The following is a letter from Florene Murry of California, USA. She wrote it in response to my essay regarding the observance of the birth of Jesus Christ. I am reproducing it here with her permission.

It's about time that those born and bred in the Church of Christ (those who are still there and those who have reluctantly or otherwise moved on) stand up and give that terribly blasphemed thing called a testimony! Thank you for yours!

Yes, I too recently got hold of the Christmas Essay you wrote. It tickled me to see that in print. I was encouraged by your courage to stand up for your convictions (and your right to have them) in a "society" that doesn't appreciate independent thinking. I sent the essay to several people so they could hear more than one point of view on something - people to whom the Christmas issue has always been, recently has become, or, if things continue (with others making policy for our family), will one day soon become, a major issue.

Neither your opinion nor mine may make one iota of difference to them, but one would think that after years of bondage to the opinions of others ...... not having a steadfast faith of their own in something ..... just doing it or not doing it because it was required to "remain in the fellowship" of the church (family/ organization/ whatever), with no freedom to decide for yourself ...... and if you had "taken a stand" against something that was so painfully distressing to your family; angering your unbelieving husband, causing a rift between your children and their spouses, offending many in your extended family, alienating your longtime friends, and bewildering the grandchildren ....... you just might want to re-think the issue. Of course, sometimes when you are up to your behind in alligators ......... you forget that your original intention was just to drain the swamp! And so, with that vision in mind, I think I'll write my own testimony as to "Christmas, and what it means to me." It just might tickle you!

My husband and I were third-generation, dyed-in-the-wool members of the denomination known as the Church of Christ. We were contented as two pigs in mud (that is, we thought we were). We were raised in the church, met in the church, married in the church, and were planning to raise our kids (4) in the church .... our plans never ever included leaving or abandoning the church of Christ faith. When you are RIGHT, there is no need of looking elsewhere, because you are RIGHT ..... right? Everything you did was RIGHT. The church was RIGHT, the name on the door was RIGHT, the things we did inside were RIGHT, and we looked just RIGHT while we did them ..... right? Well, I don't know how to tell THAT story without writing something equivalent to War and Peace. So, may this quote from the once blind man suffice: "I ONLY KNOW THAT WHEREAS I ONCE WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE."

There has never been a subject more convoluted, misunderstood, and misapplied than that of the issue of Christ's birthday, or rather the lawful celebration of it. When it comes to this issue, I am always reminded of what God said to Jonah: "Is it good you should be so angry over a gourd?" Is it good that Christians should be so agitated, irritated, and offended by anything that honors God or Jesus Christ? Does it truly make any difference what other people's motives are as they celebrate that, or any other holiday? Supposing that we as Americans, as we celebrate a glorious 4th of July, with all that is meant by that one word - FREEDOM - felt the need to go out and examine every person shooting off fireworks, enjoying a parade, going on a family picnic, even displaying the Flag of Freedom (which still yet flies over these United States of America), to see what they were actually celebrating. Were all those enjoying the day, actually joining with Americans in their celebration of FREEDOM? Perhaps they weren't Americans at all ..... perhaps they were foreigners who hate Americans, and they actually revel with every firecracker they fired off as a sort of memorial to every American who ever died on their home soil. How do we know what is in their heart, what they are actually thinking? Perhaps we better quit celebrating anything for fear of what some other person is doing. Or, it could be that the one who most enjoys 4th of July is totally ignorant of why we Americans celebrate it, therefore making him totally unacceptable. Or maybe the one celebrating just likes fireworks, and parades, and picnics! Who is going to be the judge?

Is it really any of our business what others do or why they do them? Or has it come to the same extreme in the judgments of all things, that some brethren would like you to think it has in the church? And namely this: "everything is my business, and if you don't believe me, just ask me!"

