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Need an
inspirational thought...something to get you through the hustle and
bustle of the holiday season? Well, you've come to the right
place. Check here regularly for inspirational thoughts about
Christmas.
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(Thursday,
December 25)
-
You are cordially invited to
-
A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

-
- Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ
- Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25
- but He's always around, so the date is flexible....
- Time: Whenever you're ready.
- (Please don't be late, though, or you'll miss out on all the fun!)
- Place: In your heart.... He'll meet you there.
- (You'll hear Him knock.)
Attire: Come as you are... grubbies are okay.
- He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about
- new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.
- Tickets: Admission is free. He's
- already paid for everyone...
- (He says you wouldn't have been
- able to afford it anyway...
- it cost Him everything He had. But
- you do need to accept the ticket!!
- Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a
- far-out drink He calls "Living Water,"
- followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!
- Gift Suggestions: ; Your life. He's one of those
- people who already has everything else.
- (He's very generous in return though.
- Just wait until you see what He has for you!)
- Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth,
- Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness,
- Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power,
- Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more!
- (All "G" rated, so bring your family and friends.)
R.S.V.P. Very Important!
- He must know ahead so He can
- reserve a spot for you at the table.
- Also, He's keeping a list of His friends for future
- reference. He calls it the "Lamb's Book of Life."
- Party being given by His Kids (that's us!!)!
- Hope to see you there! For those of you whom I will
- see at the party, share this with someone today!
- MERRY
CHRISTMAS TO ALL...
AND
GOD BLESS US,
EVERY ONE!
-
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* *
(Wednesday,
December 24)
MY
FIRST CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN
I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heavens, reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away the tear,
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear.
But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas Choir up here.
I have no words to tell you, the joy the voices bring,
For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away, we really aren't apart.
So be happy for me, dear ones, you know I hold you dear,
And be glad I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory of my undying love.
After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold.
It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.
Please love and keep each
other, as my Father said to do.
For I can't count the blessings or love he has for each of you.
So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear,
Remember I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I received this
online. The tag line said "** This poem was written by a 13
year old Ben to his mother before he died of a brain tumor. He
died in 1997, and that year his spent his first Christmas with
Jesus."
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* *
(Tuesday,
December 23)
A Christmas Story
by Rian B. Anderson
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their
means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who
were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was
from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not
from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the
world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to
buy me the rifle that I'd wanted so bad that year for Christmas.
We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa
wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. So after
supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the
fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was
still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a
mood to read scriptures.
But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I
couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores.
I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in
self-pity.
Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in
his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up
good, it's cold out tonight."
I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for
Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly
reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I
couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a
night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one
dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got
up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave
me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house.
Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was
the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were
going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell.
We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big
load.
Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up
beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy.
When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front
of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think
we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help
me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to
do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to
do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.
When we had exchanged the sideboards Pa went into the woodshed and came
out with an armload of wood---the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down
from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting.
What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked,
"what are you doing?"
"You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The
Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a
year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being
eight.
Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said,
"why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out
digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out
of wood, Matt." That was all he said and then he turned and
went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him.
We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be
able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went
to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon.
He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait.
When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder
and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.
"What's in the little sack?" I asked.
"Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks
wrapped around his feet when he was out in the wood-pile this morning. I
got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas
without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I
tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly
standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what
was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into
blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so
we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why
was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of
this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn't have
been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood
as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the
door.
We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is
it?"
"Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a
bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped
around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were
sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave
off any heat at all.
Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the
sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack
that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes
out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the
children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last.
I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from
trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her
cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it
wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said, then he
turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring enough in to last for
awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."
I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I
had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were
tears in my eyes too.
In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the
fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her
cheeks and so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.
My heart swelled within me and a joy filled my soul that I'd never known
before. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it
had made so much difference.
I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids
started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow
Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for
a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless
you," she said. "I know the Lord himself has sent you.
The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his
angels to spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled
up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms
before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was
probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the
earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way
for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on
it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed
when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get.
Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord
would make sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to
leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug.
They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed
their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me
to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The
turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get
cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to
get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around
again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the
youngest. My two older brothers and two older sisters were all married
and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you,
Brother Miles. I don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I
know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't
even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said,
"Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been
tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that
rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who
owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square.
Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you
that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that. But on
the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet
wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. So, Son, I
spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope
you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very
well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Just then the rifle seemed very
low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given
me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three
children.
For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a
block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy
I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than
a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
received from Inspiration List
http://www.inspirationlist.com
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* *
(Monday,
December 22)
THINGS NOT TO SAY WHEN
HANGING THE LIGHTS
Did you know that
hanging lights on a Christmas tree is one of the three most stressful
situations in an on-going relationship? The other two danger zones are
teaching your mate to drive and wallpapering.
We rush to print with
an emergency list of Things Not To Say When Hanging Lights on the
Christmas Tree.
~ "You've got two red lights right
next to each other, goober. You're supposed to go yellow, green, red,
blue, not yellow, red, red, green, blue..."
~ "Up a little higher. You can
reach it. Go on, try."
~ "What on earth do you do to
these lights when you put them away every year? Tie them in knots?"
~ "Give me that."
~ "You've got the whole thing on
the tree upside-down. The electric pluggee thing should be down here at
the bottom, not up at the top."
"I don't care if you have
found another two strings, I'm done!"
~ "You've just wound 'em around
and around - I thought we agreed it shouldn't look like a perfect spiral
this year?"
~ "Have you been drinking?"
~ "Where's the cat?"
~ "If you're not going to do it
right, don't do it at all. Don't just throw them on, like you do the
icicles. You're worse than your father."
received from Mikey's Funnies
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(Sunday,
December 21)
If
we think of our heart,
rather than our purse,
as the reservoir
of our giving,
we shall find it
full all the time!
--David Dunn
printed in Christmas
Treasures of the Heart
compiled by Cheri Fuller
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* *
(Saturday,
December 20)
CHECK
OUT
by J.R. Labbe from Fort Worth Star Telegram
Christmas
Eve, a year ago. The Wal-Mart in Cleburne, Texas, was jammed,
hectic. Dozens of people were waiting in long lines at checkout
counters to purchase small appliances, jewelry, toys and clothing that
would be next-morning treasures under someone's tree.
The woman
standing in cashier Jeffrey Kandt's line seemed to be living on the edge
of subsistence. Her clothes were worn; her hands were those of a
person who'd worked hard for what she had. She held a single item in
her arms as she patiently waited to move to the front of the line.
Her son would get the one present he had asked for: a Sony
PlayStation2. She had saved all year for this; with tax, the total
would be close to $220.
As Kandt
scanned the game player's bar code into his register, the woman
panicked. Where was her money? It wasn't where she remembered
putting it earlier in the day. Her fear became palpable to the
customers in line behind her as she started to cry.
Why my
line? Kandt thought as he watched the frantic woman search
through her clothes. He was going to have to call his manager to
void the sale and return the game player to a locked shelf. He'd
have to shut down his checkout line and wait for her to come from another
part of the crowded store--not something that any store manager or cashier
wants on Christmas Eve, not with people waiting and the clock ticking down
to closing time. I'm going to be late for church, Kandt
thought.
And then an
amazing thing happened. At the back of the line, a man took out his
wallet, pulled out $100 and passed it forward. As the cash moved up
the line, a twenty-dollar bill was added here, a ten-dollar bill
there. Someone threw in a bunch of ones dug from the bottom of a
jeans pocket.
When the
collection finally reached the register, Kandt counted $220.
Strangers
had fulfilled a poor woman's Christmas wish to give her son his dream
gift.
And Jeffrey
Kandt wasn't late for church. The people in his line in the
Cleburne, Texas, Wal-Mart on Christmas Eve 2002 had become one.
from
Reader's Digest, December 2003
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* *
(Friday,
December 19)
Wife to husband: "This Christmas let's give each other sensible
gifts, like ties and fur coats."
Christmas: The time when everyone gets Santamental.
Take C-H-R-I-S-T out of Christmas and you're left with a
"miss."
Christmas is weird. What other time of the year do you sit in front of
a
dead tree and eat candy out of your socks?
He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under
a tree.
You know you're getting old when Santa starts looking younger.
What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their
games in a hotel lobby?
Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer
I know. I know. People say, "It's the thought that counts, not
the gift," but couldn't people think a bit bigger?!
compiled from
Mikey's Thot for the Day
(www.mikeysfunnies.com)
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* *
(Thursday,
December 18)
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS
MEMORY
A true story from Shelley Batty, written by Len Evans.
