The small things matter. Be attentive.”
–J.B. Turner (Hard Road)
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”
–Luke 16:10 (NLT)
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“It’s an old-time Christmas
With family and friends ’round the tree…”
–unknown (Randy Travis sang on his Christmas album)
The Lord sure started the season by giving us some blessings. Annie and I had the opportunity to go back to San Antonio for a reunion of sorts with old, no, I mean former teachers (except for one) this past weekend. If you are my friend on facebook you can see us gathered ’round the tree, or blocking the front of it, whichever you prefer.
Always good to get with that group. Special bunch of people. Then we stayed the night with the good friends–the Hembrees and they took us out for breakfast on Sunday. After that we figured we would at least go to Sunday School and maybe give the Minters a shock by walking in. Good to see them as well; wish we could have stayed for he was preaching that morning.
We then rushed home, so we could get back on the road again to Beaumont to see Annie’s brother before they go back to Pennsylvania. We put in a few miles, but what is that when you have the chance to see family and friends?
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Christmas Thought: “If I no more come home at Christmas time, there will be boys and girls (thank Heaven!) while the World lasts; and they do!.. And I do come home at Christmas. We all do, or we all should. We all come home, or ought to come home, for a short holiday…”
–Charles Dickens (“A Christmas Tree”)
This time of year should be a time when a person can get home, or at least be at home where they are, and at the very least make it home in their dreams. It can be a lonely time, but if a person comes home in their mind, at least they have memories of Christmas.
We watch, yes I said “we”, the Hallmark Christmas movies, and many of them have the idea of coming home for Christmas. Pondering some of those, and people I actually know, who don’t want to be “home” for Christmas. They still can’t avoid the thoughts and memories. To avoid Christmas is to think about it. To say “bah, humbug” is to make a conscious decision about Christmas. One cannot be indifferent toward the birth of Christ or from the Christmas season. It is there!
Since it is there, do something with it. Do not squander the time running hither and yon. Go home for Christmas, even if it is just a quiet time during the holiday. If you had bad experiences at Christmas, place them aside and think of the lights and laughter of the present.
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Having a problem finding a Christmas gift? Go to Amazon and purchase, “Mal de Ojo.” Then give it to someone, or yourself, make a cup of coffee (or this time of year some hot cocoa), and enjoy a time of reading.