[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Sunday, December 8, 2013

[Paul]

Hello once again to my loyal readers out there in cyberspace.  I hope that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that you are all doing well.  For those of us in the midst of wintry precipitation, I hope that you are also doing well.  As I write, we're in the midst of it here in the mid-Atlantic part of the U.S.

Audrey Carli, a writer from Michigan, graces our screen readers and Braille displays with her article simply entitled "A Christmas Meditation," rendered as follows:

Dear God, another Christmas is around the corner, so please help me keep in mind what is the most precious gift to share with my family and friends.

May the first Christmas in Bethlehem stay in my thoughts during prayer and worship times--that the stable with its simple surroundings were made magnificent with the birth of Your Son, Jesus!

In the giving of heartfelt gifts, Lord, help me to be patient while in crowded stores.  Help me to keep cheerful even if squeezed in the long checkout line.

Assist me to enjoy peace while baking bread and cookies to share with family, friends, and those we visit in nursing homes or in their lonely apartments.

Guide my thoughts as I write cards that include personal, caring words so that each card becomes a visit to share the season's joy.

Please aid me from becoming too entranced with the merchandise displays so I may focus instead on the joy of loving and worshiping You, Lord.

Guide me, too, Lord, to not give my children more than they can humanly appreciate even if an unexpected check arrives with bonus funds.  May we share those dollars with those who might not otherwise experience Your kind of love, Lord--and I still recall the lean years when gifts created with hands and love made a Christmas filled with spirit.

Gifts from the heart can be priceless whether costly or not as they convey love between the giver and recipient.  And that the precious gift in today's hectic world is the giving of time and self for others' benefits in the name of love.

And let me remember Your words from Acts 20:35:  "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

May each twinkling tree light remind us of the star that guided the wise men so long ago.  Amen.

And there you have Audrey's contribution today which I hope was a blessing.  It wasn't long, but there's enough material here to chew on.

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, we will have another Daily Thought message for tomorrow.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul