Have you ever noticed how many feasts God originated?  How many times were His people told to remember God through a feast and exchanging of food as well as gifts for the poor?  I love it!  Jesus said to His disciples at the last supper that He would not eat with them again until they ate together in the Kingdom.  Have you thought about what that means?  It means we will eat food in Heaven with Jesus (and ladies – not get fat!!).  Now that is super cool!

Through this season Ken and I have remarked how much we have enjoyed it.  We have had Christmas instrumental music quietly playing softly in the background and we have decorated and made simple plans.  But the quiet sitting and thinking about the goodness of God has blessed us immensely.  The sweetness of the Presence of God is awesome!

Tonight is Christmas Eve.  Let’s spend time remembering and celebrating the day when Christ was born as a human being.  Whether this is His actual birthday is immaterial!  This is the day we celebrate His birth!  Oh let’s spend some time this night in worship of our Wonderful God!

O Holy Night

O Holy Night, The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till He appeared, gift of infinite worth!

Behold the Babe in yonder manger lowly,

‘Tis God’s own Son come down in human form:

[REFRAIN]

Fall . . . on your knees . . . !

O, hear . . . the angel voices . . . !

O night . . . divine . . . !

O night . . . when Christ was born,

O night . . . divine!

O night, O . . . night divine!

O day of joy, when in eternal splendor

He shall return in His glory to reign,

When every tongue due praise to Him shall render,

His power and might to all nations proclaim!

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn,

Let’s thrill to the name of Jesus this night!  God became man so He could redeem a sinful people.  What a God! What a King!  What a Savior!

THE NAME OF JESUS

By A. B. Simpson, D.D.

GLORY to the Name of Jesus!

Once it stood for sin and shame;

Now the songs of earth and Heaven

Join to bless that glorious Name.

PARDON through the Name of Jesus!

Free from guilt, and fault, and blame,

We may stand beloved, accepted

As we come in Jesus Name.

VICTORY through the Name of Jesus!

Once for us He overcame,

And we conquer sin and Satan

Only in our Captain’s Name.

POWER through the Name of Jesus!

All His power our faith may claim,

God will work His wonders through us

When we use that mighty Name.

HEALING in the Name of Jesus!

How it thrills our suffering frame

When we learn to take from Jesus

Life and healing in His Name.

TELL abroad the Name of Jesus,

‘Round the world His love proclaim

Till earth’s saved and ransomed millions

Join to praise the Savior’s Name.

GLORY to the Name of Jesus!

Once it stood for sin and shame.

Now let all in earth and Heaven

Join to bless His glorious Name!

Have you ever thought about what you could give Jesus for a present on His birthday celebration?  The following poem was written by Romana Waller as a very young girl and found its way into GRANDMA GRIER’S SCRAPBOOK.  She gave permission for Charlie Grier to put it in his book of poems.

A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR HIM

By Romana Olson Waller

Tonight I am thinking of Jesus,

As I look at this beautiful tree,

And wonder just what I can give Him

Who has given so freely to me.

I’m counting my treasures all over,

And am wondering what He can use;

In loving a Person so dearly

It is really a problem to choose.

I wonder what really would please Him

And just what should my gift for Him be?

God gave HIM to us – oh! – I wonder,

Do you think He would like to have ME?

I’ve hands that will work for Him gladly,

I have feet to run errands of love,

And lips that can tell of a Savior,

Who came down from His home up above!

My heart – it will love Him forever!

There are souls I can help Him to win!

Tonight I am giving – yes, giving myself

As a Christmas present for Him!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the

mercies of God, that you present your

bodies a living sacrifice…” Rom 12:1

-Homespun Poems by Charlie Grier, Family & Friends (1973) p.28

I have also wondered what I should give Jesus for His Christmas Gift.  Here’s my poem.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT

By Marvine Scott

What can I give You, my Wonderful Lord;

Once a small baby so sweet and adored,

God of all Universe, Creator and King.

This is Your Birthday – Oh, what can I bring?

I give you myself, Lord – every last bit.

I give you my home and all that is in it.

I give you my husband and family to start

But I wish for a present to give joy to Your Heart!

TO give money to others – You must first give to me.

The sky is the limit, Lord, what do we see?

There are missions and missionaries, churches and staff

Or we could give to a child so that child could laugh.

