AssemblyBoard

Well! Well! Well! Christmas is here again. Remember the old assembly days and what a dry time that used to be? I don't know about you guys but I start with the carols in October! (My wife objects!). What is your favorite Christmas album.? I have several but at the top of my list is an album by Singers Unlimited simply called "Christmas". There is a selection on there called "Carol of the Russian Children" that is the most hauntingly beautiful thing I have ever heard.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good...oops...kinda rushing things aren't I?  ;D
Verne

Yeah, we ought to wait til Thanksgiving is over before declaring this to be 'the season'.  But, since you brought it up, I can't help but mention 2 classis movies for the season:  'A Christmas Story' and the newly-released 'Elf'.  I think 'Elf' will become a Christmas classic.  It's squeaky clean and hilarious!

Jack

...Hey, wait a minute!   I have a lot to be giving thanks for and I love Thanksgiving!   This year I have fully recognized how remarkable God's Grace truly is.

   The Assembly didn't affect the way my family celebrated Christmas the past two years.   I went through a strong anti-pagen/anti-Christmas thing about 8 years ago.    Saw a lot of Joy missed and a poor testimony with family and coworkers.    Today, I love getting out the old ornaments, as they are a scrapbook of precious memmories to me.   Our wedding, each childs birth, places we've been, special  friends...all come back as I hold and hang each ornament.   Being blind, I cannot enjoy a picture scrapbook, but these tangeble "pictures" bring back some wonderful memories...or JOY!  

  Love the Steven Curtis Chapman Christmas CD...especially the song, This Baby.

   Anyone who may be looking for tree trimming tips, especially if it may be your first time for many years, feel free to drop me a PM.

God Bless ya and have an awesome Thanksgiving and an opportunity to share in the true Joy of what  Christmas offers in Christ.

Tony and Peggy Edwards

Hi Tony,

Our first Christmas out of Assemblyland we didn't have a tree, though we had been giving the kids presents for about two years.  We left in November, 1989 and I had not yet gone from disagreement to defiance of the rules.

The next year Caryl and I went out and bought a big tree.  We had just brought it home and carried it in the house when some dear folks from our new church showed up.  They knew what we had been practicing in the assembly, so they brought us lights and ornaments.  They gave us a clear plastic star with "JESUS" painted on the front.  We still put it on top of the tree every year.  

When I was a kid I used to love to sit in the darkened living room and look at the tree all lit up.  I saved my money and bought three of those "bubblers".  Little fake candles that have colored fluid in them and bubble when they heat up.

Last year I spotted a whole string of those at Walmart, so home they went.  Now as a little kid of 62 I love to sit in the darkened living room and look at the tree all lit up.  Especially the bubblers.

God bless,
Thomas Maddux

Who can forget those magical moments of childhood?
Sneaking out of bed in the deep stillness of the night to see what Ole' Saint Nick had brung!
The house I lived in as a child had a straight view down the corridor to where our Christmas tree stood in all its resplendent glory. One Christmas I remember in particlular must have been quite a good year for Mom and Dad. The goodies were piled to the ceiling and at my first sneak peak I almost fainted with wonder.
Of course the deep and profound joy so many of us associate with that time has to do with much more than receiving of material gifts...thanks be to God for His unspeakable Gift!  :)
Verne

Last year was our first year "out" and boy, did we celebrate with a bang!  This being our "second" Christmas, my kids have already started asking when we can bring out the decorations.  My daughter, just yesterday, asked if we could start stringing lights.

The kids are the ones who have missed out the most.  I can remember when I was a little girl and what fond memories I have of Christmas.  Not even the "toys" and "stuff".  Just the family atmosphere.  Everyone getting together and spending time together, etc.  We began "celebrating" without all the gift giving for quite a number of years prior to our assembly departure.  But now we are entering into the spirit of Christmas with great abandon.  Enjoying the family participation of this season is tremendous and so liberating!

Merry Christmas!

