Christmas greetings to all...

It's hard to believe another Christmas Day is just around the corner. Shortly afterwards, my family and I head out west for my son's wedding. Any prayers for traveling mercies will be deeply appreciated!

I will be taking an extended break from blogging as we celebrate the holidays and then the wedding. As my Christmas card to any who visit this blog, here are the lyrics to Chris Rice's beautiful "Welcome to our World," copied from this site. I think this song says it all.

"Welcome to Our World"

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make yourself at home
Please make yourself at home

Bring your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world--Chris Rice



And by popular demand...

I shared this on the air on 101qfl this morning, and a listener asked me to post it on my site. Actually, I got it from the Grif net, Dr. Bob Griffin's site that e-mails humor and good stuff to me every day. (Check it out for yourself.)

Enjoy and take to heart:

I Corinthians 13 -- Christmas Style

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling
lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just
another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at
mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all
that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me
nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes,
attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not
focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and
table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but
rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things.

Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost,
golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.