The Ox, the Donkey, and Baby Jesus

The Ox, the Donkey, and Baby Jesus (All living creatures should celebrate the arrival of Jesus) In a small town called Greccio, there was a man named John, a very devoted follower of Saint Francis. About two weeks before Christmas, Saint Francis called John and said: "My son, if you want us to celebrate the birth of Jesus in Greccio, prepare everything I'm going to tell you. I would like to represent the Child born in Bethlehem to see with my own eyes the discomforts He faced that holy night. Our Lord was laid in a manger between the ox and the donkey. So you prepare a grotto. Try to arrange everything as it must have been on the night the Child Jesus was born." Juan immediately goes to the designated place to prepare what is necessary according to Saint Francis's plan. And Christmas Eve arrives. On this occasion, Saint Francis invites many friars to come to Greccio. Shortly before midnight, men, women, and children arrive jubilantly from the region's villages. They bring candles and torches to illuminate the holy night. Saint Francis also arrives at the grotto. He sees that everything has been prepared according to his wishes. He is radiant with joy. A farmer puts an armful of hay in the manger, and then an ox and a donkey are brought into the grotto. Greccio has become a new Bethlehem. The forest around the grotto resonates with voices and festive songs. Saint Francis, who has also invited a priest to celebrate Holy Mass in the grotto, assists the celebrant. After reading the Gospel, Saint Francis speaks to the people gathered before the grotto. With tender words, he recalls the birth of the Child Jesus. Even the ox and the donkey listen attentively. Saint Francis pronounces the word Bethlehem with a trembling voice. In his mouth, the word sounds almost like the bleating of a lamb. At midnight sharp, as soon as Saint Francis had finished speaking, the grotto was miraculously illuminated. In the manger, between the ox and the donkey, appears the radiant figure of the Child Jesus. The farmers and shepherds closest to the entrance of the grotto clearly see how the Child lies smiling in the hay of the manger. The ox and the donkey warm the little Child with their breath, just as the ox and the donkey had done in Bethlehem. Saint Francis kneels in adoration before the Nativity scene. The shepherds and farmers sing a Christmas carol. Someone plays flutes and panpipes. Children wave torches. After a few moments, the Child Jesus disappears and the light in the grotto gradually fades. After Mass, people return home singing and waving candles and torches. Many stars shine in the sky. Saint Francis remains in the grotto for a long time, praying. He strokes the ox and the donkey and says to them: -Brother ox and brother donkey, you are fortunate among all animals because you have been able to see your Lord and Creator with your own eyes. You have been able to warm Him with your breath. The ox and the donkey look at the saint with their large, sweet eyes, still filled with the light that appeared in the grotto. Then Saint Francis commands his friars: - My brothers, for the love of Our Lord, I command you that in future years, on Christmas Eve, you shall feed all the animals. In particular, give good hay to the oxen and the donkeys. All living creatures shall celebrate the Nativity of Jesus. Since then, until the death of Saint Francis, the friars went to the stables of Greccio every year to bring good hay to all the oxen and donkeys on Christmas Eve. You too, dear children, on Christmas Day remember to feed all the little animals you have at home or that you find along the way with good food.

 

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The True Value Of Things

It was only five days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn’t yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our Houston area Target Shopping Center. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained the names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn’t buy them anything. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest one but it looked as if it would mean at least a twenty-minute wait. In front of me were two small children—a boy of about age ten and a younger girl, about 5. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl’s clothing resembled her brother’s. Her head was a matted mess of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the Christmas music played over the public address system, the girl hummed along, out of key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure. The clerk rang up the bill. “That will be $6.09,” she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. “I guess we will have to put them back,” he bravely said. “We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.” With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. “But Jesus would have loved these shoes,” she cried. “Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry, we’ll come back,” he said. Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, “Thank you sir.” “What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked. The small boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.” The girl spoke, “My Sunday School teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?” My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. “Yes,” I answered, “I am sure she will.” Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving. Christmas is not about the amount of money paid, nor the amount of gifts purchased, nor trying to impress friends and relatives. Christmas is about the love in your heart to share with those as Jesus Christ has shared with each of us. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ whom God sent to show the world how much He really loves us.

