Some Thoughts as We Enter a New Year...

There are two days in each week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.
One of these days is Yesterday with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring it back and we cannot undo a single act performed. We cannot erase a single word which we said. Yesterday is gone.
The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow, with its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow’s sun will rise, either in splendour or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
That leaves only one day - TODAY. Any person can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when you add the burdens of those two awful eternities, Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.
It is not the experience of TODAY that drives people mad; it is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened Yesterday and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.
Therefore, live but one day at a time.

When you are sad

"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then - to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting."

from "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White

Sermons

Following the Sunday morning service, the pastor stood at the back of the church, shaking hands with the worshippers as they left. As one man shook hands, he looked intently at the pastor and said, "Powerful sermons, Pastor. Thoughtful, well researched. I can always see myself in them... and I want you to knock it off."

"Do Not Feed The Dingoes"

This sign is posted in Ormiston National Park. Most tourist probably think it's there to protect humans. The thought being, 'if you're close enough to feed a dingo you could be in a position of real danger.' Not True! The sign is posted to protect the dingoes. Each autumn, when the feeding tourists have long since departed, the park service must carry off the remains of dead dingoes who became so dependent on tourists that they were no longer able to gather food for themselves. We can become like the Ormiston Dingoes if we depend on others to spiritually feed us. Each day we must gather spiritual nutrients for ourselves from God and His Word.

Recipe for a Miracle

1 cup Tension
2 cups Stress
1 teaspoon of Guilt
2 heaping cups of Limited Time
3/4 tablespoon of Urgency A dash of "no Other Choice"
3 heaping cups of Faith

Fold ingredients gently into a bowl. Mix vigorously and add a few tears.
You’ll sweat a little as you knead the dough. Pack it firmly between your hopes and dreams and form into a perfect ball.
Sprinkle it with a little faith (I recommend Hebrews 11), rolling the ball in the flour until fully covered.
Place it under a veil of belief and allow it to rise.
Put it in the oven that has been preset at the perfect temperature for the heat of trials and tribulations.
Allow it to brown under the warmth of God’s love. Remove after due season and allow to cool in the confidence of his promise.
Garnish with your praises. Arrange neatly on a platter of thankfulness and serve to friends, families, and, oh yes, strangers...invite them too! Pass on the recipe to all who request it and let them know that with this recipe, they have the makings of a miracle.

Heart Gifts

It's not the things that can be bought
that are life' richest treasure,
It's just the little "heart gifts"
that money cannot measure
A cheerful smile, a friendly word,
a sympathetic nod
Are priceless little treasures
from the storehouse of our God...
They are the thing that cannot be bought with silver or with gold
For thoughtfulness and kindness
And love are never sold...
They are the priceless thing in life for which no one can pay,
And the giver finds rich recompense in giving them away.
- Helen Steiner Rice -

HoHoHo!!!

Christmas Repeated?

A Jewish lady named Mrs. Rosenberg who many years ago was stranded late one night at a fashionable resort - one that did not admit Jews. The desk clerk looked down at his book and said, "Sorry, no room. The hotel is full." The Jewish lady said, "But your sign says that you have vacancies." The desk clerk stammered and then said curtly, "You know that we do not admit Jews. Now if you will try the other side of town..."
Mrs. Rosenberg stiffened noticeable and said, "I'll have you know I converted to your religion."
The desk clerk said, "Oh, yeah, let me give you a little test. How was Jesus born?"
Mrs. Rosenberg replied, "He was born to a virgin named Mary in a little town called Bethlehem."
"Very good," replied the hotel clerk. "Tell me more."
Mrs. Rosenberg replied, "He was born in a manger."
"That's right," said the hotel clerk. "And why was he born in a manger?"
Mrs. Rosenberg said loudly, "Because some thoughtless hotel clerk wouldn't give a Jewish lady a room for the night!"

All is Calm: All is Bright

Somewhere in the hustle-bustle,
Maybe after prayers are said,
May you thrill with thanks that Christmas
Started in a manger bed.
Somewhere in the midst of glitter,
Maybe in a candle’s glow,
May you feel a peace and calmness
As God’s blessings overflow.

We’re blessed, aren’t we?

* If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.
* If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pains of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world.
* If you can express your beliefs without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.
* If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
* If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.
* If your parents are still married and alive, you are very, very rare.
* If you hold your head up with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
* If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.
* If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. 1/3 of the world does not have access to even one.
* If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read anything at all.
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

Christmas began...

Christmas began in the heart of God; it is only complete when it is in the heart of man:
A little child, a shining star A stable rough, the door ajar Yet in that place, so crude, forlorn, The hope of all the world was born.

A Christmas Thought

During the Christmas Season of 1879 an agnostic reporter in Boston saw three little girls in front of a store window admiring the toys. One of the girls was blind. As he approached, he overheard the other two girls trying to describe the playthings to their friend. In a later newspaper story the reporter said he had never thought how difficult it would be to explain what something looked like to someone who had never been able to see.
Two weeks later this same agnostic attended a meeting conducted by Dwight L. Moody. His plan was to catch the evangelist in some great inconsistency. To his surprise Mr. Moody used his newspaper article of the three children to illustrate a spiritual truth. "Just as the blind girl couldn't visualise the toys," said Moody, "so an un-saved person can't see Christ in all His glory." He went on to say that "God opens the eyes of anyone who acknowledges his sin and accepts the Saviour in humble faith.
That night the Newsman discovered his need and the truth of Moody's words.

