John 13:34-35

John 13:34-35 KJV

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

He gives us Hope when Hope is gone, 

He gives us strength when we can’t go on.

He gives us shelter in the storms of life

When there is no peace on earth…

There is peace in Christ.

Joseph's Song - How could it be.wmv

Such a beautiful video and song !

Father, show me where I fit

Into this plan of yours

How can a man be father

To the Son of God?

Lord, for all my life

I've been a simple carpenter

How can I raise a King?

How can I raise a King?

Macadamia Nut Mini Loaves

1 jar (3-1/2 ounces) macadamia nuts, divided

1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup 2% milk

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Finely chop enough of the macadamia nuts to measure 1/3 cup; set aside. Coarsely chop remaining nuts; toss with coconut and 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and reserved finely chopped nuts.

Spoon into five greased 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle with reserved coconut mixture. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly). Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Here is a link to a youtube video showing how to make a fun angel craft.  How to make a Paper Angel - Christmas Decoration - Paper Craft

My brother Lee has been on my mind a lot lately.  Struggling with health problems, it has been a difficult year for him.  Several days ago, Lee mentioned to me that he had spent the day talking with angels.  Angels play an important part in the grand scheme of things.  When Jesus concluded his 40-day fast, angels ministered to Him. When Jesus suffered in agony at Gethsemane, an angel appeared from Heaven strengthening Him.  When the Apostle Paul was on a ship in the middle of a raging storm, the crew fought on for days, fearing for their lives.  After many days, Paul stepped forward and told them that an angel had appeared to him during the night and told him there was no reason to fear.  The ship would be lost, but every life would be spared.   Angels comfort us.  They provide protection and guidance.  Angels make divine proclamations from God. On the hills outside of Bethlehem a group of shepherds, outcasts from society, took turns watching the sheep.  An angel appeared before them saying “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord”.  The sky filled with a glorious angel choir singing for joy at Christ’s birth.  Angels are still with us today.  They comfort us, guide us and sustain us ALL in our times of need.  ~~Marilee

I wrote the first of these poems after talking with Lee.

Angels at Christmastime

In the hush of winter,

When candles light the air and music touches the soul

Angels walk.

They carry gifts from Christ our Lord.

They find a child alone, afraid

Praying for someone to listen, to understand

to hear the laughter that hides deep within—

They touch a heart and place a friend in this child’s life

Angels drift to homes where shadows stay,

Strengthening lost souls.

They weave a thread of gentle peace throughout the fabric of people's lives,

And leave behind a quiet warmth.

For one who stumbles in the night,

They kindle hope-

Hope which cuts through doubt, and fear, and cold,

With whispers of love untold.

At Christmastime, their blessings fall like snow,

Gently covering all—

Heaven hears, angels come

And we are not alone.

The second is written about the “angels” in my life.

Angels in Disguise

Wearing scarves of red and mittens bright,

Their laughter fills the frosty night,

They have not with halos, wings, or light,

But cocoa mugs held snug and tight,

They hum a tune, they share a pie,

And paint the stars across the sky.

They fill each year with gentle cheer,

And whisper hope for all to hear,

For friends are angels, warm and true,

Who bless our hearts the whole year through.

They share our sorrows, joys and fears

They really are such precious dears.

When the bells of Christmas chime,

I thank the angels—friends of mine,

For every giggle, hug, and song,

Which makes me feel like I belong.

And of course, the song says:

Angels we have heard on high,

Sweetly singing through the sky.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Psalms 86:15

Psalms 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

“A Christmas without light is not Christmas. Let there be light in the soul, in the heart; let there be forgiveness to others; let there be no hostilities, which are dark. Let there be the beautiful light of Jesus.” —Pope Francis

"Silent Night" (Official Music Video) | GENTRI

Beautiful video.