Source Unknown To Me

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Christmas Is For Love - MarieB

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.. Mark was an orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him. As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?" I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise.." he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas.." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that. Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present.." he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box. "Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. " "Oh you can't see what's in it.." He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone.." I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love.." he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room.. So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it.. Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love... Copyright © 2000-2005 Marie B.com All rights reserved.

 

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Bethlehem Snack Mix / Nativity Lunch

This "Bethlehem Snack Mix" is the perfect kitchen gift to share thru-out the holiday season's gatherings and/or even as neighbor gifts. Here's what you need: Animal crackers Red and green M&Ms* Star-shaped pretzels* Potato sticks** I am sorry that the recipe I have does not include quantities. Probably if you started with a cup of each ingredient, you could not go wrong. * Red and green M&Ms and star-shaped pretzels can usually be found in stores as soon as the holiday items begin to appear. ** Potato sticks are the (fried, I assume) shoestring-shaped snack item -- like potato chips, only in sticks. They come in a can. It looks a bit like hay or straw if you use your imagination. The poem could be printed on a gift tag which you would attach with a ribbon to the top of a clear plastic treat bag. Or, fold the top of a plastic or paper treat bag over and staple a rectangular tag to the top of it. The mix could also be placed in a jar, which would make for a festive-looking gift as well. POEM reads as: This yummy snack is an easy way To remember that very first Christmas Day! Potato sticks remind us of hay Like that in the manger where Jesus lay. These crackers remind us of the animals that night -- Sheep and donkey surprised at the sight. Pretzels in the shape of stars Remind us of all that the shepherds saw. Red and green, the colors of the season, Remind us that Jesus is the only reason! Or you could certainly write your own poem, or simply list what the ingredients are intended to represent. Have fun with this idea! I can see individual bags of this mix being a wonderful gift for Sunday School students.   Image Source: Nativity Lunch Christmas Ideas suggests these little "pigs in a blanket" some shredded cheese for the hay and pretzels for frame. You could also add a Star on top with using ketchup or mustard.    Christmas Story Snack Mix (Free Printable!) Also check out this pinterest board for more ideas for nativity lunches etc...

Source: Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen Pinterest Board and her blog

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Good For Nothing? (A Christmas Story)

Just before the Blessed Mother was about to give birth to the Baby Jesus, God the Father sent an angel to earth to search for the right animals that could assist the Holy Family in Bethlehem. The first place that the angel went to was the forest where he met a lion and a fox. “I need animals to help the Holy Family, for the Lord Jesus is to be born,” the angel told the beasts. “What can you two do?” he asked. “I will guard the Holy Family so that no one can harm them. With my claws and fangs, I will shred to pieces anyone who goes any inch nearer them,” said the lion. “Oh my,” said the horrified angel, “you are not only too powerful; you are very violent too. Thanks anyway.” The fox stepped forward and said, “I volunteer to help them, angel.” “And what how will you do so?” asked the angel. “I will see to it that the Holy Family will not starve,” said the fox. “Hmmm…sounds very practical. And how do you plan to do that?” inquired the angel. The fox replied, “I will sneak into the neighbors’ barns every night and steal their chickens for the Holy Family so that Mary, Joseph, and the Baby can eat well everyday.” “Oh, no,” the angel said sadly, “you can’t feed the Holy Family with something stolen from others. You are rather sly. I’m sorry, you do not qualify.” The angel’s next stop was a barn where he met a peacock, a donkey, and an ox. He informed them about what brought him there. The peacock said, “Did you say, the Baby is to be born in a stable? Very well then, I will spread my beautiful tail and make the stable look more enchanting than Solomon’s palace or even more than the Temple in Jerusalem.” “You’re quite vain, Mr. Peacock. Sorry, but you’re not the one I need.” said the angel. Too shy to volunteer themselves, the donkey and the ox were asked by the angel to step forward. “Is there anything you can offer?” asked the angel. “Nothing,” chorused the two. “I spend my days carrying loads on my back and there seems to be nothing that I learn from doing so except some patience and humility,” said the donkey. “I do almost the same thing everyday that my friend here, Mr. Donkey, does, but he forgot to mention that we also always swing our tails to keep flies away,” the ox added. “Aha, that’s perfect! Please hurry and go to Bethlehem. You are badly needed there,” said the angel to the donkey and the ox. Now, we know why there is no lion, no fox, and no peacock in the nativity scene.

Source: Crumbs - Spiritual Reflections of Fr. Bobby R. Titco

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Children's Bible Answers

25 hilarious out-takes about the Bible from a child's perspective.

1. Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree Noahs wife was called Joan of Ark Noah built an ark which the animals come on in pears

2. Christians have only one spouse This is called monotony

3. David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar He fought with the Finklesteins a race of people who lived in Biblical times

4. In the first book of the bible Guinessis God got tired of creating the world so he took the Sabbath off

5. It was a miracle when Jesus rose from the dead and managed to get the tombstone off the entrance

6. Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule which says to do one to others before they do one to you He also explained a man doth not live by sweat alone

7. Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption

8. Lotu2019s wife was a pillar of salt by day but a ball of fire by night

9. Moses died before he ever reaches Canada Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol

10. Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread which is bread without any ingredients

11. One of the opossums was St Matthew who was also a taximan

12. Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the Apostles

13. Samson was a strongman who let himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah

14. Solomon one of Davids sons had 300 wives and 700 porcupines

15. St John the blacksmith dumped water on his head

16. St Paul cavorted to Christianity He preached holy acrimony which is another name for marriage

17. The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert Afterwards Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten amendments

18. The Jews were a proud people and throughout history they had trouble with the unsympathetic Genitals

19. The epistles were the wives of the apostles

20. The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple

21. The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him

22. The people who followed the lord were called the 12 decibels

23. The seventh commandment is thou shalt not admit adultery

24. When Mary heard that she was the mother of Jesus she sang the Magna Carta

25. When the three wise guys from the east side arrived the found Jesus in the manager


TV Outtakes - Children Talk About Their Favorite Bible Story

Adapted From: http://loveandsalvation.blogspot.com​

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Parable of the Yeast / Leaven

Parable of the Yeast  What is the meaning of the Parable of the Leaven? The Parable of the Leaven, also called the parable of the yeast, is one of the shortest parables of Jesus. It appears in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20–21, as well as in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas. - Wikipedia The main lesson of the parable of the leaven is that the Kingdom of Heaven, though it may start small and hidden, will powerfully and completely grow to transform and affect everything it touches, much like a tiny bit of leaven causes a large batch of dough to rise. This growth is a mysterious but powerful work of God's grace and sovereignty, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of God's promises on a global scale. - AI Overview

 

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The Miracles of Jesus

The "miracles of Jesus" refer to supernatural events recorded in the New Testament where Jesus displayed divine power over nature, sickness, evil spirits, and even death, such as turning water into wine, calming a storm, healing lepers and the blind, casting out demons, and raising people from the dead. The 37 Miracles of Jesus in Chronological Order from SunnyHillChurch in Wytheville, VA       45 Jesus Miracles Clipart - Bible Story Watercolor Illustrations Images can be found at Etsy YouTube: The 37 MIRACLES of Jesus Christ ✨ Every Miracle Recorded in the Gospels (KJV)

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Famous Saints Thru The Centuries

FAMOUS SAINTS DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES

St. Ambrose

St. Jerome

St. Gregory the Great

St. Athanasius

St. John Chrysostom

St. Basil the Great

St. Gregory of Nazianzus

St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Bonaventure

St. Anselm of Canterbury

St. Isidore of Seville

St. Peter Chrysologus

St. Leo I, the Great

St. Peter Damian

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

St. Hilary of Poitiers

St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

St. John of Damascus

St. Cyril of Alexandria

St. Bede the Venerable

St. Ephrem the Syrian

St. Peter Canisius

St. John of the Cross

St. Robert Bellarmine

St. Albert the Great

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Francis de Sales

St. Lawrence of Brindisi

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

PDF Resources:

