Shepherds gaze in wonder
While angel voices sing
This night of nights has come
And brought the world
The long-awaited King

The earth is filled with gladness
And yet the heavens weep
For heaven's eyes can see
He was born to die for me

Jesus, Baby Jesus
Is that a tear in your eye
Jesus, Baby Jesus
You must know
You were born to die

It must have broken God's heart
For the future he could see
Yet he formed his hands and feet
Knowing one day
They'd be nailed to a tree

So all the world could know it
A gift came from above
For God so loved the world
That he gave his only Son

Jesus, Baby Jesus
With a tear of love in your eye
Jesus, Baby Jesus
You knew you were born to die

O Jesus, Thank you Jesus
For your gift of eternal life
My Jesus, Jesus
For me you were born to die.

Shireen Salyer

Angels in Indiana

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket.  Their father was gone.

The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two.  Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.  Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds.  He did manage to leave 15 dollars a week to buy groceries.  Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either.  If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.

I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress.  I loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job.  The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town.  No luck.  The kids stayed, crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince whomever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything.  I had to have a job.  Still no luck.

The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop  It was called the Big Wheel.  An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids.  She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning.  She paid 65 cents an hour and I could start that night.

I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people.  I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night.  She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep.  This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job.  And so I started at the Big Wheel.  When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money - fully half of what I averaged every night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added another strain to my meager wage.  The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began to leak.  I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.

One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat.  New tires!  There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.  "Had angels taken up residence in Indiana?" I wondered.  I made a deal with the owner of the local service station.  In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office.  I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.

I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.  Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids.  I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys.  Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning.  Clothes were a worry too.  I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys' pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel.  These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe.  A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine.  The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.  When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning I hurried to the car.

I was hoping the kids wouldn't wake up before I managed to get home and get the presents from the basement and place them under the tree.  (We had cut down a small cedar tree by the side of the road down by the dump.)

It was still dark and I couldn't see much, but there appeared to be some dark shadows in the car - or was that just a trick of the night?  Something certainly looked different, but it was hard to tell what.  When I reached the car I peered warily into one of the side windows.  Then my jaw dropped in amazement.  My old battered Chevy was full - full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes.

I quickly opened the driver's side door, scrambled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.

Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box.  Inside was a whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10!  I looked inside another box:  It was full of shirts to go with the jeans.  Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes:  There were candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries.  There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes.  There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour.  There was a whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items.  And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.  As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude.  And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.

Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December.  And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.

Barb Irwin

Why Jesus Is Better Than
Santa Claus

Santa lives at the North Pole ...
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh ...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year ...
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies ...
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart.

You have to wait in line to see Santa ...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap ...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is
"Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?" ...
JESUS knew our name before we did.  Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too.  He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly ...
JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO ...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry" ...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys ...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts,
repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but ...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree ...
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.
We need to remember
WHO Christmas is all about.
We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Yes, Jesus is better,
Even better than Santa Claus.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!

Author Unknown

Twas The Night Before Jesus Came

'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be The Day!

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!

Author Unknown

Who was the Roman Emperor who ordered the census that required Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem?

Answer

What prophet foretold that the Messiah would be born to a virgin?

Answer

Name the prophet who declared the Savior would be born in Bethlehem.

Answer

Why was Jesus born in a stable manger?

Answer

Who reassured the fearful shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem?

Answer

What sign were the shepherds told would verify the Savior's birth?

Answer

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is:

Answer

What phenomenon led the wise men to the Savior?

Answer

What three gifts did the wise men bring to the infant Jesus?

Answer

What is the meaning of the name "Emmanuel"?

Answer

What sacrifice did Mary and Joseph offer when Jesus was dedicated in the temple?

Answer

In what town of Galilee did Jesus spend his early years?

Answer

Where was young Jesus found when he was missing for three days after the Feast of the Passover?

Answer

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with

Answer

How did the Spirit of God manifest himself at the baptism of Jesus?

Answer

What did the voice from heaven say after Jesus was baptized?

Answer

Why was Jesus hungry when the tempter came to him in the wilderness?

Answer

How did Jesus reject Satan's temptation to turn stones into bread?

Answer

What was Jesus' response when Satan tempted Him to jump from the highest point of the temple?

Answer

What was Christ asked to do when Satan showed Him the Kingdoms of the world?

Answer

Who ministered to Jesus after Satan left Him?

Answer

What counsel did Jesus give His sleepy disciples in Gethsemane in order to avoid temptation?

Answer

In his model prayer, Jesus taught us to pray:  "Lead us not into temptation, but

Answer

According to Peter, "The Lord knows how to rescue godly men

Answer

According to Jesus, what has the Lord promised those who endure trials and temptation?

Answer

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