I am a Christian although I can't find a religion or church that I fit in or that fits me.
I believe that Jesus was a real person and I celebrate his birth.
The date of his birth is not important to me, but the fact that he was born, lived and showed us the way is important.
For me, Christmas is a time of accentuating togetherness, sharing, caring, and loving, whether one is a Christian or not.
I believe that all people that believe in God believe in the same creator being. He is given different names, but he is one.
The history of religions is fascinating to me and I used to be a Religious Studies teacher. Christianity was a transformation, interpretation, development of the original roots of "religion." But I digress from what I wanted to say.
I shy away from commercial Christmas. I give my children some small presents as a token gesture. We have a family traditional meal. I've just been out to buy the Turkey. Isabelle helped me make mince pies yesterday, ready for our Christmas evening in our village church tomorrow.
Here's a photo I took a couple of Christmas's ago.
These are my babies. I give thanks for my beautiful children.
Yes, I know, I know, I'm biassed, but you have to let me be the proud mummy especially at Christmas when there is so much love about.
This brings me to the second part of this message, les enfants oubliés (the forgotten children). With so much love being shared please remember the forgotten children in the world.
Les enfants oubliés traînent dans les rues
Sans bruit et au hasard
Ils ont froid, ils ont faim, ils sont presque nus
Et leurs yeux sont remplis de brouillard
Comme une volée de pauvres moineaux
Ils ont pour rêver le bord des ruisseaux
Recroquevillés, sous le vent d'hiver
Dans leur pull-over de laine mitée
Ils ont pour s'aimer d'un naïf amour
La fragilité des mots de velour
Ils ont pour palais tout un univers
Dans les courants d'air des vastes cités
Les enfants oubliés, traînent dans les rues
Tout comme de petits vieux
Ils ont froid, ils ont faim, ils sont presque nus
Mais ce sont les enfants du Bon Dieu
Oui, ce sont les enfants du Bon Dieu
A song written by Louis Amade and Gilbert Bécaud.
I translated it below for you.
The Forgotten Children
Theforgotten children hang about in the streets
Silentlyand haphazardly
They arecold, they are hungry, they are scantily dressed
And theireyes are glazed
Like aflock of poor sparrows
They sleepin the gutters
Huddled upin the winter wind
In their moth-eatenpullovers
Theirs isan innocent love and the love they receive
Is made upof feeble, velvety words
Theirpalace is a whole universe
In thevast, draughty cities
Theforgotten children hang about in the streets
Just likelittle old people
They arecold, they are hungry, they are scantily dressed
But theyare God’s children
Yes, theyare the Dear Lord’s children
God bless them all.
I believe if we give them our thoughts, even for just a minute, send some love and warmth, then something positive can happen in their lives.
I am one of the organizers of our Christmas evening in Plaigne village church. We have an evening in French and English.
We're doing a sketch, songs, prayers and finishing with mulled wine and mince pies. It's an evening of sharing and community spirit, a coming together of two cultures.
The other two organizers are French Roman Catholic and we don't share the same views on Christianity, but we get together each year to do this Christmas evening and it usually works well.
Some of my children and other children from the village are taking part in the sketch and Demelza, Verity, Raymonde & Isabelle (my girls) and Alys & Millie have all been practising with me to sing Away in a Manger (Au fond de l'étable) in English and French.
During the prayer time I'm going to read out the words of Les Enfants Oubliés in French and then my translation. I will ask everyone to join me in focussing their thoughts on all the forgotten children in the world.
I ask the angels to protect, support and comfort these darlings of God.
Angel cuddles,
Sarah
ps You may have realised that I have discovered my mission and it is to help our unfortunate children on Mother Earth. They are 'our' children because we all share the responsibility of taking care of God's creation.
I hope that doesn't sound too heavy.