Mon Dec 15 08:01 EST 1997
Weekend Update: December 12-14

What a great weekend.  On Friday and Sunday, our church held its
annual Christmas musical program in which yours truly had a part.  It
was laid upon me to summarize some of the events of the past year or
so, (much of which will go into my annual Christmas letter),
progressing to my song called "Jesus Led Me All the Way."

I had a little leisure to speak off-the-cuff this year.  In year's
past the script has been prepared for me but this year, I wrote my
part so I was freer; a dangerous thing to do.  I told the audience
that "38 years ago today they wheeled my mother into the delivery room
and put her under anesthesia.  The next thing she knew, there I was,
probably sleeping under the anesthesia myself."  And under the "you
had to be there" category, I referred to my wife in the choir as the
one wearing the red flower and white shirt.  (As you might guess, the
women of the choir were uniformly garbed.)

Miranda dolled her hair and donned an angel costume for the play.  At
least one person after Friday's performance asked if she was my wife;
first time that's happened I think.  I must look young or something!

Sandwiched in between these two performances, we hosted "Christmas at
the Manor" on Saturday.  God has been so good to us, we wanted to
share some of the blessings.  Joy and the girls baked and baked, and
we went shopping, and cleaned and decorated the house... all to
receive our honored guests (76 of them) and to enjoy their company.

I was told that my Pastor's wife remarked that she didn't know half
the people who came to the party. It was a wonderfully diverse group
comprised of church friends, internet friends, neighbors and former
neighbors.  Those who stayed a little longer raised their voices in
some old fashioned Christmas Caroling.

For those of you who missed it, we still want to give you a little
"Christmas at the Manor" so drop us a line or call and let's set up an
evening for some punch and cookies and toasting our tootsies by the
fire!

Mark

P.S. Thanks for the birthday wishes and virtual flowers, folks.
                      _________________________________
          __    _____|         Mark Metcalfe           |_____    __
_________|  |__|    :|   Cadence Design Systems, Inc.  |     |__|  |_________
\       :|  |::|    :|         (978) 446-6451          |     |::|  |,       /
  \     :|  |::|    :|      metcalfe@cadence.com       |     |::|  |\_0__,/
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