By Randy Kadonaga
We are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.
A song I remember is John Lennon’s So This Is Christmas.
So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
As I thought about this verse I tried to think, “what have I really done this Christmas and this year?”
The Salvation Army is preparing Christmas hampers, Christmas dinner, ringing bells in stores with our bubbles, attending fund raising events, parties and so on.
It seems like a lot but what have I done this Christmas and all this past year?
I find that I have not done what I would have liked.
I would have like to have told more people about the love of God.
I would like to have given more.
I would like to have been more appreciative to those who have donated so generously.
So having said I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that God loves you.
He gave the most precious gift of all His Son Jesus John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Secondly Jesus when asked said, Matthew 22:37-39 ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[d] 38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
The description of love 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a 4 Love suffers long and is kind; does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.
Words cannot express how much we appreciate the generosity of the people of Williams Lake.
From the depths of our hearts thank you for making our task easier.
Whenever there was a need for groceries, funds or goods to sell our shelves were stocked by you.
Paul said 2 Corinthians 9:7-8:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
So this Christmas as you listen to John Lennon know that you have done abundantly this year.
Finally I want thank all of you for kind words, for reading my Pastor Pen.
This will be my last submission as Claudine and I are embarking on a new adventure and mission.
