Luke 2:7 (KJV)
And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room
for them in the inn.
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May Love, Joy, Peace and goodwill
be your gift at Christmas
and may God shower you with blessings
all the New Year through !
A SOLDIERS CHRISTMAS EVE...
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE. I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE. I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS. WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE
SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, 'SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, GOD IS WITH ME, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'
SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, 'SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, GOD IS WITH ME, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'
WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.' ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. 'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'
This poem was written by a Marine.
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PRAYING DAILY FOR THEM ALL TO SAFELY RETURN HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES.. AND TO JOBS FOR EACH OF THEM, AND SWEET INNER PEACE.. GOD AND HIS ANGELS ARE WITH EACH OF THEM, AND EACH OF US ALWAYS!
===================================================Christmas - Do You Hear What I Hear?
(By Paul H. Dunn; 1987)
Once upon a time, there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn't a Scrooge. He was a very kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men. But he didn't believe all that stuff about an incarnation which churches proclaim at Christmas. And he was too honest to pretend that he did. "I am truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, who was a faithful church goer, "but I simply cannot understand this claim that God became man. It doesn't make any sense to me." On Christmas Eve, his wife and children went to church for the midnight service. He declined to accompany them. "I'd feel like a hypocrite," he explained. "I'd much rather stay at home. But I'll wait up for you." Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. "If we must have a Christmas," he reflected, "it's nice to have a white one." He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. A few minutes later, he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another. He thought that someone must be throwing snow balls at his living room window. When he went to the front
door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. I can't let those poor creatures lie there and freeze, he thought. But how can I help them? Then he remembered the barn where the children's pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter. He quickly put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on the light. But the birds didn't come in. Food will bring them in, he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction - except into the warm, lighted barn. "They find me a strange and terrifying creature," he said to himself, "and I can't seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety." Just at that moment, the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. "Now I understand," he whispered. "Now I see why You had to do it. I love You God, I love You Jesus, thanks for showing me the light!"
door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. I can't let those poor creatures lie there and freeze, he thought. But how can I help them? Then he remembered the barn where the children's pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter. He quickly put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on the light. But the birds didn't come in. Food will bring them in, he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction - except into the warm, lighted barn. "They find me a strange and terrifying creature," he said to himself, "and I can't seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety." Just at that moment, the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. "Now I understand," he whispered. "Now I see why You had to do it. I love You God, I love You Jesus, thanks for showing me the light!"
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THANKS NORMAN AND LEISA FOR BRINGING SUPPER UP TONIGHT AND SHARING WITH US.. WE APPRECIATE IT AND LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH. THANKS FOR THE TIME YOU SPEND WITH US.. THE KIDS ARE JUST SOOO EXCITED.. MAKES US "GLAD" AS WELL!============================================
YUMMMMMMMMMY! IT WAS REALLY GOOOOOOD!!!
LOVE YA, CHRIS, LILY, KAYLA, ANNA, JEFF, SHARON AND KIDS, NORMAN J, LEISA, NATHAN, ABIGAIL, KARLIE.. AND SWEET MEMORIES OF MICHAEL.. OUR "LATE" FOSTER SON!
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PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOURS NIGHTLY THAT GOD WILL BE WITH AND BLESS EACH OF YOU AND YOURS WITH HIS SWEET, CALMING PRESENCE, HIS LOVE, GRACE, GUIDANCE, MERCIES, AND SPECIAL BLESSINGS, SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, AND WITH LOVE AND RESPECT FOR AND OF OTHERS.. AND SPECIAL BLESSINGS OF SAFETY AND HAPPINESS.. ==========================================================
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"'She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'" Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
PRAYING FOR MRS TERRY... PRAYING ALWAYS FOR LITTLE EVAN, AND ALL THE CHILDREN WITH EB OR ANY OTHER DREADFUL DISEASES, AND THEIR FAMILIES...PRAYING FOR HANNA.. (EVAN'S SISTER) AND HER HEALTH ISSUES.. GOD BLESS AND HEAL THEM PLEASE AND THANK YOU.. PRAYING FOR EVERYONE WITH CANCER AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.. PRAYING FOR OUR COUNTRY THAT GOD WILL BLESS AND GUIDE OUR LEADERS TO DO WHAT HE KNOWS IS BEST AND RIGHT FOR OUR COUNTRY.. PRAYING FOR OUR SOLDIERS, THAT THEY WILL ALL SOON BE BACK HOME SAFELY WITH JOBS TO COME HOME TO AND FOR COMFORT AND INNER PEACE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES...PRAYING FOR ALL THE "UNSPOKEN PRAYERS" FOR EACH OF YOU AND ASKING THAT YOU'LL PRAY FOR OURS TOO AND THANKING YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.. SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR EACH OF MY CO-WORKERS HELP US LORD TO ALL BE CLOSE, CARING AND HELPFUL TO EACH OTHER, PLEASE BE WITH THE KIDS AND HELP THEM TO CALM DOWN. SEND SOMEONE TO HELP KEEP THEM "IN LINE AND TEACH THEM SOME RESPECT".. PRAYING FOR EVERYONE LOOKING FOR JOBS, PLEASE LORD HELP THEM ALL TO FIND A DECENT JOB, SUITABLE FOR THEM... PRAYING FOR BETTY JO, TIMMY, AND KRISTIN, PRAYING THAT THEY WILL FIND INNER PEACE AND HAPPINESS!... PRAYING FOR HAPPINESS, REST, LOVE, AND GOOD HEALTH FOR JENNA .. PRAYING FOR CHRIS, AT HIS NEW JOB AND THAT HE WILL LIKE IT AND THEY REALLY LIKE HIM AND IT BECOME A LONG TERM 'LOCAL' JOB, AND FOR HIS TOTAL SAFETY.. PRAYING FOR JEFF THAT HE WILL HAVE HAPPINESS AT WORK, AND A GREAT BIG RAISE, AND FIND TRUE HAPPINESS IN HIS LIFE... UNSPOKEN PRAYERS FOR NORMAN J. AND HIS FAMILY... PRAYING FOR SPECIAL GUIDANCE IN MANY THINGS "UNSPOKEN" AND INNER PEACE ... AND AS USUAL AND ALWAYS, GIVING GOD THE THANKS, PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORY IN ALL THINGS IN JESUS HOLY NAME, AMEN!
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