Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be, your neighbor, your coworker, a long lost friend, or a complete stranger. When you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.

Sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck.

Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved,straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become.

Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen.

Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.

You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

Most importantly if you Love someone tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store.

Learn a lesson in life each day that you live. That's the story of Life.

CVIII

What's in the brain that ink may character
Which hath not figured to thee my true spirit?
What's new to speak, what new to register,
That may express my love or thy dear merit?
Nothing, sweet boy; but yet, like prayers divine,
I must, each day say o'er the very same,
Counting no old thing old, thou mine, I thine,
Even as when first I hallow'd thy fair name.
So that eternal love in love's fresh case
Weighs not the dust and injury of age,
Nor gives to necessary wrinkles place,
But makes antiquity for aye his page,
Finding the first conceit of love there bred
Where time and outward form would show it dead

A Christmas to Remember

Scene 4: The Greatest Gift of All

A: Silent night, holy night all ...

B: Jingle bells, batman smells, Robin laid an egg, Christmas Eve, she can't sing, I wonder what's under our tree, hey!

This one's from Grandma. This one's from Dad's company. What's this?

M: It's a surprise. You'll see tomorrow.

A: Mom, can I open the one from Grandma?

M: Yes, of course. Grandma sent it to us with a true Christmas spirit.

A: What do you mean?

M: An unexpected and undeserved gift is the greatest gift of all. That's why we celebrate Christmas.

B: You mean if I asked Santa for version 3.0 of X-men, but when I open my present I get a higher version?

A: That is called an upgrade.

M: Do you know the story of the very first Christmas?

B: Yeah, yeah. Baby Jesus was born in a stable, right?

M: Tell us more, Brian.

B: It's too boring.

A: Yeah, we learn about baby Jesus in Sunday School every year.

M: Do you know why he is so special?

A: Because baby Jesus was the son of God.

M: Yes, and Jesus is special because the story was real. It really happened. Do you know this story was so special that it was predicted before it actually happened?

A: You mean they knew that he was going to be born?

M: Exactly. If you open your Bible to the book of Isaiah, it is all written there, because God had inspired Isaiah to write it down. And after he was born, his story was recorded by several writers in the New Testament including Matthew, Mark and Luke.

A: But what's so special　A: But what's so special　about Jesus being real? Aren't　all good stories real enoug

B: You baby, you'll never grow up!

A: When I listen to a good story I think I am in it.

M: Jesus is special because even today He is living. He is with us, watching over us this very moment. The first Christmas tells us why and how Jesus came into our lives ...

An angel told Mary that she was going to have a baby because God decided to send his son Jesus to earth. So God made a baby in Mary's tummy. Then Mary and Joseph traveled far to Bethlehem where they couldn't find a hotel to stay in. There was one innkeeper who showed them a barn to sleep in. So baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.

A: What exactly is a manger?

M: A manger is an open box for feeding horses and cows.

A big bright star was shining in the sky. And three wise men followed the star to see baby Jesus. They brought gifts and came to worship him. They named him Jesus because he was the son of God.

That was how God gave us Jesus. He is our greatest gift. He watches over us like that bright star in the sky.

B: I don't want anyone watching me. It's no fun.

M: Jesus doesn't take away your fun. Only He knows the deepest desires in your heart, even better than you know yourself. Jesus loves you in a way that Mommy and Daddy can't.

B: Like how?

M: Jesus loves you even when you are bad. Remember when you stole the bubble gum in the supermarket? No one saw you do it, but later I found out when I emptied your jeans to wash.

B: I said I was sorry, Mom.


A: Or when you aimed your slingshot at Mrs. Ding's cat.


B: Mom, she was digging up your flowers ---your pretty flowers.

M: That's very sweet of you. But how did you feel when you saw her cat limp away? " Jesus watches over your heart, even when I'm not around. You hurt him when you do bad things. He won't force you to change, but when you ask him for forgiveness, he takes away your guilt.

M: Andrea, Jesus loves you just as much. You need someone to be there when you are alone in the dark. When you call out his name, do you know he's right there?

A: Sometimes when I call out his name Jesus gives me a warm feeling inside, like when I drink my milk and listen to a bedtime story. I can't see him, but I can feel his love.

M: Jesus loves us so much he gave up his own life for us " Shall we sing some more carols?