News analysis from a prophetic Christian worldview
 
Once upon a Christmas
NOTEWhen writing about God and Jesus, The Daily Jot means YHVH as God and Yeshua Ha Mashiach as Jesus--the actual original names and the true nature and character of them.
  
Friday, December 21, 2018
There are a lot of terrible things going on right now in the world. But we are at the time of the year when Christians celebrate Christ. We can choose to be impacted by the world around us in its dimly lit arena, or we can choose to let our light so shine. I choose the latter. I want to tell you a little about the Christmas' that I had growing up on our family farm in Ohio. I was blessed to be born into a horse and cattle farm that has been in our family for some 200 years. And Christmas, especially Christmas Eve, was a wonderful time for our family. December 24 was my Dad's birthday. And my Dad was well loved by his neighbors and friends, so we had a lot going on Christmas Eve.
 
I remember one special Christmas Eve. I must have been about four years old. The night was falling and the wind and snow were whipping across the barnyard, as we often were victims of the "lake effect" from Lake Erie in the southern most tip of the snow belt. The barn was cold when we turned on the lights and started climbing into the loft and throwing bales of hay down, putting the hay in the mangers, grain in the feed boxes and water in the buckets. Then the horses and cows were gathered in the barnyard, one by one we let them through the door and they automatically went to their stalls or stanchions. The barn warmed up and the animals contently eating was a comforting sound. 
 
We had dinner and went to church. I remember my brother Chuck carried me out of church that night. He was 14 years older than me and we were so very close. He was asking me whether I thought Santa had made it to the farm yet. And I was worried that it was so early on Christmas Eve that he had not--for we celebrated our family Christmas on Christmas Eve with my Dad's birthday. Then he looked up at the moon and said, "See there...its Santa's sleigh and his reindeer. Don't you see them?" He was so convincing that I looked and looked, but couldn't find them. But Chuck insisted that he had seen Santa Clause. We got home and sure enough there were wonderful presents under the tree.
 
We had a great family time that year, opening presents and enjoying one another. And afterwards, neighbors and friends started dropping by to wish my Dad happy birthday. Their kids and me were playing with my new farm set, and there was a lot of laughter and fun. Chuck was killed by a drunk driver a few years later. Dad passed in 1989. But the spirit of those two wonderful men lives on here and especially in heaven, and I am reminded of them every Christmas Eve--in the best of times or worst of times, they were the best of men. We have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who is with us in all times. And no matter the condition of the world, we can draw comfort in His promise in Matthew 28:20, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." God Bless you and yours during this season.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson

  

Caring for those even the Church ignores: 
The Disabled in Ghana

By Pastor William Agbeti

[ NOTE: In addition to our ongoing clean water, feeding, and clothing efforts when you support The Daily Jot, you are helping wipe tears off the faces of suffering mothers and fathers seeking rehabilitation of their disabled children]
UN figures put persons living with disabilities in the world at 20% of the global population. 80% of this number can be found in developing countries. In Ghana alone, there are some 3 million persons living with various forms of disabilities. 
Our Ghana ministry serves where others will not.This two-day residential program for children with disabilities provide food, clothing and recreation



Their plight is demoralizing. Many in the Ghanaian society consider them taboos. Scores of local churches have not opened their doors to them. Several families neglect their disabled children, to fend for themselves. Sadly, some communities go to the extreme to put a newly born disabled child into a mortar and use a pestle to pound it to death, with the belief that their souls will not return to the communities again. In the main, the disabled are ostracized from the society. Only a handful of homes, families and communities treat them with a modicum of respect and acceptance. Read the rest of the story by clicking here

The Daily Jot is totally reader supported. My wife, Chris, and I do not take a salary or receive any remuneration for this work. Your gifts go directly to assisting us in maintaining this column, the website, outreach, and the Lord's work we do in Ghana, West Africa. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Have a Blessed and Powerful Day,

Bill Wilson
The Daily Jot