12/22/09 - NNHS Newsletter - O Holy Night “Off to one side sits a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him--and so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.” - Max Lucado

Dear Friends and Schoolmates, 

   Didja miss me?!?  Well, I'm back (mostly) - and I certainly missed you!  More about that later...

   Today's lovely carol was first used here four years ago today:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/12-22-05-NNHS-O-Holy-Night.html 

BONUS #1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ-8jYpa1-o - O Holy Night - Celtic Woman

BONUS #2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWXfHzOKUU - O Holy Night - Josh Groban - December 4, 2002

BONUS #3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRqycwRFWuc - O Holy Night - Charlotte Church

PRAYER REQUEST:

     From Me ('65) of IL - 12/13/09 (altered for date and repeated):

   I feel strongly impressed today to ask your fervent prayers on behalf of five people whose issues have not been mentioned here before. What I'm actually requesting is Five Christmas Miracles, as the various problems all need to find a resolution by New Year's Eve. I know that's only nine days away now, but I also know among us there are some Mighty Prayer Warriors, and I would deeply appreciate your efforts, as I'm sure would they! Thank you all so very much - and Merry Christmas!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/requests-prayers.html

REMINDER FOR LAST-MINUTE SHOPPERS:

 From Mark Friedman ('65) of VA - 11/05/09:

AT MARK FRIEDMAN’S JEWELERS IN YORKTOWN I AM GIVING A 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL MERCHANDISE IN STOCK FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND 15% OFF ON JEWELRY REPAIRS TO ALL THE NNHS CLASSMATES.

BEST REGARDS,

MARK

   WHOO-HOO! Thanks, Mark!

     Happy Birthday today to   Kitty Norman Haskins ('57) of VA AND    Harry Barritt ('64) of VA AND    Dale Mueller ('64) of VA AND Bill Rash ('67) of VA!

24 - James Gay ('57) AND Ann W. Hutcheson ('57) AND   Sandye Jordan Murray ('67) of VA;
25 -   Patsy Bloxom Meider ('57) of NC AND Doug Dickinson ('69) of VA AND     Anica Thomas Penrod (Pine Forest HS, NC - '97) of NC;

27 -   Anita Morgan Becker ('66) of VA;

29 - Roy Tate ('57)!

   Many Happy Returns to You All!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/Happy-Birthday.html

THIS DAY IN WWII:

December 22, 1940 - Himarë was captured by the Greek army.

December 22, 1941 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference, the Arcadia Conference, with U.S. President Roosevelt.

December 22, 1942 - Adolf Hitler signed the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon.

December 22, 1944 - Battle of the Bulge – German troops demanded the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!"

December 22, 1944 - The People's Army of Vietnam was formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indo-China, now Vietnam.

December 22, 1948 - Hideki Tojo was hanged after being convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal. Tojo had become the prime minister of Japan in October of 1940.

December 22, 1989 - In Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate was opened.

THIS DAY IN 1964:

Tuesday, December 22, 1964 - First flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird).

     From Me ('65) of IL - 12/22/09 - "Whodathunkit?!?  ":

   Last Wednesday night, the power flickered off for about a minute and a half. That's when it all began to come unraveled. After we turned the computer back on, Front Page "refused to respond". I thought it was a temporary glitch, so I went to bed - but the next day it still wouldn't cooperate. After, um, communicating with my computer for five and a half hours, I decided to restart it. Oh, Boy Howdy. Then everything slowed to the speed of the slowest of all dial-up systems.

   I called        my #5 son, Nathaniel (Harty - Hillsboro HS, IL- '97 - of IL) over (from down the hall) to confer.  He said there was no other course but to reformat. Do you know how that sends shivers up my spine?!?

   As this was not exactly on his "to-do" list, we spent two days saving, transferring, reinstalling - oh, the humanity. It's good to have a tech rep in the house.

   Alas, it was all to no avail. Even trying to open a simple email to read was like digging for gold. We needed to buy new parts. Oh, joy. We found fantastic bargains, but this was the money I was hoarding for January to pay for the site space and my mandatory yearly physical and three months' supply of medicine. Rats. But as Scarlett so aptly said, "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."

   We ordered a new motherboard and a processor and lots and lots of new RAM and a new power supply yesterday afternoon. It all arrived this morning, and Nathaniel (bless his sweet heart!) spent all day today rebuilding my computer and reinstalling everything all over again.

   Now it's far better than ever before - and everything is just the same, only totally different.

   Thank you, Faniel!

   I'll play catch-up as fast as I can.....

      From My Niece, Shari, of VA - 12/21/09 - "Brittany Murphy Tribute":

http://www.examiner.com/x-704-Pop-Media-Examiner~y2009m12d21-Brittany-Murphy-update-Hospital-tried-to-revive-actress-3-times-neighbor-gives-interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz-yIoSLWCk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw0230i_Oh0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5V7aUYLm8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1q_jBTQO3A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=108-UOc46r8
I didn't know she was the voice of Luanne on King of The Hill. RIP

   Thank you, Shari; that was such a shocking tragedy!

  From Chuck Jones ('66) of Northern VA - 12/21/09 - "For you during those high stress times":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4x5BLNWE7M - 45 Lessons in Life

   Thanks, Chuck!

  From Judy Phillips Allen ('66) of VA - 12/21/09:

Just... sit back!

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for? THAT'S GOD talking to you 

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to? THAT'S GOD wanting you to talk to Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven't seen in a long time and then next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them? THAT'S GOD. There is no such thing as coincidence.

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for? THAT'S GOD knowing the desires of your heart.

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it was going to get better, how the hurting would stop, how the pain would ease, but now you look back on it?  THAT'S GOD passing us through tribulation to see a brighter day.

Do you think that this e-mail was accidentally sent to you?  NO! I was thinking of you!                                  !

Keep this going. You have no idea which one of your e-mail buddies could use a little hope today..

So to you, my friends, I would like to say,
Thank you for being a part
Of all my daily contacts,
This comes right from my heart.

God bless you all is my prayer today,
I'm honoured to call you 'friend';
I pray God will keep you safe,
Until we write again.
Keep Smilin'.........

   Thanks, Dearest Judy!

        From My Cousin, Cheryl White Wilson (John Marshall HS - '64) of VA - 12/21/09 - "2010 Contract":

   Thank you, Cheryl - you too!

ABBREVIATED ALERT:

   Thanks, Jane!

From ArcaMax Jokes - 12/21/09:

DATES TO REMEMBER:

    To donate, click on the Donate Button on the left,  or just mail it directly to my home (address available upon request). Thanks! nnhs65@gmail.com

Words by Placide Clappeau, 1847

Translated to English by John Sullivan Dwight (13 May 1812 - 5 Sep 1853)

Music by Adolphe Charles Adam (24 July 1803 - 3 May 1856)

"O Holy Night" midi courtesy of http://www.catholic.net/christmas_songs/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=17  - 11/22/05

"Cantique de Noel" and "O Holy Night" lyrics courtesy of http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/h/oholynit.htm - 12/21/05

Stained Glass Window of The Nativity over the High Altar of Church of St. Teresa, Beaconsfield, UK
courtesy of http://www.littleflower.co.uk/windows.htm - 12/21/05

 Blue Stained Glass Divider Line clip art courtesy of http://www.wtv-zone.com/nevr2l82/bars1.html - 12/21/05