Over time Christmas memories begin to fade or blur. The ones that you
recall years later can involve heartache, jubilation or both. As the
oldest of two brothers and a sisters, I often bore the weight of being
the "big sister." We lived in a rural area of eastern Oregon.
My Dad had been out of work for a while as Christmas approached. Money
was tighter than we could have imagined at such a young age. I was only
eight with brothers who were seven and six and a little sister who was
five. We didn't know exactly what was happening, but we knew things
weren't normal.
Our meals were a little different but
the biggest difference was our Christmas tree. It wasn't a sad
"Charlie Brown" tree, but the gifts under the tree forced us
to realize this would be a unique Christmas. Actually, there weren't any
multicolored boxes or any exquisite bows. Instead we had one present,
but it was a huge box wrapped with care. We tried for days, but we could
not imagine what it was.
Christmas day finally arrived and
anticipation consumed us. As always, Dad read the Christmas story from
Luke before we could open any present. After the reading he put the big
box in the middle of the floor. He directed each us to stand by one side
of the present. He told us that the gift was for all of us and we had to
share it nicely, then he gave us the motion to open our present.
We ripped the wrapping paper faster
than a chain saw!
We had waited all that time for a
refrigerator box?! But we discovered that there was something else
inside that refrigerator box. Large appliance boxes with medium-sized
moving boxes inside of them. Inside the medium boxes were other boxes
and then shoeboxes and even more boxes until we finally arrived at the
tiny jewelry boxes! Believe it or not but at the bottom of all those
boxes was a book called "Things to Make with Boxes."
We made forts and castles, cars and
airplanes, boats and trains, sets and scenery for make-believe plays,
and all sorts of cool things. My parents still have a box of snapshots
of all the things we made with our boxes.
The four of us are now straddling 40.
If asked individually for our best Christmas memory, you will get four
variations of the story of a box full of boxes.
Copyright 2002 Len Evans. Permission
is granted to send this to others, but not for commercial purposes.
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* *
(Wednesday,
December 17)
Christmas
is the time for sharing . . . a time to reach out to touch the needy, with
a reach that extends to heaven, then to earth, bringing them together.
Christmas
is a time for learning . . . a time when new truth is uncovered, and
trusting children often teach the old.
Christmas
is a time for love . . . a time to shed inhibitions, a time to show that
we care, a time to say words too long unsaid.
It was, oh,
so easy to miss His first coming . . . and if we're not careful, we may
miss Him again this year.
IT WAS
THAT NIGHT
It was that
ethereal night
when a matchless star stood glowing in the East,
trailing a man, a woman, a burdened beast.
It was that
incredible night
when an innkeeper
became the first to say:
"I have no
room for You this day."
It was that incomparable night
when Gabriel came ecstatic to the earth,
proclaiming glad tidings of a royal birth.
It was that immortal night
when a caring God reached gently down to lay,
His supreme gift, Love, upon the hay.
--Fred Bauer
from Mini
Moments for Christmas by Robert Strand
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* *
(Tuesday,
December 16)
CHRISTmas
'Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the town
Not a sign of Baby Jesus
was anywhere to be found.
The people were all busy
with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking,
and shopping in stores.
No one sang "Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santa
dressed-up in bright red..
Mama watched Martha Stewart,
Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour
the presents they'd wrap.
Then what from the TV
did they suddenly hear?
'Cept an ad.. Which told
of a big sale at Sears.
So away to the mall
they all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...
and others with cash!
And, as they made their way home
from their trip to the mall,
did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.
Their lives were so busy
with their Christmas time things
No time to remember
Christ Jesus, the King.
There were presents to wrap
and cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember
who died for their sake?
To pray to the Savior...
they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time to
Shop 'til they dropped!"
On Wal-mart! On K-mart!
On Target! On Penney's!
On Hallmark! On Zales!
A quick lunch at Denny's
From the big stores downtown
to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,
and visit them all!
And up on the roof,
there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lights
up on his brand new stepladder.
He hung lights that would flash.
He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus...
Light of the World.
Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!
Christ's Spirit... how merry!
Christ's love... how enormous!
All our burdens... He'll carry!
So instead of being busy,
overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back in Christmas,
and enjoy HIS special night!
Merry CHRISTmas, my friends, and to all
a good night!
received through email--no credits
listed
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Monday,
December 15)
(Don't think
there's any way you can categorize today's message as
"inspirational," but hopefully one or two of them will make you
laugh...and laughter is good for the soul!)
What did the Gingerbread Man put on his
bed?
A cookie sheet
What reindeer has the cleanest antlers?
Comet
What do they call Santa's helpers?
Subordinate Clauses
What do you call Santa Clause after he's
fallen into a fireplace?
Krisp Kringle
Who sings "Love Me Tender" and
makes Christmas toys?
Santa's little Elvis
Which of Santa's reindeers needs to mind
his manners the most?
"Rude"olph
What is the cow's holiday greeting?
Mooooory Christmas
What does Santa like to eat?
A jolly roll
Where do Santa's reindeers like to stop
for lunch?
Deery Queen
What does Santa say when he is sick?
OH OH NO!
If athletes get athlete's foot, what do
astronauts get?
Missile toe
How does Santa Claus take pictures?
With his North Pole-aroid.
What do you call the fear of getting
stuck while sliding down a chimney?
Santa Claus-trophbia
What do you call Santa on the beach at
Christmas time?
Sandy Claus
Where do Santa and Mrs. Claus live?
In an icicle built for two
How does Santa tend to his garden?
Hoe, hoe, hoe
Why does Santa's sleigh get such
terrific mileage?
Because it has long-distance runners on each side
Why does Santa especially love all his
reindeer?
Because every buck is deer to him
What are Santa's Favorite songs?
"There's Snow Place Like Home for the Holidays" and
"Freezer Jolly Good Fellow!"
When traveling in the sleigh in
inclement weather, Santa gets icicles in his beard.
Real chin chillas, those.
Why does Santa sometimes remove all the
bells from his sleigh and travel silently through the night?
One day he hopes to win a No Bell prize
Why does Santa love sliding down
chimneys?
Because it soots him
When Santa gets stuck in the chimney,
how do you get him out?
Pour Santa Flush on him.
Since Santa has to go up and down a wide
variety of chimneys on Christmas, should he have a yearly flue shot?
St. Nicholas is the main Claus. His wife
is a relative Claus. His children are dependent Clauses, and as a group,
they're all renoun Clauses.
Santa's elves have banded together to
protest the terrible conditions they've been working under...they're
striving for higher elf esteem.
***
a compilation from items from Mikey's Funnies and The Groaners Mailing
List and "Have a Punny Christmas" by Richard Lederer
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Sunday,
December 14)
First Corinthians 13,
Christmas Version
If I decorate my house perfectly with
plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show
love to my family, I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking
dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a
beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family,
I'm just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in
the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love
to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering
angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and
sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the
point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss
the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that
has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out
of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are
able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces
will be lost, golf clubs will rust.
But giving the gift of love will endure.
Merry Christmas
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Saturday,
December 13)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIDDO!!!!!!!
A LETTER
FOR SANTA
Snowflakes
softly falling
Upon your window they play
Your blankets snug around you,
Into sleep you drift away.
I bend to
gently kiss you,
when I see that on the floor
there's a letter, neatly written;
I wonder who it's for.
I quietly
unfold it
making sure you're still asleep,
It's a Christmas list for Santa
one my heart will always keep.
It
started just as always
with the toys seen on TV,
A new watch for your father
and a winter coat for me.
But as my
eyes read on
I could see that deep inside
there were many things you wished for
that your loving heart would hide.
You asked
if your friend Molly
could have another Dad;
It seems her father hits her
and it makes you very sad.
Then you
asked dear Santa
if the neighbor down the street
Could find a job, that he might have
some food, and clothes, and heat.
You saw a
family on the news
whose house had blown away,
"Dear Santa, send them just one thing,
a place where they can stay."
"And
Santa, those four cookies that
I left you for a treat,
Could you take them to the children
who have nothing else to eat."
"Do
you know that little bear I have--
the one I love so dear?
I'm leaving it for you to take
to Africa this year."
"And
as you fly your reindeer
on this night of Jesus' birth,
Could your magic bring to everyone
goodwill and peace on earth."
"There's
one last thing before you go,
so grateful I would be,
If you'd smile at Baby Jesus
in the manger by our tree."
I pulled
the letter close to me.
I felt it melt my heart.
Those tiny hands had written
what no other could impart.
"And
a little child shall lead them,"
was whispered in my ear
As I watched you sleep on Christmas Eve
while Santa Claus was here.
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Thursday,
December 11)
What Do
You Want For Christmas?
A poem sent to
Dear Abby from a couple who have too much stuff.
So many
of you asked us (since Yuletide's drawing near)
"What do you want for Christmas? What can we give you this year?"
If we say, "We want nothing!" you buy something anyway,
So here's a list of what we'd like... believe now what we say:
Pajamas for a little child, food to feed the poor,
Blankets for a shelter, and we ask a little bit more--
Perform good deeds and let us know, or volunteer your time.
These last are worth a fortune, and they needn't cost a dime.
We have too many things now... vases, candles, tapes and clocks.
We have our fill of garments, ties, underwear and socks.
Candy is too fattening, crossword books we've more than 20.
We don't need trays or plates or cups, and knickknacks we have plenty.
We've no walls to hang more pictures;
We have books we've not yet read;
So please take what you'd spend on us and help the poor instead!
Just send a Christmas card to us and tell us what you've done;
We'll open them on Christmas Eve, and read them one by one.
It won't cost as much for postage as a package sent would do;
You'll need no wrapping paper, ribbons, ink or glue.
And we'll thank God you listened to what we had to say,
So we could be the instruments to help someone this way.
Author Unknown
"God is able to do far more than we would dare to
ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest
prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes."
Ephesians 3:20 TLB
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Wednesday,
December 10)
--Keeping Christmas is
good, but sharing it with others is even better.
--Let's approach
Christmas with an expectant hush, rather than a last-minute rush.
--You
can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's
face and tell him you have received His Christmas gift.
~~John R. Rice
--We may seek God by our
intellect, but we only can find him with our heart.
~~Cotvos
--The hinge of history is
on the door of a Bethlehem stable.
~~Ralph W. Sockman
--Now and then it's good
to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.
~~Guillaume Apollinaire
A little child
a shining star
a stable rude,
the door ajar.
Yet in that place
so crude, forlorn,
The Hope of all
the world was born.
--Anonymous
* * * * * * * *
* *
(Tuesday,
December 9)
A Sunday school teacher asked her class,
"What was Jesus' mother's name?"
One child answered, "Mary."
The teacher then asked, "Who
knows what Jesus' father's name was?"
A little kid said, "Verge."
Confused, the teacher asked,
"Where did you get that?"
The kid said, "Well, you know
they are always talking about Verge 'n' Mary."
===============================
PASS IT ON! Yeah, you can send this Funny
to anybody you want. And, if you're REAL nice, you'll tell them you got
it from
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Monday,
December 8)
(The story of the Littlest Angel has been a favorite of mine since my
childhood. I still have the book, in fact. I thought this
would be the perfect time to
share it with all of you. If you would like to read the entire
story, click on the angel. hugz, cathye)
THE
LITTLEST ANGEL
sung by Bing Crosby
Let me tell you a tale that
is often told
In the great Celestial Hall
All about an angel only 4
years old
The littlest angel of all.
How all day he would play
with a little box
That to others had no worth
Ah, but there were treasures
in this little box
The treasures he brought
from earth
Just a butterfly with golden
wings
A little piece of a hollow
log
Two shiny stones from a
river bank
And the worn out strap of
his faithful dog
Then the angels all heard
that the Holy Child
Would be born in Bethlehem
And they all brought
presents for the Holy Child
And each gift was a heavenly
gem
Then the littlest angel put
his little box
With the presents fine and
rare
And the littlest angel sat
alone and cried
For his gift was so meager and
bare
Just a butterfly with golden
wings
A little piece of a hollow
log
Two shiny stones from a
river bank
And the worn-out strap of
his faithful dog
But the Lord chose the gift
of the little box
That a child had blessed
with love
And it started glowing that
very night
It became the star up above
When you see that star as it
shines on high
In the great Celestial Hall
You will know the proudest
angel in the sky
Is the littlest angel of all
With his butterfly with
golden wings
A little piece of a hollow
log
Two shiny stones from a
riverbank
And the worn-out strap of his faithful dog
This low quality .mp3 is
meant for preview purposes only. If you like the song, please
support the artist and buy the CD.
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Sunday,
December 7)
His Only Forgotten
Son
My five-year-old Stephen was
practicing his memory verse for Bible Club. John 3:16, "For God
so loved the world that He gave His only forgotten Son."