Memory from 2020

Yesterday, I got semi-sidetracked. Does that ever happen to you? My intention was to contact someone who was alone, who needed to know someone cared about them this Christmas. I planned to ask them about their Christmas memories, and help them remember the good times. Dean and I prepared goodie bags with apples, oranges, grapes, and granola bars and delivered them to various families in the area. We shared memories with many of them. At one home, we talked about the Fisher Price nativity set I own and how much our children enjoyed playing with the pieces when they were young. It’s not out this year, or I should say that it wasn’t out until yesterday. When I got home and looked at the empty spot where it usually sits, I had to put it out. So many memories of playing with my youngest daughter, Gina, and all of our grandchildren flooded back. One memory replayed itself over and over in my mind. Four years ago our grandson Lucas was here. We played with my set. I told Lucas a “service” stressed version of the nativity story. Lucas told me the names of the figurines, and every one of them was “Jesus” - the shepherds, the wise men, and Joseph. Even Mary and the angel were “Jesus”. The last piece was “baby Jesus”. I asked Lucas to tell me the story. He picked up the first wise man and said “serve Jesus”. Then said the same for each figurine, then finally picked up the baby in the manger again and said, “love Jesus”. He got that right! I wish I was a child and could serve through their eyes. ~~ Marilee

No Knead Sandwich Bread

1 c + 3 T whole milk, lukewarm

2 T sugar

2 T olive oil

2 t yeast

1 t salt

3 c. white flour

Warm the milk.  Combine warm milk, salt, sugar, oil and yeast.  Mix everything together with a fork, until it forms a rough, shaggy dough.  Wet your hand with water, and continue mixing, making sure there are no dry patches of flour and dough. Cover the dough, and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to continue to hydrate. After 30 minutes stretch the dough.  Wet your hand.  Take one side of the dough, stretch and fold the dough onto the opposite side. Make quarter turn of bowl.  Do four folds. .Then take your wet hand, and push the dough under itself, creating a rounded ball. Cover the no-knead dough and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the gluten to develop and to relax so it’s ready to stretch again. Then come back and do a second series of stretch and folds. You want to do about 4 folds per session. Repeat this process another two times. So four series in total. After every series, ball up the dough, pushing the dough under itself and creating a smooth plump dough.  After the last series of stretch and folds, cover the dough and allow to rise for 1h.  Once the dough has tripled in size, shape the loaf and bake the bread.  Shape into loaf. Place in buttered loaf pan.  bake in a preheated oven at 350 F 25 minutes.  

Saturday afternoon, I started making the final touches on my blog for today using a Chanukah story. I have used many such stories over the years. The events out of Australia yesterday filled my heart with great sorrow. I wondered if I should still use this. I asked Dean. He said, “yes, we need peace this Christmas.”  We need to set aside hate. There are too many people who look at those around themselves as “US”es (rhymes with buses) or as “THEM”s. Christ was a Jew. The shepherds were Jews, Mary and Joseph were Jews. They were ALL God’s children- as are we. We are all “US”es.

“Weeks before Chanukah in 1992, the Schnitzer family of Billings, Montana, was in the holiday spirit.  The Schnitzers, with two small children, decorated their home and windows for the upcoming celebration with Stars of David, a Menorah, and a sign reading “Happy Chanukah”.  At around 7 pm on December 2nd, an unidentified person threw a cinderblock through the window of the Schnitzer’s home at their 5-year-old child.  This incident, which followed other antisemitic acts around the city of roughly 81,000, outraged local residents.

Jews have celebrated Hanukkah for thousands of years.  According to the Talmud, the Hanukkah menorah should be lit outside one’s front door, publicizing the great miracles of the holiday for the world to see.  When the Jews were exiled, displaying one’s Jewishness publicly was recognized as a potentially dangerous act. The practice of lighting the menorah was adjusted.  Instead of lighting outdoors, Jews kindled the menorah inside to be seen only by those in the home.  Hiding the menorah reflected the Jews deteriorating sense of security in their new lands.

In recent generations, Jewish communities around the world have once again adjusted their practice.  Jews have felt protected in many western countries, and the lighting of the menorah reflects this sense of safety.  Instead of lighting in a way that avoids detection, many Jewish celebrants adorn their homes with Chanukah apparel and light their candles in a public-facing window.  In some ways, the kindling of the Chanukah candles is a marker for how Jews are treated in any given society.