Giant Santa Relocation (http://www.insidevc.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_2465515,00.html)

(http://mas.scripps.com/VCS/2003/11/29/NPsanta29_e.jpg)

This giant Santa was made by my mom's uncle Kenneth Vaughn.  Last Friday my mom and my sister's son Zebedee were at the dedication ceremony for its new location in Ventura County.  It used to be on Santa Claus Lane in Santa Barbara County.

A great time to re-watch the "peanuts' special and hear Linus reading about the nativity. I still get goose-bumps listening to that passage....even in Summer!  :)
Verne

(http://fourteen.apptechnc.net/~dsable/Santa.jpg)

Reckoning Santa Dead

Watching Linus reading about the nativity last night on TV was awesome, as is listening to Frank Sinatra sing "Heark the Herald Angels Sing" on my rat pack Christmas CD  ;D  

Aaron and Lucy gave us a great book on Christmas called "I Love Christmas" by John R. Rice.  His "key verse" is Romans 14:5,6a. (about regarding the day as to the Lord)  This book helped us clear up some residual baggage we had about the holiday.  After reading this book, for example, the distinction between worshiping a tree (Jer. 10) and using a tree as a holiday decoration has become clear.

The learning curve on putting up outdoor Christmas lights was a little steeper than I thought, but they are up and  we have acquired lots of great ornaments from grandma and grandpa.

Last year I heard someone preach that to be true worshippers, we must have a high standard which means making a stand, ie. not celebrating  holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween.  This year I am hearing preaching about being focused on Jesus and his birth as you celebrate this wonderful holiday.

Merry Christmas every one!!!

Here's rule #8 for buying gifts for men:
Rule #8
Never buy a man anything and then tell him he should read the instructions because the box says "some assembly required".  It will ruin his special day.  He will always have parts left over.

I always thought that "some assembly required" meant that it was time for a fellowship.

M

Marcia... that is absolutely hilarious.  i would use that in a stand-up comedy routine, except i'm not a stand-up comedian, and only "saints" would understand it.

     i once saw a standup comic who was an ex-alcoholic.  He had a whole routine for AA members.  Maybe we could do something similar, like Assemblyites Anonymous.  Better yet, we could be Assemblyites Unanymous, then whenever we see a fellow member we can just yell A U !
     But the number of steps in our program will vary from one assembly location to another, depending on the distance from your seat to the exit.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

     OK, back to the topic at hand: Christmas...
     Just about any traditional music of the season is good-- i keep a variety on hand, lots of styles.  The singing chipmunks, dogs & cows are good for a chuckle i guess, but they get old quick & i don't really care for 'em.  Grandma's getting run over by a reindeer always raises the sticky issue of senior citizen drivers...

     The old movies are the best:  It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol (several decent versions have been made, but my favorite stars Alistair Sim as Scrooge), Miracle on 34th Street (the 1947 version, with Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle) and i have a really great Twighlight Zone episode starring Art Carney as a disillusioned Santa who discovers Christmas magic.  
     If you have a choice, watch the older movies in B&W.  The colorized films are pretty, but rob away the real flavor of their era.  We probably have two dozen or more Christmas movies, ranging from touching (Prancer, The Bells of St. Mary's) to nutty (Burns & Allen, Red Skelton, The Honeymooners).  We have drama, cartoons, ballet, Muppets, the Grinch.  And if Cathy's schedule permits, we may play them all.  But while she's not at home, i'll be singing, humming or whistling along with my albums. ;)

 :)al H.

Joseph,

We even had the same jokes. Maybe it was because of the proximity thing; Chicago is only 13-15 hours away, depending on who's driving.

Here's another assembly joke for your next comedy routine:

Do you know why the Sadducees were sad?
They didn't believe in the resurrection, so they were Sad You See.

Marcia :)
Sorry, this post is not on topic.

I love getting out the Christmas music.  Chip Davis and his band, Mannheim Steamroller gives a unique, but talented interpretation of lots of Christmas songs.

