PRAYING HANDS

There are hands that help and comfort,
Hands that plan and teach,
Hands that rest and hands that strive
For a goal just out of reach,
Hands that grasp and hands that give,
Hands that work and play,
Friendly hands and loving hands
That soothes life's cares away.
But praying hands are dearest
In the sight of God above
For in their sweet and earnest clasp
Are reverence and love.
No hands can do an unkind act
Nor cause another care
Nor sin against Our Father's love
When they are clasped in prayer.
Author Unknown

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
Hebrews 3:4

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
Calvin Coolidge

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was filled with sorrow at the tragic death of his wife in a fire in 1861. The Civil War broke out the same year, and it seemed this was an additional punishment. Two years later, Longfellow was again saddened to learn that his own son had been seriously wounded in the Army of the Potomac. Sitting down to his desk, one Christmas Day, he heard the church bells ringing. It was in this setting that Longfellow wrote these lines:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep.
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail,
The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men!"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

God of compassion, there is such a hole in my heart! Today should be a day of joy, but I feel only emptiness and loss. While the world celebrates around me, I remember Christmas celebrations of the past and I long to have my loved one with me. I bring my sorrows to you, Lord, like some odd gift of the magi and dump them at your feet. In my blind tears I wonder if anyone can possibly understand the depth of my sadness. I know, you can. You sent your son to be with us in our deepest sorrows and I know that even though I might not feel it now, you are here with me, grieving with me, caring for me in my sadness. Dearest Lord, help me to turn to the one I miss so much today and speak. Help me heal the loss of our parting and help me not to regret the things I didn't say. Sorrow tears at my heart, but today I ask that my loss soften my heart and make me more compassionate with everyone I meet, so that my loss may become a gift to others. Amen
Author Unknown

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
Hamilton Wright Mabie

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.
Ruth Ann Schabacker

Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given-when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.
Joan Winmill Brown

It is Christmas in the heart that put Christmas in the air.
W. T. Ellis

God has . . . planted eternity in the human heart.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

Now is the time for laughter,
Now is the time for cheer,
Herald the merry spirit . . .
The spell of Christmas is here.

This is the time for greeting
Friends, new and old . . .
Time for prayers and thankfulness . . .
The Bethlehem Star to behold!

Now is the time for reunion
Near the firesides logs that glow,
On this day when rejoicing
Brightens the hope we know.

This is the time to be happy,
Sharing the light of His will,
Sharing ethereal peacefulness
Only His love can instill.
Caroline G. Kolowicz

Dear Lord, in this busy month with my thoughts turned to shopping and gift giving, skating and sledding, snowman making and shoveling snow, cooking and decorating, company and laughter, cards and letters, memories and smiles, trees and Poinsettias, I thank you for the memories and joys of Christmas past. This Christmas as the snow trickles down from the sky, bless me with the gift of patience and peace, forgiveness and love. Shower me with a faith that helps me to share with others the gift of love that you gave that blessed night in a manger so long ago. O God, help me to never forget what Christmas is all about. Help me to look up and follow your star all year – every year. Help me to lead others to you. Amen.

The Lord will work out his plans for my life -- for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Psalm 138:8

Xmas and X-mas. Although it is often thought that the term Xmas is disrespectful, its origin shows this not to be true. Actually, this usage is nearly as old as Christianity itself with it’s origins in the Greek language. The first letter in the Greek word for Christ is ‘chi’. It is represented by a symbol similar to the letter ‘X’ in the modern Roman alphabet. The Greek word for Christ is Xristos. The abbreviation was not created specifically for the purpose of demeaning Christ, Christians, Christianity, or Christmas. It is a very old artifact of a very different language. Xmas became an abbreviated word for Christmas and was first used by Europeans in the 16th century. The Oxford English Dictionary documents the use of this abbreviation back to 1551, 50 years before the first English colonists arrived in North America and 60 years before the King James Version of the Bible was completed. Xian is sometimes used as an abbreviation of the word Christian or Xianity for Christianity.
Author Unknown

