A Christmas greeting from a special issue of the Cleverly Newsletter published for the first time at Bountiful, Utah, in December 1977, and sent to both family members and friends. We had just moved to Bountiful the month before, and our fourth child and second son had been born the previous summer.
Christmas is a time of fond memories—the crisp bit of the winter air, the silent drifting of powdery snowflakes, the smell of spruce and wintergreen, the crackle of the pine log burning in the fireplace, the magic aromas drifting from the kitchen, the soft glow of twinkling little lights on the Christmas tree, the enchantment and wonder reflected in the eyes of the children, the love of friends and family, the memory of Him whose birthday it is.
The mosaic of Christmas memories is colorful and many-faceted, providing a kaleidoscope of varied treasures for each person as he thinks back on Christmases past. We are thankful for our Christmas memories and want you to know that we remember their source—for, as the ancient prophet wrote, "all things which are good cometh of Christ" (Moroni 7:24).
The Lord has been very good to us this year. As you can see, this Christmas greeting comes partially as a birth announcement, partially as an announcement of our new address, and partially as our way of saying we love and appreciate you to so many who in different ways have touched our lives and made them just a little better. You will find in these brief pages mention of much that is new—our new home, our new baby, our new Church callings, our new this and that. But there is nothing new about the Christmas message, except that is everlastingly new and fresh and relevant to all men at all times everywhere:
"For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
". . . Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:10-11, 14).
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).
These scriptures are an indication of what Christmas is all about. And that is why we love the holiday season—because we can more openly rejoice in Christ and preach of Him as the Fount of all our blessings, the Source of all that is good, the Giver of every blessing—including family and friends and home and freedom and all we hold dear.
We know that He lives. We know it. And we rejoice in this knowledge revealed to us from heaven. Our Christmas wish is that you too may know and, knowing, do all that He requires that you may have happiness and joy during the New Year and everlastingly thereafter.
A merry, merry Christmas with all our love,
Dean, Claudia, and the children (Michael Adam, Becca, Rachael, and Talmage)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment