🤶Christmas Story🎅

 

Christmas Story - Alphabet Poem

A is for Angels, appearing so bright, telling of Jesus that first Christmas night.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.” Luke 2:13.

B is for Bethlehem, crowded and old, birthplace of Jesus by prophet foretold.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.” Micah 5:2.

C is for Cradle, their manger His bed, there in the trough where He laid His head.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.” Luke 2:7.

D is for David and his ancient throne promised forever to Jesus alone.

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.” Luke 1:32.

E is for East, where shone the bright star which Magi on camels followed afar.

“Behold, there came wise men from the east asking ‘Where is the king of the Jews?'” Matthew 2:1,2.

F is for Frankincense, with myrrh and gold, brought by the Wise Men as Matthew has told.

“And when they had opened their treasurers, they presented unto him gifts gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11.

G is for God, who from heaven above sent down to mankind the Son of His love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

H is for Herod, whose murderous scheme was told to Joseph in a nocturnal dream.

“The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt… for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” Matthew 2:13.

I is for Immanuel, “God with us,” for Christ brought man back to the Father’s house.

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.

J is for Joseph so noble and just, obeying God’s word with absolute trust.

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.” Matthew 1:24.

K is for King. A true king He would be, coming in power and authority.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation.” Zechariah 9:9.

L is for Love that He brought down to earth God enfleshed in lowly birth.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9.

M is for Mary, His mother so brave, counting God faithful and mighty to save.

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” Luke 1:38.

N is for Night, when the Savior was born for nations of earth and people forlorn.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Luke 2:8.

O is for Omega, meaning “the last;” He’s eternal present, future and past.

“I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” Revelation 22:13.

P is for Prophets, when living on earth foretold His redemption and blessed birth.

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17.

Q is for Quickly, as shepherds who heard hastened to act on that heavenly word.

“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” Luke 2:16.

R is for Rejoice. The sorrow of sin is banished forever when Jesus comes in.

“And you will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.” Luke 1:14.

S is for Savior. To be this He came; the angel of God assigned Him His name.

“She will bring forth a son, and you will call his name JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21.

T is for Tidings of joy, not of danger, telling of Him who was laid in a manger.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10.

U is for Us, to whom Jesus was given to show us the way and take us to heaven.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11.

V is for Virgin, foretold by the sage, God’s revelation on prophecy’s page.

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23.

W is for Wonderful, His works and His words, the King of all Kings, the Lord of all Lords.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.

X is for Christ. It’s X in the Greek, Anointed, Messiah, mighty, yet meek.

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.” Acts 10:38.

Y is for Yes, called God’s Yes in His Word; God’s answer to all is Jesus the Lord.

“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20.

Z is for Zeal as it burned in Christ’s heart. Lord, by thy Spirit to us zeal impart.

“And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of your house has eaten me up.” John 2:17.

- Adapted

🌲True Christmas🎄

 

 

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, 

I'm just another decorator. 

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, 

I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, 

it profits me nothing. 

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, 

attend a myriad of holiday parties

and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, 

I have missed the point. 

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss a loved one. 

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. 

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, 

but is thankful they are there to be in the way. 

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't. 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, 

pearl necklaces will be lost, 

golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure

Joy of giving

 

*I want to remember your Face so that when I meet you in Heaven, I will be able to recognize you and Thank you once again -*

In a telephonic interview,

the Radio Announcer

asked his guest,

a millionaire,

"What made you

Happiest in life ?"

The millionaire replied :

I have gone through

Four stages of

Happiness in my Life 

Finally I understood the

Meaning of True Happiness. 

The First Stage was

to Accumulate

Wealth and Means.

But at this Stage

I did not get the

Happiness I wanted. 

Then came the Second

Stage of Collecting

Valuables and Items. 

But I realized that the

Effect of this thing

is also Temporary & the

Lustre of Valuable Things

Does not last long.

Then came the

Third Stage of Getting

Big Projects like

Buying a football team,

Buying a tourist resort etc. 

But even here I did not

Get the Happiness

I had imagined.

The Fourth time

A Friend of mine

Asked me to buy

Wheelchairs for

Disabled children.

At the Friend's request, I immediately bought some Wheelchairs.

But My Friend insisted

That I go with him and

Hand over the Wheelchairs

To the Children myself.

So,I went with him &

Gave the Wheel chairs

To those Children

with my own hands.

I saw the Great

Glow of Happiness

On the Faces of

Those Children. 

I saw them all

Sitting on the Chairs,

Moving around

And having fun.

It was as if they had

Arrived at a Picnic.

But I felt Real Joy

When I started to leave

And one of the Kids

Grabbed my leg.

I gently tried to

Free my leg - but the

Child stared at my face

And held my leg tightly.

I bent down and

Asked the Child :

"Do you need

Anything else?"

The answer the Child

Gave me not only

Made me Happy

but also Changed

My Life forever.

The Child said : 

"I want to remember

Your Face, so that

When I meet you

in Heaven, i will be

Able to recognize you

& Thank you once again."

💐🙂

*"THE JOY OF GIVING".*

Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone

A good lesson. I didn't know this, so sharing with you all. 

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. 

What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? 

This week, I found out. 

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. 

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

•  The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. 
•  Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. 
•  Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love. 
•  The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. 
•  The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old   Testament. 
•  The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. 
•  Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. 
• The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. 
• Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. 
• The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments. 
• The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. 
• The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed. 

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'