HIS STORY

I think you may recall me telling about that time when there wasn't much to speak of at all. When Murdleigh had given up bashing and taking, soon after discovering that giving and smiling were 'nicer'. Well as with all wonderful and not so wonderful secrets it wasn't long before Murdleigh was out and about trying to convince everyone that his way was best. Now Gloog, Howk and Lester caught on to the giving and smiling very quickly, but since Marvin Ouk didn't really have anything to give and he was only able to smile with the left side of his face, a condition which surely came from falling face forward when getting bashed so many times, therefore Marvin never had more than half a feeling of 'nicer'.

It wasn't long before Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester realized that one could find 'nicer' rather boring and it wasn't all that comfortable just hanging and smiling. They tried smiling in different ways and positions, but it wasn't long before they ran out of ways to contort.

One day Murdleigh said to Gloog, Howk and Lester,"I wonder what it would be like if we went hunting and gathering all together?" They didn't really invite Marvin Ouk to come but he became a tag along. Once they were hunting and gathering they discovered that even though Marvin wasn't much good at hunting or gathering he was really good at carrying. This was important since it was long before uprights had begun to convince those who walked on all four to do their carrying for them.

Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester soon discovered that by hunting and gathering together, along with the carrying of Marvin, they had a lot more time to hang and smile at each other. One day with the coming of the day light, Murdleigh, for absolutely no reason at all, decided to make a / on the wall of his dwelling. This took a fair amount of time since he had to get a burnt pointed stick from the fire and then make one end a point so that he could make a perfect / and not one that looked /. It wasn't long before Murdleigh realized that every time he made /////////////////////////// the night light was biggest and brightest so he started putting a O between the // on those days so that soon his dwelling had long stings of //////O/////// patterns.

Murdleigh was very happy with his markings which were pretty much perfect except on those times when he,Gloog, Howk, Lester and Marvin Ouk wandered too far from their dwellings and were gone for many day and night lights. Murdleigh had shown the soft one who dwelt with him and brought the little things into the dwelling how to make the marks, but of course the soft one never could quite make them right and they came out looking / or ) or| or \ or (, and sometimes they would even look /. Murdleigh was able to overlook her obvious lack of talent, because besides making him feel 'nicer' for no reason at all, she also made him feel aaa and eee and iii and ooo and uuu and sometimes even yyy.

One day Murdleigh got weary of making // and an appropriate O and decided to try to draw some of the things that he Gloog, Howk, Lester and Marvin Ouk had hunted or gathered and carried during the last O///////////////////////////O.

One day while hanging with Gloog, Howk, Lester and Marvin, Murdleigh was asked what he was doing with all that messing up the walls of his dwelling and almost without thinking Murdleigh quickly replied that he was marking His Story.

In order to keep themselves status quoed with Murdleigh, it wasn't long before Gloog, Howk, Lester and even Marvin Ouk started making markings on their dwellings and keeping His Story on their walls. Actually Marvin Ouk seemed to have been made a little soft with all the bashing and falling he had done before the days of 'nicer', and so his markings were mostly / or ) or | or \ or ( , but sometimes they were even /. It wasn't long, however, that everyone agreed that Marvin's markings of what had been hunted or gathered looked very much like the real thing unlike those of Gloog, Howk, Murdleigh and Lester.

Since the status had once again been quoed, Murdleigh begin at times to feel a little 'unnicer'. He wondered for a long time how to unquo the status and finally decided to think on what he might be able to do during the next few O///////////////////////////O. After trying: reluk, guf, rabas, gules what sounded best to him were resolves and goals. Yes, he thought I will do some resolves and some goals. He was somewhat puzzled about whether one resolved to overcome bad things or resolved to do better things. He also wondered whether one set goals to overcome bad things or to do better things. In the end he decided it didn't really matter just so that he would be causing the quo of the status to change.

Although we will never be quite sure, but His Story goes that it was on the day when the O////////////////////////////O/////////////////////////////O///////////(//////////////////O////////////////////////////////O//////////////////////////////O//////////////|///////////////O/////////////////////////////////O//////////////////////////////////O///////////////////////////O///////////////////////////O////////////\)//////////////O////////////////////////////O//////////\|////////////////O started all over again.

THE TRUE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

One more attempt at wishing you all a Merry Christmas

What was it about that last package under the tree that always seemed to dim the youthful glow of Christmas? The wrapping was every bit as bright as any of those which had eagerly been opened to reveal mysterious hidden treasures. This last gift was always approached with hesitation and soberness as if it somehow contained some mystical vapors which if released would subdue the joys and warmth that had filled the house since the week before Thanksgiving.

Memory has been clouded by years, but somewhere back there in the days which separate childhood from adulthood something transpired to bridge the annual gulf between this year's last package and next year's first wrapping; a potion which magically evaporated those terrible vapors which clouded joy and warmth and allowed me the blessing of an almost continual basking throughout the year.

Like I say, I can't remember when IT first came, but IT has forever since spanned the abyss between the transitory, busy, glittering, boisterous, yearning, youthful concept of Christmas and with a magical special flicker in a moment changed my soul. From that moment until now I have been allowed to more or less remain in a state where I can celebrate the passing of one warm moment of continual joy into the next which follows quickly, as if there was no gap in the feeling.

Although I can't clearly remember the when, the where or the what of the crossing of this wondrous bridge which brought me to this place where joy burns warmly in the ever presence of my mind, I can easily identify it as the brightest and greatest gift I have ever unwrapped.

The true joy of year long Christmas warmth became a prized possession that moment when I first opened the gift of all gifts and felt the warming love of my Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ and in that magical moment I was moved to a determination to set my feet upon the path which would enable me in some small way to return that love.

HAVING HOLY DAY’S THE WHOLE YEAR THROUGH

The Riley's wish to send their wishes that the blessings of our Heavenly Father will come abundantly to each of you during this wonderful season and throughout the new year.

During this very special Holy Season, we wish to bear witness to this truth: it is Christmas which brings the Spirit of Christ to mankind; likewise it is Christ who can magnify the spirit of Christmas in our lives not only during this special time of year but all the year through.

Without Christ, the exchanging of gifts turns our thoughts from charitable love to concerns of indebtedness.

Without Christ, the bright lights and colorful decorations turn from being guiding beacons and uplifting revivers to glaring and gaudy glitter.

Without Christ, gatherings of family and friends turn from memory building reunions to better forgotten ruinous riotous rallies.

Without Christ, Christmas turns from a day of celestial contemplation to a day of trivial telestial thoughts.

Just as Christ turns our every participation during this special season into something positive, we believe it can  be so the whole year through if we allow His love to penetrate our hearts each day as it does during this Holy Season.

Therefore, we take this moment to wish you all a joyous and wondrous Christmas; but more than this we wish for you the eternal joy which can be yours through having come unto the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

SO MANY THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS

While the warmth of the hearth is a haven to some, others gleefully frolic in the frozen white.

Christmas trees are found in sufficient variety to satisfy everyone's vision of 'just right'.

Those with gourmet palates and those with simpler taste are filled with feast and sufficient faire.

Joy in the fulfilled eyes quickens the heart of the thoughtful provider.

An oak's lost seeds bring life to the creatures housed in its limbs.

Grandfather shares the memories of Christmas past.

Dreams of Christmas soon to come, fill the thoughts of grandchildren.

All desire to be home, but for many distance and added generations makes it impossible.

Those who are alone are often comforted and warmed by a source seldom understood.

Rich colors abound in never ending combinations and brighten the lives of artisans and artists.

Gaily wrapped packages so lovingly done, bring gladness and squeals as they are hastily rent.

Concert halls are filled with souls being cheered by familiar and newly discovered strains.

Chapels are crowed with beaming parents as the musical sounds of children fill their hearts.

How wondrous and great are the scenes of this special season. There are enough and more to fill the needs and desire of every life.

Hopefully we will never forget – He who has provided this variety, goodness and abundance of life

For … He was born to bring purpose to life

He lived to be an exemplar of the way

He died that all might live

We truly love and appreciate you our Lord, our Savior, and our King.

THE MUSICAL CHRISTMAS STORY

I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY THOSE OLD FAMILIAR CAROLS PLAY – BUT IN DESPAIR I BOWED MY HEAD –THERE IS NO PEACE ON EARTH, FOR HATE IS STRONG AND MOCKS THE SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN.

THEN TO MY KNEES I WENT IN PRAYER AND PLEAD WITH THE LORD AS I KNELT THERE

BEFORE SCARCELY A WORD I'D SAID A VOICE RANG WITHIN MY HEAD – OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT, OH COME YE TO BETHLEHEM

LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM, HOW STILL WE SEE THEE LIE – ABOVE THY DEEP AND DREAMLESS SLEEP THE SILENT STARS GO BY

YET IN THY DARK STREETS SHINES THE EVERLASTING LIGHT – THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEAR ARE MET IN THEE TONIGHT

FOR LO – THE DAYS ARE HASTENING ON, BY PROPHETS SEEN OF OLD, WHEN WITH THE EVER CIRCLING YEARS SHALL COME THE TIME FORETOLD, WHEN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL OWN THE PRICE OF PEACE THEIR KING

THE WHOLE EARTH SENDS BACK THE SONG WHICH NOW THE HERALD ANGELS SING - GLORY, GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING

THEN, ALL IS CALM ALL IS BRIGHT ON THIS SILENT, HOLY NIGHT.

THERE, 'ROUND YON VIRGIN MOTHER AND CHILD – HOLY INFANT, SO TENDER AND MILD – SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE

SHEPHERDS WILL WAKE AT YOUR SIGHT – GLORIES WILL STREAM FROM HEAVEN A FAR

FOR CHRIST THE SAVIOR IS BORN

SON OF GOD

LOVE'S PURE LIGHT BEAMS FROM THY HOLY FACE

THE HEAVEN BORN PRINCE OF PEACE

THE SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

LIGHT AND LIFE TO ALL HE BRINGS – BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH

JOY TO THE WORLD – THE LORD HAS COME – LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING

HOW SILENTLY THE WONDROUS GIFT IS GIVEN

IN THIS WORLD OF SIN – WHERE MEEK SOULS WILL RECEIVE HIM STILL – THE DEAR CHRIST ENTERS IN

WITH MY PRAYER NOW DONE – DURING WHICH JESUS CHRIST MY SOUL HAS FURTHER WON – IN MY MIND THE VOICE DID CEASE TO RING

AND THEN I HEARD THE BELLS ONCE MORE ON CHRISTMAS SING

BUT NOW THEY PEALED MORE LOUD AND DEEP – GOD IS NOT DEAD, NOR DOTH HE SLEEP – A VOICE A CHIME, A CHANT SUBLIME, PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN