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Merry Christmas

May there always be room for Him...

Christmas Night...

An ordinary night with ordinary sheep

and ordinary shepherds.

And were it not for a God

who loves to hook "extra"

on the front of the ordinary

the night would have gone unnoticed.

The sheep would have been forgotten,

and the shepherds would have slept the night away.

But God dances amidst the common.

And that night, he did a waltz.

-Max Lucado-

Today, the day of days...

The king became a slave

and the slave became our brother...

Amen! Alleluia!

Sad. But True.

It's coming....

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine! O night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wise men from Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! For His reign shall never end.
Behold your King! For His reign shall never end.

Truly He taught us love for one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, the slave is now our brother,
And in his name all oppression shall cease.

Bold hymns of joy we raise in grateful chorus,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! Oh, praise His name forever!
Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, the Son of Man!
Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, and Son of Man!

12 days... and then some...

Take Joy!

Take Joy!

I salute you!

There is nothing I can give you which you have not;

but there is much, that while I cannot give, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.

Take Heaven.

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.

Take Peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow, behind it, yet, within our reach, is joy.

Take Joy.

And so, at this Christmas time,

I greet you, with the prayer that for you,

now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.

--Fra Giovanni, A.D. 1513