Howdy people! First off, I will be in New Jersey and New York from Friday, December 19 to Monday, December 29. During that time I likely will not be updating my web site, so if you're one of my daily visitors who demands new content everyday, I guess you're going to go through some ColoradoGuy withdrawals! Sorry! :)

Anyway, I just thought I'd take a stab at writing something serious. It might provide some necessary balance from news articles about my vomiting of root beer floats, fired Hair Consultants and holes in my shoe.

Reflections on Going Home

Earlier this week I spoke via phone with an old friend (Amy Horn) from my 2 1/2 years of living in rural New Hampshire in 1995-97. While catching up with her and reflecting on some of the good times we enjoyed as friends and co-workers, talking with Amy stirred something inside my soul - something distinctly comforting. Isn't it a wonderful feeling to have friends who know a lot about who you are and the greater part of your life story?

Colorado is undoubtedly my new home, and in the past seven years I've worked very hard at obtaining a sense of feeling settled. Colorado is home! Yet I'm also very grateful to have a "home away from home," where I have roots and people have known me since I was a child. I'm very fortunate to have a retreat in the Northeast, where I have the freedom to see family and long-time friends and reconnect with a part of my soul and identity that often goes ignored in my day to day life.

As you might know, I'm not particularly complimentary about New Jersey in general (where I grew up until age 23), but I must admit that this is a place where my heart is regenerated. The comparing and contrasting that's offered in "where I was" and "where I am now" is usually quite helpful for my soul. I am provoked to be grateful for past blessings and where I've been, I can appreciate who I am and how things are now, and I can have some perspective on how I would like things to be in the future.

Additionally, I am so looking forward to visiting the ocean! The New Jersey shore is no more than 1 1/2 hours of driving from my childhood home. I don't care how cold it is when I get there; I just want to hear the ocean waves crashing and gaze out towards the horizon! I'll certainly bring the camera along for the adventure! Oh how I miss the ocean! Colorado, amidst all it's natural beauty, is uh, a little low in the water department! By the way, the adjacent picture is not the ocean, but a lake in Texas, which was the closest thing to an ocean I've seen all year! ;)

2003: A Very Good Year

Where do I begin? Firstly, I want to thank all of you for your friendship. It's been quite a meaningful year for me in many ways! When I return on December 29, I'll be sure to create a "2003 Year in Pictures" pictorial as I've done for the years 2002, 2001 and 2000.

There's is much to be grateful for! Off the top of my head: God's friendship, loving patience with me and financial blessing, this web site, my roommate, living another year in Manitou Springs, the many new friends I've made around the country, the Cross-Colorado bike trip, new life and new beginnings (I know, that was vague!), my work in counseling, my car is still running, gardening, good health, a loving and supportive family, the annual ColoradoGuy Festival and Lazy Hazy BBQ and the love and support of many "non-website" friends, to name a few.

Also, I've worked real hard in the past two months in building revenue streams to support the work of this web site. I revamped the ColoradoGuy Store with a new logo and have successfully promoted the giving of donations as an option. To those of you who gave finanically in 2003, I want to say "thank you" again. I love you!

Warning: Christian content below! Heh heh!

So Christmas Day is approaching and amidst the Santas, blinking Christmas lights, egg nog lattes, gift giving and receiving, annoying, overplayed Christmas songs and cheesy nativity scenes, I've got to throw my two cents in on the subject.

Christmas, to put in simple terms, is about celebrating the fact that God, in his all-loving, all-holy and all-powerful character, chose to show up on earth in the form of a ordinary man. It is about the miraculous, mind-boggling event of God coming to earth and dwelling among us human beings. Yet Christmas won't mean much to you if you stop there with a mere intellectual assent to the story of Christ's birth.

Jesus Christ, the son of God, showed up in the world 2,000 years ago, but it's worthless if you don't allow Jesus Christ to "show up" in your heart. With Christ as your Lord and Savior of your very soul, you can experience the very best that God wants for you: forgiveness of all your sins, true joy, true peace and true victorious living. Saying "yes" to God's love and forgiveness will not necessarily bring you happiness or an easy life, but you are promised eternal life with God.

Jesus said, speaking of those spiritually hungry, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." John 7:37-38

Don't buy into the over-busyness and materialism our culture has made out of Christmas. Turn your heart towards the one who loves you today, right where you're at, and gave his live for you: Jesus Christ. It really doesn't matter if you're a Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Republican, Democrat, Gay or Straight ... No matter who you are, Jesus wants to shine in your soul and change your life for the better!

Have a magical, spirit-filled and victorious Christmas and holiday season!

Love, Steve :)