Unfortunately this Christmas, our world is in chaos. Uncertainty has clouded the "merry" in Christmas.
Newspaper columnist Joseph Szalay wrote of serving with the 102nd Infantry Division during World War II. Christmas 1944 found him in combat in Germany. He gave gifts to the men in his section. The gifts were his personal possessions wrapped with paper from packages from home. "It was a Christmas I will long remember," he said. "All we prayed for was to see another Christmas."
His next Christmas was spent at sea in a terrible storm. "We prayed we would live through it." Arriving home in January of 1946, he celebrated a late Christmas with the family he hadn't seen in two years. "This was the happiest Christmas I can remember," he said. "I haven't missed Christmas with my family since then and I thank God for all the Christmases since coming home from the war."
As I read this story, my heart aches for all of our military families who will miss Christmas with their families because of distance and wars. What is equally tragic, is that others will miss Christmas because of disinterest. They have lost the love and desire to make it "home" to family. Others will miss the "merry" this Christmas because of broken relationships-many will miss the "merry" because of the root of unforgivness that has poisoned their hearts. Yet others will miss the "merry" in Merry Christmas because of the empty chairs of those loved ones who have passed away leaving a vacancy and hurt. Still others will miss the "merry" in Christmas because of hardships, loss of jobs, sickness and financial burdens.
Please let me say this-Christmas is more than the "merry"-it is the meaning that we often miss. Too frequently, Jesus is the side dish and not the main course in Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas is not the lack of "merry" as much of the lack of "Christ." Jesus came, not to make us merry, but to seek and save those that were lost, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10, to forgive us of our sins and provide eternal life (For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.) He came to give us peace in an unpeaceful world, sustaining joy when all falls apart, and relentless hope in a world full of despair. Christ is the ANSWER…the ONLY ANSWER! Seek Him.
Have a blessed and MERRY Christmas! And, thank you, thank you, thank you for being a part of our lives and helping us to share the Good News of the Babe that was born to save the world....we couldn't do it without you!
Gloria
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"The Son of God became a man to enable man to become sons of God." C.S.Lewis
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*Image shared from Incourage
1 can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 bottle (32 oz.) cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
2 cans (12 oz) ginger ale, chilled
Make lemonade as directed in large pitcher. Add the cranberry juice. Just before serving, add the ginger ale. Enjoy!
What do you do with all the adorable Christmas cards you receive? Try stapling them to long ribbons and hang the ribbons up wherever you need some extra festive decorations!