Some who have set themselves up as somewhat in the church believe that everything another member of the church believes or thinks concerning everything, is their business too. That's garbage! I don't know what every person thinks about everything. And you know what? I don't even care! Unless they deny the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ, it isn't any of my business. God knows! And that's all that's important. It is fascinating to me that there are those in the church who have never come to grips (totally) with the concept of the Virgin Birth ..... or of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit .... or of salvation at the Cross, through the BLOOD ..... or of Christ becoming sin for us .... or of us becoming righteous because of Him ..... yet somehow they manage to be judge and jury over a number of people who come under the power of their scrutiny ........ while escaping the same scrutiny themselves. That's amazing! How does that work???

Come on, let's get honest .... the birthday of my Lord Jesus was the birth date of God. Do you truly think God cares when you honor Him? When the word says that the devil flees at the name of Jesus ..... do you truly think God hates the Christmas celebration? (See, you can't even say it without saying the name of Christ!) He never hears Christ's name mentioned so many times in such a short period of time as at the Christmas season ..... and he hates it! Is it good that we should hate the same things the devil hates?

Is it good that we should hate the same things a Communistic regime hates? What is it that communist regimes discontinue first when they take over the rule of another country? They discontinue Christmas, and every other open observance of Christ. So ..... you want to be communist? You want to be associated with Madalyn Murray O'Hair? Stand up!! Get on one side of the fence or the other. You can't serve two God's. You are either for the God who sent Jesus (that would be the REASON FOR THE SEASON) or you are against him. You cannot speak evil of the thing that God did in his POWER, and still believe that what he did was a gift from Him, to you and to the rest of this sinful world!

When the Word says "only begotten son of God" it didn't refer to a child (as we would perhaps have an only child and could never have another), or something God did once and could never do again; rather .... it referred to the fact that God offered Himself once .... he became flesh only once .... that was the heavenly plan! He will never become flesh again for the salvation of mankind. He has given himself once for all time! It's enough to make you shout!! It's enough to make you hang banners, and run lights over every square inch of your house, your car, your boat and your tree tops! Hallelujah!! Christ reigneth!! The devil is defeated!! The plan is in operation ..... and salvation is ours, if we will but believe it and receive it! Joy to the world, The Lord has come!

And .... you know what? It doesn't have a thing to do with US and what we do, but it has everything to do with God becoming flesh, coming to earth as Christ the anointed one, and what Christ did for us! It doesn't have a thing to do with whether or not WE exchange presents with loved ones on that, or any other, particular day. It doesn't have a thing to do with whether or not WE give to the poor on that, or any other particular day. It doesn't have a thing to do with giving a token of our appreciation to a neighbor on that, or any other, particular day. It doesn't have a thing to do with whether or not WE run lights over our house in the celebration of the fact that JESUS was born on that, or any other, particular day. It doesn't have a thing to do with whether or not WE shout from a rooftop that CHRIST IS BORN on that, or any other particular day. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" ..... and for what reason did he give? Because the handwriting of ordinances (the Law and it's commandments) has been taken out of the way .... being nailed to His Cross (Col 2: 14-16). This is the HE that came as a baby, according to the promise of God. The Glory of God come to earth, accompanied by a host of Angelic beings; and they sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE, and GOOD WILL toward men" (Lk 2:14). "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL PEOPLE. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord."

And on some future day, at some appointed time, in the Garden of Gethsemene, this God, born on this day, would pay for the sins of all people. The debt would be paid. There would then be PEACE with God, and GOOD WILL toward men from God because of the work done on the Cross. Can you see? It truly has everything to do with what Jesus did, and nothing to do with what we do. "...for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." (I Jno 3:4-5) "Because the law worketh wrath; for where no law is, there is no transgression." (Rom 4:15)

I won't try to half-sole your essay. It was great. But I would like to tell you my own testimony concerning Christmas. Many of us with parents who came through the depression and the dust bowl era ..... making their way to California - broke, destitute, with a passel of kids, and a broken down old jalopy - were too poor to "do" Christmas, and certainly not "do" Christmas as TV often represented it. Many also had the same teaching heaped on them by "well-meaning" (but wrong) teachers concerning any Christmas celebrations being heathenistic as have some in churches of today. At any rate, many of us came from that background ... not knowing exactly why we believed what we believed .... we just did!

