at Bordas & Bordas and to be able to support the good work of the Ronald McDonald House with every Steelers sack is something that is right along with our firm’s mission to fight for justice and help others while doing so,” said Managing Partner Jamie Bordas. “I have been a lifelong Steelers fan. Add to that the firm’s presence in downtown Pittsburgh and this partnership just made sense.” The Ronald McDonald house is a charity designed to help families when they have a sick child. The organization often provides housing and meals at little or no cost so that a family can focus on staying together rather than the worrying about the rising costs of hotels and travel. Bordas indicated that this partnership is extra special. “I can’t imagine anything better than knowing that when I see an opposing team’s quarterback getting sacked that a family going through a difficult time is benefitting from that,” Bordas said. “It may be the ultimate double bonus.” Bordas & Bordas is a plaintiff’s litigation law firm of 19 attorneys based in Wheeling, W.Va., with offices in Pittsburgh, Moundsville, W.Va. and St. Clairsville, Ohio. The firm’s attorneys practice throughout the region in diverse areas of law and are licensed in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, please contact Bordas at 304.242.8410 or Michele Rejonis at 304.905.6005, or visit bordaslaw.com. PITTSBURGH � The law firm of Bordas & Bordas has donated a total of $29,500 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh in conjunction with their Pittsburgh Steelers partnership for the 2015-2016 season.

I am in no way a superstitious person, but every once in awhile, I find myself looking for some kind of “sign.” It might be reading a horoscope, or a daily devotional or opening to a random page in an old book I haven’t read in years to see what words my eyes first fall upon. I never really know what prompts me to do it, and I don’t know what exactly I am looking for when I do. Sometimes I guess it’s to feel I’m headed in the right direction. Sometimes it’s for some sort of universally granted forgiveness for something still weighing on my conscience. Sometimes it is in the hope of being assured of something new and exciting yet to come. Sometimes it is purely just for fun. The other day, I was cleaning up my house in preparation to head home for the holidays. In one of these once-in-a-blue-moon urges to catch a glimpse into my future or gain some sort of last “cheer to the finish line” of this year, I decided I would crack open just one of the many Chinese fortune cookies I have collected, and whatever that fortune cookie told me would set the tone for the year to come. “Walk with a good heart and you will run with success.” Sometimes a fortune cookie really delivers a fortune. There is no phrase better that I could imagine to remind me that I have everything I could want from my life, and that anything else I could hope to gain is within my power. The work I get to do everyday, the job I have, the wonderful people in my life, the opportunities I have been given to travel and learn and experience new things, the attitude I have aimed for and worked to achieve, and the goals I still have for myself, all of them are captured by this fortune. And there is nothing more I would hope than to continue such a fortune into the next year and beyond. To a happy and healthy 2016!

Have you ever wondered why we Americans tune into the New Year’s Eve ball drop when the clock is about to strike midnight? According to TimesSquare.org, the New Year’s Eve ball made its first appearance in 1907 and has been lowered every year since then to represent the start of another year except for the years of 1941 and 1942. During these two years, the ball drop did not take place because of the wartime “dim-out” of lights in New York City. The original New Year’s Eve ball was made of iron and wood, weighing in at a whopping 700 pounds. Since the first ball dropped 108 years ago, seven different versions of the ball have been constructed. In 1920, a new ball was designed and made of wrought iron. It officially replaced the original ball. The new ball weighed in at 400 pounds. Fast-forward to 1955 and the ball changed again. This time, an aluminum ball weighing only 150 pounds was built and was untouched until 1980. In 1980, red and green lights were added to the ball, making it look like an apple. This was in conjunction with the “I Love New York” marketing campaign. This aluminum ball was lowered for the last time in 1988. For the Millennium celebration, the ball was completely redesigned. This ball has state of the art technology, which increased the brightness and color options of the ball. The new ball is made of Waterford Crystal triangles and Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs. Though the New York City ball is the most famous, it is not the only one that marks the new year. There are around 150 public time-balls dropped around the world. This tradition attracts more than 1 billion viewers a year. The New Year’s Eve ball is an amazing sight and something to look forward to seeing as the New Year begins. I hope 2016 is filled will love and happiness for all.

