December 25, 2024 a thought for today, He who sits in a well to look at the sky can see but little. Chinese Proverb

                                                        Merry Christmas!!

One of the uploads for the 24rh was “ a gift”. A friend gave me this poinsettia gif for the holiday. 

The next upload for yesterday was “Christmas reflect”. This angel statue gave me pause to “reflect on the holiday and it’s meaning. 

The last upload for yesterday was also “Christmas reflections”. This one gave me pause to think of Christmas’s past and their meanings and memories.  

Life today. I didn’t make it to the candle light service last night but I did watch it on streaming. I tuned in a little late but I got to see the message and the rest of it.  

It has been an unexpected day actually. I expected total isolation for Sue and me today. Tami and Andy surprised us with a visit. That made for a nice Christmas. 

I got the newsletter done except for the financial page. I don’t expect to get it printed before Monday morning. I was hoping to have my car back yesterday afternoon but that didn’t happen. So I an going to have to have a ride to church to print Sunday’s bulletin. I think Lowell is going to drop me off and Sue may pick me up. Hopefully I will have the car before Saturday for the grocery pickup. If not I will have to make other plans.

This first upload for today is “Christmas highlight”. This wreath at the back of our Sanctuary is one of the many highlights of Christmas at our church. 

I got my photos from today from my archives. Then, I had a light load of laundry to do. I needed some things now. The rest of the laundry will be for tomorrow. 

I have to do some plant watering before I quit for the day so I think I will get to that chore as soon as I upload the photos.

The next upload for today is “Christmas wishes”. My wish is for peace. I was hoping th the angel on the tree top with a dim light showing would signify that wish. 

The word today is receive.  For it is in giving that we receive. Francis of Assisi. All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired. Martin Luther.  We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers. Lucius Annaeus Seneca.  A weak mind is like a microscope, which magnifies trifling things, but cannot receive great ones. Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.  Even a poor man can receive honors. Sophocles.  There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance as advice. Joseph Addison.  Amnesty is as good for those who give it as for those who receive it. It has the admirable quality of bestowing mercy on both sides. Victor Hugo.  Bounty always receives part of its value from the manner in which it is bestowed. Samuel Johnson.  No man was ever so completely skilled in the conduct of life, as not to receive new information from age and experience. Jonathan Swift.  You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you. Martin Luther.  For every benefit you receive a tax is levied. Ralph Waldo Emerson.  The person who receives the most favors is the one who knows how to return them. Publilius Syrus. Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind. Buddha. Sunlight fell upon the wall; the wall received a borrowed splendor. Why set your heart on a piece of earth, O simple one? Seek out the source which shines forever. Rumi

The last upload was “celebration”. Since our Christmas celebrations this year are split and not on Christmas day I chose a shot os some of the family celebrating each other in a gathering and meal together which is how Christmas is celebrated....family in remembering the reason for the season and each other.  

Article: This seems like a day for the kind of sentiment in the title to this article. The title is: :An upward spiral – how small acts of kindness and connection really can change the world”. It opened with talking about the problems of the world today. It proceeds to say “it might feel like the small acts of human connection and solidarity that you do have control over are like putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds”. The author relates that she “was inspired to hear musician Hozier offer a counterpoint at a performance this year”. Part of what he said is “I believe the core of people on the whole is good – I genuinely do. I’ll die on that hill.” It appears that kindness and connection has a real impact on global change “when these acts are collective”. I like the fact that it was said in the article “unlike global-scale issues, these small acts are within individuals’ control”. In real relationships small acts have a “large-scale impact”. It appears that the more a relationship is strengthened the more empathy can take place between people with individual perspectives. “Abstracts” become real when people connect with those that they care about. Even small acts can lead to a shift in attitudes. Researchers have studied this theory in connection with “the political divide in the U.S.”. Even though one “political group preferred (certain) traits” “they also all valued traits that benefit relationships”.  It was learned that the more they see the same likes in each other the more the more they “want to prevent harm to others, the more they might soften large-scale social and political disagreements”. In some tests that were conducted the question was to ask “participants to reflect on the positive qualities of someone they knew, or on their own positive characteristics”. They found that the more the people “wrote about the positive qualities of someone else, rather than themselves,”  they saw lower levels of prejudice. So the conclusion is that “simply put, science supports the idea that moving toward each other in small ways can be transformational”.

It will be something from the freezer for dinner, probably the Welsh rarbit that I didn’t have the other day. 

Joy

                                                                 just a little bit of color