Then one year when I was about 9 years old, my Dad's sister and her 4 kids moved to California (where we lived) from Arizona. My Dad was "out of the church" at that time, and although we never did Christmas, somehow there were big plans that year for it. Whatever plans were made didn't involve children. Therefore, so far as I can recollect, any and all anticipation of the thing got skipped over. Even to this day, that day has never been discussed. My current idea of the thing is that my Grandparents (who lived nearby at the time) were used to being at the cousins for Christmas when they lived out of state ..... and it just looked too silly not to continue it once they moved to town.

There was lots of cooking going on. A big chrome pan full of Christmas candy. I think we even made popcorn strings and draped them about the house. Anyway .... Christmas came with presents for all the kids. My older sister got a big stand up doll. My older brother got a B. B. gun (complete with strictest instructions that if he shot anything that wasn't intended for shooting, Daddy would break the B. B. gun over an almond tree). Me and my twin sister got blue plastic purses (complete with nothing, we had to rummage through the house to find something suitable to stuff it with). We also got rubber dolls that drank and wet their diaper. The younger kids got a kick ball and various stuff not still part of my memory bank. Before the day was over, my brother shot the kick ball, and my Dad, true to his word, took the B. B. gun out and broke it over an almond tree ..... putting a kink in Christmas that would last the rest of my mother's lifetime, and that of many of her children, and even some of her grandchildren. What a terrible shame!

I always felt bad that things turned out as they did on that Christmas. Not so much for my brother (whom I secretly believed deserved whatever he got). So ...... perhaps the fiasco of the earlier Christmas contributed to Mom's eagerness to wholeheartedly accept a sermon she heard over the radio concerning the "ungodliness" of Christmas. She sent for the literature (which as you will see later came in very handy for furthering her agenda), and the decision was made to never celebrate that ungodly holiday again. Can you imagine calling the birth date of our Lord and Savior ungodly? (Well I did at one time ...... but can't imagine it now).

From that point in time we began to be indoctrinated with the satanic aspect of Christmas. She became obsessed with her hatred of that day. Ironically the literature came from Garner Ted Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God. And even the news of an adulterous situation within that church never altered her opinion or her opinion of their opinion, one bit. It looks as though if people relied on someone so blatantly ruled by the carnal side of themselves, and "not lead by the Spirit", then they might be wrong about other things too. What do you think?

Although Jim's side of the family didn't celebrate Christmas in a big way, they probably were not as strict as my Mother was on it. Once we were married, Jim went along with me on the "no Christmas" plan, and when Mom saw that we had made a believer (or was that a follower?) out of Jim, she got her information concerning Christmas (or rather the lack of it) together and gave it to him. (I have it to this day.) In his willingness to please her, he was doing such a good job of being a clone, she just thought she would help him along. Little did she know that that information she gave him would haunt me one day ..... and lead to many, many questions concerning many things. I knew, for example, that my Mother couldn't go to church with Garner Ted Armstrong, for sure. She couldn't have him speak in "her" church for sure. But she could adopt his beliefs about Christmas and foist them off on her entire family; her husband, her kids, her in-laws, and all future generations to come under her rule. She tried until the bitter end of all that she had control over, to keep her parents from going to any of the relatives in other states at "that time of year", doing exactly what she thought they were doing! Is that a hoot or not?

Well ..... in the meanwhile ...... true to form (and as was expected of me), I swallowed the whole thing hook, line and sinker. We didn't do Christmas, but we still had those birthday dinners for myself and my sis / often with Mother inviting the brothers and sisters who lived elsewhere "home for birthday." Odd that our birthday had such significance ....... because later Jim and I were disfellowshipped for believing in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday dinners stopped immediately! But then ..... that's a whole 'nother therapy session! Ha!

Anyway ..... Jim, wishing to be accepted, and as religious as the next one, especially his new in-laws .... denounced Christmas in a big way where his family was concerned (with me right behind him with that holier-than- thou prod pole); causing a great rift in our relationship with his sisters and brother later. But what did I care? Hey! RIGHT is RIGHT ....... right?

