It was around Christmas when Frank's mom died 7 years ago. It made the holidays tough and Frank and I were to be married in less than a month. We decided to remember his mom by placing special star ornaments on the tree for his mom and his dad. We went to Lifeway and found the most beautiful gold stars ever. They were stars of Bethlehem. We have put them lovingly on our tree every year for the past seven years. This year, as you all know, my dad died and so we began the hunt for the special star. We decided to go ahead and buy two so that we would have one for my mom to match my dad's. We have hunted everywhere for the perfect star ornament. As luck would have it we could find ONE that we liked....not TWO....or nothing that just jumped out and said, "Pick Me! Pick Me!"...so I found myself in Dothan, AL this weekend...December 11th...14 days til Christmas....with no star and no time to shop. I was to be in Dothan all weekend, bowling! Not Christmas shopping!...yet, in the worst of all weather...cold, rainy, nasty....we made it to Michaels, Target and KMart...to no avail. I made peace that there would be no special star on the tree this year for my dad. When we got back to Patricia Lanes to pick up the other bowlers, Louise asked if I had looked at Belks...she said their ornaments were gorgeous....and since we had two hours before our dinner reservations at Hunts....we headed for Wiregrass Commons Mall and Belks. I walked in, went straight to the Christmas section...and lo and behold....there they were...TWO...count them...TWO matching gorgeous star ornaments....and they were under 10.00. I snatched them up, paid for them, and went to wait at the door while everyone else shopped. As I was standing there...I began to replay the Christmas story in my head....you know how it goes...several important people....went searching for THE star..."That night, in a field near the little town, shepherds were guarding their sheep. Suddenly a bright light, as bright as the sun, shone all around them. The shepherds were afraid and covered their faces. The sheep were afraid and huddled together.
"Don’t be afraid," said a kind, gentle voice. The shepherds uncovered their faces. They saw an angel, all glowing with light. Said the angel, "I bring you good tidings of great joy! Jesus, your Saviour, is born. You will find Him lying in a manger." Then the sky was filled with shining angels singing the glory song -- "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." As the angels went farther and farther away, they looked like a twinkling bright star in the dark night sky above Bethlehem. "Come," said the shepherds, "let us go see." They ran all the way to the stable, and there they found Joseph and Mary and Baby Jesus in His manger bed. In a faraway country, Wise Men saw the angel star. They said, "It is the star of the Baby King. Let us go worship Him, and take Him presents." The Wise Men made ready their gifts. One Wise Man filled a bag with gold. Another filled a jar with frankincense, the perfume of flowers. And another filled a special box with myrrh, the perfume of spices. The Wise Men gathered up their gifts, mounted their camels, and rode toward the star. They crossed rivers and hills and sandy deserts -- sometimes it was hot, sometimes it was cold, but always they rode on, following the star. When I hang my stars on my tree this year I will pause and remember how important that star was...and delight in the fact that the shepherds and wisemen...took heed and followed. As the new year begins I want to remember to take heed and follow. What a star...What a night....Star of Wonder....Shining Bright! I do hope you all have a wonderful week...I know I will!
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