Author: Jeff Hampton

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Before Christmas I wrote about my annual tradition of taking George Gagliardi to get a Christmas tree. Well, the other end of that tradition is the post-holiday tree removal. George’s apartment community doesn’t allow on-site tree disposal, so I come after he removes the ornaments and carry the tree away. For some years I took the tree to Flag Pole Hill for recycling until the park department quit doing that. I’ve done the same in Garland and I’ve even just taken it home for our weekly brush collection. This year we did something new and got an education in the process. 

Continue reading “Field Trip to the Farm”

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Somewhere in my boxes of stuff that need to be sorted through and thrown away, I have a red campaign-style button that says “WIN.” It’s a souvenir from the 1970s and the Ford Administration when economic inflation was out of control. The letters on the button were an acronym for “Whip Inflation Now,” the hope being that people would pin the button to their shirts and be motivated to help get things in balance through personal savings and disciplined spending. Skeptics suggested the buttons should be turned upside down to spell “NIM” – “No Immediate Miracles.”

Continue reading “Waiting on Miracles”

Christmas Day

Originally posted Saturday, December 25, 2010

Last night at the Christmas Eve service, the student choir sang a beautiful piece called “A Star,” with the line: “a star of heavenly design, revealing hope to mankind.” Afterward, they came down out of the choir loft and dispersed into the pews. Later when it was time to walk down to the front of the church for communion, I noticed that the students weren’t clumped together as they usually are. On this night, they walked down with their families – sons and daughters united with mothers and fathers. 

I saw in that moment a vision of heaven, where loved ones are reunited at the table of the Lord. That, my friends, is the hope, peace, joy and love of Christmas – the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas to all!