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 JOY AT CHRISTMAS
 The meanings behindbeloved traditions
 THE ETERNALCHAIN OF LOVE
It’s up to us to keep it going 
WHO WILL TAKE THE SON?
 The greatest bargainof all time
CHANGE YOUR LIFE. CHANGE YOUR WORLD.
ctivated
 
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VOL 5, ISSUE 12
For a wide range of books and audioand video productions to feed yoursoul, lift your spirit, strengthen yourfamily, and provide fun learning timesfor your children, please contact oneof our distributors below, or visit ourWeb site at
www.activated.org
 Activated Ministries
P.O. Box 462805Escondido, CA 92046–2805USAinfo@activatedministries.org(877) 862–3228
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Bramingham Pk. Business Ctr.Enterprise WayLuton, Beds. LU3 4BUEnglandactivatedEurope@activated.org(07801) 442–317
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P.O. Box 5215G.P.O.Bangalore – 560 001IndiaactivatedIndia@activated.org© 2004 Aurora Production AGAll Rights Reserved.Printed in Thailand.
www.auroraproduction.com
Unless otherwise indicated, allScripture quotations in
 Activated 
arefrom the New King James Version of the Bible © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc.When other versions are quoted,some typographical changes havebeen made for the sake of clarity anduniformity.Vol 5 Issue 12December 2004E
DITOR
Keith PhillipsD
ESIGN
Giselle LeFavreB
ACK 
C
OVER
D
ESIGN
Kristen DufraneP
RODUCTION
Francisco Lopez
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CHANGE YOUR LIFE.CHANGE YOUR WORLD.
PERSONALLY SPEAKING
 Another Christmas is almost here, and if you’relike most people, you’re probably so busy with allthat goes into Christmas that you haven’t yet foundmuch time to stop and think about “the reason forthe season.” Well, here’s your chance! This issueof 
 Activated 
is all about putting the meaning and joyback into Christmas.To get us started, I’m including here excerpts of apiece written nearly 100 years ago by the U.S. poetand theologian Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933), called“Keeping Christmas.” In it he asks some provoca-tive questions that are just as relevant today as theywere then.There is a better thing than the
observance
of Christmas Day, and that is
 keeping
Christmas. Are you willing to forget what you have done forother people and to remember what other peoplehave done for you?To ignore what the world owes you, and to thinkwhat you owe the world? Are you willing to stoop down and consider theneeds and desires of little children?To remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old?To stop asking how much your friends like you,and ask yourself whether you love them enough?To make a grave for your ugly thoughts and agarden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open? Are you willing to do these things even for a day?Then you can keep Christmas. Are you willing to believe that love is the strongestthing in the world—stronger than hate, stronger thandeath—and that the blessed Life which began inBethlehem many years ago is the image and bright-ness of eternal love?Then you can keep Christmas.From all of us at
 Activated 
, may God bless youand yours with His love and deep abiding joy thisChristmas season and always.Keith PhillipsFor the
 Activated 
family
 
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VOL 5, ISSUE 12
 
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BY SHANNON RICHARDS
NEWLYWED
 
COUPLE
 
IS
 
TAKING
 
 A
 
WEEKEND
 
OFF
 
TO
 
CELEBRATE
 
the husband’s birthday. They have looked forward to thisfor months. It’s their firstvacation together since theirhoneymoon. The wife wantsit to be perfect. As soon as they’re situatedin their cozy cabin hideaway, the wife takesoff to town. She spends hours and spares noexpense, scouring the shops for her beloved’sfavorite foods, drinks, desserts, and lovely knickknacks to decorate the cabin just the way she knows he will like it. She looks high andlow until she finds the right gift. Actually, she’snot quite sure it’s the right gift, but she thinksit’s beautiful and hopes he will too.By the time she returns to the cabin, the sunis setting. As she walks in the door, her husbandgreets her warmly but receives only a quick embrace. The wife hurries into the kitchen andcontinues the preparations.The husband sits and watches as she racesfrom room to room, stirring a pot, lighting acandle, preparing the salad, turning on someromantic music. Finally everything else isready and she retreats to the bedroom to makeherself pretty. As she comes out, she expects to be met withpraise and appreciation for all her efforts to geteverything right. Instead, a tear trickles downher husband’s face—a tear that says, “I wouldrather have had that time with
 you
.”Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. What would He want most from us—our service or our love?
Finding the purposeof Christmas
W
HY 
 
IS
 
THE
 
OCCASION
 
that is meant to celebrateGod’s love in sending Jesusto brighten our lives andlighten our loads one of themost stressful and taxing times of the year for so many?Is it because we forget thetrue meaning of Christmas?Sometimes we lose it in thebaubles and lights, the pres-ents and the parties. When we forget the purpose of Christmas, we lose the hap-piness that comes with it.Preparations crowd out thereason for it all—showing thankfulness and apprecia-tion for what God gave man-kind on this night.Christmas is ultimately acelebration of God’s love foreach of us. The best way wecan celebrate Christmas isby giving gifts to Jesus—giftsof love and thankfulness. Itis a time when we can stopand remember those whoare often forgotten. We canreach out to help those inneed.These are the things thatnot only make God happy,but also help us find deepsatisfaction. Christmas is notmade special by presents,decorations, and parties, butby what we give to Jesus andto others from our hearts.Giving from our hearts dem-onstrates true gratitude andappreciation for all God hasgiven us.
THE BIRTHDAYGETAWAY
CHRISTMASCOMMITMENTS
This Christmas, Iwill…
mend aquarrel
dismisssuspicion
seekout an old friend
write a love letter
be kind
give asoft answer
listen
apologize if I’vebeen wrong
sharesome treasure
begentle
be patientand understanding
reexamine mydemands on others
think fi rst ofothers
encouragesomeone
laughmore
expressgratitude
showappreciation
welcome a stranger
gladden the heartof a child.
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