There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job it was to
process all the mail that had illegible addresses. One day just before
Christmas, a letter landed on his desk, simply addressed in shaky
handwriting to "God". With no other clue on the envelope, he opened the letter
and read, "Dear God, I am an 83 year old widow living on the State
pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was
all the money I had in the world and no pension due until after
Christmas. Next week is Christmas and I had invited two of my friends over for
dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no
family to turn to, and you are my only hope. God, can you please help
me?" The postal worker was really touched, and put a copy of the letter
up on the Staff Notice board, at the main sorting office where he
worked.

The letter touched the other postmen and they all dug into their
pockets and had a collection round. Between them they raised $96. Using an
official Post Office envelope, they sent the cash on to the old lady, and
for the rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of
the nice thing they had done. Christmas came and went.

A few days later, another letter simply addressed to "God" landed in
the Sorting Office. Many of the postmen gathered around while the letter
was opened. It read, "Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for
what you did for me? Because of your generosity, I was able to provide a
lovely dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day, and I told my
friends of your wonderful gift - in fact we haven't gotten over it and our
Pastor is beside himself with joy. By the way, there was $4 missing. I
think it must have been those thieving bastards at the Post Office!
==================
WHAT CHILDREN WANT

Are you aware of the first Law of Parenthood? It states that nobody
really wants your job, but everybody thinks they can do it better.

I appreciate the honesty of parents who sometimes feel overwhelmed by
the task of parenthood. One man candidly said, "Before I got married I
had three theories on raising children. Now I have three children and no
theories!"

"Quote Magazine" (September 1, 1985) published ten behaviors children
ages 8 to 14 identified as qualities they wanted in parents. These young
people, from 24 countries, agreed on ten traits they believed were
important for all parents to possess. Here they are:

1. They want harmony. They do not want their parents to have unresolved
and destructive conflict in front of them.

2. They want love. They wish to be treated with the same affection as
other children in the family.

3. They want honesty. And to be told the truth.

4. They want acceptance. They desire mutual tolerance from both parents.

5. They want their parents to like their friends. They want their
friends to be welcomed in the home.

6. They want closeness. They desire comradeship with their parents.

7. They want their parents to pay attention to them and answer their questions.

8. They want consideration from their parents. They do not want to be
embarrassed or punished in front of friends.

9. They want positive support. They wish for their parents to
concentrate on their good points rather than their weaknesses.

10. They want consistency. They desire parents to be constant in their
affections and moods.

It appears that these children want what all of us want - respect,
consideration and love. In fact, these work well with "children" of all ages!
=================
IF JESUS WAS BORN TODAY

"Nazareth Carpenter Being Held On Charges Involving Underage Mother"

Bethlehem, Judea (December 25, 2005) - Authorities were today alerted
by a concerned citizen who noticed a family living in a barn. Upon
arrival, Family Protective Service personnel, accompanied by police, took
into protective care an infant child named Jesus, who had been wrapped in
strips of cloth and placed in a feeding trough by his 14-year old
mother, Mary of Nazareth.

During the confrontation, a man identified as Joseph, also of Nazareth,
attempted to stop the social workers. Joseph, aided by several local
shepherds and some unidentified foreigners, tried to forestall efforts to
take the child, but were restrained by the police.

Also being held for questioning are three foreigners who allege to be
wise men from an eastern country. The INS and Homeland Security
officials are seeking information about these who may be in the country
illegally. A source with the INS states that they had no passports, but were
in possession of gold and other possibly illegal substances. They
resisted arrest saying that they had been warned by God to avoid officials in
Jerusalem and to return quickly to their own country. The chemical
substances in their possession will be tested.

The owner of the barn is also being held for questioning. The manager
of Bethlehem Inn faces possible revocation of his license for violating
health and safety regulations by allowing people to stay in the stable.
Civil authorities are also investigating the zoning violations involved
in maintaining livestock in a commercially-zoned district.

The location of the minor child will not be released, and the prospect
for a quick resolution to this case is doubtful. Asked about when Jesus
would be returned to his mother, a Child Protective Service
spokesperson said, "The father is middle-aged and the mother definitely underage.
We are checking with officials in Nazareth to determine what their
legal relationship is.

Joseph has admitted taking Mary from her home in Nazareth because of a
census requirement. However, because she was obviously pregnant when
they left, investigators are looking into other reasons for their
departure. Joseph is being held without bond on charges of molestation,
kidnapping, child endangerment, and statutory rape.

Mary was taken to the Bethlehem General Hospital where she is being
examined by doctors. Charges may also be filed against her for
endangerment. She will also undergo psychiatric evaluation because of her claim
that she is a virgin and that the child is from God.

The director of the psychiatric wing said, "I don't profess to have the
right to tell people what to believe, but when their beliefs adversely
affect the safety and well-being of others - in this case her child -
we must consider her a danger to others. The unidentified drugs at the
scene didn't help her case, but I'm confidant that with the proper
therapy regiment we can get her back on her feet."

A spokesperson for the governor's office said, "Who knows what was
going through their heads? But regardless, their treatment of the child was
inexcusable, and the involvement of these others frightening. There is
much we don't know about this case, but for the sake of the child and
the public, you can be assured that we will pursue this matter to the end."
==================
A BABY's HUG

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in
a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking.
Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi." He pounded his fat baby
hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his
mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with
merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose
pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of
would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and
unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was
so varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands
waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy.
I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged
looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi."
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The
old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby.

Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya
patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo."

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband
and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was
running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in
turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband
went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old
man sat poised between me and the door.

"Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I
prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him
and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my
arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before
I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their
love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission
laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder.

The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His
aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom
and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so
short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in
his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm
commanding voice, "You take care of this baby."

Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He
pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in
pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am,
you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered
thanks.

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I
was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God,
my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through
the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a
child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a
Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God
asking, "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" when He shared
His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me,
"To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most
importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car
that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all;
it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are. Amen!
================
HUMANITY's TEAM