When the kids were younger (and to an extent now), we would light several candles in the living room and sing Christmas carols together.  One person at our church gave us the idea of taking an wooden apple box and put some hay in it.  On Christmas day, a "baby Jesus" doll appears (again, more for little kids).

Locally near Winston-Salem, NC there is a great Christmas light display set up in an upscale golf course.  Worth the $$ to go in and see it.

I always liked the Christmas presentation at Evangelical Free in Fullerton.  If you can get tickets, the Crystal Cathedral was good, but very Hollywood-overdone.  The angels flying around on cables were impressive, but when Robert Shuller started flying around . . . OK, just kidding.

Some folks do what we never did, but in some ways wish we had.  They buy a Christmas ornament that characterizes their children each year.  For example, if the child is into soccer, they buy a teddy bear playing soccer, etc.  When the kids are grown, they give it to them.

One last note to Stephen Fortescue:  We have relatives in Los Alamos, CA which is an hour, I believe, North of Santa Barbara.  We would go up there on several Christmas and other times in the year.  One of the big landmarks for us kids was passing Santa Claus Lane and seeing the giant Santa Claus and snowman.  Though we only actually stopped there once, it was a joyful memory for me.

-Dave

P.S.:  Sorry about my picture below.  It's not exactly my view, but I thought it was morbidly funny the first time I saw it.

When I was growing up we had the same Pagan ritual year after year. First, the donning of the long black robes, then the circling of the fir tree by our family, and the solemn chanting, while Dad held the axe waiting to cut the tree down. Then Mom would let out the high pitched scream, which signaled Dad to swing the axe.

Then the tree was cut down. Part of the trunk was then sawed off from which we carved little deities in the shape of elves. We would offer these deities lavish dishes in hopes that our Christmas day would be a good one, and we would all receive the gifts we all so desperately wanted.

On Christmas Eve we decorated the tree, being sure to bow in front of it before we put on each decoration. Then, Mom would let out another high pitched scream which signaled Dad to put the star on top. We would then all fall upon our knees and express our adoration of the tree, it now being possessd of it's full strength to energize us with it's Christmas powers.

The pot belly pig was then brought forth, it's high-pitched squeal piercing the night as we sacrificed it under the twinkling lights of the tree. We then exchanged our gifts, thanking the elvish deities as we basked in our materialistic bounty.

----from my new book "Why True Christians do not celebrate Christmas(what the pagans secretly do on Christmas Eve)"  by Joe Sperling

 
                               ??? ??? ??? ??? ???

     Still having a hard time deciding what to buy for that recent assembly dropout on your list?  Here's great news:

     We all know how hard it is to quit cold turkey from those coffee enemas.  Here is a gift that will ease the angst and restore the buzz :o :o :o:

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     You'll want to order enough for all your ex-assembly friends and loved ones... and some for yourself, too!  It's time to wake up and smell the soap!!! :D

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or visit  www.thinkgeek.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Yeah, i know, this sounds too ridiculous to be real, but
IT IS!!!  It was in the newspaper!  OK, it was in Dave Barry's column, but it's still a newspaper, and if we can't believe our national press...

 ;Dal

Speaking of Dave Barry, what do you folks think of his newest column on Christmas in Miami?

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/7426822.htm

H

So I was wearing shorts and no shoes when I took my recycle bins out to the curb last night. I stopped and looked at all the palm trees wrapped in Christmas lights and heaved a deep sigh.

Maybe, hopefully, Lord willing, it will be chilly enough on Christmas Eve, that if I leave all my windows open and sip hot chocolate, it might possibly feel somewhat like Christmas.

But I doubt it. ???

The good news is, it feels exactly like Christmas to my kids who don't know any different! ;)

Scott,
What does Santa wear down there ?

Hi, Mark,

Sandals, shorts, a noisy Bermuda shirt and sunglasses. Saw him today. I was driving behind his big Caddy. He was going 15 mph under the speed limit in the passing lane and kept fading into the other lane.

