This is a message that I received from Mando.
Enjoy!

As each and every one of you, are entering this Holiday season, let us not forget, the reason...for the season!
This has been a tumultuous year for just about everyone, as we have had to face many uncertainties, financial strains, sickness, trajedies, and also, on a positive note, happiness with our families, and loved ones, promotions at work, gained new friends, enjoying new cars, and whatever else, you may have happened to you.

But through it all, let us never forget to give thanks, To The Lord, for all He has done , is doing, and will do for those, who believe, love, and honor Him. Jesus, is the reason for the season, and the bible says..."This is the day that The Lord has made, and we shall be glad, and rejoice in it!" We have so much, to be thankful for, and we must excercise our voices, of thanksgiving! I am no different than any of you, and I go through many trials, but I am healthy, I am able to pay my bills, and even though 2 months ago, I lost my job, (15 of us got layed off) I am in very good spirits.

Why? Because there are many, many, people worse off than me. I have never had to deal with floods, or hurricanes, or tornados, and other such disasters. I have been blessed, and I choose, to count, my blessings. Yes, I have had to endure some difficulty at times, and the loss of friends, or relatives, through sickness, or trajedy, but we must press on. My favorite baseball, basketball, or football teams didn't make it to the World Series, NBA finals, or Super Bowl, but I will survive.

What I am saying to you all in a nutshell, instead of focusing on the negative junk, that we at times all go through, take time out to smell the roses, as they say, and be positive about what is good in your life. Be grateful for you children, husband/wife, families, friends, and those in your inner circle. Take time to call a loved one, and wish them a Happy Holiday Season, or even, just, Merry Christmas. Do something thoughtful for someone, and say "I love you", to your better half, and especially to your children. We never know, what lies ahead, but we can, be prepared, in spirit.

I am grateful to all of you on this web-site, and I call you all, my friends. I am so grateful and appreciative, to Suzanne Magoon, and all she has done, to enhance this web-site, and to all who have helped her through these last 6 years. I can say, that I love you guys, and you all, mean so much to this old actor. Whenever I have gotten a e-mail, or a note I have always done my best to respond, and I appreciate you all.

I pray you all, a very, Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year. May God's Rays of Sunshine, fill all your lives, with His
Hope...Faith...and LOve. God BLess you, and remember to always E.A.T.....Encouragement...Attitude...and Trust!
Thanks again to Suz, and all of you, in "MandoLand"! Mando

Thank you for sharing that! What an uplifting Christmas message!

Thanks for posting that. What a blessing. So sorry to hear he has lost his job. We'll keep him in our prayers. Have a good Christmas Suzanne & Mando. Thanks for all you do for him & Frederico...

I am so grateful to people like Mando who can really put life in perspective. Instead of dwelling on the negative we should appreciate all we have and take that positive feeling with us to the New Year. Hope all of you had a good Christmas.

Mando is a gem I have to answer to him soon.

Thanks Suz for sharing his message with us. It is a time to be thankful. We are all in good health here and I got one of the best Christmas presents this year, all my family was able to come home for a visit, even my son and his new girlfriend who are stationed overseas got to come home for two weeks. We may not have everything we would like, but we have so much to be thankful for. Isaac, I will keep you in my prayers. Someone else I know lost his job this past spring and finally was able to get another one as a Christmas present this year. I know God will take care of you. He never forgets his own. Romans 8:28.

Luckymama (Marie)

Isaac, I know I have never "spoken" to you directly before, but since Lucky brought it up, I wanted to let everyone in the CATM fan family know (finally) what has been going on in my immediate family. Hope you don't mind me taking up space on the thread devoted to your beautiful message of encouragement for the holidays! First of all I must thank you for that....

What has happened is, that in April of this year my husband and some of his fellow workers were told their jobs were going to be eliminated in 60 days, but they had that amount of time to seek employment elsewhere in the company (a large national insurance firm based near where we live). But nothing came of anyone's job search within, so just before our younger daughter's 10th birthday, we were without our only source of income! The only saving grace in a way was that he had worked there for one month shy of 23 years (OMG!), so the severance package kept us going through a job search which has taken over 6 months!

But.....praise God that while we still had something to live on, he went to work for a temp agency that found him the job which is about to become permanent! The offer was made the day before Christmas Eve--so as Lucky said, a wonderful Christmas present was bestowed.

BTW do see my signature--the most appropriate song just happened to be on Josh Groban's new Christmas album and it went into our Christmas card even before we knew re the job. Another of God's ways of working mysteries in our lives--giving us a song to help us express our thanks before we ever thought there was something to "sing" about!

So....to Isaac and anyone else who is facing similar circumstances...hang on and keep praying--I am praying along with you! And all the thanks to Lucky for her prayers for us!

So sorry your hubby lost his job. Glad he is getting a new one. God provides...