Listening

 

“Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind.” —Helen Steiner Rice

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Sweet Little Jesus Boy (no video to this one, just a fireplace with flames. I love this song)

Casting Crowns - Sweet Little Jesus Boy (Yule Log)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR8bZPRhoOg

Sweet little Jesus boy, born in a manger

Sweet little Holy child, we didn't know who You were

Long time ago it seems, You were born

Born in a manager Lord, sweet little Jesus boy

Didn't know you'd come to save us all

To take our sins away

Our eyes were blind we did not see

We didn't know who You were

You have shown us how

And we are trying

Master, You have shown us how

Even as You were dying

This world treats You mean, Lord

Treats me mean too

But that's how things are done down here

We didn't know it was You

Didn't know You'd come to save us all, to take our sins away

Our eyes were blind, we did not see

We didn't know who You were

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Chicken Rice Soup

1 - 3 pound broiler-fryer chicken, cut up

7 cups chicken broth

2 stalks celery, with tops, cut up

1 medium onion, quartered

2 bay leaves

½ t salt

¼ t. Pepper

2 carrots, chopped (1 cup)

1 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans

3/4 cup rice

2 - 3 oz. Packages cream cheese, cubed

• Optional 1 T. lemon juice

In a soup kettle, combine the chicken pieces, chicken broth, celery, onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth, set aside.

Strain broth, discarding celery, onion, and bay leaves. Skim off excess fat. Return broth to kettle; add chopped carrots, green beans and uncooked rice. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from chicken, discard. Cut chicken into chunks. Add to soup along with the cream cheese; cook and stir until the cheese melts.

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Our Savior listens to us.  He values us.  Listening to those around us is a great gift to give others at Christmas time, at any time.   Hearing someone talk is not the same thing as listening to someone.  G.K. Chesterton once said, “there’s a lot of difference between hearing and listening.”  Listening is active, hearing is passive.  The need to be understood and listened to is a basic human need, along with food, water, and shelter. Yet, the sad reality is that most of us lack this basic life skill.  It’s a skill we all need to develop and practice.  I know that I need to.  Here are some tips I’m working on to improve my skills.  

1. Make eye contact.  Eye contact is essential for good communication. When we make eye contact with someone, we are letting them know that we are present and engaged in the conversation.

2. Don't interrupt.  A good listener gives the speaker time to complete what he is saying.   Sometimes I formulate my answer before whoever I’m listening to is even completed talking.  Wait patiently until the end before you respond.

3. Give the speaker your undivided attention.  Put down your cell phone.  You can’t listen to someone and, at the same time, do something else. It’s not one of the qualities of a good listener to be distracted by another task.  (I’m really working on this one.)

4. Show respect for the other person’s opinion.  Open mindedness is an important part of communication.

~Marilee

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Mr. Finnegan’s Giving Chest is a great Christmas book for children. The story is about a young girl named Maggie who lost her faith after her grandmother died. She starts bullying other children and extorts money from a boy named Jake. After getting stuck in a fence, Maggie meets a magical toy dog named Switch and a toymaker named Mr. Finnegan (in a supposedly haunted house). How Mr. Finnegan helps restore Maggie's faith in the meaning of Christmas and giving to others is the main focus of the rest of the book. I love the fact that it teaches life does not end with death, and that all people have the capacity to continue to serve and grow and love others in spite of loss and change.

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The Carol that Never was Sung

by Alfred Hassler

The first Christmas Eve, of course, was a very important event. The birthday of the Child called for the biggest celebration the heavenly hosts had ever had. Even the Carols, held in reserve for ages for some really special event, would be sung.

The choir was to be one of Heaven's very best, with some exceptionally rich angelic tenors and basses brought in from the glee club to help out. All the stars had been rubbed with a special polish, and one brand-new star added just for the occasion. The Carols were quite puffed up with pride and excitement and they all promised solemnly to be on hand in plenty of time.

On the great night, everything went off fine. The stars shone as they had never shone before; the angel choir outdid itself in songs of joy, and the Carols were a great success. There was only one little flaw, and hardly anyone even noticed it. One of the Carols didn't get there in time.

In fact, it didn't get there at all. It was quite a sweet Carol, the angel singers told each other a little sadly. It had been a pity not to have sung it.

The Carol was very penitent. It had stopped on the way, it explained vaguely. Something had got its attention, and it had stopped, and been late. Questioning by the choirmaster produced little more. The Carol got vaguer and vaguer as the questions became sharper and sharper. Only one thing it seemed sure of.

It would never happen again, the Carol promised. But it did, every year. And finally, when nearly twenty long centuries had gone by with the last Carol still not sung, they brought the situation to the Throne Room. There they explained more in sorrow than in anger, about the Carol that was always late. Then, at a sign, they left, and the last Carol was summoned. The Last Carol was ashamed and frightened and hung its head as it stood in the Throne Room and explained with no more vagueness, why it had been late.

Each year had been something different, it admitted. Sometimes it had been a man in a dungeon. Often it had been men and women whose spirits had fallen low in the face of great obstacles, whose faith in love was almost extinguished and who could not join in the rejoicing over the Child's birthday.

Always, explained the Carol simply, it had seemed important to stop with these for a while, and somehow it had always meant being late. "But next year …” began the Carol, but the voice from the Throne interrupted.

"Next year," said the Voice, "you will do as you have done, next year and for many years to come. For you are the Carol that must be voiceless until all men sing together in a mighty chorus that covers the earth. Only in the hearts of men who have seen the vision," said the voice, "can you honor the Child, until all men love each other as He loved them. "

"Then," said the Carol wistfully, "must I be silent forever?"

"Not so," said the Voice, and the full choir of angels had never sounded so richly majestic. "They flee from it in fear and greed, but with their fear there is a shame, and through their greed shines love. One day they will cast out their fear and let love lead them into the rich habitation I have prepared for them. Then," said the Voice, "all men will join in singing the sweetest carol of all ... THE SONG OF UNIVERSAL, BROTHERHOOD."