The Bishoprics wives were asked to speak this Sunday for Christmas. It's actually a fun time to speak. Plus I'm thinking that not many people will be there ha ha. While writing my talk I came up with a poem.
Twas the day of Christmas and all
through the house
The children were hussling and bussling
about
wrapping paper scattered all over the
floor
The little ones fighting and whining
for more.
The stockings once hung with a great
deal of care
Now lay on the floor, the loot taken
and bare.
The children once nestled now up before
dawn.
The parent so tired and starting to
yawn
When what to my wondering eye's did I
find
a cute little baby so gentle and kind.
He spoke not a word but went straight
to his play
Reminding me why we celebrate this day.
Danika, Andrew, Luke, Jacob and BriLynn
Come and see Jonanthan, his cute little
grin.
When you see the baby what do you think
of?
It reminds me of Jesus and all of his
Love.
A baby in Bethlehem lying in a manger
To him we should never be a stranger
He loves us so much he paid for our
sins
So we can return forever with him.
This day as you play with all of your
new toys
Remember the one who brings us great
joys
The wonderous little baby so little
and mild
We celebrate his birth , the holy
Christ Child.
I love this story by Jack Smith. It's called Pattern of Love. I cry every time I read it.
I didn't question Timmy, age nine, or his seven-year-old brother Billy about the brown wrapping paper they passed back and forth between them as we visited each store.
Every year at Christmas time, our service club takes the needy children in our town on a personally conducted shopping tour. I was assigned Timmy and Billy, whose father was out of work. After giving them the allotted $4 each, we began our trip. At different stores I made suggestions, but always their answer was a solemn shake of the head, no. Finally I asked, "Where would you suggest we look?"
"Could we go to a shoe store, sir?" answered Timmy, "we'd like a pair of shoes for our Daddy so he can go to work."
In the shoe store the clerk asked what the boys wanted. Out came the brown paper. "We want a pair of work shoes to fit this foot." Billy explained that it was a pattern of their Daddy's foot. They had drawn it while he was asleep in a chair.
The clerk held the paper against a measuring stick, then walked away. Soon he came with an open box. "Will these do?" he asked. Timmy and Billy handled the shoes with great eagerness.
"How much do they cost?" asked Billy.
Then Timmy saw the price on the box. "They're $16.95," he said in dismay. "We only have $8."
I looked at the clerk and he cleared his throat. "That's the regular price," he said, "but they're on sale for $3.98, today only." Then with shoes happily in hand the boys bought gifts for their mother and two little sisters. Not once did they think of themselves.
The day after Christmas the boys' father stopped me on the street. The new shoes were on his feet, gratitude was in his eyes. "I just thank Jesus for people who care," he said.
"And I thank Jesus for your two sons," I replied. "They taught me more about Christmas in one evening than I had learned in a lifetime."
HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