During this Christmas season and reflecting back on Christmases past, I’ve been asked what was the best present that I ever got for Christmas. Without hesitation, I always say the weights/barbell set that was my Christmas gift when I was 13.  The reason I say that is because at 13, I was 4’ 8” and weighed 78 pounds.  I was in the eighth grade.  I was a pretty good athlete in basketball, baseball and football, the only sports that I had been introduced to and played, but knew that I wouldn’t be able to compete much longer without doing something to my scrawny body.  From the time I was eight, I was doing large numbers of sit-ups and pushups every single night, and I had developed muscular shoulders, biceps, triceps and stomach muscles, but still was mostly skinny and had no bulk.  I knew that the set of weights was more than simply an ordinary Christmas present.  The set of weights was my passageway into a different life.  I knew that I would lift the weights faithfully, and I saw the effect that weights had on other people.  I thought that the weights would help me develop my body better, my appearance would be better, I’d be bigger, stronger, a better athlete and more self-confident.  I knew that I had to have these weights because that would be the difference maker. I woke up on Christmas Day, along with my eight brothers and sisters, and when we were allowed, we all ran down to the living room, tore open our presents, and the only present that I really wanted, a set of weights, was not there.  I was so incredibly disappointed, but I knew my parents could only do what they could do, and I tried my best to hide the sadness that I felt by not receiving the only real present I wanted, the one that would change my life.  I had opened the presents that I had, watched my brothers and sisters open their presents, and was ready to head back to my room to sulk when my dad pointed out to me that there was a box in the corner that I must not have seen.  I looked at this box that seemed to be about 3 feet long and a foot and a half wide, and thought what could be in there.  I went over to this ugly brown, somewhat flat box, was told to open it, that it was mine.  I did, and lo and behold, there were the weights.  They were not put together.  The weights themselves were flat.  The bar that the weights would go on fit easily into the box, as did the separate dumbbell weights that were there.  I guess I was expecting to see the weights fully put together sitting under the Christmas tree, barbells, bar, weights and all.  I simply had not pictured the weights being in a long, flat, brown box. My sadness instantly turned to elation, and I remember shouting with joy that I got my weights.  The absolute best Christmas present I ever got.  And the weights did as I thought they would do, somewhat changed the direction of my life.  I lifted those weights every other day from the time I was 13 until 20.  At age 15, I took those weights, along with other weights that I added to them, to the local high school I attended where some of my other classmates had also brought in some weights.  The kids on both the football and basketball teams then began lifting weights every other day as a group.  It was 1961 when we began the weight program.  A weight program was simply unheard of.  Perhaps it was one of the only weight programs in the State of West Virginia at that time.  We were not told that we had to lift weights by the coaches.  Certainly, the coaches and our parents questioned whether the weights would really be of any benefit inasmuch as they were still of the belief that climbing ropes, doing pushups, sit-ups and chin-ups were the way to go.  By the time I graduated from high school, there were 30-40 boys lifting weights every other day in our Charleston Catholic weight room. The weights must have paid off inasmuch as for a three-year span, that group of boys who started lifting weights would win one state championship in 1962, would play for another one in 1963, and still another one in 1964.  That group of young boys ended up winning over 30 straight regular season football games at Charleston Catholic.  From that group, there were two Kennedy award winners, symbolic of the outstanding football player in the State of West Virginia, and a number of players were awarded scholarships to Division I schools, including Joe White, the Kennedy award winner for 1962 to the University of North Carolina; Tommy Groom, captain and starting halfback to Virginia Tech; Tom Swords to Virginia Tech; Frank Carnetti, the Kennedy award winner in 1964 to Notre Dame, along with Tim Monte, our center, both started on Notre Dame’s championship football team; Terry Smoot, who at one time was the all-time leading rusher at Virginia Tech and captain of their football team; Steve Davitti and Johnny Rectonwall who likewise played at Virginia Tech; and David Boyle at Dartmouth.  Apparently, that little school with enrollment of about 400 students in grades 9-12 produced during that three year span more Division I football players than any other school in the history of the State of West Virginia.  I likewise was recruited by a few Division I schools, but was unable to further my football career. And it could be said that it all started with those weights that were given as a present to me that Christmas when I was 13.