I could barely see Mrs. Claus' blue hair over the back of her seat. I think they were on their way to the Early Bird Special at Denny's!

Strange thing is, he had Michigan plates. Weird.

Scott

PS - Wonder how many Assembly Kids heard the term "Satan Claus"?

Hey Scott,
It has got to be wild  for you being from the seasonal midwest, to the balmy winter climates of Florida. I'm sure college football games are much more comfortable to attend.
It is a shame that AKs got hit with the Satan Claus routine, you're only a kid once and the holidays are a lot of fun.

Mark K

     End-of-the-season college football in FL & S.CA are played in a similar climate to the summer conditioning season in OH! ;D



     Yeah, Mark, you're right about only being a kid once, but you can really stretch that out if you want to!!! ;D

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!!!
al

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!!!! Of course, there is always the fear that one will become "paganized" by celebrating Christmas. But that's all hogwash!! A sure sign that one has been "paganized" is when you immediately think you have read the same thing twice!  But that's all hogwash!! A sure sign that one has been "paganized" is when you immediately think you have read the same thing twice!  And we don't have to fear that.  God bless you all.


--Joe

Joe,

Do you mean that we are NOT supposed to pray to the Christmas Tree?

Tom

Tom---

Sure---go ahead. But in my experience, Douglas Firs over 6 feet tall answer prayers more quickly. To speed the answer up a bit throw a little tinsel over your right shoulder and sing a chorus of "Jingle Bells" while standing under some Mistletoe.  ;D

--Joe

Really? I have found their needles have a tendency to dig into ones knees - especially when it comes time to dive under the tree looking for the discharge of blessings on the morning of the 25th.  I prefer a nice white pine.  While they are somewhat less filling upon sight, this trait leads them to be much more condusive to projectile bodies.  Honestly, you shouldn't ever need to know how it feels to extract a pine needles from places you didn't even know you had, the Spirit of Christimas simply loves us too much

--
lucas

After having not celebrated Christmas in 10 years, it definitely was a strange experience this year to do so with my family.  I had to wrap all my gifts (which I hated!).  I think next year, I'll use gift bags instead!  I got quite a few gifts too-I think my family was trying to make up for lost time.  I was definitely blessed beyond measure.  We had a big Christmas dinner, and then we watched my nieces and nephew play with their new toys and games.  I had a lot of fun.  And yes-I was continually reminded of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. :)

Out of 6 years in the Assm I think one Christmas fell on a Sunday. And it was strange being in a meeting on Christmas Day. I think I met up with my Family later in the evening and definately on Christmas Eve..to collect all the gifts they always bought me.. I would leave with Bags of Stuff always feeling like a real cheapskate..so I started giving them token Christian Books ...I think they all rolled their eyes in a O'Brother what next type of thing...they bare with me well...But to say we did'nt Celebrate Christmas is not really true we went Carolling which I always Loved .I was in a few Christmas Plays that were fun, but not great by any means and we took food and misc things to some poor familys ... The only thing missing was the Idol Tree...I remember my Mother asking me why I had to be so Burdened  that it is all very simple...(She is a confirmed Lutheran and I thought what do Lutherans know about the things of the Lord) His yoke is Easy , his burden is light....Maybe she was right after all....

This was my first Christmas I spent with my family for 19 years.  I am so thankful that I was able to spend such a wonderful time with my family at last.  It was a lot like Thanksgiving, except with presents and I stayed for almost a week.  This was the first time I had Christmas with my 10-year old neice.  My family kept telling me how much they appreciated having me around, which was great to hear.

One night we watched "A Christmas Story" and I laughed uncontrollably all the way through.  It's a classic.  I admit I did see it a few years ago and I loved it then too.

My mom gave me some of my old decorations to use in my place starting next year.

I just explained to my mom that the real reason behind our prohibition of Christmas celebrations was the desire to minimize our contact with our families.  With the exception of Thankgsiving there was always a reason to stay away from our families on holidays.  Never again!

