December 1, 2021

 

Christmas is a time when we find our way back home, whether in person or in our hearts. It's a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, relive childhood memories, continue cherished traditions, and share hospitality and good will with others. It is a privilege for me to share my love of Christ with you. 

For the past month, we have heard on the news that there will be no Christmas this year. Because:

1) there is a shortage of Christmas trees

2) there is also a shortage of toys

3) trucking delays effect everything!

4) shortages are forecast for canned pumpkin for pies, frozen turkeys to cook, and chocolate!

Lastly

5) there will be a shortage of Christmas cheer.

No Christmas cheer? Hah! Christmas isn’t about the presents we buy or the money we spend. It’s “a time when we find our way back home, whether in person or in our hearts. It's a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, relive childhood memories, continue cherished traditions, and share hospitality and good will with others.”  Christmas joy can be found by continuing much loved traditions, or starting new ones, by remembering Our Savior. Throughout the month of December, I will be sending stories, poems, scriptures and thoughts about Christmas. I will also include simple craft or decorating tips and recipes. As always, the highlight for me is the music. I love Christmas music, it fills my soul with light and lifts my spirit, even on the craziest of days. I hope you will enjoy the music this year as much as I enjoyed the time spent listening and transcribing the lyrics. Sundays will have a scripture, a quote, a link to an instrumental song and a story. May the Lord bless you and help you to find joy and peace this Christmas. ~~~ Marilee ~~~

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Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

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"I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world." -Norman Vincent Peale

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I wish there was away to link to these songs without the YouTube ads, but if there is a way, I don’t know how to do it. The link will take you right there.

David Deyl - Somewhere in My Memory (From *Home Alone*) - YouTube

Candles in the window

Shadows paint the ceiling

Gazing at the fire glow

Feeling that gingerbread feeling

Precious moments

Special people

Happy faces

I can see

Somewhere in my mem'ry

Christmas joys all around me

Living in my mem'ry

All of the music

All of the magic

All of the fam'ly home here with me

Candles in the window

Shadows painting the ceiling

Gazing at the fire glow

Feeling that gingerbread feeling

Precious moments

Special people

Happy faces

I can see

Somewhere in my mem'ry

Christmas joys all around me

Living in my mem'ry

All of the music

All of the magic

All of the fam'ly home here with me

Somewhere in my mem'ry

Christmas joys all around me

Living in my mem'ry

All of the music

All of the magic

All of the fam'ly home here with me

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RECIPES

This years recipes will be quick and easy snack/treats. If any of you have a recipe you’d like to share, please send it to me or place it in the comments. This is a no-bake recipe – quick and easy to make with your children:)

S’More Cookies Please
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups miniature marshmallows
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1. Beat eggs. Combine eggs, sugar, and butter or margarine in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and let cook on low for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off heat. Add the crumbs, marshmallows and coconut.
2. Spread mixture into a lightly buttered 9x13 inch dish.
3. Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter together and spread over the top of the bars. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into small squares to serve.

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TRADITION

I received a package in the mail from my niece, Connie, several days ago. I texted her and asked her if I should open it. She said yes. There was a card with the gift and the message from Connie said, “I give that gift to someone new every Christmas! It’s your turn! In the package, there was a bright red gift box tied with a gold metallic ribbon. I opened the gift, and in it there was a nativity from Africa. The “stable” was made from a coconut shell and the people and animals were painted rocks. Connie and Ron picked a perfect present for me, and started a new tradition. This year, I will find someone to share a gift box with.

Each day, there will be a new “tradition” suggestion.

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KEEPING BABY WARM
~ by Lynda H. Laughlin

It was an inexpensive dime-store Nativity set, and he was only three years old. His back was toward me, but I could see that his chubby little hands were busily working on something at the old table.

"What are you doing?" I asked him impatiently annoyed at him for touching the decorations after he had been told not to.

As I started toward the scene of his latest mischief, he turned toward me with wide blue eyes filling and a single tear starting down his cherubic cheek. Then I saw it. A carefully folded tissue had been tenderly placed over the small ceramic infant.

"Baby Jesus was cold, Mommy," he whispered.

Ten years have passed, and the tiny Nativity has been replaced by a much larger one. But this year, as every year, I found a carefully folded tissue covering the Baby Jesus. I think I know who did it, and I hope he never stops.

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I read a news article entitled “Drama on Christmas Eve: Baby Jesus’ Journey to the Crib. written by Fr Seán O'Dowd, and published in Africa December 2000 while looking for story ideas. I didn’t write anything that year, but remembered the basics of the article for some time, finally writing it in story form in 2010. ~~ Marilee

The church was beautifully decorated and filled to capacity. The choir sang in perfect harmony and the congregation joined them in song as a 10-year old girl and her classmate walked down the aisle of the church and ascended the stairs to the stage. Chosen to play the all-important parts of Mary and Joseph, they took their roles seriously. Weeks of practice led up to their performance that Holy night.

Mary, concentrating deeply on the treasure she carried in her arms, stumbled. She missed the top step and fell, landing on all fours. Baby Jesus lost an arm in the mishap and also suffered severe head injuries. Joseph gathered up the baby and the severed arm from the polished floor. Mary dusted herself off and the procession continued.

When they arrived at the manger, Father Tony realized what happened and was very angry. All of planning, the practicing, the time spent in rehearsal had been in vain. His first words to Joseph and Mary were, “Look at what you’ve done.”

After everyone left the church, Father Tony went to the office and got the first aid kit to repair the damage from the accident. There was no time to get a new baby before mass. He had to do something! He went to work and re-attached the arm, putting it in a sling, then took bandaids, gauze and tape and bandaged the Christ child’s head. Satisfied with his efforts, he thought about how disappointed he was with the performance. He had set so many lofty goals, made so many plans for this performance. People would get more involved in the parish. They would give of their time and talents. They would donate funds for missionary work and provide for the needy. What would happen to those dreams now?

Finished with his task, Father Tony carefully placed the wounded baby Jesus in the crib. Gazing at the baby laying in the manger, he felt himself relax and bowed his head in prayer. His thoughts turned to Christ as he realized that here was someone who understood the meaning of pain and suffering. Someone with whom he could share his own pain, especially the pain of failing to present a perfect pageant to honor Him. The peace of Christmas then began to permeate his whole being. Later, he turned off the lights, left the church and retired for the night.

On Christmas morning the parishioners arrived for Mass. Big, strong, fearless-looking men arrived, but inside many of them were men who had been made redundant. There were some men whose marriages had broken down and whose hopes for a happy family life had been shattered. In the wounded Christ, they found a Savior who understood where they came from. The women too, seeing a patched-up Christ, loved him and wondered how they could heal the wounds of their own children when they failed to be perfect.

The youth were amused at first. Then they began to realize that an injured Christ reached out for their sympathy and that maybe there were times when their own friends had need of sympathy and encouragement. The children saw that the Savior too had bumps and bruises and realized he understood that mistakes and accidents happen.

The toddlers hoped that baby Jesus didn’t have a headache. One little three-year-old offered to go home for a baby aspirin, if necessary.

Each person’s heart was lifted and courage received as a result of the broken doll.

Father Tony wondered whether they should put the manger away for another year or leave it out as a symbol of Christ’s understanding. He repented of his harsh words towards Joseph and Mary. Was it just an accident? No, he thanked God for the blessing.