Merry Christmas 2015!

[TGO David]

 

 

On behalf of my family and the TGO Staff, I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!  I hope that you find yourself in the company of family, friends or loved ones this Christmas -- or at the very least, warm, happy and safe doing something that you truly enjoy.

 

If you are one of our many members who are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces and you are away from your family, especially if you are serving downrange somewhere, my special prayer for you is that you and your brothers in arms are kept safe and that you find a way to celebrate Christmas with those around you.  We here at home enjoy the safety to observe the holidays due to the sacrifices men and women like you make every day, and it does not go unnoticed or forgotten.

 

And last but certainly not least, I leave you with this video which is making its rounds quite virally this season.  I hope that you enjoy it.

 

https://vimeo.com/55641900

[TripleDigitRide]

Here here! Thank you, David. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[hipower]

Here here! Thank you, David. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

TDR says it well and for me as well!

 

Merry Christmas to you David, your family, and all the TGO family.

 

For all...please remember all our Service men and women everywhere.

[TNMTBik3r]

Merry Christmas everyone!

[herr.baer]

Merry Christmas!!!! Thanks for all you and everyone else does to keep this site going.

[hipower]

I wanted this to be separate...David, Thank You for the awesome video. I had not heard this one.

[JohnC]

Merry Christmas all! :love:

[bersaguy]

Thank you David and Merry Christmas and  thank you for the video. Very Inspiring for sure. And to all the TGO' folks a Very Merry Christmas and a Very Special Merry Christmas to our Military both Active and Veterans. Thank you very much................ :usa: 

[Wingshooter]

Merry Christmas!

[TGO David]

I wanted this to be separate...David, Thank You for the awesome video. I had not heard this one.

 

An interesting bit of information about the Cloverton video:  Apparently the band sought and obtained permission from Sony Music to use Leonard Cohen's original work as a "derivative art" but after they released their version of it, Sony pulled permission.  So the video is making its rounds on the Internet not quite with full copyright approval.  It's a shame that Sony pulled support for it and honestly begs the question "Why?"

 

It's a pretty powerful version of the song, in my opinion.  I'm glad you liked it.

[hipower]

An interesting bit of information about the Cloverton video:  Apparently the band sought and obtained permission from Sony Music to use Leonard Cohen's original work as a "derivative art" but after they released their version of it, Sony pulled permission.  So the video is making its rounds on the Internet not quite with full copyright approval.  It's a shame that Sony pulled support for it and honestly begs the question "Why?"

 

It's a pretty powerful version of the song, in my opinion.  I'm glad you liked it.

 

Powerful in a most heartfelt way.  A very moving performance. I'll be saving it.

[McGarrett]

Merry Christmas!

[Dolomite_supafly]

Merry Christmas!

[frankmako]

Merry Christmas to all and all a good night.

[billyscott]

Merry Christmas to you all and thanks for what you do!

[res308]

Merry Christmas to all fellow TGO members! Thanks for all the contributions from everyone. I've really enjoyed this site.

[CommsNBombs]

Merry Christmas from my wife and I to all of you. It has been a hell of a year and this community has helped keep me sane.

May all your days continue to be blessed, even for you .40SW fans out there ! [emoji14]

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[Grand Torino]

Thanks for the video boss. :up:  Merry Christmas to you and yours and everyone here at TGO.

 

[runco]

May your family be blessed and may Christmas 2015 be the best ever!  Reminder of the story which will be read to my kids in a few hours, and I have read/heard this story for 47 years straight!

 

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-Chapter-2/

 

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

[R1100R]

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year.

[ArmyBrat61]

A Blessed Christmas to all my TGO family!

[Jamie Jackson]

David, That is an incredible, and beautiful, rendition of Hallelujah. Thank you for sharing that and I will definitely share it with my family today.

 

Merry Christmas to my TGO "family" and I pray for a Happy and Blessed day for you all.

But a special Prayer goes out for our men and women serving in our Armed Forces both here and abroad. Thank you for the sacrifices you make each and everyday so that we can enjoy the freedoms and lives we live.

[btq96r]

Best wishes for a Happy Christmas for those of you celebrating it with friends and family today.  I may not like what our society makes this day out to be, but I know how deeply held it is to many and despite my protestations in general, I do genuinely hope that it's a positive day that reminds you what really matters in your life if you're celebrating it.

 

For those getting their Christmas dinner from a mermite flown or trucked in by the military supply chain- thank you for standing your watch.  I've been there and know what it can do to your mindset and hope you make it back soon.  But I also know that a Christmas overseas can be something special in its own right.  It was always one of those "whatever you make of it" situations.

 

For myself, I'm hoping that a Chinese restaurant is open somewhere in town, and that the Warriors/Cavs & Rockets/Spurs games are as good as advertised.  :cool:

 

 

 

It's a pretty powerful version of the song, in my opinion.

 

The music is the same, but that's about it.  I wouldn't even call it a version of the song since Cloverton completely changed the meaning of it by turning it into a telling about the biblical version of Jesus' birth.

 

Cohen wrote a song about struggle (I did my best, it wasn't much)' doubt (Your faith was strong but you needed proof); and how even the individual meaning of the word Hallelujah is open to interpenetration (It doesn't matter which you heard/The holy or the broken Hallelujah).  Completely different context I'd say.  I used the 1984 lyrics from the Various Positions album, since that's my favorite version, but the '88 one is generally the same meaning.  I'd pay real money to get my hands on the 80 some verses Cohen originally wrote just to see how the song itself evolved.

Edited December 25, 2015 by btq96r

[brat]

Merry Christmas !! Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable day with family and loved ones.

[TMF]

For myself, I'm hoping that a Chinese restaurant is open somewhere in town,

.

My wife and I did this one Christmas before we had kids. We were traveling just prior to Christmas, and by the time we got back to Clarksville an ice/snow storm had covered everything, and they didn't plow or salt the roads. We didn't have any food in the fridge and all the stores were closed, so we did the Golden Buffet on Ft Campbell Blvd. It's still one of my favorite Christmas memories, although we didn't get the staff to do the "Fara-ra-ra" version of deck the halls.