Beloved;

   Well, as you know, it's time for my birthday again. Last

year they had a real big party for me and it seems like

they will again this year. After all, they've been shopping

and preparing for it for months now, and there have

been announcements and advertisements almost

everyday about how soon it's coming! They really do go

overboard about it, but it's nice to know that at least on

one day of the year some people are thinking about me a

little. You know, it's been many years now since they

first started celebrating my birthday. Back then they

seemed to realize and appreciate how much

fun it is for the little children. Just the same, it seems

that most folks are missing the point of it all. Like last

year, for example. When my birthday came around they

threw a big party but can you believe it, I wasn't invited!

Imagine! The guest of honor, and they forgot all

about me! Here they had begun preparing for the

festivities two months in advance but when the big day

came I was left out in the cold!

   Well, it happened so many times in recent years I

wasn't even surprised. Even though I wasn't invited I

thought I'd just quietly slip in anyway. So I came in and

stood off to the side. Everyone was drinking, laughing

and having a grand time, when all of the sudden, in came

this fellow in a bright red suit wearing a phony white

beard and shouting "Ho Ho Ho!" Everyone cheered, all

the children came running over to him, excitedly yelling

Santa!" You would have thought that he was the guest of

honor and the whole holiday was in his honor! Then he

began telling them the most ridiculous stories you've

ever heard ... Finally I had to leave, walked out of the

door, but no one even noticed that I had gone. 

   I'm planning of holding my own party! How about that?

It's going to be the biggest, most fantastic feast, you

could possibly imagine! I'm not saying the date yet,

but I'm sending out invitations now anyway because I

know you'll want to come. There's going to be room for

everyone who wants to come! I'll reserve you a seatof

honor (Matthew 8:11) So hold on to your hat because

when everything is ready I'm going to spring it as a big

surprise and a lot of people are going to be left out in the

cold because they didn't answer my invitation! Let me

know right away if you'd like to come and I'll reserve you

a place and write your name in large golden letters in my

BIG GUEST BOOK!!

                                                                    Much Love,
                                                                      JESUS