The Silver Lining

It's Christmas Eve, and I am feeling blessed and happy. I hope you are feeling the same.  I envision you with a smile on your face,  and joy in your heart.   From BibleGateway.com  -- the story of Christmas:    Luke 2   New International Version (NIV) The Birth of Jesus 2  In those days Caesar Augustus  issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.   2  (This was the first census that took place while [ a ]  Quirinius was governor of Syria.)   3  And everyone went to their own town to register. 4  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem  the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.   5  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him  and was expecting a child.   6  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,   7...

I went inside a jail for the first time in my life this week. No, I wasn’t arrested! I went with a group from the Fairfield Ministerial Association to the Fairfield County Detention Center in Winnsboro, SC, to help with their annual Christmas party for the inmates. I’ve read stories about people in jail, and they always make a reference to the clanging noise made by the doors as they slam shut. I guess that’s why I seemed to hear every door as it slammed shut. Only it really wasn’t a “clang” as much as it was a slam. And there was always a “click” prior to the door opening or shutting, because it had to be opened from the central office, by computer. We were led to a small room, where the party would take place. The building was constructed of cinderblock, with hard tile floors. Everything was painted a bland off-white. A couple of other ladies were busy setting up the food tables with big trays of fried chicken, devilled eggs, fresh veggies with dip, little smokies, and cheese. There ...