My wife laughed as she related this story, and so did I. So writes
Stuart M. Pederson of Onida, South Dakota.
Yet, could it be? This little slip of the tongue might be all too
true! Jesus, other than at Christmas, is ignored and mostly
forgotten by the world in which we live. It's so easy to do.
Even people who claim to know Him on a personal relationship basis forget
Him until life dishes up something that can't be handled without His help.
In spite of knowing this, God the Heavenly Father loved this world and you
and me so much that He sent His only Son to live among us and most
importantly, die for us! What amazing love! So when you
celebrate this Christmas, make a renewed effort not to forget the reason
for this season . . . Jesus Christ!
from
Mini Moments for Christmas by Robert Strand
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Saturday,
December 6)
At
Christmas
(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)
A man is at his finest towards
the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season's here;
Then he's thinking more of others than be's thought the months
before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.
When it's Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he's seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.
If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I'd wait
Till he'd fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I'd not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he's striving for himself.
I'd not take him when he's sneering, when he's scornful or
depressed,
But I'd look for him at Christmas when he's shining at his best.
Man is ever in a struggle and he's oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that's in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don't know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be. |
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Friday,
December 5)
Probably
the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless
unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don't quite know
how to put our love into words.
--Harlan Miller
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Thursday,
December 4)
THE
STABLE
by Joni Eareckson
Tada
It was a
chilly night in the little Judean town of Bethlehem. The kind of
night when you want to escape the cold, damp air and find warmth and
security inside a cozy inn. And people crowded tightly into the
inn at the end of the street. They left their donkeys and camels
in the back stable and closed the door against the night air.
Inside, the
inn buzzed with laughter and chatter. Distant relatives who had not
seen each other in years renewed family ties over bowls of hot soup and
goblets of wine. They broke bread together, swapping stories of
their journeys. A teenage boy strummed his lyre in the corner, and
several fathers clapped their hands in time to the music.
In the rush
to serve tables, the innkeeper, balancing a tray of breads and meats,
answered a knock at the door. A man calling himself Joseph stood
outside, pulling his homespun cloak tightly around his neck. It was
late, it was cold, and he and his young wife needed a room. A glance
told the innkeeper the woman was heavy with child. He could barely
hear himself talk with so much noise behind him, but he managed to explain
that there was no room, only an empty stall or two in the stable out back.
Shrugging
his shoulders, the innkeeper quickly apologized and slammed the
door. Outside, Joseph stood for a moment, listening to the laughter
inside. Back in the stillness of the night, Mary waited. The
young couple made their way to the stable. And while music and
laughter and feasting went on and on, just yards away behind the walls of
the inn, the Son of God quietly entered history.
Sometimes
the best moments of the Christmas season do not happen during the crowded
parties or the rush of holiday preparations. They don't occur
in the music and laughter, the camaraderie and feasting.
When I
think of special Christmas memories, I think of those quiet moments when
God unexpectedly surprised me. With Himself. With an
overwhelming sense of His nearness and love.
In the
midst of so much activity, so much going on, so many days on the calendar
filled with appointments or parties, God seeks out the quiet heart--and
speaks to us in a still, small voice.
Think of
the stable in Bethlehem. Somehow it stands serene. What a
contrast to the celebrating going on in that inn. Who would have
supposed? Who would have suspected? If someone had only taken
the time to peer out a back window toward the stable. If someone had
only dropped what he was doing to leave the party and go check on his
donkey. If someone had only slipped away from the festivities for a
moment to seek a quiet moment outside.
Just think
of what they might have witnessed! Perhaps they would have seen the
angels. Maybe the shepherds. And yes, even the Son of God.
Take the
time this Christmas season to step outside the clamor and
excitement. Visit the stable and ask God to speak to you in the
quiet and serenity and stillness.
He will.
from Christmas
Stories for the Heart
Complied by Alice Gray
* * * * * * * * *
* *
(Wednesday,
December 3)
Christmas,
my child, is love in action.
When you
love someone,
you give to them,
as God gives to us.
The
greatest gift He ever gave
was the Person of His Son,
sent to us in human form
so that we might know
what God the Father is really like!
Every
time we love,
every time we give,
it's Christmas.
from Everything
I Need to Know About Christmas I Learned from Jesus
* * * * * * * * *
* *

* * * * * * * * *
* *
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