Anything can be created perfect, and become a mess. Neglect the simple rules ... go off in another direction, and wow ... it won't take long. I'm pretty sure the mess we see today, wasn't the plan. "Free Will" can cause a lot of poor decisions, which lead to effects, which the same person strongly resents.

The life of Christ rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. The number of TV shows which are titled something like ... "Who Was the REAL Jesus?" are proof that they still don't like the version in the Bible. The book of Matthew begins about 3/4 of the way thru the Bible. Chapter 1 vs. 18 begins the Christmas Story.

You know the little Christmas Song ... "Said the night wind to the little lamb ...?" Do you recall the lyrics when the shepherd boy comes to the mighty king and tells him of the birth of Jesus ... ? The song says ... "said the king to the people everywhere .... pray for peace people everywhere. A child, a child, sleeping in the night ... he will bring us goodness and light". Such a nice reaction for the mighty king in the song. However; Matt. 2:16 says that the actual mighty king on duty at the birth of Christ, was so jealous and fearful of another "King" being born, that he killed all the male children in Bethlem and surrounding areas, of two years age and under. Guess the song writer was also trying to correct the Matthew account.

I must read the Matthew story tomorrow, to our family, after breakfast.

God Bless,
Merry Christmas to you and your entire family.

Gary and Kelly

The Luke version of the story (King James) is the kinder version, I think

Best wishes to everyone for a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year

Merry Christmas everyone. I pray you have a wonderful new year.

Karl

Best wishes Gary and all
Merry Christmas
Neil

Enjoying a wonderful Christmas morning with my wife and three grown children. The mantra should always be, " count your blessings, not your problems". All of us in this forum have many blessings! Here is wishing all a joyful Christmas and New Year to all.

Hugh Hagan

best to everyone... hope its a great year ahead.

Anyone who can spend the holidays with friends and family is blessed indeed. Things can be lost or replaced, but the people that we care about and that care about us are truely a gift.