A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-25-02....Christmas Day

Billie and daisyscarlett

[daisyscarlett]

Click on Baby Jesus

THE CHRSTMAS STORY
As told by Matthew

THE NATIVITY

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

WISE MEN

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

GIFTS

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."

FLEEING TO EGYPT

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

--Matthew 1:18 - 2:23 New International Version

JESUS IS THE REASON
FOR THE SEASON

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-23-02 Christmas Music 12-24-02 Twas the Night Before Christmas

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

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[Libertina]

Indeed it IS a glorious thread today! Hope everyone is enjoying all the delicious Christmas breakfasts and dinners and their presents :)

[Libertina]

My Aunt Lou will make sure I'm stuffed.
Glad you'll be pampered, Louie! You deserve it! :)

[ST.LOUIE1]

"Looks like you were trying to 'influence' Santa. Did it work?"

Hehe....I'll never tell! *Blush*

If you're *blushin'*....it must have worked. : )

Here's one of my baby when she was little with Santa.

She's a real cutie, Sweet.

[The Thin Man]

Merry Christmas, T-Man.

Thanks, Louie. Hope you're having a Merry Christmas, too!

I'm sure it must be our *Whoever* making you be so nice to Billie these last few days.

Unfair accusation! I've been as mean as ever to Billie. :)

It is true though, that 'who' does bring out the best in me, except for the overwhelming desire to steal her graphics.

   Merry Christmas, who!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Merry Christmas, hugable woofie toofums..:)))

LOL Shhhhh....I've almost lived that name down. : )

Be advised on CNN's Connie Chung this evening (8 EST, I think), Andrea Boccelli will be performing! That should be a special treat!

I saw it advertised, thanks. Hope I get to see him.

Would be nice if Celine could be there. : )

[Libertina]

Kayak, thank you for posting the words to that ovely song. Jesus is the reason for ou season! LadyX, you must be a tremendous cook - everything sounded so good! (Shall we all mosy on over tomorrow for leftovers? ;)
Have a lovely day!

[ST.LOUIE1]

And another now that she is not so little any more. Please forgive me for getting carried away...

Nothing to forgive, you have a beautiful family and you're proud of them....rightfully so. : )

I am missing both of them terribly today.

I'm sorry, I wish you were together. You just know they're thinking of you, though. : )

[sweetliberty]

Thank you Louie. I had never been away from them at Christmas until last year and this is my second Christmas away. I talked to them last night and will talk to them again in a little while, but it isn't quite the same. I really hope to be able to bring them out here for Christmas next year.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Thanks, Louie. Hope you're having a Merry Christmas, too!

I am, thank you. Hope you got everything you wished for.

I'm sure it must be our *Whoever* making you be so nice to Billie these last few days.

Unfair accusation! I've been as mean as ever to Billie. :)

Oh, sorry! I must have missed some of your posts. The ones I saw looked almost 'civil'. LOL

It is true though, that 'who' does bring out the best in me, except for the overwhelming desire to steal her graphics.

LOL

[LadyX]

Laughing hard here - while I was an adequate cook, because I worked outside the home, I did not enjoy it in too full days.

Oh, yes - I came through on holidays, but it wasn't something I craved to do..:)))

Hint:
hanging over my stove is a rectangular framed sign that shows my sentiment about cooking:

C L O S E D

[ST.LOUIE1]

Thank you Louie. I had never been away from them at Christmas until last year and this is my second Christmas away.

That's tough. Children should be with their Mom at this time of year.

I'm not saying they shouldn't be elsewhere.....but Christmas....oh well, best I say nothing more. : )

I talked to them last night and will talk to them again in a little while, but it isn't quite the same.

No, but at least you have that much. : )

I really hope to be able to bring them out here for Christmas next year.

I pray you do, Sweet.

[dutchess]

We had '5' inches! My outside Christmas lights never looked so beautiful

We had about 8 inches of snow..lots of blowing and drifting. We already had our family celebration and did church and dinner with friends last night. Planned to lay low today but our neighbors called, having to call off their family brunch for 30 because the roads are terrible and most of the guests were from out of town. So they hosted a good old fashioned neighborhood party! (ofcourse Gizmo was invited and we had to carry him after he got himself buried in the snow LOL!)

On top of that we trudged home to find someone had plowed out our driveway. That was the best Christmas present Mr. D. could have asked for.

Have a wonderful day all!

[sweetliberty]

Well, God does compensate us though for I now have something I didn't have before I came here. I have my FReeper family and I am very thankful for you all.

[ST.LOUIE1]

We had about 8 inches of snow..lots of blowing and drifting. We already had our family celebration and did church and dinner with friends last night.

Our roads were really slick last night but are in great shape today. The road crews did a terrific job.I did miss Midnight Mass, though. : (

Planned to lay low today but our neighbors called, having to call off their family brunch for 30 because the roads are terrible and most of the guests were from out of town. So they hosted a good old fashioned neighborhood party!

That sounds like wonderful fun!

(of course Gizmo was invited and we had to carry him after he got himself buried in the snow LOL!)

Cute! LOL

On top of that we trudged home to find someone had plowed out our driveway. That was the best Christmas present Mr. D. could have asked for.

Angels abound at Christmas time. : )

Merry Christmas, Dutchess! I have to take leave for now. My Aunt is expecting me like....fifteen minutes ago. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Well, God does compensate us though for I now have something I didn't have before I came here.
I have my FReeper family and I am very thankful for you all.

I'm thankful, too, Sweet.

My 'Finest' FRiends are the best!

Gotta go.....keep your chin up. : )

[sweetliberty]

Merry Christmas Louie and God bless!

[Libertina]

C L O S E D
ROTFLOL Well, perhaps that's how you feel, but hopefully the food taste hasn't caught on yet. ;)

[Aquamarine]

What Child Is This

Click on the pic

[Diver Dave]

NIV Luke 2:8-15 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

[conservativemusician]

Merry Christmas to all!