Opinion : The wonderful world wide web

As I glance across the top of my screen, I see that I have 10 screens open.

I am waiting for a picture to download, and I started thinking about what I'd really like for Christmas.

This thought was triggered by another email that came in this morning.

Besides the beautiful picture of a kitchen with floor to ceiling cupboards...I started looking at the Ancestry.com website.

I am fascinated with geneology and what you can discover about family that you have never even met.

That in turn, made me open Microsoft Word and start a list of things I'd really like.

This also reminded me of a few gifts I still need to get for Christmas, and I realize that while I am fascinated by them, I know nothing about them. That triggered more windows to open.

My picture is now downloaded, so I have attached it to the appropriate article, and published it.

Closing my research windows on the Christmas gifts, that triggered another thought.

The Christmas Eve service at church.

So I googled Luke 2, to reread the story, although after so many years, I can just about quote it.

A large part of Christmas is the carols we sing year after year. I began plugging in titles to songs that applied throughout the story and then turned around to mute the noise from the news, that I am no longer watching.

As I turned I noticed the clock, which reminded me to give the outbound email a once over.

This in turn triggered me to glance across my screen to see if I had gotten sidetracked while waiting for something else to download.

That reminded me again of the cool Christmas gifts. I close the screens where I can order and having decided that I will probably order the gifts, I've decided to read about them later.

Then looking again at what else is open, I realized that I still have Luke 2 open on top of my screen.

Wanting to delve into the chapter a bit more, I glance again at the e-mail for anything else that needs to go on the website, then cracking open Facebook, which I know can suck me into hours of distraction if I let it, I see that G & G has a giving tree going with gifts under it for needy children.

This triggers the thought that I am so glad I live where I do,

Last week we visited Independence with a couple of the girls, stopped for lunch and visited with one of my cousins. Our youngest asked, "Who is that?" I replied, "It's your cousin." She gave a huge sigh and said, "Are we related to EVERYONE???" I smiled and assured her that only a large section of Benton County is that lucky, a section of Buchanan county.

This reminds me again of our community and how I am always amazed at the generosity, the caring and the love this community shows to everyone in it.

I am fortunate to belong to a variety of families that have been part of this fabric for generations, and I realize, we have huge shoes to fill, and when I look around, I realize we are all doing a pretty good job.

I look at places like the Palace, run by volunteers, and smile. I see the Tour deLights fundraising efforts, I see the bake sales and various fundraisers in the community to support so many causes, and everyone is there just smiling while they help out.

So at this, "most wonderful time of the year", take a moment to look around and be grateful for all the gifts we've been given, from waaaay back in Luke 2 times, to 2012, in the little town of Vinton...we've got it all, right here. We have our families, and our friends. What else could anyone ask for this Christmas, we've got it all!

From the Close household, we wish you all a Merry Christmas, and may your new year be filled with joy and many blessings!