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
Norman Vincent Peale

Poinsettias. Poinsettias, a native Mexican plant were named after Joel R. Poinsett, a U. S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to America in 1828. Poinsettias were used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations. Legend has it that a young Mexican boy on his way to visit the Christ child at a village Nativity gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church. When the leaves were laid at the manager, a beautiful star shaped flower appeared on its branch. The Ancient Aztecs prized the poinsettias a symbol of purity.
Author Unknown

Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
Luke 10:20

Christmas Trees. The Christmas tree can be traced back to the year 1604. In the 16th century Germany fir trees were decorated, both inside and out, with apples, roses, candies and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religious play depicted the story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. A fir tree hung with apples was used to symbolize the Garden of Eden – the Paradise Tree. The play ended with the prophecy of a savior coming. This was often performed during the Advent season. It is believed that Protestant reformer Martin Luther adorned trees with light. While coming home one December evening, the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir inspired him to recreate this effect by placing candles on the branches of a small fir inside his home. An angel or star is often placed at the top to represent the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity story. The Christmas tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, from his native Germany. The tree was popularized throughout Victorian England by the famous 1848 etching of the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle.
Author Unknown

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know,
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
Irving Berlin

The Christmas tree was introduced to America by the Pennsylvania German immigrants in the eighteenth century. Christmas itself, however, was little celebrated in Colonial America, except in the Anglican and Catholic Colonies of the South and where the Germans, Dutch, and Moravians settled. The Puritans, who settled New England, forbade any observance of Christmas celebrations, since they believed no day should be more important than the Sabbath. After the American Revolution, Christmas trees started to appear throughout America. These early trees were unpretentious decorated with natural materials gathered from the fields, woods, paper or fabric. Patchwork quilts were often placed at the base of the tree. These trees were only a few feet high, set on tables, and decorated with modest and simple ornaments such as nuts, homemade cookies, strings of popcorn, and apples. Tree trimming was not widely practiced in America until the Victorian period. By the middle of the nineteenth century, people living in the cities could buy special toys and imported glass ornaments for their trees. Around the turn of the twentieth century, the Christmas tree became very popular in America. Larger, floor to ceiling trees replaced table trees and were decorated with store bought and homemade ornaments. People who did not have a tree at home could enjoy the community tree set in the local schoolhouse, town hall or church. By 1930 the decorated Christmas tree had become a significant part of the American Christmas.
Maxine Kenny

I have been looking on, this evening, at a merry company of children assembled round that pretty German toy, a Christmas Tree.
Charles Dickens

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
Burton Hillis

Holy Creator of Trees,
bless with your abundant grace
this our Christmas tree as a symbol of joy.
May its evergreen branches be a sign
of your never-fading promises.
May its colorful lights and ornaments call us
to decorate with love our home and our world.
May the gifts that surround this tree
be symbols of the gifts we have received
from the Tree of Christ’s Cross.
Holy Christmas tree within our home,
may Joy and Peace come and nest
in your branches and in our hearts. Amen.
Author Unknown

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.
Roy L. Smith

Candy Canes. It was not long after Europeans began using Christmas trees that special decorations were used to adorn them. Food items, such as candies and cookies, were used predominately and straight white candy sticks were one of the confections used as ornamentation. Legend has it that during the 17th century, craftsmen created the white sticks of candy in the shape of shepherds’ crooks at the suggestion of the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The candy treats were given to children to keep them quiet during religious ceremonies. This custom soon spread throughout Europe. According to the National Confectioner’s Association, in 1847 German immigrant August Imgard used the candy cane to decorate a Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio. Bob McCormack of Albany, Georgia more than 50 years later made candy canes as treats for family, friends, and local shopkeepers. McCormack’s brother-in-law Catholic priest Gregory Keller, invented a machine in the 1950’s that automated the production of candy canes and the popularity of the candy cane grew. The symbolism of the color white represents Christ’s purity and the red the blood he shed. The presence of the three red stripes the Holy Trinity.
Author Unknown

