Eat Well, Exercise- and Don't Forget to Laugh

by Mary Frasnelli

            My mother - a Queen among those who worry - demonstrated meticulous care for her family. She insisted we eat well and exercise in hopes that healthy habits would produce healthy children. Never the less, we were often sick in spite of her care. However, when I brought problems to her, she used to say, "You cannot see the forest for all of the trees." In other words, be meticulous in your care, but don't be overwhelmed by your cares.

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SANTA PA-PA  by Laura Qualls

My father loved Christmas and all that was connected to celebrating Christmas. During World War II, when I was a small child, my father would come out early in the season proclaiming to his two little girls, "DO I EVER KNOW STUFF! DO I EVER KNOW STUFF!  LITTLE BOXES, BIG BOXES, WIDE BOXES, SKINNY BOXES...DO I EVER KNOW STUFF!"

When Dad started this, I knew Christmas was near. Excitement began to build in my heart as I anticipated another loved-filled Christmas.

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Sandy Anderson is a Licensed Minister with the Assemblies of God and is active in serving at a new church plant; Destination Church in Colonial Heights, Virginia. She has a passionate desire for women to understand Papa's unconditional love for them, to discover and walk out their unique giftings and for them to each experience an unequaled passion for Jesus Christ. . Sandy Anderson lives in Chester Virginia. She and her husband Lee of 29 years, have two grown daughters, Lachelle and Janelle. She enjoys writing and is published in various online devotional series and in her spare time she loves to read and spend time with family and friends.

THE CHRISTMAS GIFT
 by Sandy Anderson

In times before the world began
the Three got together and made a plan

That just in case creation fell
that everything would still go well

As One they talked and pondered long
until at last perfection's song

Angels would come and shepherds would see
this Child of wonder upon bended knee

His name was called Jesus by the Father's decree
that He'll save His people and from sin set them free

And also His name would be called Emmanuel
meaning God, He is with us and yet He still dwells

He'd come and He'd heal and teach us all things
of the Kingdom of Heaven and the love that He brings

The Father looked at His Son and with love He said
"If you'll die for their sins You'll be raised from the dead

But first you will have to go down and be
the image of God, the image of Me

To show them the love that You and I share
I want them to know that I want them for heirs

But it pains to say My only dear Son;
there will be a moment we won't be as one

For an instant of time Your face I won't see
because of their sin You'll bear on Calvary

But once it is finished and You give up the ghost
the victory will come among a strange host

For deep in the earth that serpent will sing
because he'll believe that at last he'll be king

He'll mock You and smite You for all Hell to see
but suddenly a light from Heaven there will be

'This is My Son in whom I'm well pleased
the sin of the world He's just appeased'

And that's not the end, oh no there's far more
He'll take from you the keys and knock down the door

Sickness and death and Hell will no longer reign
so all of creation knows He died not in vain

And now's come the time to set Him on high
for never again will I allow Him to die!"

 Christmas: It's Not a Dream   by Nancy Arsenovic   

     One Christmas our family had the rare privilege (because we were world missionaries) to be together with my brother Ken's family for Christmas day. We sat around the Christmas tree and divided up the gifts that were wrapped and marked. We waited until all were given out before we opened any.

     I will never forget our daughters' reactions. Suzi, the youngest, tore into her gifts ripping off paper and bows, glancing at the gifts then going on to the next one. She was in a "normal Christmas frenzy." Then came Tina, the oldest. She looked at her pile of gifts - really almost obscene in abundance - and for some reason, decided that she could not open any of them. It was after much coaxing and begging she finally began to slowly unwrap one gift after another. I thought we would never get through the pile.

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable Gift- indescribable, inestimable, incomparable inexpressible - precious beyond words.
Lois Lebar
  

It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty founder was a child himself.
Charles Dickens
 

The way to Christmas lies through an ancient gate....It is a little gate, child-high, child-wide, and there is a password: "Peace on earth to men of good will." May you, this Christmas, become as a little child again and enter into His kingdom.
Angelo Patri
 

The greatest gift you will ever receive will never be found under a Christmas tree. It is far too valuable to be stored in any other place but in the depths of your heart.
Anonymous

Daily Christian Quote
 http://dailychristianquote.com/dcqchristmas2.html

On the Morning of Christ's Nativity
 by John Milton

 I.                                                                                                      

This is the month, and this the happy morn

Wherein the Son of Heav'ns eternal King,
Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring,
For so the holy sages once did sing,
     That he our deadly forfeit shoud release,
And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

II.

Child of Bethlehem, what contrasts you embrace! No one has ever been so humble; no one has ever wielded such power. We stand in awe of your holiness, and yet we are bathed in your love. 
 

And where shall we look for you? You are high heaven,
in the glory of the Godhead. Yet those who searched for you on earth found you in a tiny baby at Mary's breast, We come in hushed reverence to find you as God, and you welcome us a man. We come unthinkingly to find you as man, and are blinded by the light of your Godhead.

You are the heir to King David's throne, but you renounced all his royal splendor. Of all his luxurious bedrooms, you chose a stable. Of all his magnificent beds, you chose a feeding-trough. Of all his golden chariots, you chose an ass.

Never was there a king like you! Instead of royal isolation, you made yourself available to everyone who needed you. Instead of high security, you made yourself vulnerable to those who hated you.

It is we who need you, above anything in the world. You give yourself to us with such total generosity, that it might almost seem that you need us. There never was a king like this before!

-          Ephraem of Syria (300-379 A. D.)

From A Treasury of Christmas Classics
Harold Shaw Publishers. 1994, pp 14, 18  

Picture:  http://digitalrich.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-build-willow-tree-crche.html 

God bless our soldiers who are away from home this Christmas Season.

A SOLDIER'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 
(Original Title is "Merry Christmas, My Friend")

'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
And to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
A sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I'd just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
Owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
Because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
And covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
With an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
And for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
Said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.
 

http://kcbx.net/~tellswor/sldrxmas.htm