A 42-year-old woman named Margaret MacDonald, who worked for the Montana Association of Churches, had an idea.  What if other Billings residents placed menorahs in their own windows in solidarity with the Schnitzers and other Jewish families?  She rallied other members of her church who purchased menorahs to place in their own windows.  Most remarkably, the Billings Gazette, the largest newspaper in town, published a full-page cutout of a menorah for readers to tape on their windows.  It was estimated that somewhere between 5,000-10,000 non-Jewish homes proudly displayed the menorah that year in Billings, Montana.” (Choose Light: A Chanukah Miracle in Billings, Montana - Israel365 )

On October 7, 2023, I got on my computer and printed out a picture of a menorah, a powerful symbol of light, and posted it in my front window to show my support for the people of Israel. It is still there today, only it is now being joined by a printout of the Star of David. Captain and Tenille recorded a song in 1977 called “Circles.” The lyrics talk about a man who shut himself away from love out of fear. He drew a circle around himself to shut others out, but “love” drew a circle to take him in.

“And oh love and I, knew just where to begin
Yes, love and I started a circle to spin
Oh love and I
We drew a circle, beautiful circle
A wonderful circle that took him in.

Loving each other at Christmas time and always, brings peace, hope and joy into our lives.  It doesn’t matter what the attacks of violence are: political assassinations or shootings, campus assaults, assaults at churches of any denomination, domestic violence … Genocidal annihilation.  We have experienced all of them this year.  It needs to stop.  Our God is a God of love. ~~  Marilee

Philippians 4:6-7

 

Philippians 4:6-7  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

                                                            

                                                            

Hallelujah (Light Has Come) (Official Video)

                                                             

This is a beautiful, peaceful video. Perfect for the Sabbath

Hallelujah, we've been found

A child is born to save us now

Hallelujah, light has come

A Savior who will set us free

A Promise for those who believe

                                                            

Good Sabbath, everyone ~Marilee

                                                            

The Letter From God

Ruth looked at the envelope once again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address on it. She read the letter to herself one more time.

Dear Ruth, I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit. Love Always, God.

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would God want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I *really* don't have anything to offer! I will have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner at once!" She reached for her purse and poured out its contents. Five dollars and forty three cents. "Well, I could buy some bread and some cold cuts, at least."

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of french bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk... leaving Ruth with twelve cents left over until next Monday. None- the-less, she felt better as she headed home from the store, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady, can you help us, lady?", came a shy voice from a nearby alleyway. Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled together in the cold and dirty alleyway she was just passing by.

A man and woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags stared in her direction... "Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it. Please lady."

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, the alleyway smelled of garbage, and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.

"Sir, I'd like to help you out, but I am a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread which I was planning on serving because I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight. "Yeah, well, OK lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag. "Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!", the man's wife murmured slowly. Ruth could see now that she was shivering uncontrollably. "You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one."

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then, smiling warmly, she turned and walked back to the street without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest that afternoon. "Thank you lady! Thank you very much!", said the man, holding back a tear. Ruth was chilled to the bone by the time she reached her front door, and was worried too. God was coming to visit her and she had nothing to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key.

But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. "That's odd.", she said to herself, "The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took the envelope out of her mailbox and opened it.

Dear Ruth, It was so good to see you again. Thank you for offering me the lovely meal that you did. And thank you also, for compassionately giving me the beautiful coat that you did. Love Always, God.

Warm tears trickled down Ruth's cold cheeks as she realized what had just happened. There are times during the hustle and bustle of the holidays we forget there are others without and the true meaning of what it is to give of ourselves. And, to remember that God is in ALL of us! Here's wishing you and yours a truly Joyous Holiday Season!

Romans 8:28

 

Romans 8:28   KJV

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

*~*~*~*~ *

"Silent Night" (Official Music Video) | GENTRI

Gorgeous video

Memory from 2020

Yesterday, I got semi-sidetracked. Does that ever happen to you? My intention was to contact someone who was alone, who needed to know someone cared about them this Christmas. I planned to ask them about their Christmas memories, and help them remember the good times. Dean and I prepared goodie bags with apples, oranges, grapes, and granola bars and delivered them to various families in the area. We shared memories with many of them. At one home, we talked about the Fisher Price nativity set I own and how much our children enjoyed playing with the pieces when they were young. It’s not out this year, or I should say that it wasn’t out until yesterday. When I got home and looked at the empty spot where it usually sits, I had to put it out. So many memories of playing with my youngest daughter, Gina, and all of our grandchildren flooded back. One memory replayed itself over and over in my mind. Four years ago our grandson Lucas was here. We played with my set. I told Lucas a “service” stressed version of the nativity story. Lucas told me the names of the figurines, and every one of them was “Jesus” - the shepherds, the wise men, and Joseph. Even Mary and the angel were “Jesus”. The last piece was “baby Jesus”. I asked Lucas to tell me the story. He picked up the first wise man and said “serve Jesus”. Then said the same for each figurine, then finally picked up the baby in the manger again and said, “love Jesus”. He got that right! I wish I was a child and could serve through their eyes. ~~ Marilee

