The "Secret" Is Out!

We have had a blessed holiday season so far.  Our Waterford Apartments office staff provided the main dishes (along with the service and clean-up) for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners here in the Rosedale Court Community Room.  The residents brought side-dishes and desserts to make truly scrumptious and festive meals.  On the Eve of Thanksgiving our sister Jean and brother-in-law Bob Larsh drove down from Indianapolis to treat us to a delicious dinner at our new Cracker Barrel restaurant here in Crawfordsville.  During the build-up to Christmas we were able to compose our annual newsletter to our friends and loved ones, then to mail it and also some gifts to our scattered family members.  It was a special treat around each holiday to visit via e-mail, phone and internet "Skype" and Facebok with our kids, grand- and great-grandkids from Sao Jose, Santa Catarina, Brazil, South America, to Gig Harbor, Washington.  We enjoyed, too, the greeting cards from family and friends from "all over," some of whom we have corresponded with since our service in Germany in the 1950's! On December 18 we celebrated our 63rd wedding anniversary with dinner out and watching a gift DVD of Andre Rieu and orchestra ("Home For Christmas"), which included some songs in German.  The day after Christmas and since we have had snow on the ground which makes for more seasonal nostalgia ("I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas").  During this time we also watched some Hallmark TVspecials and one proposed to reveal "The Christmas Secret" (which turned out to be that Santa was an ancient Viking working with elves whose raindeer could fly!).  So, in our Rosedale Court Bible Class each Thursday afternoon I set out to set the record straight by bringing a series of studies on the theme "The Real  Christmas Secret"!   Briefly, yes, there was an ancient St. Nicolas, but he was not all-wise and all-powerful. amd, if he had reindeer, they could not fly.  I'm not mimicing Scrooge here, but it seems that we have so commercialized Christmas and tried to make it politically correct to wish others a "Happy Holiday" while they decorated the "Holiday Tree," that we have downplayed the Birth of Christ and the true reason for His first coming.  As Philippians 2:5-8 states, "...Christ Jesus... was made in the likeness of men..and...He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!"  Praise the Lord, He is a living Saviour and coming again at any moment!  On that basis we trust you have had a truly MERRY CHRISTMAS, and we pray that you will have a Biblically HAPPY AND HOPE-FILLED NEW YEAR ahead!