BRIGHT SIDE ARCHIVES FROM AOL: FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12TH , 2006

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

DECEMBER 12TH,2006

TODAY'S THOUGHT

A little smile, a word of cheer,

A bit of love from someone near,

A little gift from one held dear,

Best wishes for the coming year—

These make a Merry Christmas!

John Greenleaf Whittier

TODAY’S ACTION

Give the perfect gift--touch someone's life with love.

TODAY’S QUOTE

From home to home, and heart to heart,

from one place to another.

The warmth and joy of Christmas,

brings us closer to each other.

Emily Matthews

HAPPY TUESDAY

Tomorrow evening is our monthly dulcimer night. Wow the days are just flying by. I think we’ll be taking a ‘winter’ break after then and probably won’t get together again til the worst of the bad weather is over. It’s not much fun going out on dark, cold nights.

The weather didn’t used to stop me from doing anything, so it must be a sign of my age, that I’d rather stay in and not go out at night.

I did manage to get out at lunch time today and found a few more things for Christmas gifts …there can’t be much left that I’ll need to get.

Have a great day all ! Another wonderful one on the Way !

Please pray for God's protection of our troops and HIS wisdom for their commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

TODAY IS…OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE DAY

In 1531 a "Lady from Heaven" appeared to a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City; she identified herself as the Mother of the True God, instructed him to have the bishop build a temple on the site and left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years but shows no sign of decay 469 years later and still defies all scientific explanations of its origin. An incredible list of miracles, cures and interventions are attributed to Her. Yearly, an estimated 10 million visit her Basilica in Mexico City.

TODAY’S TRIVIA

Today is Gingerbread House Day

Today is National Ambrosia Day

(a dessert or salad made from oranges, bananas, and coconut)

Today is Guadalupe Day in Mexico

1901 Marconi receives 1st transatlantic radio signal, England to US

1946: After 20 years of research, Cincinnati’s Procter & Gamble introduced Tide, a detergent with a complex chemical compound that actually pulled oil and grease out of clothes and dissolved dirt into the wash water. The company soon became the biggest advertiser and the biggest detergent producer in America.

1969 "Hello Dolly" with Barbra Streisand premieres

TODAY’S SMILE

The Empty Manger

Author Unknown

He arrived early on Christmas morning to give the church a thorough inspection, noting with approval that the aisles and seats had been swept and dusted after the midnight Christmas Eve service.

Any lost purses, Bibles and gloves had been collected and sent to the office where the lost and found box was kept; every forgotten flyer and bulletin insert had been rounded up and discarded.

Outside it was just beginning to grow light. In the church, where only the pastor moved, candles flickered and threw shifting shadows on the arches and the stone floor. Occasionally, stray candlelight picked out the rich colors in the stained glass windows.

It was cold and, except for the pastor's slow tread, it was silent. He paused beside the almost life-sized nativity scene to say a Christmas prayer of thanksgiving to the One whose birth is celebrated.

The figures, each lovingly crafted with wonderful realism, sat on a small stage. A night sky and the star that led the shepherds and the wise men to the Messiah on the day of His birth could be seen through the open door of the stable. The shepherds were just entering, eyes wide in obvious awe. Various kinds of livestock stood in stalls or lay on the edges of the scene. And in the center was the Holy Family. Looking at the manger scene, the pastor could almost feel the reverence of that long ago night.

Slowly, a puzzled frown crept across his brow. Then his choked gasp rustled through the empty church. The manger was empty! The small figure representing the infant Savior was gone.

Hurriedly, and with growing agitation, the pastor began to search the church again. Starting by the manger, he peered back through the aisles, nearly crawling on his hands and knees to see all the way under each seat. But there was nothing.

Next, he called the custodian, thinking he may have seen the figure of the infant Jesus. Then he called the assistant pastor, but no one had any explanation. In the end, each shaking his head sorrowfully, they accepted the truth they had all been trying to avoid: The figure could not have been mislaid or lost - it must have been stolen.

The pastor reported the theft to the congregation that assembled not long after. His voice trembled as he told them what he had found earlier that morning. For a person to steal the very symbol of their reason for celebrating, he said, their very reason for hope - well, he just did not understand.

His gaze swept over the faces in the early morning congregation, disappointed to think someone in his own congregation might do such a thing. The figure of the Christ Child must be returned before this Christmas Day is over. No one will ask any questions, but it must be brought back immediately.

Then, he slipped from the pulpit and the choir closed the service with O Come, Let Us Adore Him. The manger remained empty throughout the day. Toward the end of the afternoon, discouraged and heavy-hearted, the pastor took a walk through the wintry streets of the neighborhood. Ahead of him he saw one of the youngest members of his flock, a 6 year old boy named Tommy.

Bundled shabbily against the cold, Tommy trudged up the sidewalk, proudly dragging behind him a toy express wagon. It was bright red and obviously Christmas-new. Knowing what sacrifice and scrimping the purchase of this toy must have meant - Tommy's family could barely make ends meet - the pastor was deeply touched.

The love Tommy's parents had for their little boy gave the pastor's heart a gentle warmth and he felt his faith in human nature beginning to return. He sped up so he could wish Tommy a Merry Christmas and admire the new wagon.

But as he drew nearer he saw that the wagon was not empty - there lay the baby Jesus, now wrapped and blanketed, but not quite hidden.

The pastor crouched down beside Tommy, one knee feeling the damp snow through his pant leg. His face was grim and disappointed. Tommy may be just a little boy, and one must make allowances, of course, but he was still old enough to understand that stealing was very wrong.

The pastor made this crystal clear to Tommy while the little boy stood, his seemingly guiltless clear eyes filling with what the pastor was sure were penitent tears. "But Pastor," Tommy quavered when at last the man finished talking. "I didn't steal Jesus. It wasn't like that at all." He paused to swallow hard and wipe a few tears away. "It's just that I've been asking Him for a red wagon as a Christmas present for a long time - and I promised Him that when I got it I'd take Him out for the first ride."

TODAY’S LINK

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS !

http://www.fromtheheartpostcards.com/xmas/old_fashioned_xmas.html

TODAY’S WORD

Nativity

Na tiv i ty / noun

1. Birth of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated by Christians at Christmas

2. Representation of Jesus Christ’s birth

An artistic representation especially a painting of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus

TODAY’S REFLECTION

“The Word became flesh.”

John 1:14

Christ’s presence transcended words. Those who followed him experienced him. They heard, saw, and handled the word of life in human flesh. And because of that they were able to observe Jesus as well as listen to him.

They heard him saythat he came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and then they watched him spend himself on the crowds and the needs of everyone who came to him.

They heard him tell them to remember him and what he did on the cross, and then served them bread and wine so they would have something tangible to remember him by

The Word of the Father appeared in the flesh and his name was Jesus, and today, our human existence has taken on hope. We can hear and see what he did in his earthly life, and trust his Spirit to give us the power to follow in his footsteps, deny ourselves, and serve those around us as he did.

May we be the fulfillment of the peace and goodwill the angels sang about on the eve of his birth!

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing …

Daily Devotion http://www.purposedrivenlife.com

TODAY’S ADVICE FROM THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC

Felt weather stripping glued to the underside of rocking chair runners will cut down on noise and scratched floors.

9 DAYS UNTIL WINTER

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your Heart

Psalm 37:4

I Love You All !!!

Be Blessed !!!

MY HOMEPAGE

I believe we should live ‘ON THE BRIGHT SIDE’