Dear Jesus, I wish You a Happy Birthday.

May others find You is what I really pray.

May Christians draw close and grow in your grace sublime.

I know what I’ll do, Lord.  I give You my time.

I love this poem by Annie Flint.  How well she describes the normal problems in our everyday life.  Statistics tell us that this is one of the worst times of year for depression and the temptation to return to unhealthy methods of relieving our problems.  How do we deal with life especially during this busy Season?  Let’s take a look at how Annie does.

I LOOK NOT BACK

By Annie Johnson Flint

I look not back; God knows the fruitless efforts,

The wasted hours, the sinning, the regrets.

I leave them all with Him who blots the record,

And graciously forgives, and then forgets.

I look not forward; God sees all the future,

The road that short or long, will lead me home.

And He will face with me its every trial,

And bear for me the burdens that may come.

I look not round me; then would fears assail me,

So wild the tumult of earth’s restless seas,

So dark the world, so filled with woe and evil,

So vain the hope of comfort and of ease.

I look not inward; that would make me wretched;

For I have naught on which to stay my trust.

Nothing I see save failures and shortcomings,

And weak endeavors, crumbling into dust.

But I look up – into the face of Jesus,

For there my heart can rest, my fears are stilled;

And there is joy, and love, and light for darkness,

And perfect peace, and every hope fulfilled.

This is all fine and good but Who Is the Christ of Christmas?  How can we do what Annie does?  Let’s listen for a minute to our beloved Charlie Grier as He describes to us the answer to this very question.

Knowing Who He Really Was

By Charlie Grier

In a distant land, on a bygone day,

A little BABE in a manger lay.

But who could tell, as He nestled there,

While Mary and Joseph bowed in prayer,

That here on the hay, with His infant cry,

Lay the Master of ocean, earth, and sky?

And then as He taller and fairer grew –

This lad that all of His neighbors knew

To be pleasant and courteous, brave and strong,

With a cheery smile and a hearty song –

Touched their hearts and troubled their minds,

“Who was this lad so gentle and kind?”

They liked His frank, straightforward ways,

His wisdom and words were beyond His days,

And they paused to watch Him fashion wood

In a manner no other craftsman could –

He impressed them much, as a good boy does

But they never dreamed who He really was!

At last a lock is upon the door –

The Carpenter of Nazareth is no more,

But now, a Man with a “ONE-WAY” sign

Is telling the Truth to all mankind.

He is pointing to that “narrow way”

That leads, at last, to Eternal Day;

And they listen just as they did before

Back in His humble work-shop door.

“Never man spake as he,” they cry –

With new hope gleaming in their eye.

“The strength of Elijah he displays,

But he is unlike him in some ways –

Like Jeremiah, he weeps and warns

While favor from the rich he scorns.

Messiah? – No, he cannot be –

No prophet comes from Galilee!”

And so they turned from Him because

They didn’t know who He really was!

Then He showed His love through mighty deeds:

He healed their sick and supplied their needs –

He cleansed the leper and raised the dead –

The hungry multitudes were fed.

He stilled the storm – the poor He blessed –

He offered pardon, peace, and rest!

His critics cried, “He is too meek –

He tries too hard the lost to seek!

We want a leader strong as steel –

Full of courage, strength, and zeal

To rule the world with an iron rod –

Yet, never once claiming to be God.”

At last united, in Pilate’s Hall

A verdict of “death” was agreed by all.

“Envy” brought charges of trumped-up sin.

“Hatred” shouted “Away with Him!”

God’s angry earthquake shook the sod!

Honesty acknowledged, “This was the Son of God!”

At Christmastide, when men of good will

Seek to worship the Christ child still,

Have you stayed too long in Bethlehem town?

Or, have you followed His steps around

To Jerusalem, and Galilee,

And this angry throng at Calvary?

Have you stood amazed beneath the Cross

And cried, “For ME He suffered loss –

It was for ME He bore disgrace –

Bearing MY sin – taking MY place?”

The message of Christmas is more, by far,

Than the angels’ song, or the Wise Men’s star.

Have you stood at the Tomb in ecstasy,

Where nature responded to Deity

And shouted, “Christ is the Victor now

For He conquered DEATH on Calvary’s brow!”

