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 Story and Photos by Ken Hulsey The winter before our family moved to Louisiana, a snowstorm swept through southern California on Christmas Eve, blanketing the local mountains in several inches of the white stuff. The next day, we decided to take a short drive from our home in Victorville to the picturesque mountain town of Wrightwood to enjoy a rare white Christmas.

For 97 years people from all over the world have traveled to the quaint central Louisiana town of Natchitoches for their Christmas Festival. Every holiday season the town becomes a literal City of Lights as every building is adorned with strand after strand of Christmas lights. The historic district along the Cane River becomes the site of a vast holiday light display and hundreds of shoppers flock to numerous stores, boutiques and restaurants to find unique gifts and satisfy their culinary needs. Boat and carriage rides are available both day and night to provide informative tours of the town. As soon as the sun sets, the sky over the river district become alive with drones and fireworks. It's a holiday experience that you will never forget.

 From Sky Railway: For the first time ever, we have experiences rolling out of both the Santa Fe Depot AND the Lamy Depot for a December to remember! Choose your own adventure and vibe with these delightful and festive experiences!

Bitzee, Interactive Toy Digital Pet and Case with 15 Animals Inside $24.99 @ Amazon.com - Order Here Experience a world of digital pets in the palm of your hand! Introducing Bitzee: the digital pet you can touch and feel! Bitzee interactive pets respond to swipes, tilts, shakes and touch with sounds and reactions! Each Bitzee starts as a baby puppy. Like real pets, Bitzee virtual pets need love and care to grow. The more you play, the more pets you'll get! Feed them and play, rock them to sleep, clean up after them and give them love. Watch them grow from baby, to adult, to Super Bitzee! Unlock each Super Bitzee pet and discover unique outfits and games, then use the treat to attract your next virtual animal. Collect 15 Bitzee pets in your case and show off your collection to friends anywhere! Includes 3x AA batteries. Bitzee toys are perfect for kids who enjoy animation, kids' electronics, surprise toys, animal toys, fidget toys and STEM toys - even adults will be mesmerized w...

 Merry Christmas Everyone! Today is a day for family fun, joyful giving and delicious food. Let us not forget the true reason for our joy today. Jesus came into this world to bridge the gap between God and man. His life, ministry and ultimate sacrifice has given everyone a chance at a better fulfilling life and most of all salvation. The gift he has given us is more precious than any material gift we will ever unwrap at Christmas. I'm here to tell you that there is a better way. You can have a personal relationship with Christ today. Check Out: Pastor James W Greer - Journey Church - Journey to the Light | In His Presence Pastor Steve Smothermon - Legacy Church - God isn’t a genie. ❌ JESUS IS SAVIOR. Hard Sayings of Jesus Pastor Steven Roberts - Journey Church - The Blessed Life: It's Not What You Think Pastor James W Greer - Journey Church - 5 Things God Wants You to Experience When You Stretch Your Faith The Six Phases of Faith - Great Adversity Will Lead to God's Greates...

Last Sunday Terri and I were returning from the kids house and we turned on the main drag here in Lecompte Louisiana. As we rounded the corner my eyes spotted a row of glowing lights along the road. I couldn't believe my eyes! There were luminarias all the way down the road. My heart leapt with joy. Was I still in Louisiana or was I somehow back in New Mexico ? I'm so happy! I jumped out of the car and pulled out my phone and took a few crude images to preserve the moment. For those who don't know luminarias are: The glowing brown sacks that adorn walkways, churches and homes each holiday season are called luminarias and date back more than 300 years. The New Mexican tradition began when the Spanish villages along the Rio Grande displayed the unique and easy to make Christmas lanterns, called luminarias to welcome the Christ child into the world. A traditional luminaria is a brown paper bag, which has been folded at the top, filled will a couple cups of sand and a votive ca...

 Yesterday I was driving through north central Louisiana just before dawn when I came to the small town of Winnfield. I had no intention of stopping and taking photos until my eyes caught site of all the glowing Christmas lights that were illuminating the town's historic downtown. I didn't have my actual camera with me on this trip so I had to make do with the camera on my phone. I braved the crisp cold air long enough to capture a few images. I wasn't going for anything artsy, I just wanted to take some shots that illustrated the spirit of Christmas in small town America. I hope that viewing these images will conjure up some memories of Christmas past and hopefully some nostalgic feelings of small town life. Map: Here are my photos: Check Out: Abandoned Louisiana - The Red River & Gulf Railyard in Long Leaf Abandoned Louisiana - A Long Closed and Forgotten Construction Company near Baton Rouge Louisiana Through My Lens - John James Audubon Bridge Over The Mississippi ...

 This morning I discovered this video shot by James Blackburn of the River of Lights at the Albuquerque Biopark (New Mexico). For all of us that live out of state this is an opportunity to experience this impressive Christmas light show. Info: River of Lights is an annual holiday light display at ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visitors are enchanted by a magical walk through the Botanic Garden among about 600 intricately designed sculptures and light displays. There is no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to stroll through the alleys surrounded by millions of twinkle lights. Kids will enjoy a ride on Polar Bear Express, a fairytale-like nighttime experience aboard the Rio Line Train. Experience the festive glow of millions of lights and meet Santa at the end of your trip. Other attractions include Holiday Nature Crafts in the Education building, G-Scale Model Railroad that features special holiday trains. Magic hour is available from 5 to 6 p....

The greatest gift is to live in God's power and presence. We have the privilege of witnessing Christ's power. Things happen as a result of His presence. Jesus came to bring us out of the darkness and into the light. The power of His presence is the greatest present of all. ( Luke 1:39-45, NKJV ) Jesus caused things to happen while in Mary’s womb; apart from Him she could not bring about miracles. Jesus being present in the room changes everything. Carry Jesus in your heart. The privilege of the present. ( Luke 1:43-45, NKJV ) Don’t let the question be “What can I get?” but “Why I am so privileged to receive such a gift as His Son?” Knowing God sent His Son as a gift for you should be bring joy. The purpose of the present. ( Luke 1:79, NKJV ) Jesus came to give us light and save us from darkness (Hell). ( John 1:4-5, ESV ) Victory over darkness. ( 2 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV ) Give others light and hope. ( Matthew 5:15-16, NKJV ; 1 Peter 2:12, NKJV ) Journey Church 2900 Donahue ...