Got to watch one of my childhood favorite productions last night. I bought a DVD of the 1955 TV Christmas special, Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. I had the entire thing memorized . It tells the story of the wise men on the way to meet the Christ child. They stop at the home of a poor widow and her crippled son. When the little boy offers to send a gift to the Christ Child, he offers the only thing he has–his crutch. He then receives healing and leaves with the wise men to visit the Child himself. I just love the message: we need to bow in allegiance to the Christ of the crib, the Christ of the cross, and the Christ who will return. This is the message of Christmas. O come let us adore Him.
A career teacher, with forty years of teaching language arts/English, Betty Jackson enjoys wordsmithing, writing, and reading as a vocation and avocation.Retirement is her "age of frosting," a chance to pursue postponed hobbies with gusto. She especially sends kudos to the Space Coast Writers Guild members for their encouragement and advice. Her five books, It's a God Thing!, Job Loss: What's Next? A Step by Step Action Plan, and Bless You Bouquets: A Memoir, And God Chose Joseph: A Christmas Story, and Rocking Chair Porch: Summers at Grandma's are available at Amazon.com. Ms. Jackson is available to speak to local groups and to offer her books at discount for fundraising purposes at her discretion. She and her husband soon celebrate their 47th anniversary, and have lived in New York, New Jersey, Iowa, and now the paradise of Palm Bay, Florida. Their two grown children and daughter-in-love, all orchestra musicians, and our beautiful granddaughters Kaley and Emily live nearby. Hobbies, and probably future topics on her blog: gardening, symphonic music (especially supporting the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra as a volunteer and proud parent of a violinist, a cellist, and an oboist), singing, book clubs, and co-teaching a weekly small-group Bible study for seniors. She volunteers and substitute teaches at Covenant Christian School, and serves as a board member of the Best Yet Set senior group at church. Foundationally, she daily enjoys God's divine appointments called Godincidences, which show God's providence and loving kindness.