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how my life has really changed and how the sadness of these last six months (six months exactly as I type this) has been tempered with blessings. I don’t have any biological family living near me. One sister and two brothers live in Huntington, W.Va., one sister lives in North Carolina and one sister spends her time between Florida in the winter and Montreal Canada (as a missionary) in the summer.  My sisters check in with me regularly as does my husband’s family. But I have a work family.  Many people go to work and wouldn’t even consider their co-workers as “family”.  I have been at Bordas & Bordas for 28 1/2 years.  Some of my co-workers have worked here over 25 years.  We have shared joy and sadness.  In that time, I have attended high school graduations, college graduations, marriages and shared in the joy of the birth of children, some of whom are now having children of their own! We have experienced the death of parents and grandparents and in my case, the death of my husband in June. When my husband died suddenly in June, the whole firm of Bordas & Bordas - partners, associate attorneys and staff - were supportive and comforting to me.  They were my family away from family. Linda Bordas was with me the entire day that my husband was in ICU and Jim Bordas brought food to the ICU waiting room so we wouldn’t have to leave.    I knew everyone at the firm was praying for me and thinking about me.  I cannot imagine how anyone could go through this alone. But that’s not the only non-biological family I have.  I have my church family. Pastor Darrin was with me as much as possible in the ICU Unit and met me at 3:30 a.m. after the hospital called and told me my husband had taken a turn for the worse.  My church family has held me up and comforted me when I thought I couldn’t go on.  They have prayed for me, fed me and showered me with love and attention.  I attend First Baptist Church of Wheeling where I am the organist.  Not a Sunday goes by, even six months later, that someone doesn’t stop and ask me how I am doing.  I don’t have to say “fine”; I can tell them the truth and cry. Several other women have gone through the same thing and understand how hard it is to live alone after 50 years with someone.  We used to sing a song by Bill Gaither that says: You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here, It's because we're a family and these folks are so near;  When one has a heartache, we all share the tears, And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear. I believe that if everyone stopped to evaluate their friends and co-workers, they too would discover that they are more like family than we could imagine.  My co-workers have seen me in every light possible – and still speak to me!  Cranky, tired, happy, giddy, silly -- you name it, they’ve seen it in me and still care about me.   That’s what family does. So, while I would love to see more of my “real” sisters and brothers, I have “family” around me all the time.

I received a Christmas card today with a prayer inside the card.  The prayer goes something like this: I Said a Prayer For You Today I know God must have heard, I felt the answer in my heart, Although He spoke no word. I didn’t ask for wealth or fame; I knew you wouldn’t mind. I asked Him to send treasures Of a far more lasting kind. I asked that He’d be near you At the start of each new day, To grant you health and blessings And friends to share the way. I asked for happiness for you In all things great and small. But it was for His loving care I prayed the most of all. This Christmas card and the prayer that was contained in the card is a reminder that while we’re rushing around trying to buy the perfect present for that special person and stressing about the Christmas lights that don’t work, the presents that have not yet come in or been delivered, the rudeness of some people as they practically knock you over in the stores and supermarkets, it’s good to be reminded that the real reason for this time of the year that should be a wonderful and joyous time filled with love, is that we who believe in Christ are celebrating his birth over 2,000 years ago. I find it helpful to take a few moments out of each day during this time of year and reflect on the many blessings that have been given to me over the years, and to trust in God concerning those trials that each of us in so many different ways are faced with in our daily lives. In reflecting on those many blessings, I think it’s worthwhile to let one’s mind wonder back as far as one can remember to the time spent with our mothers and fathers, and brothers and sisters, and bringing that time forward reflecting on those things in our lives that meant the most to us.  With me, I grew up in a very modest home with a loving mother and father, who are still living and still married, and eight brothers and sisters.  We had very little in terms of worldly goods growing up, but there was a lot of excitement every year at this time, and although we all looked forward to getting the present or two that we would get from Santa, and another present from our parents, and presents from our grandparents, I looked most forward to the time I first realized there was a God, to spending quiet time in our local Catholic church in the dark before anyone else arrived, meditating on the greatness and glory of God.  