[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Friday, December 6, 2013

[Paul]

Hello and good day to all my fellow saints of the Most High God, no matter where in this world you happen to live or even what day or time of day it is when you read this.  I hope that your day is going well, by God's matchless grace and His providential care.

For those of you who keep tabs on such things, today is St. Nicholas Day which, I understand, is celebrated quite widely in Finland, according to an email I received in Esperanto from a Finnish organization called in English "Little Star," an affiliate of Suomi Suokeain Airut," the Finnish Association of the Blind, founded and run continuously since 1919 and, to my understanding, the second oldest national organization of blind people next to Sweden's group.  Anyway that's what they do over there between going to the sauna and whatever else they do on this particular day.

"Red Stars of Christmas" is the title of today's article by Terra Hangen, rendered as follows:

The most popular Christmas plant in the United States is the poinsettia, and like many people you may feel your holiday decorating is not complete until you add poinsettias to your home's display.  The flowers remind us of the star of Bethlehem, and this plant's nickname is "red star of Christmas." In addition to the fire engine red traditional poinsettia, you can add white, salmon or red splashed with white varieties.  Its botanical name, _euphorbia _pulcherima, means "very beautiful."

A Mexican legend tells of how poinsettias became associated with Christmas.  The story varies a bit in details, with the main character being either a little boy named Pablo, or Pablo and his sister Maria.  The stories all agree that a child living in poverty in Mexico was sad on Christmas Eve, because he wanted to give a gift to the baby Jesus to put near his manger in the church Nativity scene.

The child prayed to find a gift to give the baby Jesus, and when he was done praying he looked up and saw some dusty weeds, and picked a sparse-looking bouquet to add to the manger scene.  As he entered the church, the tops of the weeds blossomed into the color of red flames, thus explaining its common name of Mexican flame leaf, or its name of "flores de noche buena" or "flowers of the holy night."

The bright poinsettia flowers are technically bracts, or modified leaves, and the flower is the tiny yellow center of the bracts.  The poinsettia received its name to honor Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, from 1825 to 1829.  Dr. Poinsett held many different roles during his life, including that of a trained physician, elected member of Congress, and dedicated botanist.  He was so taken with the beauty of the humble weed that he had poinsettias sent back home to his greenhouses in South Carolina.

Poinsettias became associated with Christmas in the United States as Dr. Poinsett gave the plants to friends and neighbors in the Charleston area and to Charleston churches at Christmas.  William Prescott, a horticulturalist and friend of Poinsett's, wrote about these plants and called them poinsettias.  Today 65 million poinsettias are sold each year in the United States.  A vibrant red plant or a group of crimson, cream and peach poinsettias will lift the spirits of each person who sees them.

And there you have the story of the poinsettia.  You cat lovers probably know all too well that the plants are poison to Kitty, no matter how attractive and edible they look, so don't allow your furry friend or companion near them.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be another daily thought message, especially selected for you at this time of the year.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul