A Candy Maker’s Witness

candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the Cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane—a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who "have eyes to see and ears to hear."

I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and his great love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominate force in the universe today.

A Heart for Children

As most know, I work within childcare and caring for children is always high on my priorities. I love to care for children, play with them, talk to them. I believe that the gift the Lord has given to me is to be able to care for children and love them with all my heart. It is wonderful to see the innocence of a child and the purity of their mind- how sad also too see how easily that child can loose that purity! How they need to have it fostered.

I came across this poem recently and I love it. It really is full of truth. I really hope and pray that the Saviour is able to use me as a channel to bless these dear children....

Use me Lord for whatever You need me to do;
Channel my life and help me to do Your will,
Make me an instrument of Your loving kindness.   

A HEART FOR CHILDREN

One hundred years from now It will not matter

What kind of car I drove, What kind of house I lived in, How much I had in my bank Nor what my clothes looked like.

One hundred years from now It will not matter

What kind of school I attended, What kind of computer I used, How large or small my church,

But the world may be ... a little better because... I was important in the life of a child.

- Margaret Fishback Powers

Set free by the Saviour

"Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped." Psalm 124:7

I was on my way home from work, walking through a bus station to catch a connecting bus I came across a seagull. Looking at it I saw that the poor bird was suspended from the edge of the roof above. He had managed to get his leg snared in a length of wire and was dangling, hanging above the pavement and a subway. The bird was frantically trying to free himself, flapping his wings and try to fly away. He would soar to a height a travel a short distance, before reaching the limit of the wire and falling back to earth. He kept this up for a time, he would then loose energy and flopped on the end of the wire before trying even more frantically to free himself. However the more frantically he flapped the tighter the wire became and the greater the snare in which he found himself. After a while a member of staff came out of the bus station with some wire clippers, he took in the situation and collected a colleague he climbed onto the roof. Grasping the wire he pulled the bird up over the edge of the roof and cut through the wire, freeing both the leg of the bird and the bird itself! Off flew the bird in to the distance, nothing hindering him- able to fly to his natural limits!

That bird, although seeming unknowing, had no way to save himself. He was trying every which way possible to free himself from the dreadful situation he found himself in. Yet he had no way of escape- each struggle only worsened his plight! He needed an outside force to come in and remove the wire.

Observing this situation unfold reminded me of the work of the Saviour. He came to Earth to save sinners. He, in a sense, stepped in as an outside force. He, as the creator, was not subject to the sin which holds mankind bondage. Thus he was able to bear the burden of our sins in his own body on the tree. He removed the wire which prevents us from flying free. We are as John 8:36 says "... free indeed" ("If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed")

Despite this, so many people are still struggling in their sin, trying to free themselves. Unaware of the peril! They try every method available to succeed within their own power. But they cannot. Each struggle they make tightens the noose around them. But they don't realise. They keep struggling. How sad it is to see! Its just one step to the Saviour, yet it is a step that many do not and will not make. How important it is then, that we who are living in the glorious freedom of Salvation live our lives through the power of the Lord to demonstrate to others how wonderful our Saviour really and truly is. That others may be won for him!

"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “ Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2v21-24

Touch of the Master's Hand

Well, here is the start of my blogging journey.

I chose the title of my Blog based on this poem...

The Touch Of The Master's Hand

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
     Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
     But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
   "Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
    Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"

"Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
    Going for three..." But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
    Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
    And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
    As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
    With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
    And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
    Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
   And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
   "We do not quite understand.
What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:
   "The touch of the Master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
    And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
    Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
   A game -- and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
  He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
   Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
   By the touch of the Master's hand.

-- Myra Brooks Welch

This is a lovely poem, so true of our lives until the Saviour touches them! "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" 2 Cor 5:17