I recall with great fondness walking from my house in South Charleston, West Virginia, to the Blessed Sacrament Church on those many cold, dark mornings.  I would leave quite early, as I was the altar boy on many of the mornings, and tried to arrive at church even earlier than was required for the very reasons that I previously mentioned. I then reflect back on the time spent with my wife Linda when we were first married and the two-and-a-half years before we had children.  I remember putting the Christmas trees up together, picking what we thought was the perfect tree, and Linda making our first ornaments in a ceramic workshop.  I remember, too, the beautiful ceramic Christmas trees that she made for us and for our parents and a few of our friends, that took so long to make, and she made with such pride.  As I think of those ceramic trees that Linda made, I’m filled with warm thoughts and compare those to the many magnificent pieces of art and treasure that we now have, I still think that those ceramic trees that Linda made were perhaps the finest pieces of art that we’ve ever owned. My mind jumps ahead to the birth of my sons, Jamie and Ben.   Boy does that change your life.  We are forced as men, being the selfish creatures that I think we often times are, to get out of ourselves and to think now not only of our spouse, but also those wonderful little creatures called children that God has allowed us to associate with.  At my age now, I’m able to appreciate how much more the love, the sacrifice and the beauty of my wife bringing those children into our home.  The Christmases that we had were filled with love and laughter, Linda doing the things that a lot of mothers do with their children, baking cookies and cakes and pies, and the very special presents that we would pick out with much love for the kids. I also reflect back on those many nights that Linda would insist that I put together those seemingly impossible garage sets, tents and other items that seemed to always be missing a part.  Surely, when we lived in Oglebay Park, I remember driving at 3:00 in the morning over to the maintenance department at Oglebay and seeing if they had a particular type of screw, nut and bolt that would help me finish putting together the car garage that was missing a part.  That’s one part of Christmas that I don’t miss, and I’m glad that has passed me. When the kids got older, I also reflect on the vacations that we’d take around Christmas.  If everyone was healthy, we would take a trip to Utah to ski in the mountains.  What a great family vacation.  The skiing itself is an incredible winter sport that touches all senses.  The costumes are beautiful.  The athletic event of skiing is exciting.  The snow tipped pine trees and the white covered grass is gorgeous, and the comradery is incredible. It’s also nice that my teenage sons were held captive by my wife and me because there really wasn’t anything else to do.  Our teenage sons were forced to spend one full week hanging out with just Linda and me.  What a great treat it was.  I can remember buying Christmas trees in Park City, putting them in our condo, and decorating the trees with popcorn and berries that we threaded together with needle and thread.  We’ve never done it before or since, and as I’m writing this blog, I’m thinking it’s surely something that we should start anew. I also remember with great fondness attending mass together and dressing up for Christmas the way that we used to dress for every single Sunday when I was young.  That is, we wore suits, ties and church became very festive at Christmas. While my Christmases now are quite different than before, I still cherish the season itself and love the fact that so many people are able at this time of year to express the love and friendships that they have for each other.  The kids, their spouses and the grandchildren now come to our house Christmas week, and Linda fixes a big, special breakfast for the kids that she’s been fixing since we’ve been married.  We spend the day talking, playing and unwrapping presents, followed a day or two later with Christmas Eve mass, and later on Christmas Day, going to Ben’s house and Jamie’s house to share the excitement of Christmas with them and their children. If you can take the time to think about what this season really means, it truly does give us a chance to be the special people during this time of year that we would all like to be the entire year, we allow ourselves for a week or two, to do kind acts and say kind things that we often times forget to do and say the rest of the year.  And while it would be wonderful to carry out the tradition of kindness, caring and love the whole year, it’s still very special that we at least have this season to try to in some small way make up for our failures and lack of sensitivity for the rest of the year.  My wish for all who are reading this blog is that you too take 15 minutes and reflect back on the things that really made them the happiest, made them feel the best about themselves, and to pay it forward as long as you can for the rest of the year. May the love of Christ and the blessings that He provides to each of us be with all of you this Christmas season and throughout the year.

Come with me to the fields near Bethlehem and experience the first Christmas through the eyes of a shepherd. It’s been a long, hard day.  Your legs are aching from the long trek through the countryside to reach pastureland and fresh water.  Finally, the flock is settling in for the night.  There is a chill in the air so you draw close to the fire.  But this is no time to rest.  You must keep a careful eye on the flock, knowing that a predator could be lurking anywhere in the dark. You gaze up briefly.  The stars in the sky and the crackling fire are the only sources of light in this remote place.  It’s actually quite peaceful.  Except for the occasional bleating of the sheep and the drone of the cicadas, it’s perfectly still tonight. But without warning a white light pierces the night sky.  The entire hillside is bathed in its radiance.  You shield your eyes, but it doesn’t help.  The light is too intense.  Slowly your eyes adjust and you see the outline of an angelic figure hanging effortlessly in the sky above you.  Terrified, you fall to your knees and bow your head to the ground. “Fear not!”  The angel’s booming voice echoes against the hillside.  But it is also strangely calming.  Encouraged, you lift your head as the angel continues to speak. “I bring you good news,” the angel says.  “Today in David’s city the savior has been born!” Your mind races.  Could it be true?  Could the long-awaited messiah really be here? Then the angel gives a sign to confirm his amazing declaration.  “You will find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Before you realize what’s happening, the sky is literally filled with angels.  Together they lift their song to God.  Angel voices fill the air with the sweet fragrance of praise:  “Glory to God!  Peace on earth and good will to men!”  But then the chorus ends as abruptly as it began.  Where there were hosts of angels, there is only darkness.  Where there was angel song, there is an almost unearthly quiet. Rising to your feet, you rush to join the shepherds with whom you share these fields.  Excitedly, you make plans.  “We must go!”  says one.  “We must see for ourselves what God has told us!”  You shake your head enthusiastically, grabbing your walking stick and making your way to the neighboring city. Bethlehem is busy, filled to the brim with soldiers, tax collectors, and those compelled by Caesar’s decree to come and register.  Even after dark, the sounds of hustle and bustle can still be heard. But where could the baby be?  You begin searching the streets, remembering the sign given by the angel.  A baby in a manger?  How odd.  But after a few moments you spot a small cave used as a stable by a nearby innkeeper.  There is soft, yellow glow coming from inside the cave.  You rush toward it with expectation. Reaching the mouth of the cave, you peer inside.  The floor is littered with hay.  Animals are stirring.  In the back of the cave a man and woman are hovering over a manger.  Sleeping quietly atop the hay is a newborn baby boy.  It’s the sign! The man looks up questioningly.  “The angels…,” you begin, not sure exactly what to say.  “The angels told us to come and see.”  The man nods kindly and waves his arm, inviting you forward. As you make your way to the manger, your mind replays all of the Old Testament prophecies--God’s promises of a savior to come.  Who could have imagined that you would be a witness?  That you would see the savior of the world with your own eyes? The baby is sleeping, lovingly swaddled in strips of cloth.  So quiet.  So precious.  So full of life and hope for the future. You choke back tears and pray a silent prayer of thanks.  Here at your feet lies God’s salvation.  Here in a pile of hay lies the hope of all mankind.  Just as He promised throughout the centuries, God sent a redeemer.  A healer.  A beacon of light and the bringer of peace. And you were here to see it.  Yes, you--a lowly shepherd who was blessed to witness a God-sized event that would forever change the world.  Praise God for letting you be a part of His story! ><xml><o:DocumentProperties><o:Revision>0</o:Revision><o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime><o:Pages>1</o:Pages><o:Words>623</o:Words><o:Characters>3556</o:Characters><o:Company>Wheelhouse Creative</o:Company><o:Lines>29</o:Lines><o:Paragraphs>8</o:Paragraphs><o:CharactersWithSpaces>4171</o:CharactersWithSpaces><o:Version>14.0</o:Version></o:DocumentProperties><o:OfficeDocumentSettings><o:AllowPNG/></o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><! 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StartFragment EndFragment From all of us at Bordas & Bordas, have a wonderful and joy-filled Christmas! EndFragment

