Setting aside the assembly of research notes for topics and issues I am following; I turn to send a simple message on this holiest of holy nights. I am thankful for you in ways I will never be able to convey.
When we say “Merry Christmas” do we think about it?
This is the day of great joy, the greatest joy of all. Tonight, we celebrate a loving and purposeful blessing provided to us by our Creator. The universal truth. The pure perfection of a loving Child born in the most ordinary fashion for us, to us, to guide and share the most blessed and purposeful message that could ever be delivered to mankind: We are Loved.
The message in the story of Christ’s birth is pure love. Sit in the peace created by our acceptance and join together in joy.
Years from now, it is unlikely anyone will remember that thing they unwrapped. What they will remember, what will have much greater impact, is a message from YOU to THEM that they matter, that they too are loved.
Think about what “Merry Christmas” means, when you say it.
The Merry Christmas moment provided by you, will NEVER be forgotten.
That look in your eye or sound of your voice that reaches them and emphasizes their value, their worth, their importance; that is the gift they will remember in great detail, forever.
Hope is the necessary human element beyond all other facets of life. Give the gift of hope and light to those you love by first reminding yourself of the gift that a loving God has given us all. It is too easy in our human sense to forget the biggest gift we have been granted, the gift of life. The ability to live and choose how we engage in the lives of others.
Remind yourself when you say “Merry Christmas” of the kind of purposeful HOPE that would leave the most glorious throne to be born into a manger as a baby, only to grow into a Man willing to lay down His everything for the flawed people amid humanity. Why? Because that hope is pure. That love is perfect.
No politics or false sense of security can overwhelm the message of HOPE that a loving God has provided. No effort of man or human disposition can surmount the greatest love of all. The message of Christ’s birth is bigger and greater than any political or legislative battle.
“No power of hell, nor scheme of man” can come close to the purpose of God’s intent and love for you as a unique person qualified to receive that love.
Turn “Merry Christmas” into an action message.
Engage in the moments around saying “Merry Christmas” with a loving purpose filled with the HOPE that He provides. Fall forward to the centered purpose of your life, a very special life, and reflect on the gift we often are too busy to contemplate.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”
Revelation 21:1-6
Merry Christmas Sundance..
And to you too Treehouse Friends, I mean Treehouse Family…
may you have blessings galore..tomorrow and next week and always..
Merry Christmas and God Bless to you all!
Perfection
A Magical Mountain Christmas
Thanksgiving Day has come and gone. The sumptuous food that had covered the dining table was enjoyed by all. Leftover turkey will be used in other dishes: Turkey pie, soup, and Turkey Ala King. Now, all attention is on Christmas with only a few weeks to prepare.
The Todd boys’ excitement is building. Orrin, Rowan, Morgan, and Forrest are anxious to help Chris, their dad select a tree from the surrounding woods for their Christmas Tree. Last year they picked a cedar tree which was just the right size for their living room. When Chris arrived home from work, he said, “Boys, we have enough daylight left to search for a tree. Are you ready to help?” Orrin, the youngest son, excitedly said, “Yes sir!” Rowan and the others said they were anxious to get started. Forrest said, “I’ll get the hand saw and meet you in the front yard.”
The family’s mountain home is in the woods up a long winding driveway and is out of sight of any other houses. They did not need to go far to begin to look for a suitable tree. Rowan pointed out a White Pine that he thought was a good prospect. He said, “See that pine next to the driveway. What do you think? Is it tall enough?” Dad said, “It looks good and yes, it will fit the space in the room. Let us keep that one in mind as we continue looking.” Following a half-hour search for a suitable tree, Dad and the boys agreed that the White Pine suggested by Rowan was the best choice. They returned and located the tree. Forrest used the hand saw and cut the tree trunk just above the ground.
