Wishing you all the Very Best from my home to yours.
May you and your homes be filled with Love, Joy, and Peace this Christmas and throughout the New Year.
Love and Care
Dianne :)
Thank you all who are remembering my mom in your prayers.
I hope to get around to visit you when I can. D.S :)
The Son
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection from Picassos to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door.
A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.” The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man.
He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
“Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”
The father hung the portrait over his mantel. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings.
Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “we want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.”
But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting.”
“We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids.”
But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
“We have $10, who will bid $20?”
“Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.”
“Ten dollars is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?”
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”
“What about the paintings?”
“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!”
God gave his son 2000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, his message today is, “the son, the son, who will take the son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the son gets everything.
Mathew Chapter 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Away in a Manger
Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Til morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there
Away in a manager is always the first carol that children are taught. Away in a Manger was originally published in 1885. The publication of Away in a Manger was in a Lutheran Sunday school book and this created the misconception that the lyrics of Away in a Manger were actually written by Martin Luther himself. The author is unknown. The music to Away in a Manger was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895.
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I can still remember as a little child, singing this Christmas Carol, at my grandparents house, many years ago, and my grandparents all have gone to Heaven to be with Jesus , who is no longer that little baby in a manger. He grew up, and died on a cross, for the sins of us all. He rose from the dead, and after being seen by his disciples , and over 500 people, returned to Heaven, and said He would one day come back, (Acts Chapter One), for those remaining on the earth who believed in Him, and had Faith in Him, and became His Followers, making them Children of The Living God.
I am one of those who believe , and Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the True Meaning Of Christmas. He is The Messiah. He is Emmanuel which means , God Is With Us. Can you imagine, God stepping out of Heaven, and taking the form of a human baby. Jesus was fully human, and fully God. Some will scoff, and say, “How can you believe such a thing”? I believe God’s Word, the Bible. It is called , Faith. You can read it for yourselves this Christmas , and come to your own conclusions, and pray God shows you who He really is and why He came to earth as a baby lying in a manger. If you truly seek Him you will find Him, and He will change your life forever.
