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JESUS is the reason the for the season! Hi INDONESIA! Now the CRISIS has been changed to
CHRISTMAS! |
Someone's watching over you
with the greatest love.
Someone wants you to be
happy, safe, and secure.
Someone considers you
a wonderful individual
and cares about your needs.
Someone's making blessings
for your benefit right now --
like sunshine for those rainy days
and rainbows to remind you
of the promise up ahead.
Someone's watching over you
especially at Christmas.
I know...
because I've asked the Lord
to take
good care of you.
-Poem by Barbara
J. Hall
A Special Holiday Blessing
to Remember Through the Year
Somewhere there's an angel.
Just waiting in the wings for you.
Keeping a loving lookout
and helping to see you through.
You'll have the blessing of an angel
behind the scenes of your days,
there to catch any tears that fall
and here for you always.
The sweetest reassurance
as the year ahead unfolds
is to know in your heart
that you're never alone.
And it's such a comfort to know...
that your smile will always
shine bright in your life,
along with the blessing
of beautiful things.
Because somewhere
you have an angel...
just waiting in the wings.
-Poem by Jenn Davids
It was only four days before Christmas but the spirit of the season hadn't caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our local discount store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles.
"Why did I come today?" I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn't get them a gift.
Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift-buying anything but fun.
Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20 minute wait.
In front of me were two small children - a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat and enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands.
The girl's clothing resembled her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curls. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the Christmas music sounded in the store's stereo system, the girl hummed along, off-key but happily.
When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure.
The clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. "I guess we will have to put them back, " he bravely said. "We'll come back some other time, maybe tomorrow."
With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. "But Jesus would have loved these shoes, " she cried. "Well, we'll go home and work some more. Don't cry. We'll come back," he said.
Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas.
Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, "Thank you lady."
"What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?" I asked.
The boy answered, "Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus." The girl spoke, "My Sunday school teacher said the streets in Heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won't Mommy be beautiful walking on those streets in these shoes?"
My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. "Yes," I answered, " I am sure she will."
Silently I thanked God for using these children who reminded me of the true spirit of giving."
Santa lives at the North Pole ...
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh ...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year ...
JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies ...
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters
your heart.
You have to wait in line to see Santa ...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap ...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is
"Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?" ...
JESUS knew our name before we did.
Not only does He know our name,
He knows our address too.
He knows our history and future and
He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly ...
JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is HO HO HO ...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.
Santa says "You better not cry" ...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for
you."
Santa's little helpers make toys ...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs
broken homes and builds mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but ...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree ...
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.
It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in Christmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season. Yes, Jesus is better, he is even better than Santa Claus.
Merry CHRISTMAS!!! God Blesses you!!!! Jesus loves you forever...Amen!
Leeanne Johnson
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