BRIGHT SIDE ARCHIVES FROM AOL: FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20TH, 2006

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

DECEMBER 20TH,2006

TODAY'S THOUGHT

I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.

Charles Dickens

TODAY’S ACTION

Let your heart inspire your life.

TODAY’S QUOTE

There is a Christmas song upon the air,

There is a joy innate within the heart;

An inner sense of peace, a holy light

Illumines life and sets these days apart.

Edna Greene Hines

HAPPY WEDNESDAY

Celebrating Christmas is delightful, and sharing it is a joy.

I’m enjoying all the verses, links and stories about Christmas and believe me there are many out there and I hope the few I’ve put in my daily e-mail have brought you some joy too!

Today is Over the Hump day and tomorrow is my last day of the work week. Maybe by tomorrow night I’ll have DS#2 and his family home for the Holidays.

I’ll have to make sure that my camera batteries are charged and take lots and lots of pictures to share with you all.

Remember I always put the pictures in my journal ‘Good Morning Sunshine’ and you’ll always find the link to it at the end of my e-mails.

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.

God Bless You !

( On my way home from work today St. Agnes Church had a sign out that said: O Prince of Peace – Grant Us Peace . Amen ! )

TODAY IS…CROSSWORD PUZZLE DAY

On December 21, 1913, the first crossword puzzle appeared in the Sunday edition of the New York World. Arthur Wynne had been asked to devise a new game feature for the newspaper. He remembered a child's game called "Magic Square" where words had to be arranged to read across and down. He changed this by giving "clues" instead of the actual words, and the crossword puzzle was born.

TODAY’S TRIVIA

Today is Try To Remember Where You Hid The Christmas Gifts Day

Today is National Go Caroling Day

1790: The first successful cotton mill in the United States began operating at Pawtucket, Rhode Island

1803: The Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States during ceremonies in New Orleans

1879: Thomas A. Edison privately demonstrated his incandescent light at Menlo Park, New Jersey

1920: An English-born comedian named Leslie Downes (Bob Hope) became an American citizen. He had lived in the United States since 1908.

1946: The film "It's a Wonderful Life" premiered in New York City. It starred Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Bailey, Henry Travers as Clarence Oddbody (trying to earn his wings) and Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter.

1952: Jimmy Boyd reached the #1 spot on the record charts with the Christmas song of the year, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

Question: What historic resort town in Virginia restricts its Christmas decorations to items that colonial people would have used?

Answer: Williamsburg

TODAY’S SMILE

The "W" in Christmas

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience.I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing,endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the Precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old.For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production.

Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation.All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.

Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.

As I waited,the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was Slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.

As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, “Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her;a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".

The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this Little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W". Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.

A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, There was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud And clear:

"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"

And, I believe, He still is.

Amazed in His presence...humbled by His love.

HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON!

TODAY’S LINK

A Beautiful Advent Reflection for the Third Week of Advent

http://www.stelizabeth.org/advent/adweek3_06.html

TODAY’S WORD

ha·lo noun.

1.a. A circular band of colored light around a light source, as around the sun or moon, caused by the refraction and reflection of light by ice particles suspended in the intervening atmosphere.

b. Something resembling this band.

2. A luminous ring or disk of light surrounding the heads or bodies of sacred figures, such as saints, in religious paintings; a nimbus.

3. The aura of majesty or glory surrounding a person, a thing, or an event that is regarded with reverence, awe, or sentiment. To encircle with or as if with a halo.

TODAY’S REFLECTION

You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

Other names, like the names of those we love, are inexpressibly precious. But for those of us who are redeemed by God’s grace, the name of Jesus is the most meaningful. And it is to our heavenly Father as well.

He “has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, . . . and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).

From OUR DAILY BREAD

http://www.rbc.org

TODAY’S ADVICE FROM THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC

Use lemon oil in place of furniture polish.

1 DAY 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’

www.bigmarainey.com