I am starting to get quite a collection of good Christmas pass-along emails. I will continue to share some of them with you. This one is from Mark Young:

1 Corinthians 13 A Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling

lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another

decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas

cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table

at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I

have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes,

attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do

not focus on Christ, I have missed the point. Love stops the cooking to

hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love

is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn't envy another's home that

has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. Love doesn't yell at the kids

to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices

in giving to those who can't. Love bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust,

but giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours!