Day 25
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
Merry Christmas!
I shared this post two years ago:
The Bishop's Wife (1947) ranks at the top of our favorite Christmas movies. Episcopal Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) ignores his wife (Loretta Young) and daughter as he obsesses over fundraising for a new cathedral. He pleads for divine guidance, and an angel, Dudley (Cary Grant), arrives. That's right… Cary Grant portrays an angel! Ya gotta love it! Abundant humorous moments soar throughout the film.I shared this post two years ago:
My husband and I watched it as newlyweds, and the following dialogue inspired our first family tradition.
HENRY BROUGHAM
Tonight I want to tell you the story
of an empty stocking. Once upon a
midnight clear, there was a child's cry.
A blazing star hung over a stable and
wise men came with birthday gifts.
We haven't forgotten that night down
the centuries; we celebrate it with
stars on Christmas trees, the sound
of bells and with gifts. But especially
with gifts. You give me a book; I give
you a tie. Aunt Martha has always
wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle
Henry could do with a new pipe.
We forget nobody, adult or child.
All the stockings are filled...
All that is, except one.
And we have even forgotten to
hang it up. The stocking for the
child born in a manger. It's His
birthday we are celebrating.
Don't ever let us forget that.
Let us ask ourselves what He would
wish for most... and then let each
put in his share. Loving kindness,
warm hearts and the stretched out hand
of tolerance. All the shining gifts
that make peace on earth.
of an empty stocking. Once upon a
midnight clear, there was a child's cry.
A blazing star hung over a stable and
wise men came with birthday gifts.
We haven't forgotten that night down
the centuries; we celebrate it with
stars on Christmas trees, the sound
of bells and with gifts. But especially
with gifts. You give me a book; I give
you a tie. Aunt Martha has always
wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle
Henry could do with a new pipe.
We forget nobody, adult or child.
All the stockings are filled...
All that is, except one.
And we have even forgotten to
hang it up. The stocking for the
child born in a manger. It's His
birthday we are celebrating.
Don't ever let us forget that.
Let us ask ourselves what He would
wish for most... and then let each
put in his share. Loving kindness,
warm hearts and the stretched out hand
of tolerance. All the shining gifts
that make peace on earth.
Thanks to Bishop Brougham's sermon we hang a stocking for Jesus each year, placed between ours--in the center--to represent how we want Christ in the center of our lives.
There used to be more stockings--one for each child and pet--but we've gone full circle, empty nesters with three stockings, shown below. Mine on the left, Kurt's on the right, and the Savior's in the center.
On Christmas Eve, we each fill out a card with a promise (our gift) for the upcoming year--service to others, overcome a bad habit, show more gratitude--and place the gifts in His stocking, removing and reviewing the cards from the previous year.
A treasured family tradition brought to us by our favorite Christmas movie.
