All this talk about Christmas Carol made me think of the welcome page I wrote for this years Shining Light (news letter)

Whether you celebrated the millennium last year or think it is only happening this year you are wished the best and most joyous celebration ever.

It is often easy in our commercial world to think that the meaning of Christmas is lost amid the tinsel and glitter, somewhere between Yo Ho Ho and oh my head. We all moan about it getting earlier every year and the ever rising cost of presents like some modern day Ebeneezers. Yet surely the lesson we learn from Scrooge is that he wasn't always like that, he had hopes and dreams. How many like him have over the years piled their hurts and fears around themselves like a wall because they lost the gift of love. For some they may never have been given the gift, others have robbed them of it's joy and softening warmth.

This year when you meet an Ebeneezer don't add another brick to their wall. Bite back the sharp or grumpy retort and instead show them the love of God, you may never see the wall crumble but you will have removed one brick from their burden, it may just be the one that lets in the light.

So I will wish you all Christmas full of love, joy and peace.