St. Ignatius ~ 1st Century.pdf

St. Ireneous ~ 2nd Century.pdf

St. Cyprian ~ 3rd Century.pdf

St. Cyril ~ 4th Century.pdf

St. Leo the Great ~ 5th Century.pdf

St. Gregory ~ 6th Century.pdf

St. Bede ~ 7th Century.pdf

St John of Damascus ~ 8th Century.pdf

St. Alfred the Great ~ 9th Century .pdf

St. Wolfgang ~ 10th Century.pdf

St. Peter Damian ~ 11th Century.pdf

St. Hildegard ~ 12th Century.pdf

St. Thomas Aquinas ~ 13th Century.pdf

St. Catherine of Siena ~ 14th Century.pdf

St. Ignatious of Loyola ~ 15th Century.pdf

St. Teresa of Avila ~ 16th Century.pdf

St. Bellarmine ~ 17th Century.pdf

St. Alphonsus ~ 18th Century.pdf

St. Elizabeth Seton ~ 19th Century.pdf

St. Maximilisn Kolbe ~ 20th Century.pdf

St. John Paul II ~ 21st Century.pdf

Image Credit: HappySaints.com
Resources: The Saints That Changed The World, Top 10 Saints and Saints through the Centuries by Richard Thornton

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'Twas the night before kindergarten

'Twas the night before kindergarten, when all through the house All the little people were sleeping, it was just me and my spouse. Her backpack was placed by the front door with care, A special new outfit laid out on the floor, she would wear. She had picked it herself, that girl was quite proud. It was totally her style, it was colorful and loud. She had stood in those aisles 'till she found the right one. It was covered in glitter, it was so happy and fun. When down the kids' hallway we heard a small sound, Followed by little feet tiptoeing on the ground. Our tiny kindergartner peeked her head 'round the wall, Her bottom lip quivering, she started to bawl. We called her over and held onto her tight, She buried her face into my chest and squeezed with all her might. "I'm afraid to go to kindergarten, I'm scared for you to leave me, What if I miss you? What if I feel lonely?" My husband and I looked at each other and sighed, We knew this was coming, and I tried not to cry. "It's ok to be scared and feel a bit nervous, But here is a secret, I want you to remember this. "Wherever you go, whatever you do, Mommy and Daddy will always believe in you! You were made for this moment, to go do big things, God made you for tomorrow, to spread your new wings. "He has empowered you to be who you are, there's no one else like you. And when you get scared, you can do what I do. I just close my eyes and think of Jesus next to me, His hand on my shoulder, He's right here with me. Then I take a deep breath and I say in my mind, 'It's not by my strength, but by His I'm defined!' So when tomorrow morning comes you can bravely walk in, Knowing you're not alone, that you never have been." So today when I dropped my little girl off, She bravely walked in, with her wings she took off. But I heard her whisper as she walked out of sight, "I've got this Mommy, with Jesus I will be alright."   Source: From Blacktop to Dirt Road

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Noah: Alphabet Ups and Downs Game

Dana writes, "I just thought I'd share something I wrote to use with the active youth game, Alphabet Ups and Downs. (That's the game where you read a group a story with a lot of alliteration, and the kids have to stand up or sit down every time they hear a word that starts with a certain letter.) We were studying Noah, so I wanted our Alphabet Ups and Downs game to match the story. Here's a loose telling of the Noah story that features words with the letter 'N'."   "Noah: Alphabet Ups and Downs" by Dana Gagnon   Noah was a nice guy, but his neighbors thought he was a nut.   He had spent nearly his whole life building a nifty boat next to his house, in a neighborhood that never had rain! I mean, if Noah had a nickel for every nasty neighbor that came over to nag and needle him, he’d be a millionaire by now.   Noah explained to the nasty neighbors that God noticed that the world had become naughty, and told Noah to build this boat to save his family and the animals from a flood, but nobody believed Noah.   But Noah took notes when God gave him the numbers for the size of the nifty boat, and he nailed day and night to complete it.   When the nifty boat was nearly finished, the necessary animals started to arrive.   Naturally, the nocturnal animals came at night, so they could nap later. The nightingales flew in to their new nest. At noon, the elephants nearly got stuck in the narrow door. The next night, which was a bit nippy, such numbers came that I could not name each one — no nook of the nifty boat was neglected.   Now, nothing could stop the nearing rain. Noah nailed the door tight, and eyed the nimbus clouds nearby. Next, Noah and the animals spent numerous nights nervously feeling nausea as they floated on the waves the flood brought.   It rained for 40 days and 40 nights, and then Noah noticed the rain no more. Now they had to wait in the nifty boat until they could find the dry land they needed to live on.   Next they noticed something new — a rainbow. The rainbow was God’s signature on a promise that He would never flood the whole earth again. Noah and his family had a new chance to not neglect God’s laws and to walk God’s narrow path to heaven.   Copyright 2003 Dana Gagnon Source: Internet Archive