Jim took up the Christmas issue in the lessons he gave at church. Every year as Christmas approached ..... people would begin to whisper together and squirm in their seats. If anyone had charge of services (appointing the speakers etc.) who "did" Christmas, they just wouldn't appoint Jim to talk around that time. If anyone had charge of the services who "did not" do Christmas, they made sure Jim was asked to speak, and a week or so before Christmas was ideal timing! Of course we sat there in all our smugness, 'cause we didn't do that ...... and everyone knew it!

There happened to be a preacher working at Modesto during that time who really hated Jim's Christmas lessons; and his wife was one of the most outspoken regarding them. They loved the holiday, and made no bones about celebrating it. I wonder if he still does? What I meant to say is, I wonder if the brotherhood that opposes that holiday has come down on him as they have others? Surely if we at Modesto knew this about them, we were not the only ones who knew. (We are no longer at the Modesto congregation.)

Jim and I, like good little clones, "played-like" to each other that we hated the Christmas season, yet had many thoughts and questions to our own self about it. All the same questions you had, and answered so ably in your essay. We made our children miserable (all the while they tried to pretend that they weren't miserable, and pretended that they believed all things as we did, because it was TRUTH!!! (After all, Mom and Dad wouldn't teach something that wasn't true would they?) Well .... obviously! But that's another story! I hate that we missed out on the enjoyment we could have had when our children were young. We did so many really spiritually ignorant things because somebody said it.

And, even though we seemed to be abiding by all the c/of/c doctrines, and precepts ..... there came a time when our family began to be persecuted and aggravated at the c/of/c. I cannot explain it, I can only assume that it was jealousy, or rivalry, or God only knows exactly what. I can truly say, however, that we all believe now that God lead us out of that place. I don't know why he led us out and not others. Perhaps he did try to lead others and they wouldn't go. And I can say also that we didn't go easily. We went kicking and scratching. But we went nonetheless.

Those years were very trying times. Things were rough in our household, as we weren't Spirit led or Spirit fed, we just did things very religiously. And because nobody else in the church was Spirit led, it was a time of criticism, hurt, anger and stupidity. The minutes to months or even years of the "business-meetings" attest to the fact that it seemed to be the ultimate goal of every male member at some point in time to harass and harangue Mike and Jim. Actions and accusations of so many different kinds were brought up, cussed and discussed at business meetings that I cannot even begin to point them all out. In the midst (once again!!) of reprimanding my son Mike for the umpteenth time over hair that touched his ears, striped pants (a 70's thing!), wearing of shorts in P. E. at school, or a number of other silly things ........ and Jim for his good "Baptist" lesson on Grace, for his new found belief in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, for his belief that it wasn't dunking in water that saved you (baptism), but rather it was the blood of Jesus! And on and on .......... a very interesting thing happened to all of us. The Holy Spirit got hold of us, ALL of us at various times, and we've never been the same. I still believe we were drawn out by God's leading. Whether he allowed the harassing and intimidating, which caused it to be easier for us to "let go" of our place there, or whether he mixed it all up by throwing in the New Birth before all those other things .... I don't know. I just know that He did. I have never questioned that fact.

As the whoevers of the congregation continued the constant "struggle of wills" at the Modesto congregation and Jim and Mike were alternately used by some of the men when it was their appointed time to appoint ....... and sometimes not ...... we could see lines being drawn and sides taken up. (I see many things now that I didn't see then!) Silly and juvenile actions! The whole thing finally culminated when Jim went out to a little church in Waterford, Calif. that had been "disfellowshipped" by those loyal to the OPA stance, because they wouldn't take sides against Bro. Ervin many years ago.