Rather than dragging the tree across the rough forest floor which could cause damage, Morgan grasped the top and Forrest held the trunk. They held the tree high to clear the ground and walked it to the house and stood it against the front porch. Dad said, “It is a little taller than we need. I will cut twelve inches off the bottom, and we can use the limbs cut from that section to splice into the tree’s trunk if needed to add fullness.” Orrin asked, “Dad, how will you attach the limbs to the trunk?” He said, “First I will use my electric drill and drill holes at a downward angle into the tree’s trunk where needed. I will add glue to the cut off limbs and push the limbs into the drilled holes. This will add fullness to the tree which will make it better for decorations.” Forrest said, “Dad, going into the woods and hunting for a Christmas Tree was super. Next, can we go on a hunt for the lost Carticay-Lucky Eight Gold Mine, the one we have talked about? I read that it is close by. That would be a real adventure.” The other boys chimed in enthusiastically. Morgan said, “That sounds great. I hope Dad that you will take us soon.” When they arrived back at the house, Rowan let their dog Spot out of his kennel for exercise. Spot is their small mixed breed dog that they have had for four years, since he was a puppy. Spot is brought into the house on cold nights.
When Mom came home and saw the tree, she was incredibly pleased. She said, “Tomorrow, I will get out the tree decorations and together, we can decorate it. However, first I will take you boys to town in the morning so you can shop for presents.” After breakfast, the boys rode to town with their mom to get their shopping done. In the store’s pet supplies area, Orrin saw the Pet Beds. He said, “Mom, this bed is small and just the right size for Spot. He needs a bed on the winter nights when it is very cold.” Mom agreed and said, “OK. Put it in the cart.”
Now back home, mom set out the box of tree decorations. When Forrest finished stringing the lights, the boys attached ornaments and wrapped garland around the tree. When they finished the decorating, they stood back and admired the tree. Morgan said, “I think the tree is beautiful.” Forrest said, “Yes. it is but it needs presents under it.” Orrin said, “For the first present, I’ll put Spot’s bed under the tree.” The boys were pleased that Spot would have his own bed. They loved the little dog. They could tell that he loved them too by the way he snuggled up to them while vigorously wagging his tail. He was named Spot because he was black except for a small white spot on his forehead between his eyes.
Mom said, “Rowan, it is time to feed Spot. He is hungry. Please take this bowl out to the kennel.” It was almost dark when Rowan left the house and headed to the kennel. He wondered why he did not hear Spot’s usual barking at mealtime. And then he was shocked! Spot was not in the kennel. How did he get out of the kennel? The door was closed and latched. He began to call: “Spot, Spot, come boy, come boy.” The little dog did not come, nor did he answer. Rowan rushed into the house to report that Spot was missing. All four boys went outside to help locate their missing dog. Forrest checked around the kennel and found a hole that had been dug under the kennel fence. It was freshly dug. The boys wondered, was it dug by Spot or by some other animal? Orrin said, “Could a coyote have dug it? There have been reports of coyotes attacking dogs.” They told their parents about the hole under the kennel fence. Dad said, “It will soon be dark. In the morning, we can search the surrounding woods for Spot.” To console the boys Mom said, “Surely Spot is OK. I believe that he will show up soon.”
In the morning’s first light the boys struck out in different directions in the surrounding woods to begin the search. An hour later they returned to the house empty-handed. Spot was nowhere to be found. Dad and the boys prepared posters to place at various business locations in the area in the hope that someone had seen Spot. Also, he called neighbors to alert them about their missing dog. Days went by with no good news. The boys’ usual happy Christmas mood was replaced by sadness at the loss of their beloved dog. They were saddened each time they passed the Christmas tree and saw Spot’s bed under the tree among the other presents.