If YOU are not saved, is it not because

You too, haven’t learned who He really was?

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, The Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said… Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father…”  Matt. 16:16

-End quote

Someone once said, “The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much!”  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we call all fall in love with Jesus this year and spend not only the next few weeks spreading the Love of God to all around us but have it become a life pattern for the years to come?  When we get to know who Jesus really is, we can let Him fill our lives with meaning and joy!  Let’s let the Christ of Christmas fill us and become contagious so that everyone will come to know that same Wonderful Peace, Joy and Love.

THINK BEFORE YOU WEEP

By Dorothy Metcalf, MN

If your arteries have hardened

And arthritis slows your gait,

If your tired blood is stubborn,

Not inclined to circulate;

If your aerobic days are over

And you cannot do the “twist,”

If your time is spent in brooding

O’er the many things you’ve missed;

If you’re constantly complaining

On your rocker or your couch,

If you’re ornery and cranky

And becoming quite a grouch;

Well, if this is your condition

And you get no sympathy,

Then it’s time you started trying

A new kind of therapy.

Though you have your share of trouble,

Think of others with more pain,

Like that fellow in his wheelchair

Who will never walk again.

Take time to write a letter

And while pen is in your palm,

Thank the good Lord up above you

For the use of that right arm.

Try relaxing in the sunshine,

Note each flower, bird and tree,

Then appreciate your eyesight –

There are many who can’t see.

When you tune in television

And each sound is loud and clear

Just think of those who’d give a lot

If only they could hear.

Yes, I’ve practiced what I’m preaching

And I’ve learned there’s joy to reap

If you stop and count your blessings

And just “think before you weep.”

-The Bible Friend (Vol. 106, No 6, July 2009) p.4

One of the things I have discovered in life is that there are always people around me who have it worse than I do.  It really works to ‘count your blessings!’  When we do, we find we truly are blessed people and have much for which to be grateful.  Even if we have had hardship and pain, we can worship our God because He is there to help us through these difficult times.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

By Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856-1922)

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the LORD has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, Name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done.

Count your blessings, Name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

The month of December is one of the most difficult months for many people.  There is massive depression and disappointment.  People are striving to please their family or are having enormous expectations that are unfulfilled.  It seems to be a time of extremes in indulgence and emotions.   Dad has a wonderful slant on this ‘Strange Season’.

THIS STRANGE SEASON

By Charlie Grier

Christmas is the strangest season

People just forget to reason;

Everyone is buying – spending –

Doing up their gifts and sending

To their friends, both far and wide,

Just because it’s Christmastide.

There is something in the air

Just makes people want to share;

I’ve seen folks accused of hoarding

Buying, giving, and according

To the spirit of the year

Helping to spread Christmas cheer.

What’s the meaning of this season?

Have men really lost their reason?

Or, is it that on this day

In a manger far away

God’s best GIFT to man was given,

Hope of earth, and joy of Heaven!

-Homespun Poems (Charlie Grier 1973) p.29

We have already plunged into this month of frenzy but let’s take time to worship God for Who He is and what He’s done for mankind.  The next few weeks will fly by but we need to see what’s important.  It would be good to emulate Evy Reis’s way of bringing warmth into her life!

CHRISTMAS RECEIPE

By Evy Reis

Take a bit of cheerfulness,

A pinch of laughter, too,

Next take a cup of thoughtfulness

And stir them through and through.

Add to this tranquility,

A verse of “Silent Night,”

That ever quiet we may be

When God sends His holy light.

Gently fold in some tenderness,

A handclasp or smile will do.

Perhaps it could be a fond caress,

Or a rose with a drop of dew.

Set aside a moment while you go

For spices, herbs, a scent of pine . . .

For music and fun, a candle’s glow,

And a star that was the sign.

Now mix and stir and fold again,

Then add some mistletoe,

A bit of faith, and love, and then

Into the oven your cake must go.

Where warmth and affection will combine

To make this cake come true.

Garnish with happiness, truth so fine,

Enough for you and you!

Cut a piece, but save some too

For every day of the year.

Serve with a prayer for peace on earth,

And a heavenly kingdom near.

Christmas Ideals 1966

I find it enjoyable to deliberately be kind to clerks waiting on a frantic public in December.  A smile of appreciation brings joy to their faces and warmth to our hearts.  Praising God each day gives us the peace and joy we need to encourage others.

