A Spirit of Love

 

"Best of all, Christmas means a spirit of love, a time when the love of God and the love of our fellow men should prevail over all hatred and bitterness, a time when our thoughts and deeds and the spirit of our lives manifest the presence of God." -George F. McDougall

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I Need a Silent Night

Amy Grant

I Need a Silent Night Amy Grant - YouTube

I've made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?

Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?

Every shepherd's out in the field
Keeping watch over their clock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid

And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night

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DECORATING and safety tip

Today’s tips are for real trees.

This may seem like a given, but don’t forget to water your tree. A live Christmas tree drinks 1 quart of water per 1 inch of trunk diameter per day. Most Christmas tree stands will hold about a gallon of water, and they should be refilled daily.

Place a humidifier near the Christmas tree and turn it on each day or night. This will keep the air moist and provide extra freshness.

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RECIPE

Marshmallow Yummies

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 package milk chocolate chips

1 T butter

1 c. chunky peanut butter

graham crackers to cover bottom of 8” square pan

Cover bottom of 8” square pan with graham crackers.

Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter for about 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave

Add marshmallows and mix.

Pour into pan and put into fridge for at least 2 hours to set.

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Reading “The Last Straw” was fun yesterday. My “manger” is a small box, and the “straw” is bits of colored rafia left over from past years. It works. I wouldn’t say that I’m a competitive person, but my children might disagree. I did a good deed yesterday, and happily placed my piece of straw in the manger bed. Looking a that single, lonely piece of straw, I realized that one piece wasn’t enough. I had to have two, and then three. I don’t know how many there are in it this morning, but that baby’s bed is going to be full today! With just Dean and I home, there are no names to be drawn, so I’m extending the good deed doing to anyone anywhere! It’s been hard working around the COVID restrictions to serve others this Christmas. We have been reading the gospels this month and have completed Matthew, Mark and Luke. One of the things I have noticed is how patient the Savior was with His disciples while they were learning to follow Him. I need to be more patient and am going to work on that today. Jesus taught, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Though none of us are perfectly patient, we can all look to the life of Jesus Christ as an example of what we should strive for. ~~ Marilee

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I have been familiar with this basic story for years and have seen it on many sites.   I decided to change it into a Christmas tale. I don't know the original author’s name.  When things in your life seem almost too much to handle at Christmas time, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the following story.

The Christmas Vase

A Sunday School teacher stood before his class and set some items on the table in front of him.

When the class began, he picked up an empty, but beautifully cut, glass Christmas vase and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the class if the vase was full.

They agreed that it was.

The teacher then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the vase. He shook the vase lightly.

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

Once again, he asked the students if the vase was full.

They agreed it was.

The teacher next picked up a bag of sand and poured it into the vase.

Of course, the sand filled up the space between everything else.

He asked if the vase was full.

The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The teacher then produced a bottle of water from under the table and poured the entire contents into the vase, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

'Now,' said the teacher as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this beautiful Christmas vase represents the amount of time and energy you invest during the month of December. The golf balls are the time you spend and energy you devote to the most important things in your life: your family, your children, your faith in God and Jesus Christ. If the pebbles, the sand and the water were gone and only those things remained, your month would still be joyful. The pebbles are other things that matter; like being a good employee, a good neighbor, and doing good to your fellow man. The sand is all of the extra things you fill the month with like putting up Christmas trees, decorating every inch of available space in your home, baking non-stop and going to parties. The water is the small stuff, the every day worries, the challenge of balancing Christmas presents (making sure that everyone has the same amount of money spent on them and the same number of packages to open), mailing Christmas cards and paying bills. There is so much pressure to have a mythically “perfect Christmas,” regardless of the cost to you and your family.

'If you put the sand and water into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for Christmas. If you spend your time and energy doing the small stuff stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your Christmas happiness.

Spend time with your children.
Spend time with your parents.
Read the scriptures and share the nativity story with your family.

Spend a quiet evening enjoying candlelight and beautiful music.

Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. Remember the reason for the season is the birth of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The rest is just sand and water!