Christmas in the Dorm

Had fun yesterday, setting up my Christmas stuff in the dorm. I had earlier purchased a tiny 12" tree. I moved my toiletry kit from the place of honor (actually, it had adorned that place not out of extreme beauty - although it is a handsome toiletry kit - but out of convenience) and proudly set the tree at the front of my dresser. I took some of the smallest ornaments from home, and proceeded to decorate with them. A snowflake ornament became an impromptu star. I put up a wreath, two red velvet bows which had been for my hair in a Christmas play years ago, and a cross on my bulletin board. I also managed to take a Christmas CD and a Christmas tape from my protesting father. He absolutely loves his Christmas music. I didn't even suggest my taking "Manheim Steamroller." Actually, he was happy for me to have some, although I'm sure he'll miss his pet CDs.

In the midst of all the Christmas fun stuff, let's also pause to reflect on Jesus' birth. We observed the first Sunday of advent just before I left. The first candle reminds us of prophecies predicting Christ's birth. Jesus was going to be of the line of David, born in Bethlehem in Judah, called a Nazarene, and be out of Egypt. Jesus was descended from David through his father and mother, going through a direct line of kings through Joseph (his adopted father), but coming through a different son of David on his mother's side - his only blood - and thus bypassing God's curse on the traditional line of the kings. A Roman census called His family to Bethlehem in time for him to be born. His family fled to Egypt in the first few years of His life to avoid the slaughter of Bethlehem's infants by Herod. His family then moved to Nazareth. All this is only the beginning!

P. S. Did you know that Jesus and Moses are the only two people who get their possessive without an extra "s"? Jesus', Moses', but Chris's, James's