Merry Christmas!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
–Luke 2:11

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at LynnRMitchell.com!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from LynnRMitchell.com

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The reason for the season….

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.” Luke 2:8-20

The true meaning of Christmas … a time for the Christian world to pause and celebrate the birth of the son of God.

As 2015 comes to a close, we are thankful for a successful year and especially for our readers who contribute and share the posts we publish at LynnRMitchell.com.

It is a time to remember those who have special meaning in our lives. We are grateful to our core group of contributors – Kurt, David, and Daniel — working together as each brings a unique perspective that is shared in our writings. We are also grateful to our 46 guest posters who have contributed over the past one-and-a-half years … and the list continues to grow.

The New Year will usher in changes to LynnRMitchell.com. We were sad to lose David when he relocated to Florida mid-way through the year. Recently, I was invited to rejoin Bearing Drift after a 2.5-year absence, and have accepted, along with Kurt who will also be joining the Bearing Drift group of writers. LynnRMitchell.com will continue with posts as well as guest posters.

February will mark 10 years since I became a contributor to Virginia’s conservative blogosphere. Here’s to a great 2016, and the next 10 years.

School removes Linus’ Bible verse … audience recites it anyway

By Lynn R. Mitchell

A heart-warming story of a politically-correct public school system that was rebuked:

A Kentucky public school decided to censor their “Charlie Brown Christmas” play after one parent complained that Linus’ monologue reciting Luke 2 was too religious and would be offensive. The students were instructed to remain silent during this part of the play. But on the night of the performance, as the student playing Linus stood on the stage quietly during his would-be monologue, the audience slowly began reciting the scripture verse together until the whole room was filled with applause and cheering as they finished with the words, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”

It is the reason for the season.

‘Overnight Christmas’ reminds of the reason for the season at Thomas Road Baptist

Photo from Thomas Road Baptist Church Facebook page.

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In the past I have attended the West End Assembly of God’s Christmas productions in Richmond but today was the first time experiencing Thomas Road Baptist Church’s Christmas spectacular celebrating the birth of Jesus. With more than forty years of productions under its belt, TRBC pulled out all the stops once again for an entertaining, music-packed, two-hour production with an underlying message of faith while pastor Jonathan Falwell bumpered the event with inspirational remarks and prayer.

My husband and I were invited by long-time friend Kurt Michael, who is managing editor of this blog and an assistant dean at Liberty University, and his wife Pam, to attend the production. We were not disappointed. For some the show has become a holiday tradition; for others, it was a first-time experience.

The entertainment included plenty of toe-tapping, hum-along music, dancers, jokes, soloists, and talent galore. Props and costumes were outstanding, and the 37-foot living Christmas tree filled the air with the voices of a 100-member chorus that was accompanied by a 30-member orchestra and 60 members of the children’s choir.

The 12 Days of Christmas: Day 12 … Linus explains the meaning of Christmas

By Lynn R. Mitchell

A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on December 9, 1965, and became a classic that still rings true almost 50 years later. One reason it remains among the most popular Christmas shows of the season may be because friend Linus reminds Charlie Brown of the true meaning of Christmas by reciting the King James Bible New Testament verses from Luke 2:8-14 describing the birth of Christ.

The fact that the message is delivered by an animated character doesn’t diminish the impact of the meaning.