2004 will be the first year for many of us that will be assembly-free!

Happy New Year!

Jack

This is what the assembly programmed us to believe.......We certainly DIDN'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS in the assembly.  That is not to say that some of us didn't sneek away to be with our families on this wonderful day, but it was usually done with guilt and for even some, the leadership would make it known that this wasn't pleasing to the Lord.   We certainly made it known to those family members that we WEREN'T celebrating the way they chose to......we made ourselves separate.  GG was so fond of making the distinction........separating us..........he would say "come out from among them and be ye separate..", remember?????  I think he forgot how Paul became all things to all men that he might win some, huh?

And to really see whether it is different for those who are "out" and celebrating with their family members now, ask your family members how they perceive the change.  Many family members don't even have to be asked.  My mother cried this year over the change.  And we had been "celebrating" (assembly style) with my family for all of my 10 years of married life.

Hi Kimberly, I'm eating a few words with a fork...I do have to admit it was quite different for single sisters then for parents with children...no stocking, no tree, no gifts, no visits with Santa...it is Sad....I would'nt ask my Family now what they thought because its been almost 18 years and some have passed on and my bro and sis would beat me up for even asking...the  strangelhold was there but  I still got a nice bonus at work and did the gift exchange and Christmas Party with my "worldly co-workers" I never had the selfers prayer??,or the Garden book or the wheel we did have the heavenly ladder on ps 51...Alot of self-denial and reckoning dead to the point that not much life was left to live....Jesus came to give Life and Life more Abundantly!!! This one took a while to apply...I hope you have a Happy New Year!!!!and remember (this helped me alot) Goodness and Mercy are following You...as the years go on the Lord shows you how he's working All Things for Good...sometimes when all the PROPS (assm structure) are removed and its just the Lord....You'll see how he's protected you or the times he tried to...and things start getting resolved  and the light at the end of the tunnel is'nt a train ...its his Glory...but I think its hard at first to let yourself Enjoy .We were so used to being Martyrs for the Assembly ....

I love reading your posts, Summer!  I can't agree with you more about how great it is to see how God protected us, even when we were behaving like total A$$es in the Assembly.  I notice it in little things.  

For example, yesterday I Assembled a basketball hoop, which happened to be a Christmas present.  No big deal for "normal" people.  However, it was our third Christmas as a family----we have been married 18 years----and as such it was a reminder about how different things are now, which caused us to reflect on the past, etc.

After assembling the Christmas gift, we 5 neighborhood boys over playing 3 on 3 basketball.  Pretty normal stuff, no big deal....but it never happened in the past.  Perhaps a few Assembly kids might come over, but not "worldly" kids.  These little things often cause me to smile, and make me grateful for freedom.

One year ago, things were quite different indeed, for most of the people on this BB.  If you haven't done so, go back and skim the Final Weeks section on the main website, and realize how dramatic the changes have been in the last year!  God has done great things!

Brent
PS--have we ever met?

Summer:

I do enjoy your posts and hope you didn't think I was being hostile in my response to you.  The written word (as we've often commented on this BB in the past) is difficult to communicate without facial expression, tone of voice, etc.

I think your experience was quite different back in the early 80' but I think there was still very much wrong with the assembly during those years as well.  Having your Baptist past probably enabled you in many ways to have a different experience than others during that time period as well.

Kimberly , I did'nt sence any hostility...only truth...i sometimes wonder if the Lords saying oh good they're figuring it out ...I mean how many times do you think abberant christian Groups have risen up over the centuries...Oh I did remember my Dad asking me if I was a JW...now that was hostile....(he taught Jr. high sun school for years) LOL...

Brent,  No I dont think we ever met ...Although paths  might of crossed at my last seminar in aug of '86. Did you ever stay with the Fords??? Nice acommodations and Great hospitality...I think I was in the exit process at the time of your wedding or I probibly would of been invited...BTW my kids have led  a few kids to the Lord just in casual settings like the one you described...they rarely miss a youth group and invite friends to Christian Club on Campus..some only go for the Free Lunch but you never know who'll get SAVED I've been surprised a few times...

