Morning Mirror Edition 219 - 23/12/2006




In this edition

Smalls



GOLD AMIDST THE GLITTER




'Gold amidst the glitter' by John Fischer

In the little town of Bethlehem, the most important birth in all of human history took place on what we now consider the first Christmas. It was sparsely attended by some bleating farm animals and a handful of shepherds who wouldn't have been there had not the sky lit up with a multitude of heavenly hosts only minutes before, praising God and inviting the shepherds to the stable. What an invitation! With the exception of that outburst, however, no one else knew. Oh yes, there were some astrologers from the East who figured out what was going on by studying the stars and some ancient manuscripts, but they didn't make it to town until at least a year or two later when the baby was a child. Why such an uneventful welcome for such an auspicious event? It's God's way. He's always been quiet about his work on earth. 'How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift was given/So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of his heaven.' He's even pretty quiet about the way he works in our lives. Silently, he came into the world; silently, he comes into our hearts. No fanfare. No welcoming committee. God has never been into self-promotion. He lets his work speak for itself.

And that would be you and me. Believers are the result of Christ's coming. It is all about good news and glad tidings for all people. A Saviour has been born and he has been born for us. Or as the angel announced it: 'The Saviour -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!' (Luke 2:11 NLT) It occurs to me there are two ways to take all the fanfare and glitter of this season. We can see it as the over-commercialism of Christmas, or we can take all the lights, and gifts, and decorations, and parties, and bells, and carols, and Christmas specials on TV -- even Santa and reindeer in the front yard -- and bank them all as celebrations of the birth of Christ. We can even take the conversion of old Scrooge as the joy of new life and forgiveness of sins.

There's no law against sanctifying the secularisation of Christmas in your own heart and mind. It's what we make of these things that count, anyway. Every single light can represent another soul secured in eternity as the result of what Christ has accomplished.

There was no room available for the Son of God when he came the first time. Let's make sure there's room in our hearts this Christmas, and don't let anyone take away what is good about the glad tidings of Christ's birth!


CONDOLENCES

Our beloved Gandie passed away peacefully early on Tuesday 19 December 2006 aged 101 years. The loving Mother and Mother-in-law of John and the late Paddy & Peter. Special Gandie of Debbie & Robbie, Kevin & Jane and darling Nyang Nyang (great gran) of Sean, Jason, Ryan, Brendan, Kyle & Heyden. Babs as she was more generally know to her friends was a wonderful caring lady with a wicked sense of humour. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.


TIDBITS


'For evil men will be cut off but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them they will not be found.'


A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Harken, wild Africa And bid your creatures hear. Tell them to be joyful, For Christ is very near. Today it is His feast day, With peace, goodwill to all. Remember that he loves you too, Great animals and small.

Call, you little Hyrax; Sing, you little bird; Whistle, gentle reed buck, And pass along the word. Cheer, you little crickets, And come you all this morn. Trumpet, bellow, bark and roar, For Christ this day was born.

Hush, whistling thorn tree; Roving wind be still. Grasses, stop your whispering, That all the beasts who kill May hear that Christ is with us, May even hear him say, 'Be happy, kind and gentle, On this good Christmas day'

F M Spooner


Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you ... to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old ... Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world ... stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death... Then you can keep Christmas! But you can never keep it alone.--Henry van Dyke

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




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