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EXCELLENT Reading for the Season. Shared this on Twitter with the words: ‘Best Christmas Read.’
Serious (Yet Happy) man that I am, I sort of Needed this. What a Beautiful story!
SIGNIFICANT words, in the order of their occurrence:
God knew the bigger plan… Loving someone is the biggest risk in life… when the tears fall, my precious, I will catch every one.
The Story, and the Author, have me literally in Tears. …A Beautiful story of Love, of Christmas.
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Hello, my Dear Friends! Wishes and the Blessings of Christmas to One and All of You!
Christmas, the festival of the Birth of Christ, is to remind Us of Emmanuel, which means God (Is) With Us!
We ALL have difficulties and problems, large and small, from which We seek Release. In larger matters they would call it Redemption!
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As I was watching a movie over the TV, the name of which I have forgotten, I heard something like the following:
A pilot is lost in the Arctic. He prays to God, and an Eskimo finds him and rescues him. …But for him, it was the Eskimo that saved him, and Not God. …But he calls his Wife who have been his Life Support, so to say, as his Eskimo. …Funny Blocks We have.
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People seem to think of God as an Old man with a beard. Here’s how Michelangelo thought of this, and Our’s is NOT much different!
And similarly, of the devil. This one is a peculiar being with a Red Body, Horns, and a Tail to boot, …Or So Most people think.
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The Real Question for Us is… What do We think of Christmas?
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Here’s to More Lifting Up People, Standing Up for Them, being their …Eskimo!
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Christmas, or Any Festival, according to me, should bring to Mind Two things: Thankfulness, and Compassion.
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At all Festivals, We feel We are Entitled to a Break, a Holiday, a ‘Letting down of Hair’ and Generally Relaxing. And that is Quite OK, and even Good. Go at it, With Thankfulness.
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At the Same time, Festival time or Not, there are Millions Who Have to Work that day if they have to Eat, and they are Lucky if they get some Work.
Little Flower Seller. Image from the Internet.
Festival Time or Not, Millions are without Home.
Particularly because it is Festival Time, some Nut Case might decide to throw a few Bombs, take a Machine Gun and raise hell.
And these Facts should keep Compassion in the Forefront of Our Hearts.
Particularly at Festival Times, give at least 20% of Your Earnings to the Poor. You will Not become poor by that. You will actually find Yourself Richer.
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Have a Blessed Christmas.
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SUPERB THOUGHTS on Christmas and the Christmas Season.
Many accuse Christians of Forced Conversion. …Before I write on this, let me say that I have MANY Friends among Hindus. After all, more than 8 out of 10 (88%) in India are Hindus. So it is Natural that Christians mingle and interact with Hindus.
Christians are accused of Forced conversions. This matter should be easily solved. There are Enough laws in this regard. The government can easily take steps if such charges are True. Christian Population has gone down from a high of 3% some years ago to 2.6% at present. This disproves Conversions by Force or by Enticement.
To repeat, Christians are accused of Forced conversions. Whereas FRINGE ELEMENTS of Hindus Forcibly prevent Us from Worshipping even on Holy days like Good Friday. (Read article).
This Photo accompanied the article in Facebook.
Special days of Christians like Christmas and Good Friday have become targeted. So called ‘good governance day’ kept on Christmas; judges have months of holidays, but have meeting on Good Friday.
WHAT HURTS Us Christians is that Our Hindu Friends do not Protest for Us. Christians expect their Hindu Friends to protest against the Violent Fringe Elements among them.
Reference to article:
Hindus Send This Message To Christians: We Will Burn Down Your Entire Church If You Do Not Leave
This thought, of Peace, at the Time of the celebration of the Birth of Christ, is something slightly new. Where everybody is wishing everybody else a ‘merry’ Christmas, I have thought of sharing some thoughts on Peace!
Graphic from: www.youtube.com
Peace is Not exactly Unconnected with Christmas. It is said that Angels were heard singing, heralding the Birth of Jesus, as We find it in Luke 2:14.
Today I confine myself to points on one’s Personal Peace. Let me share a few versions of the Second part of the verse quoted above:
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Peace is Not the Absence of Problems. It is Not even the Absence of Turmoil or Calamities even!
Let us consider the Holy Family. Are We Ready to Accept or Concede that Mary and Joseph enjoyed Peace? Or are We going to say that their Hearts were Restless? Mary’s heart had been ‘pierced’ with sorrow. But was She Restless?
