Therefore the Lord

 Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

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Oh, God...
help us rightly to remember
the birth of Jesus, that
we may share in the songs
of the angels, the gladness
of the shepherds, and the
worship of the wise men.

May the Christmas morning
make us happy
to be your children.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

~*~*~*~

When Love Was Born
performed by Mark Schultz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSU9Dbxvrw

Starlight shines, the night is still
Shepherds watch from a hill
I close my eyes, see the night
When love was born

A perfect child gently waits
A mother bends to kiss God’s face
I close my eyes, see the night
When love was born

Angels fill the midnight sky, they sing
Hallelujah, He is Christ, Our King

Emmanuel, through your small door
Came the hope we’ve waited for
The world was changed forevermore
When love was born.

I close my eyes and see the night
When love was born

~*~*~*~

The Legend of the Candle

This is the story of a poor cobbler who lived in a cottage close to his village. The shoemaker had the habit of leaving a candle lit during the night to shed a light on the path for the travelers who would often pass by. One day, war started and the young villagers had to leave,. The cobbler always his candles lit to illuminate the paths to whoever passed by. He did this even though there were few who crossed those paths. Later on, as the village’s bells signaled the end of war, its residents lit candles in their homes, it was Christmas Eve.

Thanks to the lit candles in the village, as per the shoemaker’s ritual, the youngsters returning from war found their homes. This became forever known as the Miracle of the Candles. The habit of lighting candles began on that Christmas night.

~*~*~*~

Banana Drop Cookies

from Nancy Gibert

Mix together:

2 c. flour

1 ½ t. baking powder

½ t. cinnamon

¼ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

¼ t cloves

In mixer bowl, beat well

½ c butter (or shortening)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

½ t. vanilla

Add 1 c mashed banana and dry ingredients alternately to beaten mixture. Beat well after each addition. Drop by big spoonful 2” apart on well greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cool

Banana Frosting

Mix together:

2 c. powdered sugar (may use more if you like thicker frosting)

¼ c. mashed banana

2 T softened butter

½ t. vanilla

Spread on cooled cookies.

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Game

There's nothing like music at Christmas time. For a fun evening, make yourself a game kit. Place the following items in a box. Have someone reach into the box and pull one out and guess what song they represent. Give them three points if they get it right. If they don't, then hum the first few stanzas of the song. Give them 1 point if they get it right then. These are a few I’ve put together. Have fun making up your own. ~~ Marilee

band-aid ~~~ O Holy Night (Fall on your knees..)

hershey’’s kiss ~~~~~ I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

paper and pen ~~~~~ Santa Claus is coming to town

map ~~~~~ Where Are you, Christmas?

Chestnuts ~~~~~ The Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting on an open fire)

drumstick ~~~~~ The Little Drummer Boy

popcorn ~~~~~ Let It Snow

Jingle bell ~~~~~ Jingle Bells

whistle ~~~~~ All I want for Christmas is my two Front Teeth

birthday candles ~~~~~ The Birthday of a King

flashlight ~~~~~ Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella

toy boat ~~~~~ I Saw Three ships

candy canes ~~~~~ The Christmas Waltz

sprig of holly ~~~~~ Deck the Halls

silk rose ~~~~~ Gesu Bambino

newspaper ~~~~~ Good Christian men, Rejoice

ear plugs ~~~~~ Silent Night

empty pill bottle ~~~~~ Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer (my son insists on that one)

small stone ~~~~~ Rockin Around the Christmas Tree

Christmas stocking ~~~~~ Here Comes Santa Claus

mistletoe ~~~~~ A Holly Jolly Christmas

Canned pears ~~~~~ 12 Days of Christmas

~*~*~*~

How can we shine with the light of Christ? We can reflect back His light by loving others. In 1 John we read in verse 7 “Beloved, let  us love one another:  for God is of love; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God”.  Verse 16 states that “... we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.“ Verse 21 reads, “And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.”  Where do we start?  We start by following in His footsteps.  We look for the good in those around us.  We treat them as we want to be treated.  We trust in Him, even when life is hard.  We honor Him by serving those in need around us.  In today's story, one man recognizes the good in another, despite appearances. He reaches out to him in acceptance and good will. ~~ Marilee

~*~*~*~

"The Invitation" by Bob Perks

"Excuse me sir," the man said softly as he tried to stop a passerby.