*~*~*~*~ *

No Knead Sandwich Bread

1 c + 3 T whole milk, lukewarm

2 T sugar

2 T olive oil

2 t yeast

1 t salt

3 c. white flour

Warm the milk.  Combine warm milk, salt, sugar, oil and yeast.  Mix everything together with a fork, until it forms a rough, shaggy dough.  Wet your hand with water, and continue mixing, making sure there are no dry patches of flour and dough. Cover the dough, and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to continue to hydrate. After 30 minutes stretch the dough.  Wet your hand.  Take one side of the dough, stretch and fold the dough onto the opposite side. Make quarter turn of bowl.  Do four folds. .Then take your wet hand, and push the dough under itself, creating a rounded ball. Cover the no-knead dough and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the gluten to develop and to relax so it’s ready to stretch again. Then come back and do a second series of stretch and folds. You want to do about 4 folds per session. Repeat this process another two times. So four series in total. After every series, ball up the dough, pushing the dough under itself and creating a smooth plump dough.  After the last series of stretch and folds, cover the dough and allow to rise for 1h.  Once the dough has tripled in size, shape the loaf and bake the bread.  Shape into loaf. Place in buttered loaf pan.  bake in a preheated oven at 350 F 25 minutes.  

*~*~*~*~ *

"The Biggest Gift of All!"

By Bob Perks

http://www.IWishYouEnough.com

 

"What happened to it?," the child asked.

 

"What happened to what?" someone replied.

 

"My gift for Mom and Dad. It was the smallest and it got lost," he sadly replied.

 

It happens that way. It seems that when it comes to gift giving we feel the need to out do each other. The bigger the box, the more money we spend, the more love expressed.

 

It's simply not true. It's all a lie and we know it.

 

"Oh, you didn't have to..."

 

Yes they did. The world demands it of us. You know you would have felt rejected, ignored and overlooked if they didn't give you something.

 

"I have to get a gift for Joe. He gave me something last year."

 

"I'm only sending cards to people who sent them to me."

 

How sad. Gift giving has become a matching game. Or worst yet, a competition.

 

So it was on this Christmas morning.

 

"I can't believe all of the presents!" someone said.

 

"This is even more than last year!" the oldest child confirmed.

 

"I guess Santa out did himself this year," Dad said.

 

"You must have been really good!" said Mom.

 

"Wait before you open them, let's get a picture of it all. We can compare it to last year's gifts," said Dad.

 

Then the reds and greens of fancy Christmas paper flew across the room. The bows and ribbons were crushed among the efforts to make get to the gifts.

 

The youngest child was lost at times in the rush to find his own Santa's treasures but managed to survive somehow.

 

"Don't forget the gifts we got for each other!" one child yelled.

 

The youngest child stopped what he was doing. He wanted to watch his parents when they  opened his special gift.

 

But it was no where to be found.

 

"What happened to it?," the child asked.

 

"What happened to what?" someone replied.

 

"My gift for Mom and Dad. It was the smallest and it got lost," he sadly replied.

 

The others were too busy to help him find it. They already began clearing away the paper and he feared they had tossed it in the garbage.

"You need to get bigger gifts. You don't lose big gifts," his older sister said laughing. "But it was the biggest gift of all," the child replied.

 

He sat down in frustration and began to cry.  "Is this it?" his brother asked as he held the little box in his hand. "I almost stepped on it."

 

"That's the biggest gift of all?" the sister said mockingly. "What a joke!"

 

"It is! It is!" he shouted back. "You'll see!"

 

Then, grabbing it from his brother's hand he straightened out the bow and handed it to Mom.

 

"Daddy, come here. This is for you, too," he said while sniffling away his tears.

 

Everyone stopped what they were doing to see what he had given. Perhaps just out of curiosity, maybe just to laugh.

