A Christmas Story . . .

Once there was a world . . . 

Where angels sang and children danced with joy . . .
Animals at peace and birds that warbled from the trees
Filled the morning air while breezes warmed each and every day and night . . . 

Oceans calmly reached the distant shores of sunny islands
Basking in the sun  . .  and mountain tops were painted with the brightest snow that melted into rivers far below .   Forests were forever green and singing brooks were filled with fish in rainbow colors from below . 

The world at peace was what we knew before the starlight fell into the dawn .  Then something changed the way things might have stayed when someone thought he knew the better way .   Instead of caring for the next . . he wanted only for the first .
The paradise we knew became the past and all that prospered withered in our hands .

So God who loved us more than we could know sent us his son to make things new .   He came into the middle of our time with messages of hope and love divine .   His birth was special yet unfit for Kings of his royal lineage .   Who was this child so wonderful that angels and the shepherds followed kings to worship this once and future counselor of peace .

A virgin birth in a manger filled with hay was not the sign they looked for Christmas day .  They tried to kill the messenger of peace who from his childhood knew no other way than to offer 
Up himself to die for you and me .   The world would crucify him by decree . . . hoping he would be forgotten on that tree .

So why can’t we go on without his cross ?   Because he told the truth that we were lost .   The world decided that instead of putting someone else first that first and foremost we must care about ourselves .  No wonder hatred anger loathing fill the halls instead of love and joy and peace that conquer all .  

In Bethlehem there is a hope beyond the stretch of time
Above the hopes of all mankind .  His name is Jesus . Emmanuel ,  God is with us .  

Peace is almost here .

Kepha Peter Martin