Santa looks ridiculous in his fuzzy red suit. Dawn got a decorative tablecloth yesterday with Santa in a snow scene! The thing nearly melted in her hands.
Needless to say Christmas below the equator is very different than what most of you are experiencing. Though the snow, reindeer, and sleigh motif is often seen you are also apt to see a palm tree with Christmas lights hanging from its fronds.
Whether snow or hot sun the season is the same. It is Christmas. Churches put on plays, sing carols, have special services and dinners to remember Christ’s birth.
Our church presented a Cantata in five different locations this past week. It was a homemade cantata, I think that they are often the best kind, about a little girl who had her heart hurt by many different people throughout her life. Her parents paid no attention to her, her street friends abused her and boyfriend wasn’t much better. It wasn’t until she met Jesus that her world changed from hopeless to hope filled.
The Heart of Christmas was the theme of our messages from the end of November to this past Sunday. We looked at Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph and Mariana, the little girl in the play, to see how we each could better exemplify the heart of Christmas which is the heart of Hope.
We presented this hope in two orphanages and two rest-homes. We also presented at our own Hope Baptist Church. Over three-hundred people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel Hope in Jesus Christ.
Hope in this world seems a fleeting thing doesn’t it? A friend once said to me, “What is so special about hope? If I hope something happens there is no certainty that it will.” Then as well as now we Christians know that the Hope we find in the Christ child and crucified and risen Savior is as sure as this mornings sunrise. Christ is our Hope of eternal life.
With the many who heard the message comes many opportunities to follow up with more encouragement from the Word of God. Part of that will happen on Friday as we have our eve of Christmas Eve service at our house. Pray that God will open many heart’s doors to His Hope.
That must be something to be so HOT at Christmas time! We just learned about chocolate in a unit study (for our homeschool) and we learned a little about Brazil. I was telling them that you lived there. The kids will get a kick out of how hot it is there right now - although we're having fairly warm weather here too. No snow yet - we can only "hope" - although not the same kind of hope that you're referring to in this post... :) Merry Christmas Uncle Mike and Aunt Dawn! Enjoy the heat.
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