Exloring Life Eternal

1 Corinthians 13 applied to Christmas season from a feminine voice.

Author unknown, my additions. Received via Phil Pinkard (a chaplain in El Dorado). Entered here for my future reference:

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator. If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet mealsand arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook. If I work at the soup kitchen carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family in the evening, it profits me nothing. If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but always rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears up under all pressure, trusts all who have need, hopes for all the best, endures all opposition. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, dolls will be torn apart, but ==> hope and trust and love, yes, giving the gift of LOVE will endure!!

Please pray for me as an ex-muslim Christian and for the gifts of the Holy Spirit within me & my family (who are not Christians yet). They need all of God's grace among them. Please pray also for the Iranian churches & Iran in general and those who have lost loved ones as well as Canada.

May the Lord Jesus bless you!

Saeed. A church in Canada, Montreal.