One week before Christmas day, an old ramshackle pickup truck drove into their driveway. A man and a woman with two girls got out and went to the front door. Dad heard the knocking and opened the door to see the adults, and the two young girls, standing there. The couple was in their thirties. The girls were young teens. The man had a heavy beard, and his hair hung down to his shoulders. He was dressed in typical work clothes. The woman was wrapped in a large shawl and appeared to be well along in pregnancy. Dad Asked, “Can I help you?” The man said, “I am Joseph and my wife is Mary. Our two daughters are Rachel and Rebecca. We saw a poster about you trying to find your lost dog.” Dad said, “That is correct, our dog went missing after Thanksgiving Day. So far, we have no idea what happened to him. Our boys are very attracted to the dog whose name is Spot. Why do you ask? Do you have information to share?” Joseph said, “How would you identify your dog?” Dad said, “He is a little mixed breed black dog with a small white spot between his eyes. He answers to the name Spot.” Joseph said, “We have a dog matching that description in our truck. Come with me and see if this dog is yours.” As they walked to the truck the dog began barking. As soon as Dad saw the dog he was overcome with joy. He said, “Yes, it is Spot! It is our dog!” Spot jumped into his arms while barking and with his tail wagging. The boys came out of the house when they heard the barking. Each one lovingly held Spot, the dog that they thought they would never see again.
Chris said, “Joseph, I want to learn the details of how you found Spot. I invite you and your family to stay for a while. My wife is due home shortly. She would want to meet your family and to thank you for bringing Spot to us.” While the boys and the girls stayed outside with Spot, the adults sat in the living room and talked while awaiting mom’s arrival.
Mom drove up and saw the boys and the two girls making over Spot. She said, “Where did you find Spot? And who are you girls?” Forrest said, “This is Rachel, and this other girl is Rebecca. They and their parents found Spot and brought him to us. Dad is in the house with their parents.” Mom went to the house to meet the couple who brought Spot. Dad said, “This is Anne, my wife. Anne, this is Joseph and his wife, Mary. They brought Spot to us. The boys are ecstatic!” Mom said, “Would you like coffee?” “Yes,” Mary answered. “Fine, I’ll start a pot,” said Anne. Joseph began, “I was driving on a nearby gravel road when I spotted a small stray dog wandering about. I stopped and opened the truck door, and the dog climbed in. When I arrived home with the dog our girls were thrilled. During the ten days that we had him, the girls fell in love with him. They wanted to keep him, but I insisted that he may belong to children who also love him, and that the right thing to do is to try to find the owner. I asked around and one person said that they had seen a poster, but they did not remember any details. A few days later I saw a poster nailed to a phone pole and got your address. We do not have a phone so we could not call the number on the poster.”
Dad said, “We are grateful to you for returning our dog. Our boys have been devastated since he went missing. They are so attached to him. Have your daughters ever had a dog?” Joseph said, “They have not had a pet. Buying a puppy is expensive.” Dad said, “You can check with the Gilmer County Animal Shelter located on Highway 52. That is the place where we got Spot when he was a puppy. The fees are very reasonable.” Joseph said, “Both Mary and I appreciate the suggestion, and we will check with the shelter.”
Anne asked, “What are you folks planning for Christmas Day?” Mary said, “Usually it is just another day for us as we have no relatives close to us to invite. And we have lived here a very short time and have no close friends.” Anne motioned to Chris to help her with something in the next room. When apart from the others, she said, “Would you agree for us to invite them to share Christmas Day with us? After all, otherwise they will be alone. They have been so good to return Spot.” He said, “That is a great suggestion. The boys will also enjoy their daughter’s visit.” The Invitation was accepted, and the visitors are to come at noon on Christmas Day. The boys are excited when they are told that the girls and their parents will be their guests. At noon on Christmas Day, the Todd family and their new friends gathered around the dining table for a special Christmas meal. Following Chris’s prayer over the food, Joseph said, “Amen.” Chris asked, “Joseph, where do you live?” Joseph said, “We have been in the area for only a brief time. The only place we could afford the rent was an old barn with a small living space. It is located on an isolated gravel road. Mr. McClain, the owner, keeps animals in the barn and hay is stored in an overhead loft. He keeps the mangers filled with hay.” Anne said, “If you have not found a church you like, we invite you to visit our church in Ellijay, the First Baptist Church. We meet at eleven on Sunday morning. Sunday school for your daughters begins at nine forty-five.” Mary said, “Thanks for the invitation. We thank you for the wonderful Christmas Day. Our time with your family has been a blessing to us.” Then they left. The boys wondered why they had never seen the two girls at school. Mom said, “Maybe they are home schooled.”
