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| Re: | | Quote:
Shouldn't the Christian be suspicious of a celebration in which the whole sinful world can join without qualms?
I dont know about y'all, but since we are believers and born again... I find that in my house we celebrate Christmas completely different than the unsaved folks we know. It's all in how you keep it.
Krispy |
| 2008/12/8 12:43 | |
| Re: | | Quote:
You know I don't have any problem with a good debate, but what I do have a problem with is "Christians" trying to make "Christians" feel guilty. Ive never witnessed so many dysfunctional, obsessed, fantasy driven people in my life (myself included). There is a manner of "psychosis" going on, guilt about sin, insecurity with God, fear of hell, obsession for details, over-analysis of everything, hypocrisy, paranoia that Satan has deceived them, messiah/prophet complexes, obsession about rituals and ways of doing things, dread of being tainted by sin, shame of failing spiritually, secret knowledge that only they have been anointed with, fear of losing their salvation, self-righteousness, self-justification and denial, Christians trying to control and manipulate other Christians by making them feel bad, sinful, guilty
the list goes on and on.
This is all because we believe in God's wrath... but we struggle with believing in His grace and mercy.
Krispy |
| 2008/12/8 12:44 | | HomeFree89 Member
Joined: 2007/1/21 Posts: 797 Indiana
| Re: | | Quote:
Perhaps those of you who are supporting Christmas would like to say how far they go in the celebration of it.
Fair enough.
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Do you hang wreaths on the door?
Just a plain one made of sticks woven together, but it's more of a winter wreath because we leave it up all winter. We do put another wreath out on the house that has lights on it though.
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Do you have a red nosed raindeer on the roof?
No.
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How about Santa (satan clause) do your children watch for him to come?
Don't have kids, but if I did, they wouldn't be watching for him to come. :-)
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Do you strictly sing the old Christmas hymns, or do you hum along with 'White Christmas?'
I mostly keep to the sacred music of Christmas (not hymns-only, I like some of the new sacred Christmas songs. Songs like "In the First Light", "Ring the Bells", and "Jesus Saves" off of Travis Cottrell's new Christmas CD.), but I also listen to White Christmas and Winter Wonderland when they're on the CDs I have.
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I am very curious to know if you put gifts under the tree in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve?
Nope, I put them under it when I get around to wrapping them. Besides, I would rather sleep. ;-) _________________ Jordan
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| 2008/12/8 13:25 | Profile | HomeFree89 Member
Joined: 2007/1/21 Posts: 797 Indiana
| Re: | | Quote:
I dont know about y'all, but since we are believers and born again... I find that in my house we celebrate Christmas completely different than the unsaved folks we know. It's all in how you keep it.
Totally agree! _________________ Jordan
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| 2008/12/8 13:29 | Profile |
| Re: | | Quote:
Do you hang wreaths on the door?
Yep... I like the way they look. They're 'purdy. Didn't realize they were satanic until a believer told me and ruined it for me. Since then we just put lamb's blood on the sides of the door and on the lintel in the hope that St. Nick will soon pass over us.
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Do you have a red nosed raindeer on the roof?
Nope, but I have 2 whitetails in the freezer. Does that count?
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How about Santa (satan clause) do your children watch for him to come?
Nope.
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Do you strictly sing the old Christmas hymns, or do you hum along with 'White Christmas?'
I love "White Christmas"... of course, I'm southern so what would you expect, right?
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I am very curious to know if you put gifts under the tree in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve?
Nope... Santa does. I'm usually asleep by then, or I would do it myself.
Krispy
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| 2008/12/8 13:51 | | White_Stone Member
Joined: 2008/10/25 Posts: 1196 North Central Florida
| Re: | | "I am very curious to know if you put gifts under the tree in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve?"
"Nope... Santa does. I'm usually asleep by then, or I would do it myself.
Krispy"
SIGH! _________________ Janice
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| 2008/12/8 17:49 | Profile | InTheLight Member
Joined: 2003/7/31 Posts: 2850 Phoenix, Arizona USA
| Re: | | Quote:
Have a mighty merry Christmas dear Sermonindex family
Thank you Joan and a very Merry Christmas to you also!