I love Christmas! I love to decorate my house and make everything sparkle and shine. I love to smell pine needles and all the scents of Christmas. I even love wrapping gifts, even though I’m not very good at it. I can spend hours driving around just looking at the lights. Christmas makes me happy, not for the gifts, although they are nice, but because I get to spend the day with my family on the best holiday of the year; the joyous celebration of our Savior! I also enjoy seeing what gifts everyone received and, of course, the food. And, to top it all off, I get to gorge myself on Hallmark Christmas movies. I have to admit that I started watching them on October 31, but I never get tired of them and will watch repeats over and over again. I even watch them in the summer when Lifetime has its weeklong “Christmas in July” special. I love Christmas so much I even know the history of how Christmas became Christmas. One interesting fact is Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870. That doesn’t seem like very long considering Jesus walked the earth more than 2,000 years ago. Pope Julius I chose December 25 as the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it wasn’t called Christmas then. It was called the Feast of the Nativity. It is believed that the church chose this date to coincide with the pagan Saturnalia Festival to increase the odds that Christmas would become popular and catch on. If this is true, it certainly worked. I personally think it caught on so well because family life was hard and it gave parents an excuse to give gifts to their children without it appearing to spoil them.  If you were fortunate or unfortunate enough, depending upon your point of view, to be born during this time, you would have partied like a rock star because Christmas was celebrated then like Mardi Gras is celebrated today. It was so bad, at least by early American Puritan standards, that Christmas (before it was declared a federal holiday) was actually outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. Today’s Christmas is pretty tame by those standards. Christmas is the most joyous time of the year! No matter how you choose to celebrate Christmas, do it with love. Life is too short to hold grudges and harbor ill will. Truly be present and enjoy this special time of year with your family and friends. Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas. EndFragment

It’s funny how every family seems to have its own Christmas traditions. For as long as I can remember, we’ve always eaten potato soup and cornbread for supper on Christmas Eve.  The reason:  it was quick and easy!  This tradition actually began when I was just a kid and all of my grandparents would come to visit for the holiday.  But even today my wife, Brenda, follows our longstanding tradition by cooking up a big pot of soup and a pan full of golden brown cornbread.  I can feel my mouth watering just writing about it… Another tradition I remember from my childhood is driving through town on Christmas Eve to see all of the lights and decorations.  Here’s the funny thing.  When we’d get home, we’d always find that Santa had come early!  So instead of all of the gift-opening chaos happening on Christmas morn, at our house it usually happened on Christmas Eve.  I suspect this was done with my grandparents in mind.  But it really didn’t matter.  If Santa wanted to come to my house a little early, that was okay with me! By the time I was old enough to have a family of my own, my wife and I decided to open gifts on Christmas morn.  But we still liked the idea of doing something special on Christmas Eve.  We would give each of our girls a box to open.  It would always contain a new pair of pajamas and a toy to take to bed.  Sometimes we would get a Christmas-themed movie we could watch together.  Even when the girls were old enough to know exactly what to expect, they seemed to enjoy the ritual of opening their Christmas Eve gift. I'm not sure if this counts as a “tradition,” but it’s the way Christmas preparation always seemed to work at our house.  My wife and I would stay up late and wrap all of the gifts for our girls on Christmas Eve.  I remember one year staying up until 2 a.m. trying to put together a Little Tyke’s log cabin.  I was using soap.  I was beating it with a rubber mallet.  Believe me, I was totally exhausted by the time I finally got to bed.  The good news is that our girls were always late sleepers, even on Christmas.  We would already be up, showered, dressed, and eating breakfast before the girls even began to stir.  Since I was always sleep deprived from the night before, it was a blessing to have some extra time before the chaos began. Both of my girls are grown up and married.  But I’m thankful they live nearby and we can still share Christmas together.  Even better, I’m a grandpa now and I get to experience the joy and excitement of Christmas through the eyes of my two granddaughters.  I foresee lots of Christmas traditions in the years to come--some of them old, some of them new.  But the wonderful thing is they’ll be traditions that we all get to share together! How about you?  Do you have a Christmas tradition you’d like to share? EndFragment