Chris said, “I did not get Joseph’s address to follow up with his family. I would like to mail them a copy of our Sunday church bulletin. I checked with neighbors to ask if they knew of a farmer who rents out living space in his barn, but no one had ever heard of a Mr. McClain who owned a barn housing both animals and people, nor had anyone heard of a couple meeting the description of Joseph and Mary. They appeared briefly to us, and now they cannot be found. It seems strange.”
Rowan brought Spot into the house and placed him next to the pet bed. Spot knew it was for him as he immediately laid down in it. His contented look showed that he was happy to have his own bed.
Orrin said, “This is the best Christmas ever. We got our dog back and we made new friends. It is like a miracle.”
Forrest said, “What a wonderful day. But what is uncanny to me is that our new friends are named Joseph and Mary, and that they live in an old barn with animals who are fed out of a manger. It reminds me of the following scripture.”
Luke 2:7-14 KJV
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
The End
Thomas F. Todd Copyright 2024
Books by Thomas F. Todd
The author writes novels and short stories based on his life experiences. He grew up in SW Atlanta, He attended Joe Brown Jr. High School and Smith High School. After graduating from Ga Tech, he worked as an engineer. He and his wife, Lucy, live in Marietta, GA.
All books are available at Amazon as an eBook or a paperback.
The Russian is Coming-Khruschev, the Russian Premier, comes to America while both countries are racing to develop an atomic long range ballistic missile. A mysterious KGB agent is a concern.
Sailing to Voodoo Island- A retired detective and his wife charter a ‘once in a lifetime’ sailing cruise in the Bahamas. They encounter ‘Obeah’, the Bahamian version of Haitian Voodoo, on ‘Voodoo Island. A murderer is pursued from the Bahamas to Finland.
The Tombstone Puzzle-An historical fiction novel about 18th century Goose Pond, a once thriving Northeast Georgia community that produced political leaders. It ultimately became a ghost town. Its residents included Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery and two Governors of Georgia.
Angels on The Mountain–An historical romance story, beginning in Liverpool, England and ending in a Civil War battle at Kennesaw Mountain. An ill-fated romance blooms again.
The Adventures of Tom and Jim-First book in a series-Anthology of short stories about boys growing up in the South: their adventures and their escapades. Was the chicken resurrected?
Ida’s Christmas Gift-Second book in a series–Anthology of short stories about life in the South-As the young married couple hold each other in the muted room light, they listen on their tabletop radio to Christmas hymns. Their Christmas tree, a gift from Ida, is nothing fancy, but it is special to them. It is their first Christmas tree.
Twisted Mulberry Trees-Third book in a series– Short stories about boys growing up in the South: their adventures and their escapades. What is in the mystery sandwich?
Redeemed from the Occult- Roland and Birgit Heinrich, a young German couple from Duisburg, were raised as Christians. Following their visit to the pagan festival, “Walpurgis Night” held on May 1 at the Brocken, the highest of the Harz Mountains in northern Germany, they are caught up in paganism and reject Christianity.
The American Sanhedrin–This fictional novel is a cautionary tale for churches that are looking to call a pastor. It describes several ways that Satan harms Christ’s Church by exploiting church leaders’ lust for power. Like the Sanhedrin that tried Jesus, church leaders use trumped up charges to purge dedicated Christian workers from Christ’s church.
Merry Christmas and God’s continued blessings to you Sundance and to all the Treepers.
Merry Christmas to all !
Very thankful for you Sundance and this refuge you have created. It truly is a refuge.
Merry Christmas to you and fellow Treepers!
“For to us a child is born, to us a child is given”.
Merry Christmas Sundance.
We are all grateful for the LORD putting You , as a GREAT BLESSING, , in our Path of seeking Truths.
Have a very Blessed Christmas.
Thank you for the beautiful message, Sundance! Merry Christmas to you and yours, and to all of the Treehouse family!
Thank you, Jesus! ❤️