Poem
 
Baby Boy Jesus
The baby boy Jesus is sleeping on straw,
The donkey is tethered and guarding the door,
And Joseph is making a bed on the floor,
As Mary, new mother, is gazing in awe.
 
The tapers in Bethlehem shine in the night,
As angels descend in a great cloud so bright,
Shy shepherds gaze up at a breathtaking sight,
And listen to music that makes their hearts light.
 
The journey from Nazareth makes Mary sigh,
But longer the journey from heaven to fly,
And here in this Baby redemption is nigh,
As Mary rocks Jesus with sweet lullaby.
 
The Father in heaven looks down with a smile,
As sev’ral poor shepherds all enter, in file,
To worship the Infant, in Him is no guile,
Now I kneel to worship Him also a while.
—Roy Naden, Via E-mail, wrote this carol—lyrics ?and musical score—on November 25, 2003
 
 
Sound Bite
“We are members of the Seventh-day  . . . Family!”
—Lois Smith’s 6-year-old grandson on the way to church one Sabbath morning in Portland, Oregon
 
 
Adventist Life
Some time ago the Dakota Conference executive committee was discussing plans for coming months. “We want to install a sprinkling system in our church,” a committee member informed the group.
Laughter erupted when the Mid-America Union vice president for finance spoke up: “Are you changing your method of baptism?”
—Doris Burdick, Lincoln, Nebraska
 
Two-and-a-half-year-old Krista loved to dress up as Mary to act out the Christmas story at her beginner Sabbath school. And she loved to play the part at home, using her favorite blanket as her head covering. It warmed our hearts one evening when she approached us, blanket in hand, and asked, “Daddy, will you ‘Mary’ me?”
—Greg and Heather Reseck, Carnation, Washington
 

Sermon in Seven
On the Adventist Review’s Facebook page (online), a staff member frequently writes spiritual gems with a seven-word takeaway thought. Below is one posting from October:

“Seven words continue our reflection on Him who is Lord and Author of history and the Book. Because we know He is in charge, we know there is purpose to existence and to our personal lives. We came from somewhere [we know our high and holy origin] and are going somewhere [we know our future]:
“Faith in God is faith in destiny.”
 
________
This article was published December 15, 2011.