From: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2015 10:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: A week before Christmas
A week before Christmas I had a visitor.
This is how it happened.
I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front part of the house. I opened the door of the front room, and to my surprise, Santa Clause himself stepped out from behind the Christmas Tree.
He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out.
"What are you doing..." I started to ask, but the words chocked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone, gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.
He then answered me with a simple statement of "Teach the Children."
I was puzzled. What did he mean?
He anticipated my question and with one quick movement, he brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.
As I stood there bewildered, Santa said again, "Teach the Children. Teach them the old meaning of Christmas . the meaning that Christmas nowadays has forgotten."
I started to say, "How can I..." when Santa reached into the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star.
"Teach the Children, the star was the heavenly sign of a promise long ages ago. GOD promised a Savior for the world and the star was a sign of the fulfillment of that promise. The countless shining stars at night . one for each man . now show the burning hope of all mankind."
Santa gently laid the star upon the fireplace mantel
and drew forth from the bag a flittering red Christmas Tree ornament,
"Teach the Children, red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed by the Savior. CHRIST gave his life and shed his blood that every man might have God's gift of eternal life. Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the greatest color of all. It is the symbol of the gift of GOD."
"Teach the Children," he said as he dislodged a small Christmas Tree from the depths of the bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on it. The deep green of the Fir tree was a perfect background for the ornament.
"Here is the second color of Christmas. The pure green color of the stately Fir tree remains green all year round," he said, "this depicts the everlasting hope of mankind. Green is the youthful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward, symbols of man's returning thoughts towards heaven. The great green tree has been man's best friend. It has sheltered him, warmed him, and made beauty for him."
Suddenly I heard a soft tinkling sound. "Teach the Children that as lost
sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring for man to return. It further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the LORD." As the soft sound of the bell faded into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast a glow about the darkened room.
"Teach the Children," whispered Santa, "that the candle shows man's thanks for the star of long ago. It's a small mirror of starlight. At first candles were placed on the trees. They were like many glowing stars shining against the dark green. The colored lights have now taken over in remembrance."
Santa turned the small Christmas Tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He said "The gift is a remembrance of the great gift that GOD gave to all mankind, his son JESUS, who suffered and died to be our savior."
He pointed to the bow and said, "A bow is placed on a present to
remind us of the spirit of brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men should be tied, all of us together, with the bonds of good will toward each other.
"Good will forever is the message of the bow."
"Good will forever is the message of Christmas."
"Teach the Children!"
Here is hoping you all have the happiest of Holiday (HOLY DAY) seasons and remember that it is only Merry Mas (mess) without Christ
God Bless us everyone
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