Stories and Emails

Santa's Prayer On Christmas Eve
The sleigh was all packed, the reindeer were fed,
But Santa still knelt by the side of the bed.
"Dear Father," he prayed "Be with me tonight.
There's much work to do and my schedule is tight.
I must jump in my sleigh and streak through the sky,
Knowing full well that a reindeer can't fly.
I will visit each household before the first light,
I'll cover the world and all in one night. With sleigh bells a-ringing,
I'll land on each roof, Amid the soft clatter of each little hoof.
To get in the house is the difficult part,
So I'll slide down the chimney of each child's heart. My sack will hold toys to grant all their wishes.
The supply will be endless like the loaves and the fishes. I will fill all the stockings and not leave a track.
I'll eat every cookie that is left for my snack. I can do all these things Lord, only through You,
I just need your blessing, then it's easy to do.
All this is to honor the birth of the One,
That was sent to redeem us, Your most Holy Son. So to all of my friends, least Your glory I rob,
Please Lord, remind them who gave me this job."
--Warren D. Jennings

Santa and the Soldier

Twas The Night Before Christmas, He Lived ALL Alone, In a One Bedroom House Made Of Plaster And Stone.
I Had Come Down The ChimneyWith Presents To Give, And To See Just Who In This Home Did Live.
I looked All About, A Strange Sight I Did See, No Tinsel, No Presents, Not Even a TREE.
No Stocking By the Mantle, Just Boots Filled With Sand, On The Wall Hung Pictures Of FAR DISTANT Lands.
With medals and badges, award of all kinds, a sober thought Came Through My MIND.
For This House Was Different, it was dark and dreary, I found the home of a sailor, once I could see clearly.
The sailor lay sleeping silent, alone, curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder, not how I pictured a United States sailor.
Was this hero of whom I'd read? Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?
I realized the families that I saw this night owed their lives to these sailors who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play, and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.
They al enjoyed freedom each month of the year, because of the sailors like the one lying here.
I couldn't help wonder, how many lay alone, on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye, I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The sailor awakened and I heard a rough voice, "Santa don't cry, this is my choice I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more
my life is my god, my country, and my corps."
The sailor rolled over and drifted to sleep I could control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent and sill and we both shivered from the cold night's chill.
I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark, night this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
Then the sailor rolled over with a voice soft and pure, whisper, "Carry on Santa, its Christmas Day, all is secure."
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right, "Merry Christmas my friend and to all a good NIGHT!
This poem was written by a Sailor stationed in Okinawa Japan. The following is his request... PLEASE.
Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be
coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
Let's try in this small away to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes,
living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

A two minute read....... Read this story, give you something to think about! As I was walking down life's highway many years ago I came upon a sign that read Heavens Grocery Store. When I got a little closer the doors swung open wide. And when I came to myself I was standing inside. I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere. One handed me a basket and said "My child shop with care." Everything a human needed was in that grocery store. And what you could not carry you could come back for more. First I got some Patience. Love was in that same row. Further down was Understanding, you need that everywhere you go. I got a box or two of Wisdom and Faith a bag or two. And Charity of course I would need some of that too. I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost. It was all over the place. And then some Strength and Courage to help me run this race. My basket was getting full but I remembered I needed Grace, and then I chose Salvation for Salvation was for free I tried to get enough of that to do for you and me. Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill. For I thought I had everything to do the Masters will. As I went up the aisle I saw Prayer and put that in, For I knew when I stepped outside I would run into sin. Peace and Joy were plentiful, the last things on the shelf. Song and Praise were hanging near so I just helped myself. Then I said to the angel "Now how much do I owe?" He smiled and said "Just take them everywhere you go. "Again I asked "Really now, How much do I owe?" "My child" he said,"God paid your bill a long long time ago."

One of my Favorite Stories
John 3:16
In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a blizzard was setting in. A
little boy was selling newspapers on the corner. The people were in and
out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.
He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know
where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You
see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and
it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the
street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come
out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did.
He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered.
He looked up and said, "John 3:16"
The lady said, "Come on in son." She took him in and she sat him down in a
split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went
off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16.......I
don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later, she came back and asked him, "Are you hungry?"
He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days and I
guess I could stand a little bit of food."
The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of
wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he
thought to himself : John 3:16..... boy, I sure don't understand it but it
sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself : John 3:16..... I sure don't understand it but it sure does make a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a real bath in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out. The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked
out the window, at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to
himself : John 3:16.... I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired
boy rested. The next morning, the lady came back up and took him down again to that same table full of food. After he ate, she took him down again to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a
big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young
face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently.
He replied, "No ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last
night when the policeman told me to use it."
She opened the Bible to John 3: 16 and began to explain to him about Jesus.
Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life
to Jesus. He sat there and thought : John 3:16. I don't understand it,
but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was
willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such
a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in Heaven as
they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for
ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but
it sure does make life worth living.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton Son,
that whosever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. If you aren't ashamed to do this, please follow the directions.
Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my
Father."
Pass this on only if you mean it. I do Love God. He is my source of existence.
He keeps me functioning each and every day.
Phil 4:13 If you love God and are not ashamed of all the marvelous things he has done for you, send this on.
Take 60 seconds & give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan stops this one.
All you do is
1) Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent you this,
(Father, God bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day!)
2.) Then send it on to five other people. Within hours, five people have prayed for you,
and you caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people.
Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your