Let there be Light

 

Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

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"Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow." 

 Wilferd Peterson

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This is Christmas

performed by Kutless, audio and lyrics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20HoJZecNqM&feature=related

Do you find it hard to sleep tonight
Resting by the Christmas lights
Could there be something you forgot
Beyond the bows and mistletoe
The tree with presents wrapped below
There’s more to this than you had ever thought

Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year
What is Christmas?
If there never was a savior wrapped in a manger
What is Christmas without Christ?

Remember how the story goes
God’s gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes
Beneath the star one great and holy night
The shepherds head the angels sing
And wise men brought an offering
Peace on Earth began in Bethlehem

Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year
What is Christmas?
If there never was a savior wrapped in a manger
What is Christmas?
If the angels never sang, glory to the newborn King
 What is Christmas without Christ?

Singing Gloria... in excelsis deo
Gloria... in excelsis deo

What is Christmas?
If there never was a savior wrapped in a manger
What is Christmas without Christ?
This is Christmas – it’s all about a savior wrapped in a manger

This is Christmas because of Jesus Christ
This is Christmas because of Christ, because of Christ

                              *~*~~*~~~*~~*~

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. I am grateful to share with each of you my love of, and faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ. In 1997, I felt sorry for myself. Our oldest daughter, Shannon, was out of state and would not be home for Christmas. It was the first time our family was not together for Christmas. In order to keep from sinking into the depths of despair, I decided to find and send a Christmas quote to friends/family on hard days. The next year, she was still gone and I added stories to the quotes and sent them out on more days. The following year, she was home but Nathan was gone. I could do better, make the emails more interesting.  Daily stories, games, recipes and quotes started going out to a yahoo group I was in; even crafts and games. This is the 25th anniversary of my Christmas uplift project. (not including the first two years because they weren’t an every day thing.) Writing this blog has been a light in my life. There is so much darkness in our world this year, we need the light of Christ to brighten our days. We’ll be talking a lot about light this year; the light of the sun and the light of the son. I want to share that light of Christ with you once again while celebrating those 25 years of favorite music, stories, recipes, etc. ~~Marilee

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Holiday Recipes

I was not sure whether to include recipes this year.  A special group of friends and readers said "yes", so thank you to all of you who sent me recipes to use this year. They look fun :)

Pecan Pie Brownies

Brownie Base:

1 c white sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ t. salt

10 T melted butter

1 t. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 c all-purpose flour

Pecan Pie Filling:

1 c brown sugar

½ t salt

1 t vanilla extract

½ c light corn syrup

2 large eggs

½ c salted butter, melted

2 ½ c chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with enough parchment to overhang on all sides, and oil the parchment.

To make brownie batter, combine white sugar, cocoa powder, kosher salt, and 10 tablespoons melted butter in a mixing bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer or whisk until combined. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg, and mix with a whisk or electric hand mixer until combined. Again, the mixture will look grainy. Add the second egg, and continue mixing on high speed until a smooth, thick, glossy batter is formed. Add flour and mix on low speed until flour just disappears. Use a spatula to mix in any flour from the side of the bowl; spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Tap pan gently on the counter to level the brownie base. Bake brownie base for 20 minutes. Remove to cool on a wire rack while making pecan pie filling.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F

For pecan pie filling, combine brown sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, corn syrup, 2 eggs, and melted salted butter in a bowl; whisk until smooth. Stir in pecans; pour filling over brownie base and spread evenly; tap pan gently on counter to level the filling.

Bake in the preheated oven until pecan pie filling is almost fully set, about 1 hour. If dish is shaken gently from side to side, there will be a very slight jiggle in the center.

Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. For best results, cover and chill before cutting. Lift brownies from the dish using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 2x2-inch squares.

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The traditions and legends surrounding Christmas are fun. We’ll start off with the first of many legends

The First Christmas Tree

In a forest in the far, far East grew a great many pine trees. Most of them were tall trees, higher than the houses that we see, and with wide, strong branches. But there was one tree that was not nearly so tall as the others; in fact, it was no taller than some of the children in the kindergarten.

