WHY JESUS IN MORE IMPORTANT THAN SANTA:
Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh.
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year.
JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies.
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited.
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.
You have to wait in line to see Santa.
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap.
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"
JESUS knew your name before you did.
Not only does He know your name, He knows your address too. He knows your history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on your head.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly.
JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can o ffer is HO HO HO.
JESUS offers Health, Help and Hope.
Santa says "You better not cry."
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."
Santa's little helpers make toys.
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions. Santa may make you chuckle but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree. JESUS became our gift and died on a tree.
Yes, from sin He sets us free!

I received this from an electronic newsletter to which I subscribe. I though it just hit the nail on the head.

I'm so excited...our 3-day week next has turned into a 2-day week. Whoohoo! Eid officially starts a day earlier than they had on the school calendar so we're off a day early.

I'm feeling so lazy tonight. For once, after nights of staying up late to watch the 3rd season of LOST with DH (we didn't watch last night so I went to bed on time) I have energy and don't want to go take a nap. I need to go to the grocery store but I'd rather be home playing my keyboard and blogging in peace while DH has the kids at taekwondo. E takes taekwondo and the twins like to join in. E's classes are Sun-Thurs for 2 hours. This school actually uses pretty full contact, not what he's used to in the States so he's collected a fair amount of bruises. I'm really proud of him...he's learning a lot and really enjoying it.

While playing my new keyboard (OK, used from Friday Market) I was playing through an old songbook from Grandma called "Youths Favorite Songs". It's actually rather old and Grandma and Grandpa gave it to me for Christmas because I'd found "The First Nowel" in it and couldn't stop asking Grandma to sing it with me. I found a hymn in there (we have a newer version in the LBW but who knows what they've done to it in the latest hymnal-if it's even included still). It really spoke to me this afternoon. It's so different celebrating Christmas over here where the more "traditional" things have to be improvised or left out. We have a church to worship in though and our Christmas tree. It's in front of our living room window for all the neighbors to see. Our next door neighbor when we lived upstairs decided she wanted one. I'm sure that would have gone over well in her family. LOL So we have our tree and we have our Christmas CDs and I can tune into WindFM from Springfield online. I sit and listen to it with headphones when the Islamic and Arabic teachers are in the room teaching my girls. Anyway, here's the song that stuck with me this afternoon.

When lights are lit on the Christmas tree, And children sing with glee,
My heart is full of joy untold In Yuletide story old.

At Christmastime we sing in praise, With hearts so light and free,
We sing of Him who bro't us life And taught us charity.

All earth must feel this joy with me, Beneath the Christmas tree,
And may the brotherhood of men, Abide in peace again.

For some really good teaching on Christmas, go to www.oneplace.com/ministries and click on Grace to You. He's having a series on the ugliness of Christmas...it'll make sense once you listen to it. Excellent food for thought.

Have a nice day, ladies.