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.
Harlan Miller

Holly. In Northern Europe, Christmas occurred during the middle of winter. Boughs of holly were believed to have magical powers since they remained green during the harsh winter. They were placed over the doors to drive evil away. Brought indoors, it would brighten the mood during the long harsh winters and freshen the air. Legend has it that holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth. The pointed leaves were said to represent the crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross and the red berries symbolized the blood he shed.
Author Unknown

The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you
2 Chronicles 15:2

Mistletoe. Mistletoe was used by the Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold winter months. The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers. They used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward off evil spirits. It was also seen as a symbol of peace. It is believed that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace. Scandinavians associated the plant with their goddess of love, Frigga. It is assumed that from this, the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began with the promise of good luck and happiness in the following year.
Author Unknown

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33

Christmas Stockings. According to legend, Christmas stockings began when a nobleman upset by the death of his wife squandered away his fortune leaving three young daughters without dowries. St. Nicholas hearing of the girls plight set forth to help. Wishing to remain anonymous, he rode his white horse by the nobleman’s house and threw three small pouches of gold down the chimney where they were captured by the stocking the young girls had placed by the fireplace to dry.
Author Unknown

The only gift is a portion of thyself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Santa Claus. The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, in an area in present day Turkey. Saint Nicholas was devoted to children and a generous man. After his death around 340 AD, he was buried in Myra. In 1087 Italian sailors stole his remains and removed them to Bari, Italy thus increasing his popularity in Europe. His kindness and reputation for generosity led to thoughts he could perform miracles and his popularity increased. Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of Russia where he was known for his flowing white beard and red cape. In Greece, he became the patron saint of sailors. France made him the patron saint of lawyers. Belgium made Saint Nicholas the patron of children and travelers. Churches were dedicated to him and around the 12th century an official church holiday was created in his honor. The Fest of St. Nicholas was celebrated December 6. The day was marked by gift giving and charity. European followers of Saint Nicholas dwindled after the Reformation. The legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas. This was transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace where Sinterklaas would reward them with treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century. This is where the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged. In 1822 Clement C. Moore composed the poem ‘A Visit from Saint Nicholas’ published as ‘The Night Before Christmas’ as a gift for his children.
Author Unknown

Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:35

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.
Oren Arnold

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-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny 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 coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! 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 coursers they flew,
With the 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 and 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 bowlful 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 spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew 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!"
Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863)

Love is, above all, the gift of oneself.
Jean Anouilh

Christmas Cards. More than 95% of all Americans receive at least one Christmas card each year. The average is actually more than 70 cards per family. Millions of cards are mailed each holiday season throughout the world. A museum director in the mid 19th century liked to send yearly notes to his friends at Christmas, just to wish them a joyful holiday season. His name was Sir Henry Cole and was the first director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Sir Henry found himself too busy in the Christmas season of 1843 to compose individual Christmas greetings for his friends, but he still wanted to send a message of good cheer. He asked his artist friend, John Calcott Horsely, to design a card that he might sign and send. The card featured three panels, with the center panel depicting a family enjoying Christmas festivities and the card was inscribed with the message, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” Those who received the cards loved the idea and created cards of their own. This is how the Christmas card began. Three years earlier, Cole had helped to introduce the Penny Post, a batch of 1000 cards which were printed and sold for a shilling each. In 1875 Louis Prang became the first printer to offer cards in America. Cheap imitations and postcards brought the end for elaborate Victorian style cards though cards with envelopes had returned by the 1920s. Official Christmas cards began with Queen Victoria in the 1840s. The British royal family’s cards are generally portraits reflecting significant personal events of the year. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first official White House card depicting White House scenes.
Author Unknown

Remind me Lord that your gifts to me are meant to be shared in love, with others.
1 Samuel 16:23

Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it 'white'.
Bing Crosby

It’s happy, sparkling Christmastime,
And ere this season ends
I want to send a greeting to
My special dearest friends!
I want to wish you all the joy
Of happiness and cheer
That fills the heart of everyone
This festive time of year!
And not just for the holidays
This greeting comes to you . . .
I wish you sweet contentment
Everyday, the whole year through!
Esther Hirst

Christmas Carols. German and British front-line soldiers sang carols, exchanged gifts, and played soccer during a World War I Christmas truce. In the winter of 1914, on the battlefields of Flanders, Belgium one of the most unusual events in history took place. The Germans had been in a fierce battle with the British and French with both sides safe in muddy, man made trenches six to eight feet deep. All of a sudden, German soldiers began to put small Christmas trees, lit with candles, outside their trenches and started singing songs. The British and French troops started singing. Some English speaking Germans proposed a ‘Christmas’ truce and the British and French troops accepted. Though a few allied troops fired at the Germans, they climbed out of their trenches to celebrate Christmas. Stanley Weintraub wrote about this event in his book, Silent Night, the Story of the World War I Christmas Truce. Germans made signs, ‘You no fight, we no fight’ and the British units made banners of ‘Merry Christmas’. Gifts of cake postcards, newspaper and tobacco were exchanged. Ultimately the war continued for another four years with over 8 ½ million killed and 21 million wounded and though other Christmas truces were proposed, they never took place.
Author Unknown

Jingle Bells. John Pierpont died a failure. In 1866, at age eighty-one, he came to the end of his days as a government clerk in Washington, D.C., with a long string of personal defeats abrading his spirit. Things began well enough. He graduated from Yale, which his grandfather had helped found, and chose education as his profession with some enthusiasm.

He was a failure at school teaching. He was too easy on his students. He turned to the legal world for training. He was a failure as a lawyer. He was too generous to his clients and too concerned about justice to take the cases that brought good fees. The next career he took up was that of dry-goods merchant. He was a failure as a businessman. He could not charge enough for his goods to make a profit, and was too liberal with credit.

In the meantime he had been writing poetry, and though it was published, he didn’t collect enough royalties to make a living. He was a failure as a poet. And so he decided to become a minister, went off to Harvard Divinity School, was ordained as minister of the Hossis Street Church in Boston. But his position on Prohibition and against slavery got him crosswise with the influential members of his congregation and he was forced to resign.

He was a failure as a minister. Politics seemed a place where he could make some difference, and he was nominated as the Abolition party candidate for governor of Massachusetts. He lost. Undaunted, he ran for Congress under the banner of the Free Soil Party. He lost.

Someone found him an obscure job in the back offices of the Treasury Department in Washington. He finished out the last five years of his life as a menial file clerk. He wasn’t very good at that either. His heart was not in it.

John Pierpont died a failure. He had accomplished nothing he set out to do or be. There is a small memorial stone marking his grave in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The words in the granite read: Poet, Preacher, Philosopher, Philanthropist.

From this distance in time, one might insist that he was not, in fact, a failure. His commitments to social justice, his desire to be a loving human being, his active engagement in the great issues of his times, and his faith in the power of the human mind, these are not failures. Much of what he though of as defeat became success. Education was reformed, legal processes were improved, credit laws were changed, and above all, slavery was abolished once and for all.

Many nineteenth century reformers had similar lives – similar failures and successes.

In one very important sense, John Pierpont was not a failure. Every year, come December, we celebrate his success. We carry in our hearts and minds a lifelong memorial to him. It is a song. Not about Jesus or angels or even Santa Claus. It’s a terribly simple song about the simple joy of whizzing through the cold white dark of winters gloom in a sleigh pulled by one horse. And with the company of friends, laughing and singing all the way. No more, no less. John Pierpont wrote “Jingle Bells”. One snowy afternoon in deep winter, John Pierpont penned the lines as a small gift for his family and friends and congregation. And in doing so he left behind a permanent gift for Christmas, not the one under the tree – but the invisible, invincible one of joy. John Pierpont did not die a failure.
Author Unknown

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.
Psalm 100:1-2

Twelve Days of Christmas. Though the following song is believed to have been written much earlier, it wasn’t printed until 1780 in a children’s book, Mirth Without Mischief. It was a French song with hidden meanings to the teaching of the faith written as an encouragement to people to keep their faith alive not only when it is easy, but when any outward expressions of their faith could mean their life. 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 baptized person. The twelve days of Christmas in the song are the twelve days between the birth of Christ (Christmas, December 25) and the coming of the Magi, (Epiphany, January 6).