 

Carefully Mom unwrapped the gift and opened the box.

 

"Oh, my!" she said as she slowly sat down on the  couch.

 

"What? What is it?" someone said.

 

Then Dad sat down next to her to share the special moment.

 

"Oh, I see." he said. Looking at his wife he humbly said, "It is indeed the biggest gift."

 

Then Mom reached in, pulled out the gift and placed it on her hand.

 

It was the Christ Child in the cradle.

 

Dad glanced over to look at their manger now buried beneath the all too many gifts.

 

"Clear away those things," he asked of his oldest child.

 

The dimly lit star attached to the manger shown  down on the spot where the Christ Child would normally be.

 

"But he took it from..." his sister began to say  until Mom interrupted her.

 

"He took it from the story of Christmas. The real reason we should be celebrating," she said.

 

The small child was standing next to the tree. The white lights sparkled off the warm streams of tears that ran down his face. Quietly he explained..."Every year we think about how to give the biggest gift. I thought that this year I would give the best gift anyone could ever give. The pastor at Bible school asked us to think about the greatest gift of all. Then I thought about Jesus and knew that I could not ever out give God. So my gift to you and Dad was the Biggest gift of all...ever!"

 

Suddenly it was silent. Mom glanced around the room and humbly said, "I am ashamed. We had forgotten the meaning of it all."

 

Then motioning to her son she said, "Come here. You were right. The Littlest One was indeed the Biggest Gift of all!"

"I wish you enough!"

Bob

I encourage you to share my stories but I do ask that you keep my name and contact information with my work.

 

If you would like to receive Bob's Inspirational

stories, please visit http://www.IWishYouEnough.com

and submit your email address.

John 14:27

 John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

“He gives us hope when hope is gone.  He gives us strength when we can’t go on. He gives us shelter in the storms of life.  When there’s no peace on earth, There is peace in Christ”.  McKenna Hixson

Matthew West - Because of Bethlehem (Lyric Video)

This video shows Matthew West sitting on a stool, surrounded by candles singing this song.  One of the things i especially like about this song is that it deals with Christ’s entire life, not just his birth.

From a child in a cradle to a king upon a cross…

Love is born, hope is here

Heaven's light has made the darkness disappear

Peace on Earth, good will to men

God with us all because of Bethlehem

Carrot Cake Muffins

1 ½ c. flour

1 ½ t baking soda

½ t. Cinnamon

½ t. Salt

¾ c sugar

2 large eggs (beaten)

½ c vegetable oil

1 t. Vanilla

1 ½ c shredded carrots

½ c chopped walnuts

4 ounces softened cream cheese

3 T powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar, stir to combine. Add in beaten eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in shredded carrots. Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners, then fill with batter to 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing to racks to cool completely. Make your icing, combine all icing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread over cooled muffins.

Christmas is about believing in things which are unbelievable.  What a crazy story some people think it is – the Son of God being born to a virgin in a stable filled with farm animals? REALLY?? (dripping with sarcasm)??  At Christmas time and throughout the  year, we need to think with our hearts rather than our brains.  We need to become like children and trust that God is with us every day.  Mary answered the call of a messenger from God.  In my mind, I hear her say, “Ready now am I to do thy will”. She chose to become the mother of Our Saviour.  Joseph chose to love her and to become the earthly father of Christ.   The shepherds chose to believe the angel song.  The wise  men chose to follow the Star.   All of them filled their lives with hope.  I choose to believe it all.  We have a Father in Heaven who loves us and created this world for us.  He wants us to return to Him and my heart is filled with the hope that through Christ, we will.  I know that we are never alone.  His Love never dies and our lives will continue beyond this realm of existence.  Hope is my reality.   ~~ Marilee

Here is a super easy Nativity craft for children 

Easy Baby Jesus in Manger Craft

There are many wonderful stories circulating on the internet at Christmas time.  This is one of them.  The original story was written by Rev. Howard C. Schade pastor of the First Reformed Church in Nyack, New York; it was published in the December 1954 issue of Reader's Digest.  Through the years, it has been rewritten with changes, some people claiming the story happened as recently as 1970.  Others have claimed they wrote it.  People have changed the setting, added details, etc to make the story their own.  I have read many of them and like most of them.  Why? Because it is a story of hope, and of God’s love for His children.  It is a fabulous story:  A lonely couple, separated by that greatest of evils (the Nazis) brought together on the holiest day of the year by a man of the cloth.