Christmas without...

If shepherds had not come to worship, when the tidings came to them;
If there had never been a Christmas star, or a babe of Bethlehem;
There would be no Christmas story,
And there would be no “peace on earth”.
So let’s keep Christ in Christmas, in spite of what some say,
For without our blessed Saviour, there would be no Christmas day.

Discovering Christmas

A man hated church, but he loved ducks. But his ducks were really dumb ducks. They wouldn't go south when winter came. He fretted as each day got colder, and they weaker. He tried to put grain down leading into his barn, where they would be safe, but they wouldn't have any of it. He left the doors open at night, and put lights on inside, and they didn't even notice. It grew colder as the days went by, and the duck lover pondered and thought. He played music inside. He put Fox decoys all around outside. In frustration, he finally tried to herd them into his barn, but the more he waved and shouted, the more afraid the dumb ducks got, and fled further away from the warmth and the food their loving duck shepherd was offering them.
Our poor duck shepherd fell to his knees sobbing, knowing these ducks would soon die now, and nothing he could do would help them- nothing, because he was unfathomable to them, and they feared him. He thought, "If only I could be one of them, I could show them, communicate to them, and they would accept me, and not be afraid of me, and I could bring them to safety, warmth, shelter- to a place I myself have prepared for them. Just then he heard the bells for Christmas eve services, and realized for the first time what that babe in Bethlehem was all about...

Language Facts

* The verb "cleave" has two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: "adhere" and "separate".
* The homonyms "raise" and "raze" have opposite meanings: to build up and to tear down.

Check the Seal

A mother and her young son returned from the grocery store and began putting away the groceries. The boy opened the box of animal crackers and spread them all over the table. "What are you doing?" his mother asked. "The box says you can't eat them if the seal is broken," the boy explained. "I'm looking for the seal."

Christmas Giving

I only did what you have done
A thousand times or more
When Joseph came to Bethlehem
And knocked upon my door
I did not turn the Christ away
With alibi so deft.
Like you, I simply gave to Him
Whatever I had left.
-B. P. Baker –

How well do you know your carols?

Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Ni.. (cough!, hack,!!)
The following Christmas carols could have been written by government departments. Can you guess the original titles?
1. Move Hither The Entire Assembly Of Those Who Are Loyal In Their Belief
2. Embellish Interior Passageways
3. Vertically Challenged Adolescent Percussionist
4. Soundless Nocturnal Period
5. Majestic Triplet Referred To In The First Person Plural
6. The Yuletide Occurrence Preceding All Others
7. Precious Metal Musical Devices
8. Omnipotent Supreme Being Elicit Respite To Ecstatic Distinguished Males
9. Caribou With Vermilion Olfactory Appendage
10. Jovial Yuletide Desired For The Second Person Singular Or Plural By The First Person Plural
11. Commence Auditory Reception The Announcing Cherubs Vocalize
12. Kris Kringle Will Be Arriving In The City In The Not Too Distant Future
13. Bipedal Traveling Through An Amazing Acreage During The Period Between December 21st And March 21st In The Northern Hemisphere
14. Its Arrival Occurred At Twelve O’clock During A Clement Nocturnal Period
15. Exclamatory Remark Concerning A Diminutive Municipality In Judea Southwest Of Jerusalem

How well do you know your carols?

Answers to bureaucratic carol titles...
1. O Come All Ye Faithful
2. Deck The Halls
3. The Little Drummer Boy
4. Silent Night
5. We Three Kings
6. The First Noel
7. Silver Bells 8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
9. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
10. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
11. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
12. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
13. Walking In A Winter Wonderland
14. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
15. O Little Town Of Bethlehem

A familiar, but ambiguous carol

How many of us have sung "The 12 days of Christmas" for as long as we can remember but never knew its meaning? Hope you find this as interesting as I did. Now, if only I knew the source of this information...
Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith - a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head - or hanged, drawn and quartered, a rather peculiar and ghastly punishment I'm not aware was ever practised anywhere else. The song's gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptised person.
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."
The other symbols mean the following:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Christmas: Three Perspectives

