JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

We stayed up to watch a Communion Service from Dundonald Elim Church in Northern Ireland, so I took this shot well after midnight and just before I prepared our leg of lamb to go into the slow cooker - the smells coming from the kitchen when we got up were wonderful, so I’m sure we have made the right decision to have lamb instead of turkey.

This lovely Nativity Set was given to us by Mr. HCB's parents, 53 years ago, when we were first married, and is once again on our mantelpiece to remind us that Jesus is indeed, the reason for the season, and so I share it with you today, Christmas Day.

I'm sure it's not just my imagination, but everyone seems to be a little kinder at Christmas and so often give a little more, from letting someone go ahead of them in a queue, either in the supermarket or when driving - and it always makes us feel much better when that happens.  I don't know about you, but when a kindness has been shown to me I often then want to "pay it forward".

For many of us the spirit of Christmas can continue all year, but we have to make the effort - it won't just happen.

This year, many people will be thrilled to be meeting with their families for the first time for a couple of years, but there will also be those for whom this Christmas will mean more self-isolation because they recently tested positive for Covid, then for others, there will be an unbearable loneliness because a loved one has died during the past year.  There will also be those who are homeless and will be spending Christmas "on the streets" and again, those for whom the challenge is finding enough money for the next meal or to pay soaring heating bills.

Let's pray this Christmas for all who are in difficult situations, are unhappy, feeling lonely or unloved or separated from their families and friends for whatever reason, that they will know the love, peace, joy and hope of the Christ Child on this Christmas Day.

Mr. HCB and I wish you all a blessed Christmas whatever you are doing and let's make a difference in someone's life, starting today.

I found this poem yesterday and really like it:

The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.
Howard Thurman