NEW YEAR

Give us through the coming year quietness of mind,
Teach us to be patient and always to be kind,
Give us reassurance when everything goes wrong
so our faith remains unfaltering and our hope and courage strong-
And show us that in quietness we can feel your presence near
Filling us with joy and peace throughout the coming year.

Author Unknown



The Christmas Star

We've come a long way since that first Christmas night,
  when led by a star so wondrously bright,
The wise men journeyed to find the place that cradled
   The Christ Child's beautiful face...
But like lost sheep we have wandered away from God
  and His Son who was born Christmas Day.

And, unless we return to our Father again
  we will never have peace and good will among men...
So let us return to our Father and pray that
  Christ is reborn in our hearts Christmas Day.

© Helen Steiner Rice



The Doll and a White Rose

I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute
Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to
myself, I will be in here forever....and I have so much to do.
Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kinda
wished that I could just sleep through Christmas.

But I hurried the best I could, through all the people to the toy department.
Once again I kinda mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys,
and wondered if the grandkids would even play with them.
I found myself in the doll aisle.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll.
He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently.

I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little
boy wondering who the doll was for.
I watched him turn to a woman whom he called by name and said,
"Auntie, are you sure I don't have enough money?"
She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have
enough money for it." The Aunt told the little boy not to
go anywhere that she had to go get some other things
and would be back in a few minutes.
And then she left the aisle.

The boy continued to hold the doll.

After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It's the doll
my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa
would bring it." I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it.
He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is. I have to give
the doll to my Momma to take to her. I asked him where his sister was.
He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said "She has gone to be with Jesus.
My Daddy says that Momma is going to have to go to be with her."
My heart nearly stopped beating.

Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Momma
not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store."
Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to.
He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store.
He said "I want my Momma to take this with her so she won't ever forget me.
I love my Momma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me.
But Daddy says she needs to be with my sister."

I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet.
While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pulled out
a hand full of bills. I asked the little boy, "Shall we count
that money one more time?" He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know
it has to be enough." So I slipped my money in with his and we
began to count it. And of course it was plenty for the doll.
He softly said, "Thank you Jesus, for giving me enough money."

Then the boy said "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy
this doll so Momma can take it with her to give to my sister.
And he heard my prayer. I wanted to ask him for enough to
buy my Momma a white rose, but I didn't, but he gave me enough
to buy the doll and a rose for my Momma. She loves white roses so very much"

In a few minutes the Aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away.
I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished
my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started.
I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several
days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing
a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition.
The family was deciding on if they should remove the life support.
Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.
Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected
the life support and the young woman had died.

I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two
were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself.
I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home
where the young woman was. And there she was holding a lovely white rose,
the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store.

I left there in tears, my life changed forever.
The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming.
And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.

Written by V.A.Bailey

I came across this story on the Internet, I don't mind admitting
I have tears in my eyes every time I read it.

My prayers go out to all who use our highways and byways,
please take that extra care, show courtesy and let patience be a
virtue, so that our loved ones will always return home safely.

Please do not drink and drive !!!!!



A Love Worth Dying For

I don’t know how He loved so vile a sinner
Before I even knew or made response.
I only know He took an awful beating
And died for me, upon a cruel cross.

Now, when I think of golden streets He’s offered,
No cost to me save only just believe,
I count His name most precious and most sacred.
I love and trust all from His heart received.

It didn’t take me long, once I had heard it.
He loved a love He thought worth dying for.
And so, for me, with life made richer, fuller;
I found a Love ~ a Love worth living for.

© 2003 by Joan Clifton Costner

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