"Christmas Projects"

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

This message comes from Charles Swindolls "Insight for Living" for today:

December 14, 2010

Christmas All Year

by Charles R. Swindoll

Matthew 1-2

Have you ever thought about giving something away every day of the year leading up to Christmas? These daily gifts could be called our "Christmas projects," one per day, every day till Christmas. Just think of the fun of being able to say "Merry Christmas" in July!

Here are a few suggestions:

Mend a quarrel. 

Seek out a forgotten friend. 

Write a long overdue love note. 

Hug someone tightly and whisper, "I love you so." 

Forgive an enemy. 

Be gentle and patient with an angry person. 

Gladden the heart of a child. 

Find the time to keep a promise. 

Make or bake something for someone else. Anonymously. 

Release a grudge. 

Listen. 

Speak kindly to a stranger. 

Enter into another's sorrow. 

Smile. 

Laugh a little. 

Laugh a little more. 

Take a walk with a friend. 

Lessen your demands on others. 

Play some beautiful music during the evening meal. 

Apologize if you were wrong. 

Turn off the television and talk. 

Treat someone to an ice-cream cone (yogurt would be fine). 

Do the dishes for the family. 

Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt. 

Fix breakfast on Saturday morning. 

Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly. 

Encourage an older person. 

Point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you work with or live near. 

Offer to babysit for a weary mother.

Let's make Christmas one long, extended gift of ourselves to others. Unselfishly. Without announcement. Or obligation. Or reservation. Or hypocrisy.

This is Christianity, isn't it?

When you give yourself, the gift never has to be returned. 

Do you have some "Christmas projects" you could begin today?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, 

that we may share in the song of the angels, 

the gladness of the shepherds, 

and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. 

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. 

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, 

and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, 

and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, 

forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.   

Amen.

Robert Louis Stevenson

(http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/christmas.htm)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address. Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.