But no one would stop to talk with him.

"I'm a stranger here in town. Could you help me find this place?," he said to one kind looking woman.

She passed him by, but stopped and turned around.

"What is it you are looking for?" she asked while keeping her distance.

"I received this invitation for a Christmas day feast. I'm new in town, you see. I don't know where this is."

She took the paper from his hand and then began to laugh.

"Oh, this!" she said and shook her head. "I wouldn't waste my time. It's in a part of town..." she paused for moment and giving the man a quick glance, continued.

"Sir, a man of your quality should not go there."

This man was a well dressed man. Although not wealthy, he gave the appearance of success.

She quickly pointed down the street and told him where to turn. "You'll know you're there when the houses look like run down shacks. Just past that mess, at the farthest end of the road you'll find him."

Just then a friend of hers came walking by. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yes. He got one of old man Hanson's Christmas invitations and he wanted to know how to get there," she said.

Oh, no! That's a joke." he said.

"Why, sir would you say that? I found it to be a wonderful, kind thing to do. I'm new here in town and I have no one to spend Christmas with this year."

"Well, I'd rather spend it alone then in that house. He passes them out every year and no one ever goes. You'd have to be desperate!" he said laughing and then dropped the invitation on the ground as they walked away.

"I am, I am alone in a town full of strangers for Christmas" replied the man as he reached down to retrieve the paper.

Reading it again out loud:

"Dear friend,

You are cordially invited to a feast. It begins at noon on Christmas Day.

Dress is casual and you are to bring nothing but your kind heart and gentle spirit.

There are no strangers. Just friends I haven't met."

222 Shady Brook Road

Your friend,

Jed Hanson"

The man set out, invitation in hand, to take part in a grand and glorious feast.

He walked past the old shacks the woman spoke about. Within each window were handmade decorations and the warmth and spirit of the day spilled out into the streets with the laughter of the neighborhood children.

There, at the end of the road, was a house not much better than the ones he passed.

He carefully stepped onto the porch and knocked gently on the door. Waiting another minute he tapped on window pane hoping to get someone's attention.

"I must be early. Where is everyone?" he said as he peeked through the window curtains.

Suddenly the door opened wide.

"Yes, my friend you are here for the feast?" the old man asked.

There standing in the doorway was Mr. Jed Hanson. He was dressed in an old carefully patched sweater, faded blue dress pants, white shirt and old neck tie. He motioned for him to enter.

"I'm sorry, I must be early."

"Not at all, my friend. Please come in it is about to begin."

Turning toward the adjacent room he saw a magnificent table laid out before him filled with all kinds of food and festive goodies for the holiday.

"There is so much. How many people attend this feast?"

"You are the first and only one, my friend."

"I can't believe that. With all of this, it is more than I even imagined. Why wouldn't you have hundreds of people here?"

"It is a sad fact. It is all based on their perception of me. I am a simple man, dressed in simple clothes. By today's standards I look poor and unworthy of anyone's attention. My home is old and worn, too. So no one chooses to enter," he said. Then pulling out the chair at the head of the table, he motioned to the man to sit.

"Once you learn the true value of this experience your life changes forever."

"What is the lesson here?"

"Every human being is like this house. Although on the outside we may look tattered and torn, it is what is on the inside that makes the difference. You accepted my invitation even after seeing me. You saw something inside of me that no one else did. Then upon seeing the home in which I reside, you did not turn away."

"I saw you as no different than I. Although your clothing gave the impression of a troubled soul, the spirit of your invitation told me you were sincere. When I saw your house, I thought nothing of it because I was focused on the feast within."

"There, my good friend, is the lesson. Every human being has value. Every situation in life, good or bad, has within it a valuable lesson."

My friend, life is a banquet and God has already given you, "The Invitation."

Won't you join us?

"I believe in you!" Bob Perks

Bob@BobPerks.com

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