Why I Celebrate Christmas 

It isn't the tinsel,
The wrapping or things,
That make me feel happy and
Make my heart sing.

The reason is simple
(at least just to me)
The reason is Jesus!
Woohoo!!!  Yip Yippee!!!

He gave us the best,
Finest gift there could be!
He gave us Himself,
When He died on a tree.

So when I see my tree
All twinkly with lights
I think of Bethlehem
On that most special night.

I look at the star,
Right at the top
And remember the star
And where it stopped.

The presents beneath it,
Bring to recall
The Magi and gifts
In a cold stable stall.

To many, these things
Are symbols of greed.
To me they remind me
Of what mankind needs!

The gift that was wrapped
And placed in stable stall
Was the very BEST gift,
Yes, the BEST gift of all!

So that's why I celebrate ...
I can't be much clearer,
Christmas season to me
Simply brings Jesus nearer! 

author unknown

There's no Christmas without Jesus,
It's to Him our eyes should see.
Not to jolly old Saint Nicholas
Nor a glitt'ring Christmas tree!

Shops in town are decorated
Decked in colors bright and gay
Tinsel lights and shapes created
Merge into one grand display.

"There's no Christmas without buying
Gifts and toys to give," they say.
Oh, that they should be realizing
All these things will fade away!

Santa Claus is just a story
Reindeer never pulled his sleigh.
Why then, does he get the glory
On this sacred, holy day?

But a baby in a manger
Really lived in Israel:
He was born to be our Savior
It's His story we must tell!

I will think of Christ this Christmas,
How He left His throne above,
Gave up all His heav'nly riches
For to manifest His love!

Take the tinsel and the glitter
And the 'Santas' all away
For God's love is far, far greater
Than this man-made grand display! 

~ author unknown ~ 

 

 

Take a bit of cheerfulness,
A pinch of laughter, too,
Next take a cup of thoughtfulness
And stir them through and through. 

 

Add to this tranquility,
A verse of "Silent Night,"
That ever quiet we may be
When God sends His holy light. 

 

 

Gently fold in some tenderness,
A handclasp or smile will do.
Perhaps it could be a fond caress,
Or a rose with a drop of dew. 

 

Set aside a moment while you go
For spices, herbs, a scent of pine...
For music and fun, a candle's glow,

 

Now mix and stir and fold again,
Then add some mistletoe,
A bit of faith, and love, and then
Into the oven your cake must go. 

 

Where warmth and affection will combine
To make this cake come true.
Garnish with happiness, truth so fine,
Enough for you, and you! 

 

Cut a piece, but save some too
For every day of the year.
Serve with a prayer for peace on earth,
And a heavenly kingdom near.

 

~ Evy Reis ~

 

I Refuse

I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted, and here's the reason why:
I have a God who's mighty, Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me, and I am on His team.
He is all-wise and powerful. Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable, My God remains the same.
My God knows all that's happening; Beginning to the end;
His presence is my comfort; He is my dearest Friend.
When sickness comes to weaken me, To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God; Into His arms I go.
When circumstances threaten to rob me of my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast, Where all my strivings cease.
When my heart melts within me, and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms, He soothes my heart and soul.
The great "I AM" is with me. My life is in His hand.
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope. It's in His strength I stand.
I refuse to be defeated. My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me, As through this life I trod.
I'm looking past all my circumstances, To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God I'm resting in His love.
I give God thanks in everything. My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory mine; He'll help me win the race.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!!!
Pass it on!
"Vision is not seeing things as they are, but as they will be..."

 

- Unknown

The Ant and the Contact Lens

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock.

Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens.

Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there.

Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff. She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.

Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom.

At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it.

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

At the risk of being accused of being fatalistic, I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

 

 

Contributed by Karen Swaim

FOOTPRINTS

One night a man had a dream that he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him, the other belonging to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints, and that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life...

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

by Margaret Fishback Powers

Jesus Hugs

Have you ever had a "Jesus hug",
Do you know what one feels like?
If you've never had a "Jesus hug",
I pray one day you might.

A "Jesus hug" is different,
As far as hugging goes;
It's a little taste of Heaven,
Here on earth below.

Only those who love the Lord,
Can give a "Jesus hug";
It conveys God's grace and mercy,
And unconditional love.

Those who give out "Jesus hugs"
Always seem to somehow know
Just when you're in need of one
To make your spirit glow.

And if you ever need one
I hope that I will see,
So I can give you a "Jesus hug";
Just like someone did for me.

IMAGINE THAT

 

Imagine that there were no hunger
And everyone had something to eat
Imagine that there were no prejudice,
And everyone was treated sweet
Imagine that all the children
had a place to play,
Imagine all of their problems
just faded away,
Imagine that there were no diseases,
And everyone lived to grow old.  

Imagine that there were no poor people.
And all the streets were paved with gold
Imagine that there were no drugs.
And all the needles disappeared.
Imagine in their places flowers bloomed,
And all the birds reappeared.
Imagine that there were no pollution,
And we could all just heal the world
Imagine that there were no sexist people.
That discriminated boy & girl
This is not a figment of my imagination,
I'm just speaking for my generation
I wish there was something I could do
Just to make my dream come true

I thought I'd write this poem down
to tell you how I feel 

Eric McCorkle 

Everything happens for a reason.. ♥: **** A LETTER FROM JESUS ****

Everything happens for a reason.. ♥: **** A LETTER FROM JESUS ****: "__________,I love you! I shed my own blood for you to make you clean. You are clean now, so believe that it is true.You are lovely in my eye..."

IF GOD SHOULD GO ON STRIKE

How is it that God above
Has never gone on strike
Because he was not treated fair
In things He didn't like.

If only once He'd given up,
And said, 'That's it, I'm through!
I've had enough of those on earth,
So this is what I'll do;

I'll give my orders to the sun -
'Cut off the heat supply!'
And to the moon - 'Give no more
Light, and run the ocean dry.'

Then just to make things really tough
And put the pressures on,
'Turn off the vital oxygen
Till every breath is gone!'

You know, He would be justified
If fairness was the game.
For no one has been abused
Or met with more disdain

Than God, any yet He carries on
Supplying you and me
With all the favors of His grace
And everything for free.

Men say they want a better deal
And so on strike they go.
But what a deal we've given
To God to whom all things we owe.

We don't care whom we hurt
To gain the things we like.
But what a mess we'd all be in
If God should go on strike!!

Heaven's Grocery Store

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago. One day I saw a sign that read `Heaven Grocery Store'.

As I got a little closer, the door came wide open, And when I came to myself, I was standing inside.

I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere. One handed me a basket and said, "My child, shop with care." Everything a Christian needed was in the Grocery Store. And if you couldn't carry them, you could come back for more.

First I got some PATIENCE. LOVE was in the same row. Further down was UNDERSTANDING, you need that wherever you go.

I got a box of WISDOM, a bag or two of FAITH. I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost, for He was all over the place. I stopped to get some STRENGTH and COURAGE to help me win the race And though my basket was getting full, I remembered to get some GRACE.

I didn't forget SALVATION, for salvation, that was free. So, I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me. Then I started up the counter to pay the grocery bill, for I thought I had everything to do my Master's will.

As I went up the aisle, I saw PRAYER and I just had to put that in, For I knew when I stepped outside, I would run into SIN. PEACE and JOY were plentiful, they were on the last shelf. SONG and PRAISES were hanging near so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the Angel, "Now how much do I owe?"

He just smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go!"

Again I smiled at him and said, "How much do I really owe?"

The Angel smiled again and said, "My child, Jesus paid your bill a long time ago."

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata