Christmas Eve Prayer

Wondrous God, take us to Bethlehem, to a quiet place and a humble birth. Let us, too, fall on our knees in adoration, open our hearts to a smiling child and rise ready to love and to serve. Amen.
 
 
1 Timothy 2: 5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men and women, the man Jesus Christ.”
 
John 1: 14  14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Story of the Bluebirds
 
You know the story about the man on Christmas Eve. . . . His family has gone to the Christmas Eve service. It is late and he is sitting alone, by the Christmas tree, when he looks out the window. It is a cold and windy night and he sees a beautiful flock of birds—little blue birds that should have flown South long ago.
 
As he watches them flailing about in the snow, he thinks that maybe he can get them into the garage. So he dresses up warmly and goes outside. First, he tries to herd the birds into the garage, but that doesn't work very well. Then he tries to lure them into the garage with some birdseed, but they flap away each time he comes near. They do not trust him and they are scared, cold, and lost.
 
By now, he is completely frustrated. He has tried everything. Then a thought goes through his mind, “Too bad, I am not a blue bird then I could lead them into the garage myself.”
 
Just then he hears the church bells down and across the valley ringing in the birth of Jesus the Christ—a tiny baby, helpless human being, enters our world to become one of us. He lives like we do and leads us to safety.
 
And suddenly, the man makes a connection he never got before. He feels how much God must love us, how much God hurts to see us lost, cold, and scared. In his mind, he can almost hear God saying, "I'll become one of these creatures that I love so much, so I can lead them to safety."
 
Invitation:
Unto us a child is born
Unto us a son is given
Let us welcome his presence with joy.
 
Go forth into the world. Go forth, singing of our Savior’s birth. Go forth hopeful and expectant, joyful and triumphant!
 
You are people who have seen a great light! You are people who have received the ultimate gift in the Son of God — the Light of the World. Be bearers of the light, going with the blessing of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, this night and always. Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHRISTMAS SYNONYMS--Just for Fun!
 
Translate each of the statements listed back into recognizable English. Each is a common Christmas saying or song. Have fun and Merry Christmas!
 
1.         Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief.
2.         Listen, the celestial messengers produce harmonious sounds.
3.         Nocturnal time-span of unbroken quietness.
4.         An emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good given to the terrestrial sphere.
5.         Embellish the interior passageways.
6.         Exalted heavenly beings to whom we hearkened.
7.         Twelve o'clock on a clement night witnessed its arrival.
8.         The Christmas preceding all others.
9.         Small municipality in Judea southeast of Jerusalem.
10.       Proceed forth declaring upon a specific geological alpine formation.
11.       Jovial yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by us
12.       Tintinnabulation of vacillating pendulums in inverted, metallic, resonant cups.
 
 
 
Answers:
 
 1.         O Come All Ye Faithful
2.         Hark the Herald Angels Sing
3.         Silent Night
4.         Joy to the World
5.         Deck the Halls
6.         Angels We Have Heard on High
7.         It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
8.         The First Noel
9.         O Little Town of Bethlehem
10.       Go Tell It on the Mountain
11.       We Wish You a Merry Christmas
12.       Jingle Bells