The White and Ivory Tablecloth 

At Christmastime men and women everywhere gather in their churches to wonder anew at the greatest miracle the world has ever known. But the story I like best to recall was not a miracle — not exactly. It happened to a pastor who was very young but his church was very old.

Once long ago it had flourished. Famous men had preached from its pulpit and prayed before its altar. Rich and poor alike had worshiped there and built it beautifully. Now the good days had passed from the section of town where it stood. But the pastor and his young wife believed in their run-down church. They felt that with paint, hammer, and faith they could get it in shape. Together they went to work.

However late in December a severe storm whipped through the river valley and the worst blow fell on the little church — a huge chunk of rain-soaked plaster fell out of the inside wall just behind the altar. Sorrowfully the pastor and his wife swept away the mess but they couldn't hide the ragged hole. The pastor looked at it and had to remind himself quickly, "Thy will be done!" But his wife wept, "Christmas is only two days away!"

That afternoon the dispirited couple attended an auction held for the benefit of a youth group. The auctioneer opened a box and shook out of its folds a handsome gold and ivory lace tablecloth. It was a magnificent item, nearly 15 feet long; but it, too, dated from a long vanished era. Who, today, had any use for such a thing?

There were a few halfhearted bids. Then the pastor was seized with what he thought was a great idea. He bid it in for $6.50. He carried the cloth back to the church and tacked it up on the wall behind the altar. It completely hid the hole! And the extraordinary beauty of its shimmering handwork cast a fine, holiday glow over the chancel. It was a great triumph. Happily he went back to preparing his Christmas sermon.

Just before noon on the day of Christmas Eve as the pastor was opening the church, he noticed a woman standing in the cold at the bus stop. "The bus won't be here for 40 minutes!" he called and invited her into the church to get warm. She told him that she had come from the city that morning to be interviewed for a job as governess to the children of one of the wealthy families in town but she had been turned down. A war refugee, her English was imperfect.

The woman sat down in a pew and chafed her hands and rested. After a while she dropped her head and prayed. She looked up as the pastor began to adjust the great gold and ivory cloth across the hole. She rose suddenly and walked up the steps of the chancel. She looked at the tablecloth. The pastor smiled and started to tell her about the storm damage but she didn't seem to listen. She took up a fold of the cloth and rubbed it between her fingers. "It is mine!" she said. "It is my banquet cloth!" She lifted up a corner and showed the surprised pastor that there were initials monogrammed on it. "My husband had the cloth made especially for me in Brussels! There could not be another like it."

For the next few minutes the woman and the pastor talked excitedly together. She explained that she was Viennese and that she and her husband had opposed the Nazis and decided to leave the country. They were advised to go separately. Her husband put her on a train for Switzerland. They planned that he would join her as soon as he could arrange to ship their household goods across the border. She never saw him again. Later she heard that he had died in a concentration camp. "I have always felt that it was my fault — to leave without him," she said. "Perhaps these years of wandering have been my punishment!" The pastor tried to comfort her and urged her to take the cloth with her. She refused. Then she went away.

As the church began to fill on Christmas Eve, it was clear that the cloth was going to be a great success. It had been skillfully designed to look its best by candlelight. After the service, the pastor stood at the doorway. Many people told him that the church looked beautiful. One gentle-faced middle-aged man — he was the local clock-and-watch repairman — looked rather puzzled. "It is strange," he said in his soft accent. "Many years ago my wife — God rest her — and I owned such a cloth. In our home in Vienna, my wife put it on the table" — and here he smiled — "only when the bishop came to dinner."

The pastor suddenly became very excited. He told the jeweler about the woman who had been in church earlier that day. The startled jeweler clutched the pastor's arm. "Can it be? Does she live?"

Together the two got in touch with the family who had interviewed her. Then in the pastor's car they started for the city. And as Christmas Day was born, this man and his wife who had been separated through so many saddened Yule tides were reunited.

To all who hear this story, the joyful purpose of the storm that had knocked a hole in the wall of the church was now quite clear. Of course, people said it was a miracle; but I think you will agree it was the season for it!