the greatest gift

THE GREATEST Gift

The greatest gift at Christmastime
Is one we all may give -

A friendly smile that helps to make
Life easier to live.

A kindly thought, a helping hand,
To show someone we care

And let them know how much it means
For us to have them here.

The greatest gift at Christmastime
Costs not a lot to buy -

It's being a good neighbor
As days and months go by:

It's offering a shoulder
When someone needs a lift,

And so I pray this Christmas Day
That this may be your gift!
Poet, Grace E. Easley

Twas the night before Christmas

Today, we will share A Christmas Classic that we all know
and love. May you have a Very Merry Christmas, and may all
of your Christmas wishes come true!
_______________________

First of all, let us learn all about who wrote this classic. It
was written by the Rev. Clement Clarke Moore ( 1779-1863 ).
He was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at the
Episcopal General Theological Seminary in New York City.
He wrote this classic for his children, and at first refused to let
it be published because he felt it wasn't fitting for a Priest to
write, after all it didn't mention God or Jesus Christ. After a
while his friends won and he let it be published, thus now we
have this Christmas Classic:

Twas the night before Christmas
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse
The stockings were hung by
The chimney with care
in hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there.

The children were nestled
All snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plumbs
Danced in their heads.
And Mama in her kerchief,
And I in my cap
Had just settled our brains
For a long winter's nap

When out on the roof
There arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed
To see what was the matter.
I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutter,
And through back the sash.

The moon on the breast
Of the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday
To the objects below,
When, what to my wandering
eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh
and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver,
So lively and quick,
I knew in a moment
It must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles,
His courses they came,
And he whistles and shouted
And called then be name:

NOW DASHER! NOW DANCER!
NOW PRANCER AND VIXON!
ON COMET! ON CUPID!
ON DONNER AND BLITZEN!

To The Top Of The Stairs!
To The Top Of The Wall!
Now Dash Away! Dash Away All!

As dry leaves that before
The wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle
Mount to the sky
So up to the house-top
The courses they flew
With a sleigh full of toys'
And St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling,
I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing
Of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head
And was turning around
Down the chimney St. Nicholas
Came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur,
From his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished
With ashes ands soot.
A bundle of toys he had
Flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler
Just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled!
His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses,
His nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth
Was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin
Was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe
He held tight in his teeth
And the smoke it encircled
His head like a wreath.
He had a broad face
And a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed
Like a bowl of jelly.

He was chubby and plump,
A right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him,
in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye
And a twist of his head
soon gave me to know
I had nothing to dread

He sprang to his sleigh,
To his team gave a whistle,
And away they all fly
Like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim,
Ere he drove out of sight:
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

twas the night Jesus came

TWAS THE NIGHT JESUS CAME

Twas' the night Jesus came and all through the house,
Not a person was praying, not one in the house.

The Bible was left on the shelf without care,
for no one thought Jesus would come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
not once ever kneeling or bowing their head.

And Mom in the rocking chair with baby on her lap,
was watching the Late Show as I took a nap.
When out of the east there rose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what's the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutters and lifted the sash.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but Angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.

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

In the Book of Life that in 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 is not here"

I hung my head in shame. The people who's 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 others were left standing around.

I fell to my knees but it was too late,
I waited to long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight,
Oh, if only I'd know that this was the night.

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

-- Author Unknown

the christmas ten commandments

THE CHRISTMAS TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Thou shalt give thy heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of thy Christmas list

2. Thou shalt prepare thy soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that thy soul is forgotten.

3. Thou shalt not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality.

4. Thou shalt not burden the shop girl, the mailman, and the merchant with complaints and demands.

5. Thou shalt give thyself with thy gift. This will increase its value a hundred fold, and he who receiveth it shall treasure it forever.

6. Thou shalt not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.

7. Thou shalt not neglect the needy. Share thy blessings with many who will go hungry and cold unless thou are generous.

8. Thou shalt not neglect thy church. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.

9. Thou shalt be as a little child. Not until thou has become in spirit as a little one art thou ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

10. Thou shall not forget to share your joy, peace and faith with those around you.

-- Author Unknown

two babes in a manger

TWO BABES IN A MANGER

In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words:

It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.

Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city.

Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's blanket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States.

The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously.

For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately...until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift.

So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?"

And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me."

"So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him...for always."

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed.

The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him...FOR ALWAYS.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

-- Author Unknown