Now, the tall trees could see far, far out over the hilltops and into the valleys, and they could hear all the noises that went on in the world beyond the forest, but the Little Tree was so small and the other trees grew so high and thick about it that it could not see nor hear these things at all; but the other trees were very kind, and they would stoop down and tell them to the Little Tree. One night in the winter time there seemed to be something strange happening in the little town among the hills, for the trees did not go to sleep after the sun went down, but put their heads together and spoke in strange, low whispers that were full of awe and wonder. The Little Tree, from its place close down to the ground, did not understand what it was all about. It listened awhile, and then lifted its head as high as ever it could and shouted to its tall neighbor: "Will you not stoop and tell me what is happening?" And the big tree stooped down and whispered: "The shepherds out on the hilltops are telling strange stories while they watch their sheep. The air is filled with sweet music, and there is a wonderful star coming up in the east, traveling westward always, and the shepherds say that they are waiting for it to stop and shine over a humble stable in their little town. I have not heard why it is going to stop there, but I will look again and listen." So the all tree lifted up its head again, and reached far out so that it might hear more of the wonderful story.

Bye and bye it stooped down again, and whispered to the Little Tree:

"Oh, Little Tree, listen! There are angels among the shepherds on the hills, and they are all talking together. They seem to be awaiting the birth of a little child, who will be a king among the people, and the beautiful star will shine above the stable where the little king will be laid in a manger."

The tree again raised its head to listen, and the Little Tree, much puzzled, thought within itself: "It is very strange, indeed.
* * *

Oh, how I wish that I could see it all!"

It waited a little longer, and everything grew quiet, and a great peace came upon the forest.
* * *

Then suddenly the town, and even the forest was illuminated with a strange, white light that made everything as bright as day, and the air was filled with the flutter of angels' wings, and with music such as the world had never heard before.

The people and the trees, even the stars in the heaven, lifted up their voices and sang together and the whole world was filled with music and joy and love for the little Christ-child who had come to dwell upon the earth.

The Little Tree was filled with fear and wonder, for so great was the excitement that the other trees had almost forgotten it, and it could not understand the mysterious sounds; but bye and bye its tall friend said, "Listen, listen, Little Tree! Such news I have to tell! The Christ has come--the King! And the whole world is singing such beautiful music. There are wise men coming from the East, bringing beautiful gifts to the Christ-child. The angels, too, are upon the earth, and they bear gifts of gold and rare, beautiful stones. Wait! I will tell you more."

The tall tree had scarcely lifted up its head when it stooped again and whispered to the Little Tree, "Look! Look! Little Tree! They are coming this way; the angels are coming here, into our forest! Lift up your head high and you will see them as they pass."

The Little Tree lifted up its head and saw the white flutter of angel robes and heard the weird, sweet voices of the heavenly host who came with precious gifts into the forest.

"Oh," said the Little Tree, "they are coming here, toward me! What shall I do?" And in fear it bent its head so low that it almost touched the ground.

But the music came nearer and nearer, and the Little Tree felt a tender hand upon its branches, and a soft, gentle voice said to it, "Arise, Little Tree, and come with us, for we have come into the forest to seek you. Yes, you, the very smallest among the trees, are to be our gift-bearer. Come; lift up your head."

In fear and trembling the Little Tree did as the angel bade it. But when it looked into the angel's face and saw the love and kindness there, all fear was gone, and it said to the angel: "Yes; make me ready. I will come with you to the little Christ-child in the manger."

So all the angels brought their gifts of precious jewels and shining gold, and fastened them upon the branches of the Little Tree. Then the leader of the angels' band took up the Little Tree from the ground and bore it, laden with its precious burden, to the feet of the Christ-child.

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One Solitary Life

This essay was adapted from a sermon by Dr. James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”).

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.