Jim had been asked many many times to come and help out (it was the Macedonian call) one Sunday morning. He had brought up the fact that they needed help out there many times in the regular business meetings, but none was willing to go. (We didn't want to go, in fact Jim had turned them down several times because he knew it would cause a ruckus.) After all .... we were still concerned with, and trying very hard to "stay in fellowship." (I told you we went kicking and scratching!) They had discussed all this many times, and thought it O.K. for us to go out there sometime if we "needed" to, but certainly not on Sunday morning! Once we went on Sunday morning, ("before they told us we could," and I quote) we were marked and set aside for accusations, threats, kangaroo courts, and endless none- of- your- business questions - questions that don't really have an answer. The people with the questions didn't even know the answer I am absolutely sure! Yet, Jim was supposed to give them an answer that satisfied everyone! Stupid and irrational questions concerning relative issues, or "does the Holy Spirit work separate and apart from the word?" Exactly what does that mean? The Holy Spirit (God) works separate and apart from EVERYTHING! But he does nothing contradictory to his Word. And he works especially and absolutely apart from whatever you (or I) think about it.

God gave me a revelation in His knowledge during this time, and it had direct bearing on our think-so's concerning Christmas from that day on. Jim had been "re-upped" for a part in the service for that month out of necessity, or because the someone doing the selecting liked him, or he hated Christmas and wants him to teach against it, or doesn't know what else to do, so Jim is to give the lesson on the following Sunday evening. It is Christmas season. Hence, my following discussion with God about Christmas and all those ungodly (I was still confused about the season) people who celebrated it! I was just sicking God onto 'em!!!!

On this particular morning, out of loneliness and sheer frustration at everything that is happening, and in the midst of all this "I love you," "I love you not" / "God loves you," "God loves you not" ........ I was weeping into my dish pan, and bawling God out for the many inconsistencies of the whole thing. I knew that my Dad and Mom, who loved to play dominoes, went regularly to Jim's cousins house to play, and I knew that they had a huge Christmas tree in their living room. So I began to try to reason with God: "You know what God? I just don't understand, they are disfellowshipping us over differing beliefs on the Holy Spirit, but they play dominoes with a couple from church who has a six foot Christmas tree in their living room. We don't even celebrate Christmas! Why don't they disfellowship those people?" I guess I thought accusing them of Christmas would surely get God's attention, because everyone knew how much God hated the Christmas thing, right?

Little did I know that God was about to teach me that my ideas concerning Christmas were "off-base," no matter how devout I was about them! And he would teach us too, that a mere difference of opinion of the Christmas celebration was small potatoes in comparison to what was just about to happen in our lives. For faith in the indwelling Holy Spirit (the born-again experience) uproots lots of your preconceived (and wrong) ideas.

As I was doing the dishes that morning, carrying on my conversation of reprimand with God, a scripture (in part), from the old testament came to my mind. I didn't know where it was but this is what it was: "Learn not the way of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven." That verse kept going 'round and 'round in my head until I took off my rubber gloves, got the concordance, and looked it up: Jer. 10:1-2 (it took a while to locate it in the concordance and a while to locate Jeremiah, as I wasn't that familiar with the Bible.... Ha, who am I kidding? I wasn't familiar with it at all!!) I went back to my dish washing, and had just said out loud, 'O.K. God, so what's the deal with that scripture?' When all of a sudden, I realized that the scripture didn't say what I had always been taught that it said. For I thought it said, "Learn not the way of the heathen, who cuts down a tree and nails it to the floor." I took off my gloves and went back and reread the scripture. "Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven for the heathen are dismayed at them." Then I noticed a scripture up the page just a few verses, in Jer 9:24, "...let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understands and knows me..." I reread those two scriptures together, then put my gloves back on and resumed my dish washing. Again a verse from Jeremiah came to mind. I took off my gloves once again (I am really getting tired of this by now! But I am fascinated at what is taking place. I have never ever had scripture speak to me .... or rather the Holy Spirit speak through scripture!) I found the scripture that read, "For the customs of the people are vain for one cutteth a tree out of the forest ..... the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe." What work of the workman? Cutting the tree? No, it was something different. The scriptures meant something other than I had always thought they did. Awwwww ...... he's carving it! Making a graven image out of it? Yes?? Yes!! "They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not."