An American Perspective
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has received permission to put up a sign next to the Christmas tree in Wisconsin's state Capitol. The sign reads, "In this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds." The back of the sign has a reading, "Thou shalt not steal." The Madison group said it planned to make the sign "a winter solstice tradition." Religion Today. December 12, 1997
In Cuba…
Cubans will celebrate Christmas for the first time since 1962. Fidel Castro told the National Assembly, a legislative body, that the one-time only event will be celebrated in honor of Pope John Paul II's visit next month. The Pope had asked Castro to reinstate the holiday prior to his visit. Christian Cubans regard the move as a miracle, but expatriates say it is merely a political move by Castro to gain approval from Western governments. Christmas was canceled when the country declared itself officially atheist-communist in 1962 and redefined as secular in 1991, according to news reports.
In Australia…
“As a society we are very family-focussed at Christmas,” says Diana Kenny. “It can be very difficult for those people who are isolated, alienated, lonely, abandoned, or living in nursing homes. That sense of loneliness can become very heightened at that time of year. Kenny cites the case of a homeless young woman who tried to commit suicide each Christmas Eve so she could spend Christmas Day in hospital. Kenny met her after her third Christmas Eve suicide attempt. “At least in hospital she got a warm bed, Christmas dinner and the nurses made a bit of a fuss.” from the MBF publication, Living Well, Summer 1997 edition, p 19

An Advent Poem

‘Twas the night before Jesus Came
'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mum in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be The Day!

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!

© 1993 Bethany Farms, Carrollton, Illinois, USA

The Challenge of Christmas

“When Christmas is over,” said a store manager to a minister, “it’s over, and it’s my job to rid this store completely of Christmas in a day.”
“Well,” replied the minister, “I have a bigger job: to keep Christmas in the hearts of people for the rest of their lives.”

Christmas Decorations

In our complex, commercial work it is hard to see in Christmas Decorations Your sacred significance. Please garland our lives with Your grace.
As we trim our churches, shops, schools, institutions, homes and clubs with synthetic imitations, direct our thinking to this central reality - Christ's coming into our spiritual understanding. Christ's life in our living, His death and resurrection our certainty of immortality.
From every candle, globe and tinsel string shall shine for us the Light of the World….
The wood of crib, carved nativity figures and cross become our tree of life.
Help us relate our space-age satellite and Your Star of Peace into the unity that makes power a protection for mankind.

Christmas Cards

As we buy or make, write on and post our Christmas Cards
Help us to infuse our acts with a true prayer for each person receiving a card.
So may we translate a task that could be wearying to a fruitful meditation of worship.
We ask for seeing eyes and sensitive minds to appreciate the craftsmanship, design and artistry that, through Christmas Cards, glorify Christ's birth within the human heart.

The Homeless Christ

You still walk the streets, our streets,
looking for a place to put your head,
still poorer than a bird in its nest.

You still knock
on the double-latched bolted-shut door
with Christians inside.

Christ, you are still discarded
and dropped in the wastebasket
of sometime or never.

Christ, your chance is still slim
in our land of goodness and keep-smiling,
where we live by your ethics without knowing you.
Proclaimed: teacher among teachers, king among kings,
God among Gods, one of the may ways to salvation,
take it or leave it.

Jesus, don't let me live outside of you, outside of the heart of the world.
Smash down my locked door, rest in my house and sit at my table.
Let me be on your side, drown me in your love.
Neglect the name and number that I am,
the address and place in or out of society
and break through to me to release the weights
clinging to my hands and feet.

And love me into your love, into your Christmas.

by Ulrich Schaffer, in Greater Than Our Hearts: Prayers And Reflections

In all things

In the happy moments praise Him,
In the difficult moments seek Him,
In the busy moments bless Him,
In the quiet moments worship Him,
In the waking moments trust Him,
In the painful moments touch Him,
In the loving moments thank Him,
In the quiet moments worship Him

At Least He’s Consistent!

At the doctor's office, the old professor had to fill out a questionnaire. One question was, "What kind of exercise do you do?"
"None," he wrote.
The next question read, "How often do you do it?"
The old professor quickly filled in, "Every day."

Make Census to you?

A man was sitting on his porch, when someone walked up with a pad and pencil in his hand. "What can I do for you?" he politely asked. "You selling something?"
No, sir, I'm not. I'm a Census Taker."
"A what?"
"A Census Taker. We're trying to find out how many people are in Australia."
"You're wasting your time here. I have no idea."

Truer than you really know...

A little girl, on the way home from church, turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the Preacher's sermon this morning confused me."
The mother said, "Oh! Why is that?"
The girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?"
"Yes, that's true," the mother replied.
"He also said that God lives within us. Is that true, too?"
Again the mother replied, "Yes."
"Well," said the girl. "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn't He show through?"

Two Camels

A mother and baby camel are talking one day when the baby camel asks, "Mum why have I got these huge three-toed feet?"
The mother replies, "Well son, when we trek across the desert your toes will help you to stay on top of the soft sand".
"OK" said the son.
A few minutes later the son asks, "Mum, why have I got these great long eyelashes?"
"They are there to keep the sand out of your eyes on the trips through the desert",
"Thanks Mum" replies the son.
After a short while, the son returns and asks, "Mum, why have I got these great big humps on my back?"
The mother, now a little impatient with the boy replies, "They are there to help us store fat for our long treks across the desert, so we
can go without water for long periods."
"That's great Mum, so we have huge feet to stop us sinking, and long eyelashes to keep the sand from our eyes and these humps to store
water, but Mum ..."
"Yes son?"
"Why are we in the San Diego Zoo?"

Thoughts from Abraham Lincoln

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could - and should - do for themselves.