I have an overwhelming joy in my heart today. I am in such awe and maybe in a lot of incomprehension but infinitely grateful for what Christ did for us. I am so so happy ! I remembered today that there is no time today for self centred thoughts! I will focus my eyes on Him! I as well prayed today for every single member I met on this forum to be filled beyond imagination with Joy and is blessed a blessing upon another! Merry Christmas all! Philippians 2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Already, but not yet. Who here waits until Christmas Eve night to put the angel on the top of the Christmas Tree? It only makes sense, to me. After the long wait for the Messiah's dreadful judgment to commence at the End of Times, we suddenly turn back the clock to the first, more innocent coming of the little Child. What a contrast, what a joy!
Already but not yet indeed! We wait in observing still Advent fast till today noon! And you are right it only makes sense to wait till today to put the angel on the top of the tree. We plant wheat and all sort of lentils earlier on in December and we keep them out and water them and only today we bring them in before the manger
Here is a poem written by Rev. Daniel Hallows, Rector of Gilston in Hertfordshire, 1733: "On Chriſtmas-Day, Dec. 25. being the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. This Day the Church doth keep in Memory Of Christ, the Son of God's, Nativity: Who was in Bethl'hem, in a Stable born, (A Room which Gentlemen and Ladies scorn: ) And in a Manger would vouchsafe to lye, To teach us mortal Men, Humility. This wond'rous Birth the Angels did declare To Shepherds, as by Night they watching were: They, by the Angel's kind Direction, went, And found their Saviour to their Heart's content. Then joyfully return'd they Home again, And praising God for what they'd heard and seen, They spread the News so welcome unto men; So long expected, wish'd-for, and desir'd, And which can never be enough admir'd. God in the Person of his only Son, Gave us Himself! what could he more have done? O let this love, which doth all thought transcend, Make us to love him, and our Lives amend; To leave our Sins, from which he came to save All those, who would by him Salvation have. To love and help the poor for Jesus' sake, And to their Cottages our Visits make: Since he a State of Poverty did chuse, And sumptuous Pomp and Grandeur did refuse: And let us love our greatest Enemy, Since Jesus Christ even for such did die; And bids us love, and bless, and for them pray; And not from them our Faces turn away, But do them good, altho' they ill requite; Which is the Way to overcome their Spite. Thus, if ye love me, says our blessed Lord, Keep my Commandments, and obey my Word. And if a Man his Saviour loves not, he A Monster of Ingratitude must be; And at the last, tremendous, dreadful Day, He'll be Anathema, Maran-atha. What! love not him, who being in the Form Of God, became a poor despised Worm! To save us Wretches from Damnation; O most amazing Condescension! What Thing, so strange as this, can any tell? That God's eternal Son should come and dwell In Humane Flesh, our great Immanuel! Why was't he would be born, why would he die To save us from eternal Misery? To do all this for us, what could him move? St. John has plainly told us, God is Love. ALL Glory to the mystick Three For our Redemption; Glory for Christ's Nativity, Both God's, and Mary's Son! Neither the brightest Seraphim In Heaven, ever can, Nor the most knowing Cherubim, Conceive God's Love to Man! All Glory to the sacred Three, One ever-living Lord: As at the First, still may he be Belov'd, obey'd, ador'd. Amen. Amen."
Amen. Glory be to God in the highest. Let the darkness of sin be banished by the light of the incarnate LORD, the Messiah!
Merry Christmas to you all, good friends! May the Good Lord bless and keep you all the days of your lives.
To all my Cousins and others, including Admin and Celtic, a very merry Christmass and all the best for the new year!