December - Justice and Mercy: being fair and impartial & giving kind treatment to an offender. Activity: Leisure - spending time in ways enjoyable to oneself!

Rex: "Hey Zenas, WOW, reading your last two articles . . . I don't know man, it just makes me think that I should forget about even thinking of spending money on my family for Christmas this year and instead put all the money into some kinda saving instrument for when my kids get older and have the same issues with cars! "

Zenas: " Rex, Rex, Rex . . . . lets put some perspective into this, really! Your son has so many years before he starts to drive, just park some of the money into that bank certificate of deposit and use the rest to have some fun. Take your wife out for a really cool date night, or use some of that cash to help out some of the less fortunate in your community, or surprise your wife and buy her some really nice gift . . like . . . "

Rex: "Gold and diamonds, aren't they a girls best friend!!??"

Zenas: "Well, no! At first I was going to suggest one of those "us" gifts. You know, the kind of gift you get HER, but it really is something for ME, so it becomes an US gift! But that wouldn't be fair! I was really thinking about something more practical, like painting your family room. Hasn't she been all over you to spruce that room up ever since your baby came along?"

Rex: "Oh, Zenas, you are such a funny man! I guess you've done those kind of things for your wife! She must have just been so surprised Christmas morning!"

Zenas: "Nope, not me! I got her a really cool vacuum, and based on her delight, figured I should have done the painting! But that was a while ago. You know, looking back, it was really cool when the kids were little. Back when no matter what we got them, we had to help them open the presents, and once they got their tiny hands around the gift, it went straight into their mouths! And then as they got into the toddler age, staying up till late in the night to put together the bikes and wagons. My favorite part was when we had a bit too much of the eggnog and couldn't find, err read, the directions for putting together some gift from Santa! Thankfully, the kids didn't know the difference and two days later I had to scramble around finding parts!"

Rex: "Hey lets get serious for a moment. How much you gain eating all that good food your mother in-law cooks up for Thanksgiving??!! "

Zenas: "Common Rex, you really don't think I'm gonna write about that sort of thing and then publish it in my own home town, do you??!! I mean, really, what will folks think . . . . . it was about 8 pounds and I think it all had to do with my desire to be a part of the stimulus plan."

Rex: "Stimulus Plan?? How in the world do you figure?"

Zenas: "Simple Rex, just think about what happens when we gain weight, the belly expands, the trousers don't fit, just in time for Christmas! Then my wife feels sorry for my buttons popping and so she takes me shopping for bigger trousers. Wait, it doesn't stop there, a new pair of trousers needs a new belt, right? And a new belt just wouldn't look good without a new pair of shoes! And a new shirt, with a new tie! See how eating just a bit more over the holidays can boost our own local economy. Pretty simple the way I see it. To get this economy moving again all we have to do is eat!

Rex: Zenas, have you been getting into your wife's eggnog a bit prematurely?

Zenas: "Not yet I haven't! Rex, you going to wait till the ground is frozen before you go out and cut down your Christmas tree this year?"

Rex: "You bet, Zenas. That's the best time to do it. Wait till the weathers really cold and preferably snowing. Then spend a couple of hours out there, looking at all the many types of trees, till the perfect one gets found. And I love getting down on the ground with my wife, each of us with a side of the saw in hand, giggling like little kids, till one of us yells TIMBER, and over she goes! This year might be a bit of a challenge with the baby. But nothing beats getting out there and cutting our own Christmas tree!"

Zenas: "You can say that again! Last year we spent almost 4 hours in the shivering cold, but we found the tree that fit just right. After we got the tree loaded on top of the car, we then found a really cozy local winery where we propped our feet up by the warmth of a fire, sipping some warmth and watching the snow come down. Uhmmmm, I wonder when we will see the first snow this year, think it will be a white Christmas?"

Rex: "I certainly hope so. Hey, did I hear that for Christmas your daughter was going to be home from her trip over in South Africa?"

Zenas: "You heard right Rex, best present I've had in a long time."