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for Faith, Hope and Love, the Theological Virtues.

The four calling birds were the four gospels or the four Evangelists of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch which gives the history of man’s fall from grace.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six Days of Creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments: 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.
Author Unknown

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
Hebrews 1:1-2

God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

It’s Christmas!
And in each home around the world,
The story again is told;
How Christ was born in a manger,
According to prophets of old.

They tell how angels caroled
Of ‘peace and good will on earth.’
And shepherds followed the star that led
To the place of the Saviour’s birth

And wise men, too, came from afar,
Their gifts of gold to bring.
Their hearts were filled with joy and love
And praise for the newborn King.

It’s Christmas!
And in each home around the world,
The family gathers near.
The carols are sung and the story
Is told again this year.
Barbara Skillings Reichow

Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb,
Now leaves His well-belov'd imprisonment,
There He hath made Himself to His intent
Weak enough, now into the world to come;
But O, for thee, for Him, hath the inn no room?
Yet lay Him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Stars and wise men will travel to prevent
The effect of Herod's jealous general doom.
Seest thou, my soul, with thy faith's eyes, how He
Which fills all place, yet none holds Him, doth lie?
Was not His pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee?
Kiss Him, and with Him into Egypt go,
With His kind mother, who partakes thy woe.
John Donne (1572-1631)

"Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart...filled it, too, with melody that would last forever."
Bess Streeter Aldrich

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 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.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.
Matthew 1:18–24a

Life holds no sweeter thing than this – to teach a little child the tale most loved on earth. And watch the wonder deepen in his eyes the while you tell him of the Christ Child’s birth.
Adelaide Love

Off to one side sits a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him"-- and so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.
Max Lucado

And she gave birth to 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.
And there were in the same country shepherds out in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around about them,
and they were filled with fear.
And the angel said to them,
"Fear not! For, behold,
I bring you good news of great joy,
which will come to all people.
For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign for you:
You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among all people.
Luke 2:7–14

God walked down the stairs of heaven with a Baby in His arms.
Paul Scherer

Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar;
Three Wise Men out of the East were they,
And they travelled by night and they slept by day,
For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.

The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.

Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys;
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell,
And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast,
And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people they met at some wayside well.

"Of the child that is born," said Baltasar,
"Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews."

And the people answered, "You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!"
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, "Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king."

So they rode away; and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped --it stood still of its own free will,
Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard,
Through the silent street, till their horses turned
And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard;
But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred,
And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child, that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human, but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body's burying.

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David's throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8

Fail not to call to mind, in the course of the twenty-fifth of this month, that the Divinest Heart that ever walked the earth was born on that day; and then smile and enjoy yourselves for the rest of it; for mirth is also of Heaven's making.
Leigh Hunt

There’s more, much more to Christmas
Than candlelight and cheer;
It’s the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all the year;
It’s thoughtfulness and kindness,
It’s hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding
And for goodwill to men.
Author Unknown

We miss the spirit of Christmas, if we consider the incarnation as an indistinct and doubtful, far off event unrelated to our present problems. We miss the purport of Christ’s birth if we do not accept it as a living link which joins us together in spirit as children of the ever living and true God. In love alone – the love of God and the love of man – will be found the solution of all the ills which afflict the world today. Slowly, sometimes painfully, but always with increasing purpose, emerges the great message of Christianity: Only with wisdom comes joy, and with greatness comes love.
Harry S. Truman

