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WRAPPED IN LOVE - December 15,
2005
Do you have your Christmas shopping finished?
Do you dread going to a mall? It is very frustrating!
There are so many people it is hard to walk very fast. The
public address system is blaring music--Jingle Bells from one
store, O Little Town of Bethlehem from another store. There are
no empty benches to sit long enough to check my list.
One young mother looked like a walking Christmas tree, laden
down with packages, even hanging from both arms. She could
hardly see where she was going. Then there was the small child
clinging to her coat. It was something Norman Rockwell could use
in a painting. What would be the title? He would probably use
something like “Christmas Peace?”
Will we find peace this Christmas? Christmas is two weeks
away and there is still so much to do! There are two kinds of
peace, as I see it, passive peace and active peace.
Passive peace suggests no-stress, no-conflict, no strain
living. About the only way this kind can be found is if we live
in isolation. Active peace is a spiritual peace that we get when
we are engaged in the welfare of others.
We will find our peace this Christmas, depending on how much
we are giving of ourselves. It will come from involvement, not
withdrawal; giving, not receiving; not from wrapping packages,
but from wrapping people in our love.
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