I'm sorry I've not blogged for a while, but I wanted to give visitors, coming via the Shoreham Herald article, "Beach blogger battles for change," a chance to read all of Alison's words. Another edition of the paper has since been issued so it's time to move on.
So with Christmas around the corner, I'm going to postpone the next feature on disability and wish you a very Happy Christmas.
Here's a little present to say thank you for reading this blog. It's by Terry Commander and I do hope you like it.
So with Christmas around the corner, I'm going to postpone the next feature on disability and wish you a very Happy Christmas.
Here's a little present to say thank you for reading this blog. It's by Terry Commander and I do hope you like it.
I also wanted to re-publish Rev Gail Souppouris's 2010 Christmas message as it always makes me stop and think.
"The Work of Christmas"
"When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, to heal the broken,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, to heal the broken,
to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among brothers and sisters,
to bring peace among brothers and sisters,
to make music in the heart"
Howard Thurman
Following is based on a reflection from Rev'd Dr Sara I Chandler via The answer. St Margaret's Woodbridge, Virginia.
"This little piece reminds us that the real Christmas is not putting up a tree or taking it down, not in decorating or undecorating, not in shopping or in returning things to the store. Not in eating too much or singing too many carols. Rather the work of Christmas is recognising the meaning of Christ's coming for the world and us. To understand that the meaning comes from beginning to live it out.
By mending a quarrel...seeking out a forgotten friend.....dismissing suspicion and replacing it with trust....writing a letter...sharing some treasure....giving a soft answer...encouraging youth....manifesting our faith in word and deed...keeping a promise....Finding the time....Foregoing a grudge....forgiving an enemy...listening...apologising if you were wrong...trying to understand...rejecting envy as unworthy....Examining your demands on others...appreciating others...being kind and gentle...laughing a little...laughing a little more...taking up arms against malice...challenging complacency...Expressing your gratitude....Welcoming a stranger...speaking your love....
Speak your love again....not just to those who are close to you, but to each person you meet… speak your love to those you find it difficult to like…speak your love to those who don’t appear to like you … speak your love as if you were speaking it to the Christ-child – the baby we welcome today … speak your love, and his love … speak it, then speak it still once more!"
Have a wonderful Christmas and a contented New Year. I look forward to seeing you again in 2013 with the concluding blog in the disability series.
