My favorite scripture for the Christmas season is from the Gospel of John 1:1 and 1:14. Together they say "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God..the Word became flesh and lived for awhile among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father full of grace and truth."

I have some friends who have been in South America (30+ years) translating the scriptures into a language the Pume Indians could understand. Periodically they send us a paragraph or two. The simplicity and the music of the words is so beautiful. Recently I received the entire gospel of John. The above scriptures are the first that I read in it. I want to share that with you this month for your joy and renewed worship during this season.

Juan 1:1 says "From way, way back before there was the earth, the one named Word existed. He existed together with the true God. For he is also the true God". And in verse 14: "The one named Word because human. He came to have a body. And he came to live among us. And as he lived among us we saw his beauty. It's true. We saw his surpassingly great beauty, his immeasurable beauty. Look, the Father God had only just one Son. And precisely his beauty we were always seeing, his continually telling the Truth."

May the one named Word fill your hearts and homes with His beauty, His compassion and His truth. This wonderful season we all call Christmas. And may we "continually" show compassion and speak truth.