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Let’s Compare Santa with Jesus

1. You have to stand in line to talk to Santa.       Anyone (not just kids) can talk to Jesus wherever they are and whenever they want to talk to Him.
2. Santa doesn’t really know what we want or need.       Jesus knows this even if we don’t tell Him. 
3. Santa comes once a year.       Jesus is here every day, all the time.
4. Santa travels by sleigh to your house and comes down the chimney.      Jesus is with you whenever and wherever you are.
5. Santa keeps track of the good kids and the bad kids.      Jesus does know who is being good or being bad, but when we confess our shortcomings and sins to Him we can be forgiven. Jesus loves us!
6. Santa comes on Christmas Eve when we’re tucked in bed, and he does not come to see us.  Santa leaves some presents and leaves until next year.      We can’t see Jesus yet, but when we go to Heaven we will always be with Him. 
7. Santa was written in some poems, stories, and songs, and is celebrated in various ways in different nations around the world.  Many variations can be tracked down.        The coming of Jesus was prophesied in Scripture for hundreds of years before He was born, and in the New Testament we can read a lot about His life, what He did and what He said.  There were a lot of witnesses to His life.
8. Santa is just for little kids; the older ones have figured out he is a fictional character or their friends told them the truth, even though their parents acted like Santa was real.     Jesus is for anyone of any age, living anywhere in the world. We can read about Him in the Bible.  
9. The actual St. Nicholas was a Greek Christian bishop who gave generous gifts to the poor.  His remains were taken to Bari where a basilica was constructed for half of his skeleton. The other half consisted of minor fragments collected by Venetian sailors and taken to Venice where a church was built.       Jesus was crucified and died.  After three days in the tomb He arose from the grave, and 40 days later He ascended into Heaven in view of many followers.  
10. We can read the interesting facts and fables about Santa, alias St. Nick, on the Internet at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus  When we give this topic some serious thought we will be able to discuss the pros and cons of our modern-day Christmas celebrations.       Our friends might not know about Jesus.  It would be a very good thing to tell them what we’ve learned.    # # # 

By Elaine Hardt ©2013

What It Means to Pray

•  a blessing for you

•  a blessing for the one you pray for

•  a stirring of compassion

•  a conversation with your Heaveny Father

•  an opportunity to bring help

Eddie's Christmas Tree Star: the Play

Christmas Coming? Haven't We Been There Before?

Yes, and it’s time to plan for Christmas again.

This time, turn on your imagination and see what’s there!

• Where would you go, if you could holiday anywhere for a week?
• What would you buy for yourself, if you could buy anything?
• Who would you like to spend the day with, if that person invited you over?
• What would you like for dinner, if there were no restrictions at all?  
• See, our first stretch of the imagination is about me-me-me. Let’s try that again, a different way.

• Who would you like to go and help, if you could be of assistance to them?
• Who would you like to give money to, if the cost was no limitation to you?
• Who would you like to have a meeting with, if they’d allow it?  
• When would you have liked to live, if you could have been their hero? 
•  Hmmmmm.  You’re thinking now . . .  Possibilities or impossibilities

• If you knew you could not fail, what huge thing would you attempt?
• If you could succeed in writing a famous book, what would its topic be?
• If you could be featured on any TV show, what program would that be?
• If you could be elected to any office, what position would you choose? 
• Now, with your imagination totally involved, stretch even farther! No one else is listening, it’s just you and your honest replies.

• If you knew you’d die in your own bed tonight what would you do now?
• If you knew you had to tackle some disease before you die, what    strategic response would you make to prolong your life?
• If you knew you’d live strong and healthy for another 20 years, what would you do now? 

Oranges & Tangerines for Christmas

My most memorable Christmas?  It would have to be the year of the oranges and tangerines.   

It was  1944.  The whole world was at war, in the Pacific and in Europe.  But all we children knew was that our uncles wore spiffy uniforms and the grownups listened to the radio news a lot.  We looked forward to Santa's annual visit, secrets and surprises.  

This most special holiday was spent at Grandma's house in Des Moines.  And this year her two-bedroom bungalow bedded down a dozen relatives, give or take a few.  Smiling and capable, Grandma took everything in her stride.   

In a corner of the living room stood a tall pine tree, smelling wondrously of the woods.  It was aglow with colored lights, glass ornaments, handfuls of tinsel.  Underneath was a snow scene of cotton arranged around a real mirror, looking like a frozen pond, with little green bristle evergreens placed around.  A tiny ice skater figurine could gracefully glide its surface, letting small hands take part in imaginative play.

Well, this Christmas was different from all the others in one special way. But I'm ahead of my story.  Turn back a few days, and a hundred miles or so, to Marshalltown,  Iowa.  

Three Words That Cheer You Up

        So, how’s your day going?  Did it start out well?  Things going the way you’d planned?  Improvements coming the way you’d hoped?

        Yes or no?  Read on, anyway.  (There’s a point to all of this.) 

        Here’s three cheery words to try. . . “I’m making progress!”

        Now, give that notion a smile.  Yes, when you are concerned about how you’re handling the challenges and frustrations, not to mention the small success and the little-bitty glimmers of hope, then it is time for you to boldly declare to yourself:  “I’m making progress.”

        Awareness of what’s going on is essential.  Then you size up the hurdles you’ll have to jump.  It might be tricky, difficult, or nearly impossible, but you do want to do better.  You want to succeed at even the little stuff, plus the big life-changing goals you desire.

        So,  what are you waiting for?  Say those three cheery words.  “I’m making progress.”