I have started working on ornaments and had planned on doing the Fall Craft and Bake Sale at out Senior Center but just do not have time to prepare enough for a good showing. Hope that this next year will find me able to get a lot more crafting time in. I have my craft room back and am now working at getting it more organized.
I have had a very busy summer. I did not get near the things done I wanted to as far as crafting. Maybe now things will return to normal for me. Of course it has been so long since it was normal I am not sure if I will no what is my normal again.
Several years ago I received a wonderful book for Christmas from an on-line friend. It was called " Moments for Christmas " by Robert Strand. It is a book of uplifting reflections on the true meaning of Christmas. I thought I would share parts of the book that I think have such wonderful meanings .
The first share is called " How about a Good Word for Santa"
"At Christmas, when calling us to be manger-people, perhaps Jesus would say: Consider If You Will My Servant. Nicholas. Born of wealthy parents in A.D. 280 in a small town called Patara in Asia Minor, he lost his parents early to an epidemic but not before they had given him the gift of Faith. And then little Nicholas went to Myra, and lived there a life which people called " Bethlehem"..... so full it was of self offering and giving of himself, so full of sacrifice and the love and spirit of Jesus.
Nicholas lived in the mind of Christ so when the town needed a bishop he was elected. He was later imprisoned for his faith by the Emperor Diocletion and was later released by Emperor Constantine.
Many stories of his generosity collected and spread--how he begged for food for the poor, of how he would give girls money so that they would have a dowry to get a husband. The story that was most often repeated told how he would don a disguise and go out and give gifts to the poor children. He gave away everything he had. And everything he could gain from others.
In A.D. 314 he died . His body was later moved to Italy. His remains are still there.
But the story of Nicholas has spread around the world.
Oh, people have done strange things to him. The poet, Clement Moore gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. And Thomas Nast, the illustrationist, made him big and fat and gave him a red suit trimmed in fur. Others gave him names, Belsnickle, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus.
But what is important about him is he lived in the mind and spirit of Jesus Christ. And because he lived like that in a gentle self offering love, he touched the whole world.
He lived what Jesus Christ taught and modeled. He caught the purpose of life. He made a difference in the spirit of Christ. And what is so exciting is that the same mind of Christ can and should be in us too.
What a wonderful goal for this season: I will open my mind and my heart and spirit so that the mind and spirit of Christ can be within me, reaching out to others to share his love. "
There are many wonderful stories of St. Nicholas which may be found on-line. So lets this Christmas remember in out hearts the true meaning behind our Santa Clause. Remember who he was and what he stands for.
