Happy New Year!
The Lord gave us a wonderful weekend with mild weather, gentle sun, and friendly skies. It was wonderful to be in the Lord's House for the first Sunday of the New Year. Praise the Lord for times of corporate worship, when we provoke one another to love and to serve. Our friend Jack Black preached at first service. I preached second service and at Wesley. Thank you for your many greetings and notes.
Praise the Lord for my young friend Chris, who celebrated her 42nd birthday yesterday. I married Chris and her husband Fred, who are parents of three wonderful children. They love Jesus and serve Him. Praise the Lord for young parents who love Jesus, who desire to raise their children to love and serve Him also.
On December 27, Alice and I were privileged to attend the 100th birthday celebration of Catherine Collins, held at the Endicott Visitors Center. So many of her family and friends braved the blowing snow to come out and celebrate her very special day. She looked vibrant and vigorous. A few days prior she had written two cards for me - a Christmas card and a get well card. Grandma Collins had two weekly rituals. The first was to go every Thursday to Christopher's for pizza and wings. The second was to go every Friday to Long John Silver's for fish. Someone once asked her how the doctor felt about her eating habits. She replied, "What doctors? Most of them are dead." She lived in her own home, did her own laundry, and cooked her own food. On Thursday, after ordering her wings and pizza, she started to feel unwell. She was taken to the hospital, where she died late Saturday night. Praise the Lord for Mrs. Collins, who was a retired math teacher, who had taught for many years in the U-E district. She loved Jesus and she loved His Church.
Christmas is not really about family, and it certainly is not about gifts, but it is all about Jesus. During my illness, my wife and children "forced" me to watch only Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel. Rarely was the Christ of Christmas mentioned. One of my daughters has all of the Christmas episodes from "Little House on the Prairie", and in these it spoke of the birth of the Lord Jesus, and even quoted from the book of Luke. The central message of Christmas is the incarnation of Christ, that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." As it was prophesied in Isaiah, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end."
As we enter the New Year, may we all be provoked to love Him, to worship Him, and to serve Him. May He who is The Mighty God make us fearless.
With much love and gratitude to all,
Brown
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/8728/New-Years-Reflection
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