The Christmas Holiday
adapted from an article by G. K. Wallace (deceased)

Christmas time is usually a period of music and laughter. The warmest, strongest, and most heartfelt associations are renewed and revived. There is stirred within most of us a solemn and sacred feeling and along with our feasting the spirit is raised to a state of hallowed and elevated enjoyment.

What Is Christmas?

Christmas to most of the world is a celebration of the supposed birthday of Christ. In reality it has no religious significance and came into existence because of the activities of a man named Nicholas. It is such a beautiful festival that churches have laid hold of it and tried to make it a religious day. But there is no scriptural authority for it. I was grown before I knew there was any special religious significance attached to it. To us, where I lived on a ranch in northwest Texas, it was a community festival, at which time people blew horns, shot firecrackers, and exchanged gifts.

Christmas to many people is scarlet ribbon, sounds of music, and a green tree. Christmas to others is an oasis in a sandy desert of the commonplace. Christmas is a celebration born of instinct within the heart. Christmas is a celebration and whatever the traditions are that cluster around the day, they have significance only if they translate the intentions of the heart. Our intention should be to express faith, hope, and love. Regardless of the form the celebration takes, without these three, faith - hope - and love, the gift is bare and the celebration is but glittering tinsel and without meaning.

What shall we give for Christmas?

That which we suggest cannot be bought, sold, or bartered, but can only be given away. The gifts we suggest are the well-springs of celebration whether religious or secular. The gifts we suggest are without price and cannot be imitated. The gifts that we suggest are unique but not always easy to come by, but they are unlimited in supply and accessible to everyone. For the coming holiday, we suggest the following gifts.

We suggest first of all that we give faith. Let us encourage people to believe mightily. Faith laughs at impossibilities. Abraham's faith was adventurous when he went out. Those who are afraid of the deep will not catch many fish. Let us give courage to others to launch out. We need pioneers in faith as well as in exploring the great outer space. God told the children of Israel: "Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread upon shall be yours."

Let us give hope. No one is insensible to the music of the word hope. What bosom has not kindled under its utterance? Poetry has sung of it and music warbled it. Oratory has lavished it on its bewitching strings. The great lessons of Acts 3, where Peter met the lame man at the gate is a message of hope. Hope will light the altar-fires in the dark and be a living coal in many desolate hearts. Hope will gladden the sick chambers with visions of returning health and will be a sunbeam in the captive's cell. Hope will cause a soldier to sleep peacefully, give him comfort by his bivouac-fire and pictures of his sunny home and his joyous return.

Let us give love. Love is the medicine needed by all the morally evil. Love brought into the world the cure for sin. Love must be expressed and its very nature keeps it from forcing itself unbidden and unwelcome upon another. The stronger, the higher, the finer love is, the more it depends upon reciprocation. Love is the great Seraph and faith and hope are but the wings with which it flies.

What could we do this Christmas?

• Seek out a forgotten friend and write a love letter.
• Dismiss suspicion and learn to trust.
• Share a treasure and give a soft answer.
• Manifest loyalty in word, in deed, and encourage the youth.
• Find the time to do what needs to be done and keep our promises.
• Forgive an enemy and forego a grudge.
• Listen, understand, and apologize, if we are wrong.
• Be gentle, kind, and so act as to deserve confidence.
• Learn to laugh and take up arms against malice.
• Do not become complacent. Express your gratitude.
• Gladden the heart of a child, welcome a stranger and take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of Earth.
• Speak your love. Speak it again. Speak it still once again, and our holiday will be a happy day. ❦

Senior Dinner Today...
We invite each and every one to meet with us in the annex after this morning’s worship service for our annual Senior Appreciation Dinner in honor of our senior members. We are truly thankful for the examples of steadfastness and hope they have given us over the years.

Our hearts do indeed go out in deepest sympathy to sister Shirley Bauer and her family, in the passing of her grandmother, Dorothy Satterfield, in West Virginia, this past Thursday morning. She was the last of Shirley's grandparents. Keep Bob and Shirley in your daily prayers — they have had a very trying and stressful couple of weeks.

Life's richest blessings -- sunshine, rain, truth, salvation -- are free, but in order to enjoy them, you must properly appropriate them. Obedience is the key to the kingdom of Heaven. Without the key, you cannot enter.

UPCOMING AREA EVENTS:

• Jan 18-19, 2003 - Springhead coC, Plant City
50^th Homecoming Celebration

• Jan 20-23, 2003 - Fla. School of Preaching
28th Annual Lecturship.
"Do You Understand Fellowship"
Complete schedules [click here]

• Feb 15, 2003 - Sebring Parkway coC
Ladies’ Day - “Keeping Your Balance”