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If you are new to SermonIndex this has become something of annual rite of it's own ...
This time of year just wouldn't be complete on this forum without these threads. Whatever side you fall on, let each one be fully persuaded in his own mind and not trample a brother or stumble him.
One thing I really like about Christmas is singing the old hymns, here's a couple of tidbits you might not know about a couple of my favorites...
[b]Hark the Herald Angels Sing[/b] Charles Wesley of England was without doubt one of the most productive hymn writers and preachers of all time. Yet, strangely enough, Wesley was able to get only one hymn poem into the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, and that one by error! An eighteenth century printer didn't know that the "established Church" of England frowned with disapproval upon Wesley's hymns. Since he needed material to fill an empty space in the new hymnal, he took it upon himself to insert a Christmas poem called, "Hark, How All the Welkins Rings!" by an Anglican clergyman named Charles Wesley. When the error was discovered attempts were made to have it removed, but it proved so popular that it was allowed to remain. It was written in 1738, but is still very moving today. "Hark the herald angels sing. Glory to the new born King. Peace on earth, and mercy mild: God and sinners reconciled."
[b]The Silent Authors of "Silent Night"[/b] Only by happy coincidence did the names of the true authors of the song "Silent Night" come to light-thirty-six years after they wrote it. The story begins in 1818 in a church in the little Austrian town of Oberndorf. Shortly before Christmas Eve, a mouse ate a hole in the leather bellows of the church organ, effectively silencing it. The itinerant organ mender was not due in town for months, and music was needed for the Christmas Eve service. In three and one-half hours, Franz Gruber, the organist, composed music for a poem written by Josef Mohr, a priest. It began "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" ("Silent Night, Holy Night"). On Christmas Eve, the two men sang their composition accompanied by a guitar and children's chorus. They were a great success. The following May, when the organ mender turned up, Gruber gave him a copy of the song, which the man then circulated in his travels. By 1831, thirteen years later, the Strasser family quartet was billing "Silent Night" one of their numbers, as a Tyrolean folk song by "authors unknown." Time went by, and soon the now-popular song was being attributed to several famous composers. In 1854, the leader of the king's orchestra in Berlin wrote to the choir director of the Benedictine school in Salzburg, asking for a copy of "Silent Night" by Michael Haydn, brother of the more famous composer Franz Joseph Haydn. The choir director asked a student-who just happened to be Felix Gruber, Franz Gruber's son-to find a copy. And you can guess the rest.
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light; radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light; with the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King; Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!
In Christ,
Ron _________________ Ron Halverson
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| 2008/12/8 20:35 | Profile | PaulWest Member
Joined: 2006/6/28 Posts: 3405 Dallas, Texas
| Re: | | [b]Christmas Morning[/b]
Glorys kiss awoke the morning, Which beheld the Saviors birth, And with natures rosy dawning, Peace, good-will, was born on earth. Heavens door rolled wide asunder, Through the gate of pearl and gem, Angels thronged to see this wonder, Earth held Heavens diadem.
Refrain
Ring, O bells, your loudest, sweetest, And ye children, shout with glee; Love the greatest, the completest, Christmas gave to you and me. Ring, O bells, ring, O bells, Ring your loudest, ring your sweetest, Ring, O bells, ring, O bells, Ring your sweetest Christmas bells!
Olive, myrtle, pine and laurel, Weave in beauteous garlands fair; While our voices raise a choral, Him our love and thanks to bear. But how poor the gifts we offer, Have we aught to give but them? Yea, our hearts we humbly proffer, Make them now a Bethlehem.
- M. Froelich, 1881
_________________ Paul Frederick West
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| 2008/12/8 20:54 | Profile | HeartSong Member
Joined: 2006/9/13 Posts: 3179
| Re: | | What a wonderful song. Thank you! |
| 2008/12/8 20:59 | Profile | PaulWest Member
Joined: 2006/6/28 Posts: 3405 Dallas, Texas
| Re: | | Quote:
What a wonderful song. Thank you!
Absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?
This is how the saved celebrate this wonderful time of the year. Lord, make our hearts a Bethlehem. _________________ Paul Frederick West
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| 2008/12/8 21:04 | Profile |
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