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Man, that song is sick!<\/p>\nWe’ve all been there. Walking through your day with that song you can’t get out of your head, and Christmas time is the worst.<\/p>\n
Last week I was mindlessly humming some weird mutant-hybrid of “What Child Is This” and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” I know, I know, I know… somehow it worked in my head.<\/p>\n
But, just today as I doing some Christmas shopping (yes, I’m still Christmas shopping and I don’t want to hear it from any of you who obviously need more to do with your lives than go to stores and and shop online… well,\u00a0after that rant, Merry Christmas)\u00a0I caught myself whistling a song I couldn’t recall right away.<\/p>\n
After a minute or two of my own personal name that tune… I GOT IT!<\/p>\n
Silver Bells.<\/p>\n
Man, that song is sick!<\/p>\n
Seriously, if the name of Christ weren’t in Christmas itself\u00a0then you wouldn’t have any idea He was even involved in this holiday as it relates to this song.<\/p>\n
City sidewalks busy sidewalks . That’s the feeling of Christmas?<\/p>\n Strings of street lights That’s what passes for treasure?<\/p>\n Charlie Brown must be rolling over in his cartoon grave after hearing the theme song to such a commercial Christmas. Linus, grab your blanket and save us!<\/p>\n The biggest problem (ring a ling, ding a ling) is, well… I fall into the trap every year. I’m not just talking about singing the song, I mean I find myself playing the game.<\/p>\n I’m a playa’. And, you can quote me on that.<\/p>\n Christmas presents, cheap decorations, cheesy songs, bad old movies, pointless traditions… they all make me smile. But, half way through my inadvertent whistling trip down Silver Bell Avenue I once again realized\u00a0there is so much more to the season. The Silver Bells tarnished a little for me, but that’s a good thing.<\/p>\n Christmas is about Jesus, so, the question is what is Jesus about?<\/p>\n \u00a0It says in the book of James, Chapter 2: \u00a018<\/span>But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” \u00a019<\/span>You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that\u2014and shudder. <\/em><\/p>\n We have a faith that is supposed to DO SOMETHING, and this (and every Christmas) would be a great time to actually DO SOMETHING!<\/p>\n For the rest of the world, who care not for Jesus or His ways; leave them alone.<\/p>\n Let them enjoy the snow crunch, see the kids bunch, this is Santa’s big scene, it’s Christmas time in the city, ring-a-ling, hear them sing, soon it will be Christmas day. So, what do we do with our DO SOMETHING faith?<\/p>\n See a point of need and fill it, even if it is a sacrifice for you. That’s what Jesus would do.<\/p>\n If all you do is believe and pray, and don’t do something out of your abundance… well, let me just re-quote the Scripture: You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that\u2014and shudder. Here are just a few ways you can DO SOMETHING this Christmas season. There are a zillion other ways, but this is just a start:<\/p>\n 50,000 Shoes<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 Nashville, TN — November 7, 2008 — Soles4Souls, the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to those in desperate need, has announced plans to launch a new fundraising website, www.50000shoes.com.<\/span><\/a> The charity is challenging bloggers and social media users to raise funds for 50,000 pairs of new shoes in 50 days.<\/p>\n Angel Tree<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Right now, an estimated 1.5 million children have a mom or dad in prison. The number is huge \u2013 but so is the opportunity. Angel Tree\u00a0is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ. It seeks to transform the lives of these families and to reconcile them to their Heavenly Father and each other. In Matthew 18:5 Jesus said, \u201cWhoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.\u201d There are children right in your community who are among the most at-risk children in the nation. Angel Tree provides an opportunity to connect with those families and begin ministering to them at Christmas and then continue through a variety of year-round ministry opportunities.<\/p>\n
\nDressed in holiday style
\nIn the air
\nThere’s a feeling
\nof Christmas<\/em><\/p>\n
\nEven stop lights
\nBlink a bright red and green
\nAs the shoppers rush
\nhome with their treasures<\/em><\/p>\n
\n
\n14<\/em><\/span>What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15<\/span>Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16<\/span>If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17<\/span>In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. <\/em><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. <\/em><\/p>\n
\n\ufffd
\nThis isn’t their responsibility. It’s ours!<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>
\nSo, this Christmas, let’s CLR the tarnish off the old church bells (CLR= Christ Like Resemblance… that’s the corniest thing I have ever written… and I still wrote it…and I even made a comment about it… which I’m doing now… i have issues).<\/p>\n