FReeper Canteen ~ The Gift of The Magi ~ 21 December 2025

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

 

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

Those of you who are more "mature" Marines & Sailors will remember one of the pre-eminent TV series of the '50's, Rod Serling's Twilight Zone. Many of these programs were quite scary, but they usually had a good moral and made the point in a rather unforgettable manner.

On one episode, an astronaut is readying for his blast off on a fifty-year mission to outer space. He is to be placed in a state of suspended animation and will not age one day by the time he returns to Earth. As fate has it, he meets a lovely woman the evening before launch, and it is love at first sight for both of them. They agonize over the love and marriage they will be unable to share because of the space voyage. The next morning his space flight begins. The woman is visibly shaken by the cruel plot fate played on the two of them.

In the final scene, fifty years hence, NASA brings the rocket back to Earth. The capsule is opened and an aged man emerges from inside. He pulled the plug on the cryogenic machine before the launch. The face of his fiancée is then shown. She is still young and vibrant; she had herself placed in suspended animation on the day of the launch! One engineer then reflects: I feel blessed to have met two people who truly knew the meaning of love! End of program.

These two people, motivated by real love, were prepared to make an unusual sacrifice for each other. Sometimes we forget that keeping love strong in marriage requires a commitment to LOVE...and like any commitment, that means dedication, work, sacrifice. Too many people give up on relationships when the going gets rough because they don't understand how much effort and sacrifice for one another is necessary to sustain a marriage. May we all realize the true meaning of love and marriage...and what is required to sustain this wonderful gift from above!

Rod Serling's version

[luvie]

Alison Krause/Alan Jackson~The Angels Cried

Chris Botti~Ave Maria

Folk Angel~Come Emmanuel

Jim Brickman~What Child Is This

Mannheim Steamroller~Hallelujah

Trans-Siberian Orchestra~Silent Night

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please join us for Sunday Chapel ~ THE GIFT OF THE MAGI, and Liberty

Lt. Charles F. Suver, CHC, USN, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division
"Mass at Iwo Jima"

Please stop in and say a prayer of protection for the military.
Prayers from all denominations are needed.



Sunday Liberty starts after the Guest Military Chaplain's Service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thanks for the beautiful Christmas hymns.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Dear God:
I ask that no Airman, Coast Guardsman,
Marine, Sailor, Soldier, Reservist, National Guardsman, or Merchant Marine
feel alone or forgotten.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is loving kindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Psalm 130:7 & 8

[luvie]

Hi, Kathy! You’re very welcome. I hope you have a blessed Sunday, too...and a very uplifting Christmas. (((hugs)))

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

A Blessed Lord's Day and Shavua Tov to you.

[Savage Beast]

I like O. Henry’s version.

[left that other site]

Thanks for the O’Henry Story.

Mom used to share this with us every Christmas.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Savage Beast, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you andyours.

Glad you enjoy a version of the story.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...and a Blessed Lord’s Day and Shavua Tov to you and yours.

Everything on your prep list ready for Christmas?

[Kathy in Alaska]

[decal]

The Welsh composer William Mathias wrote several works for the season. This is “Sir Christèmas”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3THH9VSrUlU&list=RD3THH9VSrUlU&start_radio=1

[lightman]

Keep the Lord’s Day in the Lord’s way.

A blessed Fourth Sunday of Advent (Western)/Sunday of the Genealogy (Ancestors) of Christ (Orthodox) to all!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Shavua Tov.
Wishing all our Jewish troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
a peaceful and prosperous week.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for our troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
for a safe and peaceful week ahead.

[left that other site]

h yes...already gave some gifs to grand nieces and nephews whom i won’t be seeing Christmas.

So we had an early party tonight instead.

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Extra prayers for Israel...

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

Did it get as warm as they predicted?

We did, though our high was 62. Not nearly nearly as warm as you.