So, they have made this graven image (idol), and decorated it because they are dismayed or perplexed at the heavens! Now the lesson Jim had given in times past made more sense in one sense ..... the heathens didn't understand or know God. They didn't understand that there is a God who has made everything, and divided the year into four seasons that He himself governs like clockwork and going at regular intervals. If they had KNOWN God, they wouldn't be decorating the graven image (as though it were a God). O.K ..... so I've got the message ..... only it still sounds like we aren't supposed to be cutting down a tree and nailing it to the floor........

But wait ... could I be wrong about the emphasis on that? Could it be that the emphasis was on KNOWING God? Well, we did know God but I wasn't going to rush out and buy a Christmas tree (it just wouldn't look right / you might offend those who couldn't have one), and besides I couldn't start spending a lot of money on presents because everyone knew that there were lots of poor people who could use the money (well true ... if I gave it to them they probably could use it, but instead I "gave to the treasury" ...... everyone knows that's where you are supposed to "give" ..... right?). O.K....back to my dish washing. Will I ever get these dishes done? Not yet!

Another verse came to mind (I didn't know the whole verse on any of these that are coming to mind / God really didn't have much to work with here): "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord." Jer 31:34 / Heb 8:11. 'O.K. Lord, but my question was about Christmas .... and about those people who celebrate it. God said to me, "So? What do you care who celebrates my birth? What difference does it make to you if everyone in the world celebrates the birth of Jesus? What does the verse I just gave you mean to you?"

The dish water has gone cold by now ..... I sit with the Bible in my lap and try to comprehend what God is trying to teach me. It is hard for me to acknowledge the fact that God is speaking to me through the Word and through the Spirit. Yet, I know it's Him. Nobody has ever so lovingly or patiently tried to teach me anything before. I stare at the passage longer: "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me ... from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord." Of course!! It was as plain as the nose on my face suddenly. How did the whole world know about Jesus? By his birthday celebration! No longer will every man teach his neighbor (no matter if his neighbor lives thousands of miles away / or right close), for every man will know Him. It's through the Christmas celebration!! How could I be so shallow minded? How could I not know that before God had to hit me on the head with it? The whole world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, UNLESS they are under a Godless governing body of unbelievers. What does that say about us as Christians who hate the celebration of Christ's birthday? Oh! I was humiliated! To think of all those things I had said, quoted, misquoted, and taught as truth. If it were not for the whole world celebrating Christmas, we would all be (by commandment) knocking on every door in our neighborhood just to tell them about Jesus. Now we should be knocking on doors to give them a personal testimony to His saving power and His transforming love. I was rightfully chastised. And I knew it. WHAT I did "with" the celebration of Christ's birthday from this day forward was not the issue ...... WHY I was opposed to it, and WHY I felt a need to condemn and criticize others was the issue.

When Jim came home that evening, I told him about my revelation. He recognized the truth contained in the message immediately, and I asked him not to give that lesson anymore. We discussed it, prayed about it, and he decided that he wouldn't be giving it. I had already heard from someone at church that two or more couples wouldn't be there when it came Jim's scheduled time to talk, for they had already made "diligent inquiry" into when it would be. He didn't give that lesson on that night, or ever again. So those who stayed away, stayed away for nothing! Ha!

Just because the heathen made idols from fir trees, do we now have to go about cutting down every fir tree in the world? Do we have a need to "spy-out" the freedom which belongs to others? Do we then have a need to disfellowship them? Do we know anyone who worships a tree? Do we bow down before trees? Of course not!! Nor do we bow down before a candelabra. Or before the sun streaming through the window. Or before a picture of a rainbow! Why? Because we KNOW God, and we are KNOWN of God.

