[NFB-Seniors] Christmas Pageant

Sat Dec 26 23:43:45 UTC 2020

had to share this!

Letter from Larry

Friday

CHRISTMAS DAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE:

Today is Christmas day when we celebrate the birth of

our savior Jesus. If you get a chance, I want you to 

watch this video about a little autistic girl 13 years old

and her back up chorus of down syndrome children

and other children with mental challenges. Turn up your

sound:  <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0015q9W4gjsB6Z4YqlXWpfAWHR7bIXiXY573L_AnE6PH_TqJc9I_ewMvFQ_3hoj36ol6TYBAlubVRjnl3sRnTKXz6WsrqDvK95AuqmtsObdU1fHnPbCXYCRo6S29bVBcFDeV73U5CiVFAPJ7X8keAHev7WcdIYthwBUzS6Vzu7p_lLfA5JHOcj2ig==&c=Y8F5INedpGJgS84xjeq7m__y-VRwmcrWxrX8JYdqSgNuf45ZxHtmhw==&ch=rJLEKUhKZ_3tw2VLy_V5Nez1sCK2ilTDnDuV5JCJ2yYnwFlAF6L4OQ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmx--WjeN7o 

THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

My husband and I had been happily married (most of the time) for 

five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby.

I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a   

child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart

and raise it with His word as my guide.

God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. 

The next year God blessed us with another son. 

The following year, He blessed us with yet another son.

The year after that we were blessed with a daughter.

My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty.

We now had four children, and the oldest was only

four years old.

I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it.

As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain,

make sure you carry an umbrella."

I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children

 each day as they lay in their cribs. 

I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me

with four children and I didn't want to disappoint Him.

I tried to be patient the day the children smashed

two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching

for baby chicks.

I tried to be understanding... when they started a hotel for 

homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me 

nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs.  

When my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and 

rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog,

I tried to see the humor rather than the mess. 

In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers,

never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more

than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.

While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother -

I didn't even come close...I did keep my promise

to raise them in the Word of God. 

I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told

my daughter we were going to church to worship God,

and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to

"wash up" Jesus, too.

Something was lost in the translation when

I explained that God gave us everlasting life,

and my son thought it was generous of God to give

us his "last wife."

My proudest moment came during the children's

Christmas pageant.

My daughter was playing Mary,

two of my sons were shepherds

and my youngest son was a wise man.

This was their moment to shine.

My five-year-old shepherd

had practiced his line,

"We found the babe wrapped

in swaddling clothes." 

But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped

in wrinkled clothes." 

My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly.

That's dirty, rotten clothes."

A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd

and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost 

her left wing. I slouched a little lower 

in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing

Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, 

"Mama-mama."

Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as

the wise men arrived.

My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe 

and a paper crown, knelt at the manger 

and announced, "We are the three wise men,

and we are bringing gifts of gold, 

common sense and fur."

The congregation dissolved into laughter,

and the pageant got a standing ovation.

 "I've never enjoyed a Christmas 

program as much as this one,"

laughed the pastor, wiping tears from his eyes.  

"For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the

Christmas story without thinking of 

gold, common sense and fur."

"My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest

blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.

****

Jesus had no servants,

yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree,

yet they called Him Teacher. 

Had no medicines,

yet they called Him Healer.

Had no army,

yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles,

yet He conquered the world. 

 He committed no crime,

yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb,

yet He lives today.

Feel honored

to serve such a Leader who loves us.  

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Merry Christmas on this His special day.

Larry  

NOTE: This letter is sent to anyone interested in receiving these inspirational notes. There is no charge and you are encouraged to forward these to anyone you think would benefit from reading them. If you would like to receive them direct, just send an email to me at larryperry at att.net <mailto:larryperry at att.net>  and request to be added to the Letters from Larry list. If you press the UNSUBSCRIBE button, you will be permanently unsubscribed from receiving these letters. 

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