An unknown author gives us a thought to ponder.

Praising God for blessings

Extends them.

Praising God for troubles

Ends them.

Sunday, 15 NOV 2009

By John M. Grier Jr. (Charlie Grier’s grandson)

“I woke up this evening (I work nights) around 7pm to discover the power was out.  After stumbling through the dark, completely disoriented and finally finding my wife, I discovered the power had been out for a few hours.  I made my way back to the bathroom and pondered my dilemma.  How would I get ready for work?

“I had to shower, get dressed, and pack a lunch, many things that we take for granted every day.  These “modern conveniences” have taken control of our lives and we didn’t even know it was happening!  It was not that many years ago, in the grand scheme of things, that electricity was a luxury, but now it has become something we rely on for everything.

“Take the life of my grandfather, for example.  He was born in 1906.  When he was born, there were production cars being made, but only rich people had one and you rarely saw one.  Electricity was around, but not everyone had it.  Running water was the same way.  Many people, perhaps most people used an outhouse, carried water from a spring or stream and had very little use for electricity.  Clothes were washed by hand; a block of ice, cut from a pond in the winter and stored underground in an “ice house” was the source of refrigeration.

“Now, as I pondered my situation, I came to the conclusion that I could take a bath in a sink, using cold water and would somehow survive the experience, when the power suddenly came back on.  I was saved!

“Isn’t it funny how we take something for granted?  We wake up in the morning (or evening in my case) to an electric alarm clock and take a shower using water heated by a machine, without any thought whatsoever as to how it works or what we would do without it.

“We then make our way to the kitchen for a glass of juice or, as in the case of many of you, a pot or two of coffee, prepared automatically by the machine itself, pick up the newspaper that has magically arrived while we slept, get into our car and drive a distance that would have taken our ancestors hours, if not days to travel, passing through a drive through for our breakfast, which is handed out a window so we don’t even have to get up to get it!  We do all of this without any thought whatsoever as to how it happens or what we would do without it.

“If any one item in our routine breaks down, we have trouble handling it.  What would we do if all of a sudden electricity was no longer available?  Most of our machines would not operate and we have gotten to the point that we could not function without them.  Think about it.  How would you wake up, bathe, have breakfast and make it to work if electricity and gasoline were not available?

“Most of us wouldn’t even try.  What would we do if, after taken away they were never brought back?  Many of us would simply die of starvation.

“Throughout history, life has been a struggle.  The basic things we take for granted today, our ancestors worked all day to achieve.  For example, if you wanted to eat, you had to plant a garden, care for it and eventually you would be able to eat it.  If you wanted it to last through the winter, you had to can the items so they would last.  If you wanted meat, you would have to kill an animal, clean it and then prepare it.

“This all takes a bit more time than just grabbing a steak out of the freezer and slapping it on the grill.  This brings us to the art of cooking.  You would have to gather firewood to cook with and leftovers would not last, because there were no refrigerators.  They may make it to morning, but that was it.  This would dominate your day.  And, tomorrow, you would have to do it again!

“Travel of distances more than a few miles would only happen if it was absolutely necessary.  How would you get there?  Walk?  Perhaps ride a horse?  I don’t know about you, but I am extremely grateful for our modern machines that make life so easy.

“However, a very big question comes to mind.  What have all of these modern machines done to us?  We look at them and begin to think we are intelligent and no longer need God.  Have our machines become our gods?  Or, have we progressed to the point that we believe we no longer need Him or even believe He exists?

“If we lost our vehicles, we would not be able to find work that would allow us to get caught up on our bills and we would lose even more.  Eventually, we would get to a point where we had nothing at all.  Then, we would turn to God and ask him why this all happened to us.

“Many of us at this point would become bitter and wonder why God allowed this to happen, after all, we are basically good people.  The simple answer is that God wants us to rely on him.  We manage our lives without him, and never have time for him, with all of our “stuff”, without realizing that all he wants is to get to know us and for us to know him.  He will meet our needs, if we let him.”

-End quote (condensed)

God is BEFORE me, He will be my guide;

God is BEHIND me, no ill can betide;

God is BESIDE me, to comfort and cheer;

God is AROUND me, so why should I fear?

Uncle Ben’s (c 1976) p.175