Sometimes I think we in the United States, for all our freedoms, are a people absolutely destitute of any form of heritage. We have no family handed-down customs or traditions. Even though God demanded that the people of old remember their heritage through celebration, we are forbidden by the fearful to express any form of "self." And if we come "into the church" knowing any, we are forbidden to use them. What a shame! I understand now after many years of wishy-washy thinking on the matter of Christmas and it's celebrations, that those who are the most critical of them, are the most fearful of all things. The Word says: "to the unbelieving and the fearful, nothing is pure." We are all so afraid that God's 'gonna get us!!" I love the passage in the Bible as it talks about the preparations for the celebration of the Passover. "And Miriam .... sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dance. And Miriam answered them (led them in chorus), sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea!" (Ex 15:20) That literally gives me cold chills. What a vision of praise that conjures up. If we had a vision!! But then we remember this sentence: "my people perish for a lack of vision." (Maybe it was those difficult 4-part harmony songs that only "a few good men" (and women) could sing well that was part of the loss of our vision. Or, maybe it was that regimented 5 songs, a prayer, and an endless sermon by the OPA approved brethren only (no chance for a new idea or a new thought here! (Remember, "Anything new is not true, anything true is not new." [actual quote from a well known preacher] Preposterous! And it's also censorship to the max!)

My Grandmother used to have a funny saying: "Well," she would say, "if I had some bread I would have some bread and butter, if I had any butter!" So ...... if I knew how to dance, I would take up the timbrels and do so, if I had some timbrels!

God reminded me that He gave his ALL, why would he care if we get together in love, and give to one another? Jesus gave his ALL. We are to be imitators of the both of them. Those in the know these days say one of the problems with juvenile delinquency is a loss of family fellowship: sharing ideas and think-so's around the eating table, remembering the anniversaries, birthdays and other celebrations. Society battles daily the lack of "togetherness" in families. We pretend it is a problem only suffered by the "world." That's utter nonsense. Right in my very own family we have a rift so large that it is hardly comprehendable that people who claim to be Christian could act in such a way. We only do as members of the church, what we do as members of the family. If we are "in the church" (recognized as faithful members because we never miss church services and have been dunked in water), but have never experienced the New Birth (Jn 3:3/5), then we Do in the church what the unregenerated, unBorn-Again person that we are has always DONE to get our way, and get our needs met in the family. However ..... if we have been Born-Again, we DO in the church as Jesus would have us Do. I have often wondered (in my family alone) how things might have been different IF, instead of being taught to withhold from each other, our love, approval, friendship, and forgiveness .... we might have through at least one day set aside for that particular purpose (Hmmm, Christmas comes to mind!), to forgive and forget past hurts, to give and accept love and approval from one another, for love "covers a multitude of sins," hurts, and unforgiveness. Sounds right to me, but then the "world" already has such a time.......!!

Well, they can go ahead with their pinch-faced, lemon-lipped approach to life. But as for us ..... we will serve the Lord by loving one another, in anyway that we can. We will continue to exchange tokens of our appreciation. We will shop with the "world" and sing the Christ-centered Christmas carols with the neighbors. We will share with the elderly and the ill, the house bound, the children, and the grandchildren. Chances are, that they in turn will learn to share with others. Can you think of a greater opening for the Gospel of the GOOD NEWS of Jesus? Hark!! The Herald Angels sing! Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth, and good will to all men.

But what do we, if we are required to stick to the rules, obey the laws as handed down by men, keep the ordinances or be damned ...... teach our young, our new members about love, forgiveness, freedom and Grace? We teach them just what others before have taught us, and it is not a pretty sight! "Give nothing!" "Forgive nothing!" "Allow nothing!" Disfellowship and disassociate yourself from any who think otherwise ..... and teach it to others. "Peace on earth, and let it begin with me" you say?? I think not!

Until God tells me differently, we at this house, who never got to "do" Christmas as a kid, or with our kids, will continue to "get it all over the place". We will continue to make a big mess, buy too much, eat too much, talk too much, and spend too much. Hopefully we will learn to take this opportunity to talk more about Jesus and the Gift He gave ...... and less about ourselves and the gift we gave.

In Him and not Ashamed of celebrating Christmas, even though every Christmas morning I wake up one year older than the day before. Ha!

Flo (of [email protected])