Birthday Cards

I went to the market today to buy a card for my friend.
The choice was not extensive. I shuffled through "Fabulous Friend"; "Forever Friend";"Best Friend"; "Awesome Friend", I looked at high heel shoe pictures and glitter on flower pictures and drawings of glasses of pressecuto (or whatever it's called). After three and a half minutes I concluded that my search would be fruitless.
The market man looked surprised that I hadn't snapped up one of his marvelous selection. By way of conversation and to avoid looking rude by just walking off, I said " Do you have any for "Quite a Good Friend"?  I wasn't entirely serious as I knew that card makers would be reticent about that particular greeting card being massively popular. The market man however, didn't pick up on my attempt at wry humour. "No me duck, we 'aven't." He leaned over and straightened the two boxes I had rifled through, placing the "Female Friend" label back in a prominent position.

Why are lights that flash off and on and off in random epilepsy inducing sequences, called fairy lights?

Who ever saw a fairy using lights? Come to that who ever saw a fairy?

Angels - I can vouch for there being angels, but fairies?

Warmest greetings? Not sure what they are. I had mulled berry non alcoholic punch the other day, it was tepid and horrible. Maybe that was a warmest greeting - if so you can keep it.

Is it just when you get older that you become disappointed in things because they don't live up to your expectations or memories? One thing that lives up to both my expectations and memories, is the Christmas story.  I have warmest memories about my first part in a Christmas play when I was six. I had the inauspicious line "Come children." I delivered it in my best Manchester accent. I was in Lewisham, South East London at the time and it brought the house down.

The first Christmas brought joy to shepherds and angels and wise men and people of the royal line who had almost forgotten their genealogy.

This Christmas brings joy to me. Because Jesus came, I have rediscovered my royal lineage. I was designed to be the child of a king, a child of God, and I have discovered that I feature on the royal role call because Jesus came to earth and died to forgive me of the things that might have had me crossed off the list.

There were no flashing lights and no particular warm feelings inside. I believed in Jesus. I said I was sorry for my sin, I found God and I discovered life. May I recommend the truth of the Christmas story for lighting up your Christmas.