What was their Situation? Right at the Birth of Jesus, herod wants to get Him killed. If We come to know that some enemies are going to kill our Child, not in some ‘story’ fashion but in Reality, would We be as Cool, Collected and ‘At Peace’ as Mary and Joseph?
It is Possible to be So.
…Speaking about Peace, there are Many who ask:
Yet, if We ask them, they would say they have plenty of Peace. If We are asking such types of questions, that means We are Lacking in Peace.
In the Toon above, from Facebook, the Artist seems to think that Mary and Joseph were perturbed when Frankenstein arrived instead of Frankincense. But look at the Face of the Babe!
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As I understand it Today, to me, Peace is the Assurance that God would Not find me Guilty. This is NOT in the sense of certain groups of Christians who think that once they are ‘Born Again’ or something, they cannot sin! God is Not going to be Fooled.
Putting it all in Another way, Would God say, “You have Not Wasted Your life?” We have to Remember that Life is Not about Accumulating Wealth, or even providing for our family. Even Animals take care of their young. What great credit in that?
Here come the words ‘Good Will’ and all.
If We have Wished Everybody Well, and If We have Worked for it by Labouring for the Welfare of Our Neighbour, Upto a Degree that would Satisfy God, then We can be Sure that He is Pleased with Us.
Many Christians think that ‘good works’ mean giving to Charity or, God Forbid, buying up those funny indulgences of yesteryear. This is Not what I am talking about. I am talking about being a ‘Good Samaritan’ to the Whole World, All the Days of Our Life! This would mean getting Your hands Dirty and Working up a Sweat. There is No Arm-Chair good will.
Have You Tried Your BEST at Working for the Welfare of Your Neighbour? Would God say so? Then Relax. Be in Peace.
I Wish You All the Blessings of Christmas. 🙂
Satisfied with Mediocrity? Oh, Yes, We are.
This time, let me (again!) take the case of the Indian Boxer, Sarita Devi. This lady has had to Suffer Both Injury and Insult, and that from Sanctimonious So-and-So’s, the AIBA. Not only are its judges corrupt, they defend these corrupt judges, and penalize those who dare question them.
Our Mediocrity comes here: AIBA has threatened to Ban Sarita Devi from Boxing events for Life, but have now, very ‘kindly,’ (remember, it is within inverted commas!), banned her just for a year. Most people are heaving a sigh of relief at this, that the Lady Boxer can at least participate at the next event in South America.
That is Sarita Devi in the Blue, Bashing away at her opponent All through the Match. And the AIBA declared the korean the winner! Image from Internet.
What Should be happening is to question and Challenge AIBA on its Absolutely Disgusting, Unjust and Corrupt decision against her. This should be followed by Dis-Recognizing the AIBA.
For Most of Us, Half Victories are Enough. Mediocrity.
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(We) Christians are going to Celebrate Christmas, once again, of course. Cakes ordered or baked, Clothes bought, Carols sung. But Is Christ Really asking us to sing Him Lullabies?
What happened to Verses like: ” Zeal for Your House Consumes me.” (Psalm 119:139, and 69:9, my own translation. The JB comes closest to mine, it uses the word ‘Devours,’ instead of my ‘Consumes.’).
How many of Us “Hunger and Thirst for What is Right,” (Matthew 5:6, JB). Are We Sure We understand the meaning of ‘Hunger and Thirst‘?
Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness means Fighting for Justice, and Fighting Against Injustice. If We want to fight injustices Just against Ourselves, then… Watch Out! This is what Christ Jesus says: “Why should God Reward You if You Love Only the people who love You?” Matthew 5:46, TEV.
Though I Simply Love the ‘Silent Night,’ Singing words like: ‘Son of God, Loves Pure Light,’ Do NOT Delight His Heart as much as Our Fighting for a Better World. Not by a Long Chalk.
Of Course, No Need to Believe me. We can find out Who is Right Only After We Die.
To All my Christian Friends of the Blogging world, when You celebrate Christmas this year, Please remember Ghana and try to do something about it.
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Amoafowaa, the author of: http://amoafowaa.com/ is a person I admire. Her Concern, and her Love Burning Bright, touches one’s heart. My Kudos and Regards to her.