If you were in Fullerton or HB during this time, we probably met.  I was in Fullerton from fall '85 thru Dec 88.  Never missed a seminar until 1999, although I prayed I would be the doorkeeper who was asked to stay back in SLO.  The last few seminars we went to we stayed at the Embassy Suites, and missed half the lectures.  It was fun, but expensive.  Still, it was way better than having to explain to the host family why we were missing a lecture, and didn't go to pre-prayer!  HA!

Brent

That's funny, Brent.  The San Fernando Valley saints "had" to start staying in Motels beginning in approximately 1988, and boy was I grateful.  Expensive, yes, but the trade-offs were worth every penny.  We got to watch t.v., not go to all the lectures, go swimming in the pool, it felt like a mini-vacation.  It got to the point towards the end of our involvement that we practically didn't go to any lectures at all! ;) ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D

One of the last seminars that I went to, I stayed in a nearby hotel.  I had a work project that was very critical.  Really, the only reason I went at all was because of the interpreting for the Deaf.  Although I was personally grateful to miss have of the lectures, I still didn't want to deprive anybody else of those "precious" lectures.

Realistically, I had no business trying to go there.  The work project was very important (I think my job might have even been in jeopardy).  Soon after, everything came to a head, both work, and in the assembly.  I'm grateful now that it happened, but it was certainly one of the most stressful times in my life.

Someone told me recently that Tim G had commented on my working during some of the lectures at the seminar.  Something of the effect of "pray for that brother."

My heart does go out to you ...Hotels were forbidden when I attended..Guess they had to many people to accomodate...But what I thought of was that even God does'nt trample on our Freewill..isnt amazing that the GG group/movement felt it was OK to do so...

I don't believe that the hotel was "allowed" when I went, either.  I had already spent at least a year kind of mentally "leaving fellowship."  One thing that kept me in for so long was the interpreting for the Deaf.  So, at that point in time, I just told the LB that I was staying in a hotel.  I didn't ask, because it didn't really matter what he said.  I think he could tell that, when I said it, since he didn't even question it.

Interestingly, the LBs never really questioned things about my work.  If I had to work through a meeting, they didn't say anything.  I still felt guilty, so they didn't have to say anything.  In fact, only one younger brother (well, he is older than me, but was less time "in fellowship") did question my moving to this new job.  Most of the people in SD were either in college, or didn't really have an idea of what a career was.  It was fairly easy to reject the idea of a career "for the Lord", since it wasn't common.

Perhaps the reason I was left alone was because I funded so much of the "work" here.  I really don't know, since there isn't a budget to look at.

Last week in my doctor's office I ran across one of the men who had been part of the SLO assembly.  When a nurse asked him what he was doing for Christmas he gave her the full assembly explanation as to why he STILL doesn't celebrate Christmas.  He currently attends a very good non-denominational church (as do many of the former assembly members).  I'm sure they even have a nice big Christmas tree in the front of this church, but he still hangs on to the indoctrination of the assembly.  Before I left the doctor's office I wished everyone a Merry Christmas!

I remember when people used to ask me the same question I  would just say that I was just going to enjoy the day hanging out with my friends (which was true since we often had fellowhsips and did cool things).  I never did like explaining the issue.

2004 is my first non-assembly year.  Happy New Year!!!!

Jack

     There's a fair chance that in "He currently attends a very good non-denominational church (as do many of the former assembly members)," attends translates to infiltrates.

al

Christmas by itself is no gospel.  For the good news is not just that God became man.  Rather, the good news is that sin has been dealt with; that Jesus has suffered its penalty for us as our representative, so that we might never have to suffer it.

Any gospel that talks merely of the Christ-event, meaning the incarnation without the atonement, is a false gospel.  Any gospel that talks about the love of God without pointing out that his love led Him to pay the ultimate price for sin in the person of his Son on the cross is a false gospel.  The only true gospel is of "the one mediator" (1 Tim. 2:5-6), who gave himself for us.

