A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO ALL

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all ------Tony Stewart style

Everyone add your Season Greetings and wishes to everyone here--it could get a great string going for the holidays-------------------------------------------------------------------------------memories

Peace on earth, raise hell at the track!

But most importantly rejoice in the birth of Christ

THIS A LITTLE LONG BUT WORTH THE READ

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest..

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that wasChristmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on acold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's aChristmas'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Je ff Giles , SC ,USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

I offer a prayer that our members and loved ones will enjoy good health and good fortune.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Remember THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Merry Christmas to all.Hope the new year brings health and happiness to all of the gang.

I had intended to start a Forum thread for Merry Christmas wishes but Johnny beat me to it. And, from reading all the posts here already, I'm glad he did. To each of you who have responded, thank you for it is nice to see those expressions of Christmas wishes. Randy, you are awesome, I already knew that. I have read your post three times and find it to be one of the most touching readings I've encountered recently. Thank you for that addition.

To all who follow me here, or to each and every one of you who read these posts, I, along with my wife Ann, wish you a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. 2011 has been a special year for many of us, a sad year for some, but is coming to an end. It is my deepest wish that everyone will have what they NEED for living over what they WANT, although I hope most of the "wants" get satisfied as well. God bless us everyone!!!! Now and throughout our lives.

Tim, you really set a lovely "tone" for Christmas on Tuesday night with your "Oh, Holy Night!" performance on Racing Through History. It was wonderful and really put us in a mood to reflect on the true meaning of this Christmas season. Our thanks for stepping up to plate and delivering a home run.

Every Christmas parade has the jolly, fat man with a beard at the end, this time he just happened to have a shovel and a cart, cleaning up rain deer poop (could have been horses I guess). Merry Christmas from the pooper scooper/Santa/Falconred/Robert Turner

Heres' wishing everyone a VERY Merry Christmas and much enjoyment in the up coming year. May we be mindfull of the reason for the season and give thinks for our gift from God. I specially hope that our troops are held in the safety of his arms this season and that their families are blessed.

To all my racing friends I wish, a good jump at the start, few caution flags, quick pit stops and no one ahead of you at the checkered flag. Blessings to all.