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again.
Author Unknown

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness
of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing, which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful
thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus sake. Amen
Robert Louis Stevenson

Late on a sleepy, star-spangled night, those angels peeled back the sky just like you would tear open a sparkling Christmas present. Then, with light and joy pouring out of Heaven like water through a broken dam, they began to shout and sing the message that baby Jesus had been born. The world had a Savior! The angels called it "Good News, " and it was.
Larry Libby

The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.
George Matthew Adams

Give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.
Philippians 2:3-4

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.
Ruth Ann Schabacker

Our friends are the people whom we choose; usually friends are the same sort of people as ourselves. My neighbor is the man whom I do not choose; he is the man whom God gives to me. He is the man who happens to live in the house next to mine; he is the man who happens to sit opposite to me in the train; he is the clerk who works at the desk next to mine. I have no right to say that he is no concern of mine, because, if I am a Christian, I know that he is the man whom God has given to me.
Stephen C. Neill

The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.
W. C. Jones

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
William Arthur Ward

The kingdom of God is within you.
Luke 17:21

Once in an age, God sends to some of us a friend who loves in us, not a false-imagining, an unreal character, but, looking through all the rubbish of our imperfections, loves in us the divine ideal of our nature, -- loves, not the man that we are, but the angel that we may be.
Harriet Beecher Stowe

If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.
George MacDonald

God works through different people in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purpose through them all.
1 Corinthians 12:6

To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving.
Max Beerbohm

The earth has grown old with its burden of care, but at Christmas it always is young, The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair And its soul full of music breaks the air, When the song of angels is sung."
Phillips Brooks

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the Shepherds are back with their flock.
The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

And to radiate the Light of Christ, every day,
in every way in all that we do and in all that we say.

Then the work of Christmas begins.
Howard Thurman

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
John 7:38

For it is impossible to be in the presence of Jesus and not be changed.
Joanna Weaver

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself.
Norman W. Brooks

Kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you.
2 Timothy 1:6, New American Standard Bible

What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Eleanor Powell

I need never feel abandoned or afraid.
I am totally, eternally secure in Jesus Christ.
There is nothing that can change that blessed assurance.
Romans 8:38–39

For the spirit of Christmas fulfills the greatest hunger of mankind.
Loring A. Schuler

This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ.
Frank McKibben

Since you are God’s child, everything he has belongs to you.
Galatians 4:7

Christmas is not a date. It is a state of mind.
Mary Ellen Chase

As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is.
Eric Sevareid

Thank you Dear Lord for all the memories and magic of Christmas. May it always be a time of giving and caring, discovery and learning, joy and delight, remembering and sharing and reading and hearing your word. I pray you will bless me with a Christmas heart, a wide open beating heart that puts others first. Help me to always spread warmth in my spirit and in my home. This Christmas, show me how to make each day special to others spreading the news of Christ’s birth, your love and grace. Thank you for the many gifts you give me, especially for the gift of life itself. Amen.

Christmas, my child, is love in action. ... Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.
Dale Evans Rogers

Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.
Augusta E. Rundel

I see your hand, Lord, in everything around me,
And in every aspect of my life, I see your will….
I see your plan, Lord, in all the years behind me.
And in the days and years to come, I’ll trust you still.
Jeremiah 29:11

Those who trust in the Lord for help
will find their strength renewed.
They will rise on wings like eagles;
they will run and not get weary;
they will walk and not grow weak.
Isaiah 40:31

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts
they perform for us in our time of need.
I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

You go no where by accident.
Wherever you go, God is sending you.
Wherever you are, God has put you there.
He has a purpose in your being there.
Christ who dwells in you has something
He wants to do through you where you are.
Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.
Richard C. Halverson, Chaplain of the United States Senate


O God, help me to touch someone today with my eyes,
my words, my smile, my voice, my laughter, Your word.
Change my life, so I can make a difference.
Let my actions bring someone closer to you.
Help me to make Christmas last all year.
Help me to use my gifts for Jesus.

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