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Parable of the Lost Sheep

Today's bible adventure is the parable of the good shepherd.      Jesus often used parables as he was teaching a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning     Jesus loved to tell stories and people loved listening to them his stories always taught important things about who god is and what he is doing.   One day the shepherd had 100 sheep and he took very good care of them.  Every day he led the sheep to fresh green grass and water so they had all they needed.  The shepherd knew every one of his 100 sheep so well that he could tell if they were doing well or if some of them were about to get ill.  The sheep learned to stay close to the shepherd because they knew everything would be fine as long as they were in his sight.  Every evening when they returned home, the shepherd carefully counted all his sheep to be sure they were all there then he locked them behind fences so they would be safe from the wild animals for the night. But one evening as the shepherd counted his sheep, he realized that one was missing.  He counted 99 so he knew one sheep was lost somewhere. It was now getting dark but the shepherd knew he had to leave the 99 sheep inside the fence and go out to find the one sheep that was missing.  The shepherd went out searching in the dark wilderness. As the sun was setting, the shepherd went further and further away to find his lost sheep. Then suddenly he heard the sheep bleating and he rushed to find it. When he found the sheep, he placed it on his shoulders and carried it all the way back home.  The shepherd was happy because his sheep that had been lost was found again.  Jesus then said "I told you this story to help you understand that god is exactly like this good shepherd who loves his sheep. If any person sins and strays from God, he will search for that person and bring him back to him no matter what it requires and just like the good shepherd in the story: God is very happy when that person comes back to him.  Video provided by Early Learning Adventures With Mrs. T

 

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The Gift of Giving (A Paper Tearing Story)

"The Gift of Giving - A Paper Tearing Story" by Donald Burns (Luke 6:38 and Galatians 5:22-23) Props: The items you will need are a handful of pennies that you are willing to loose, a letter size piece of paper, and a pair of scissors. Tell the story: Many of us have been taught to work to receive the things we want and to save the things we've got only to collect more and more things. So, when you first become a Christian you may not want to give away the good things that God gives you. (Ask:) If you give away all the things you have, will you eventually run out of them? Hmmm, lets try something with this money that the world has to give.  Who would like some money? (Take your handful of pennies and ask for volunteers to receive the pennies. Give away one penny to each person until they are all gone. Now have everyone that has the pennies give the penny away to someone who doesn't have a penny.)  Now I don't have any pennies left and I know some of you who received the pennies really didn't like giving that penny away did you? But you know what, God gives us spiritual gifts and he wants us to give them away too. When you give away the things God has given you, he will bless it and work miracles with it. Look at this piece of paper (Show the paper).  How many corners do you see?  If I tear this paper, will I have more or less?  Well, Gods Gifts for giving are like these four corners.  (Cut a large corner off the paper and give it away.)  When I give away one corner from this paper, lets count how many corners I have now. Wow! Now that I gave away one corner I now have 5 corners.  (Now cut a second corner away from the paper)  And now when I give away another corner I have 6 corners. And look at this, the first corner I gave away is not just one corner but three and the second corner is three.  That is the way it is when God gives us things to give away. He multiples his blessing on your giving and gives more than you give away just as when I gave away one corner and became three. God always supplies my needs and because I gave away the things that God wanted me to give away, he blesses the giving and multiplies my gift so that I have more to give!  The Bible says that the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. So as God gives you love, and brings you joy, or any of the other parts of the Fruit of the Spirit, be sure and give the same to everyone you meet! Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38 If you've used the resources at ChristianCrafters.Com, Click here!

