"It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you… yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand." -- Mother Teresa
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14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
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Silver Bells
Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell
This is a video clip from the movie “The Lemon Drop Kid” (1951) (My mother loved this song:) good memories
Original Silver Bells
Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell
This is a video clip from the movie “The Lemon Drop Kid” (1951) (My mother loved this song:) good memories
Original Silver Bells
Silver Bells, Silver Bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas Day
City sidewalks
Busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's
A feeling of Christmas
Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every
Street corner you'll hear
Silver Bells, Silver Bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Strings of street lights
Even stoplights
Blink a bright red and green
As the shoppers rush home
With their treasures
Hear the snow crunchSee the kids bunch
This is Santa's big scene
And above all
This bustle you'll here
Silver Bells, Silver Bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Silver Bells, Silver Bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Soon it will be Christmas Day
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At Christmas time, we often get caught up in our own little world – our own “stuff.” There is a wonderful story called “The Last Straw by Paula McDonald ( Here is a link to the story online http://www.chickensoup.com/book-story/48037/the-last-straw ) It begins with a pretty normal family with young children bickering and fighting, teasing and tormenting each other. I remember those kind of days. It might come as a surprise to some of you, but I was not always an angel. I seem to have vague memories (ok, clear memories) of chasing my younger brother around the house, and dueling with vacuums, brooms, and tennis rackets (ok, pancake turners too) although he always started it (of course). Well, the McDonalds wanted to change the feeling in their home, so they came up with the idea of placing a piece of straw in a manger for every good deed they did for someone in their family. The goal was to do everything secretly and to make a soft bed for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. They learned to serve, and show forth love. This is a great idea, which can be adapted as necessary, for your family to experience the joy which comes from serving others. Good deeds can be as simple as emptying the trash, making a bed, put your dishes into the sink or dishwasher after you get done eating. It can extend outside your home to neighbors, classmates, friends, even strangers. A friend of mine shared a story of service given to her on a cold, snowy morning. Her husband was gone on a business trip, and she was alone at home. She looked out the window and saw that snow had fallen during the night. It would be a good day to stay inside. A few hours later, she heard strange noises coming from outside, and there was young a neighbor boy awkwardly shoveling her porch. (The shovel was bigger than him). When she asked him what he was doing, he told her that he had “ponsibilities.” What a great job his parents did teaching him to be aware of the needs of others, and then to do something to make a difference. We all have “ponsibilities.” Find a way to make service a part of this Christmas. ~~ Marilee
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Christmas happens
everywhere
every time
someone reaches out
to touch another life with love
Carol Duerksen
everywhere
every time
someone reaches out
to touch another life with love
Carol Duerksen
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Square Cookies Mix
1 1/2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 lb. powdered confectioners sugar
1 12oz. bag milk chocolate chips
Use a 1 quart, wide mouth jar. Mix the graham crumb and sugar together and pour into the jar and pack. Pour the chocolate chips into a resealable bag and place on top of the crumb mixture. Seal and decorate jar and attach recipe tag.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Square Cookies
you will need:
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. melted butter, (2 sticks)
you will need:
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. melted butter, (2 sticks)
Remove the chips bag from the jar and set aside. Pour the jar contents into a bowl and combine with
the peanut butter. Mix well. Blend in the melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into a 9x13x2" pan. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. Spread the hot melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture. Chill until firm and cut into small bars.
the peanut butter. Mix well. Blend in the melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into a 9x13x2" pan. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. Spread the hot melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture. Chill until firm and cut into small bars.
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Who Will Take the Son
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
One day the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while saving another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only child.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood there with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you and your love of art.” The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. The father stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the pictures. “Oh, no, sir. I could never repay what your son did for me. It is a gift.”
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home, he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip that one.” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100. $200?”
Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goughs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids.” But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! Who will take the son?”
Finally, a voice came from the back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?”
“Give it to him for $10! Let’s see the masters.” But the auctioneer continued. “$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more “worthy” investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection!” But the auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”
“What about the paintings?”
“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct the auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything.”
God gave his son over 2000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The Son, the Son, who will take the Son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!”
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
One day the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while saving another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only child.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood there with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you and your love of art.” The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. The father stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the pictures. “Oh, no, sir. I could never repay what your son did for me. It is a gift.”
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home, he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip that one.” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100. $200?”
Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goughs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids.” But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! Who will take the son?”
Finally, a voice came from the back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?”
“Give it to him for $10! Let’s see the masters.” But the auctioneer continued. “$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more “worthy” investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection!” But the auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”
“What about the paintings?”
“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct the auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything.”
God gave his son over 2000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The Son, the Son, who will take the Son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!”
Extracted from https://zenoch.org/mormon-stuff/favorite-stories/christmas-stories/who-will-take-the-son/
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