--James Montgomery Boice

Took the kids to see The Polar Express, the animation was incredible, very entertaining.

     The kids are all grown up :'( & moved out ;D , so Cathy & I saw it by ourselves :o.  Loved it! :D  Saw it again with the grandkids when they were here... ;)

I'm buying the dvd when it comes out.

                 Received in an e-mail dated 12/20/04
                          (original source unknown):

---

        I CORINTHIANS 13 - A CHRISTMAS VERSION
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas
cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted
snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours!

---

Likewise, from me & mine to you & yours,
al

My Wife, kids and I are heading up to Chicago today to spend the Holidays with my family. I won't get to read the bb for a while so I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Merry Christmas.

Sincerely
Mark Kisla

Starting at noon I'm off until Monday, so I too would like to wish everyone the very Merriest Christmas!!

--Joe

Hi,

   I was looking for something particular on theOperation Save America Website and found this article.   I found it to be an encouragement...nothing more.

Merry Christmas to all and to all...Be a light!

Tony
****
This Christmas – I Saw Jesus!
By Kristene O'Dell


For all of you, like Mike and I who have a difficult time during the Christmas season, we have an encouraging ray of hope for you. Through all the advertisements,
like Target's “Joy to the World” commercials where their version of joy is all the gifts you can purchase at their stores, and the Christian children in
the public schools being told that they cannot mention the Name of Christ during “Winter Break” school parties, or even the secularist commentaries on
FOX News that are commenting on how there is a push to eradicate Christ from our culture in America, through all of this, our family saw Jesus this Christmas.
Where did we see him you ask? He showed up right outside our front door!

Our son, Pierce, had been at a neighbor's house across the alley and came running home to tell us that “a parade is coming and it's all about Jesus!” I
thought, “We don't live on a very busy street. Why would a parade be coming?” We opened the door and noticed a policeman on a motorcycle sounding his siren
and then stopping to let his entourage catch up. As we turned and looked toward the first flatbed trailer carrying families dressed in Nativity clothing,
I felt the presence of the Lord. Children were knocking on doors asking people to step outside and see the floats. Parents were right behind them passing
out candy canes with the meanings of the red and white colors attached to them and candles that were wrapped in green with stickers that said, “Jesus is
the Light of the World.”

I had started crying at the sight of the first float. By this time, I could not stop the tears streaming down my face. I looked at Mike and said, “I can't
stop crying.” He responded with, “Well, Kristene, if the media is going to remove Him from Christmas, Jesus is going to walk right down our streets!”

The small group of flatbed trailers slowed down and each one seemed to stop in front of our house. This wasn't a big production. We noticed dads, moms,
grandparents, and children as they passed by dressed as if they were at the birth of Baby Jesus and then we noticed the last two trailers. One had a cross
that stood about eight feet all decorated in Christmas lights. The final float was stopped in front of us for quite awhile. On it stood the “Savior of
the World” with His arms stretched open. He was all dressed in white. Behind Him was the tomb with the rock rolled away. There were angels gathered around
Him and music that praised His name was piped out of a small sound system.

The whole parade had been waving to us as they noticed our reaction to them. The man playing Jesus started to wave, but you could tell he felt compelled
to hold his position. In that moment, my heart was filled with reminders of all the Lord has done for my family. There was conviction for all my complacency
and for my own nature that sometimes gets the best of me, but there was “true joy” at how awesome our Lord is and that He has rescued me from it all.

This small production rolling down the streets in the surrounding neighborhood was the most powerful witness I have seen in a long time. It wasn't this
grand Disney-like production that so many of our Churches in America are heading toward so that we can all be entertained on Sunday mornings. This was
simple Christians living out their faith in the streets. This was Jesus Himself showing up in our everyday lives. For those with “eyes to see,” this was
Christmas!