 

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God and the Geese - All Things Are Possible

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments. One snowy Eve, his wife was taking their children to service in the farm community in which they lived. They were to talk about Jesus' birth She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!"  So she and the children left, and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved further away. He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one-by-one, the other geese followed it to safety. He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!" Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished with the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer: "Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!" John Mark Ministries. Articles may be reproduced in any medium, without applying for permission (provided they are unedited, and retain the original author/copyright information) Source: Rootsweb / GrammaPoems

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~The Ninth Inning ~

Chush is a school that caters to learning-disabled children in Brooklyn, N.Y. At a fund-raising dinner, the father of a Chush child was asked to speak. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he suddenly stopped and cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son Shaya? Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child cannot understand things as other children do. My child cannot remember facts and figures as other children do. Where is God’s perfection?" The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father’s anguish, and stilled by the piercing query. “I believe,” the father answered, “that when God brings a child like this into the world, the perfection that He seeks is in the way people react to this child.” He then told the following story about his son. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   One afternoon, Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew were playing baseball. Shaya asked, “Do you think they will let me play?”   Shaya’s father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shaya could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, “We’re losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team, and we’ll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning.”   Shaya’s father was ecstatic, and Shaya smiled broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short center field.   In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaya’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya’s team scored again, and now with two outs, the bases loaded, and the potential winning run on base, Shaya was scheduled to be up. Would the team actually let him bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?    Surprisingly, Shaya was given the bat. Everyone knew it was all but impossible because Shaya didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it. However, as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the ball softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came in, and Shaya swung clumsily and missed. One of Shaya’s teammates came up to Shaya, and together they held the bat and faced the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The pitcher again stepped forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya.    As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung the bat, and together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman.   Shaya would have been out, and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it with a high arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, “Shaya, run to first. Run to first!”   Never in his life had Shaya run to first. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. By the time he reached first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, who would have tagged out Shaya, who was still running. But the right fielder understood the pitcher’s intentions, and he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.    Everyone yelled, “Run to second, run to second!” Shaya ran toward second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward home.   As Shaya reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, “Run to third!”   As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, “Shaya, run home!” Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate, and all 18 boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a “grand slam” and won the game for his team.   “That day,” said the father softly, now with tears rolling down his face, “those 18 boys reached their level of God’s perfection.”   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~    Original paintings by Jim Daly, used with permission of Christ Centered Art Mall

 

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An Athlete's Prayer

Help me to play the game, dear Lord, with all my might and main;
Grant me the courage born of right, a heart to stand the strain…

Send me a sense of humor, Lord, to laugh when victory’s mine;
To laugh, if I should meet defeat, without a fret or whine…

Give me the grace to follow rules, to ‘fess up when I’m wrong,
When silence or some other thing wins plaudits from the throng…

When foes are tough and fighting fierce and I am getting weak,
Dear God, don’t ever let me show a broad, bright, yellow streak.

And teach me, Lord, life’s a game to play just one day at a time.
With Thee as coach and trainer, Lord, real victory must be mine.

- Words of Champions

 

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I CANNOT Say - I CANNOT Pray

I cannot say OUR if my religion has no room for others and their needs. I cannot say FATHER if I do not demonstrate this relationship in my daily life. I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if all my interests and pursuits are in earthly things. I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I, who am called by his name am not holy. I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am unwilling to give up my own sovereignty and accept the righteous reign of God. I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life. I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN unless I am truly ready to give myself to his service here and now. I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD without expending honest effort for it or by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellow men. I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone. I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted. I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I am not prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon of prayer. I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I do not give the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal subject. I cannot say THINE IS THE POWER if I fear what my neighbors and friends may say or do. I cannot say THINE IS THE GLORY if I am seeking my own glory first. I cannot say FOREVER if I am too anxious about each day's affairs. I cannot say AMEN unless I honestly say, "Cost what it may, this is my prayer." -Unknown Image Source

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