Good Morning and Merry Christmas Everyone,

We are getting my Monday greeting out a little late today. With kids being home and driving to grandparent's homes for good food and fellowship, we have fallen a little behind. Susan and I hope you have a wonderful day with you family. May the presence of the Christ Child be very near to each of you.

Almost every year there are certain Christmas shows we watch as a family. Programs like, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, and one of my favorites, A Charlie Brown Christmas. One of the scenes in the program is about Charlie getting all upset because all of his friends and even his dog Snoopy get caught up in all the materialism and commercialism of Christmas. Even the Christmas play they are working on is in a mess because everyone wants to be the star of the show.

Finally Charlie in frustration yells out to everyone, "Can someone PLEASE tell me what Christmas is really all about?" Linus slowly walks over to Charlie Brown and says, "Sure, Charlie Brown. I can tell you what Christmas is all about." The lights on the stage get dim and very carefully Linus recites Charlie the Christmas story. It goes like this: "And there were in the same country shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them, and they were sore afraid. But the angel said unto them, 'Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord. And this will be a sign unto you: You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men!'"

Linus then turns to Charlie Brown and says, "That, Charlie Brown, is what Christmas is all about."

Sometimes we can get so busy at Christmas that instead of the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" it can become the most hectic and frustrating time of the year! Have you ever felt like just yelling out, "Can someone PLEASE tell me what Christmas is all about?"

The answer is the same for us as it was for Charlie Brown. "I bring you good tidings of great joy . . . A Savior is born today." May the Joy that Jesus brings be yours in abundance on this special day.

Always Expecting God's Best, Pastor Don

P.S. Remember that this week there are no midweek Wednesday night activities at the church because of the holiday season.

P.S. NO JOKE OR CARTOON THIS WEEK BUT A SPECIAL STORY FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT.

THE LETTER

Ruth looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter one more time.

Dear Ruth,

I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.

Love always,

God

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would God want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents. "Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least." She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk ... leaving Ruth with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt better as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady! Can you help us, lady?" Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway — a man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it." Ruth looked at them both.

They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, OK lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."

The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

"Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."

She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you, lady. Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one."

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street, without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.

"Thank you, lady! Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried, too. God was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.

"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."

She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth,

It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, also, for the beautiful coat.

Love always,

God

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

"And if anyone gives (even) a cup of cold water ..." (Matt. 10:42)
 

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