Teach the Children

(better viewed with a non-proportional font such as courier)

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– TEACH THE CHILDREN –

_
(__/_) .-””’-.
_ | |’—–‘|
/ |ate one Christmas Eve, I sank back, |-…..-|
__|_ tired but content, into my | |
easy chair. The kids were in bed, the gifts | |
were wrapped, the milk and _,._ | |
cookies waited by the __.o` o`”-. | |
fireplace for Santa. .-O o `”-.o O )_,._ | |
( o O o )–.-“`O o”-.`’—–‘`
‘——–‘ ( o O o)
`———-`
As I sat back admiring the tree with its decorations,
I couldn’t help feeling that something |
important was missing. It wasn’t ‘ /
long before the tiny, twinkling — (*) —
tree lights lulled me to sleep. >*< I don't know how long I slept, >0<@< but all of a sudden I knew that >>>@<<* I wasn't alone. >@>*<0<<< >*>>@<<<@<< I opened my eyes, and you can >@>>0<<<*<<@< imagine my surprise when I saw >*>>0<<@<<<@<<< Santa Claus himself standing >@>>*<<@<>*<<0<*< next to my Christ- */ >0>>*<<@<>0><<*<@<< mas tree. __U//__ >*>>@><0<<*>>@><*<0<< | | | | >@>>0<*<0>>@<<0<<<*<@<< He was dressed | | | _(UU)_ >((*))_>0><*<0><@<<<0<*< all in fur from | | || / //||.*.*.*.|>>@<<*<<@>><0<<< his head to his |_|_|&&_// ||*.*.*.*|_db//__ foot just as """"|'.'.'.|~~|.*.*.*| _____|_ poem described him, |'.'.'.| ^^^^^^|____|>>jgs>>|
but he was not the ~~~~~~~~ ‘””””`——-‘
“jolly old elf” of Christmas legend. The man who stood
before me looked sad and disappointed. And there were
tears in his eyes.
____ “Santa, what’s wrong?” I asked.
;` `’-._ “Why are you crying?”
/ /
/` | ; “It’s the children.” Santa
/ | | replied sadly.
/ ` | |
/ _ / | “But Santa, the children love
; / ` | you.” I said.
,|_ __ __/ |
__o/_( |_ “Oh, I know they love me, and
/`”=/==””==”==”==”==”` they love the gifts I bring
| )/ | them,” Santa said, “but the
/ children of today seem to
/’;=””==””==””==””==”;` have somehow missed out on
| /` /~ /~ ` | the true spirit of Christmas.
| _ o/ o/ _ / | It’s not their fault. It’s
; (_) ` o (_) ; / just that the adults,
/ |_.-“”(__)””-._/| many of them not having
| / / | been taught themselves,
/ ‘.___.’ ‘.___.’ have forgotten to teach
| ,==, | the children.”
| ‘ ‘ |
/ “Teach them what?” I asked.
| |
/ Santa’s kind old face became
‘. .’ soft, more gentle. His eyes
jgs ‘-.__ __.-‘ began to shine with something
‘—‘–‘—‘ more than tears. He spoke softly.

“Teach the children the true meaning of Christmas.
Teach them that the part of Christmas we can see, hear,
and touch is much more than meets the eye. Teach them the
symbolism behind the customs and traditions of Christmas
which we now observe. Teach them what it is they truly
represent.”

| Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a
|/ tiny Christmas tree and set it on my mantle.
|// “Teach them about the Christmas tree.
Y/// Green is the second color of Christmas.
|/// The stately evergreen,
\Y//// with it’s unchanging color,
\|//// represents the hope of eternal life in Jesus.
`Y//` It’s needles point heavenward as a reminder
`#` that man’s thoughts should turn
__#__ heavenward as well.”
[_ _]
___/ Santa reached into his bag again
and pulled out a shiny star and placed it at
the top of the small tree. * ‘ . .
“The star was the heavenly sign . | .
of promise. God promised a Savior | / +
for the world and the star was * |/
the sign of the fulfillment of –==> * <==-- ' that promise on the night that + /| . Jesus Christ was born. . / | Teach the children that God . ' | ' * always fulfills his promises, | and that wise men still seek Him." . ' . "Red," said Santa, "is the first color of Christmas." He pulled forth a red ornament for the tiny tree. ____ "Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the .' '. color of the life-giving blood that flows / # _ through our veins. It is the symbol of | {_{c} God's greatest gift. Teach the children / ` that Christ gave his life and shed his '.____.' (__) blood for them that they might have eternal life. When they see the color red it should remind them of that most wonderful gift." Santa found a silver bell in his pack and placed it on the tree. "Just as lost sheep are guided , to safety by the sound of the bell, it /`--. continues to ring today for all to be |o-| )D guided to the fold. Teach the children /.--' to follow the true Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep." Santa placed a candle on the mantle and lit it. The soft glow from its one tiny flame brightened the room. "The glow of the candle represents how man ( can show his thanks for the gift of God's ,=(,)=, son that Christmas Eve long ago. Teach |'==='| _, the children to follow in Christ's | |,)/( footsteps. To go about doing good. | |)/<_, Teach them to let their light so >>>, _/<8<-_/ shine before men that all may see >>>>>>oo<<)( it and glorify God. This is what >>>>>>o<<:< '-.__/ '._,} _/ / ()) | >:< `'---. ____'-.|(`"` "I think I'm >:< __ | ; beginning to understand -{}-/ at last." I replied. '._' /) '. /( "That's why I came," '97 `-._ _____ _ _____ __.' said Santa. "You're an jgs / / / adult. If you don't _.'/^'._.'/^'._.'/^'.__) teach the children these ,==' `---` '---' '---' ) things, then who will?" `"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""` .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. May your Christmas be a joyous celebration and birthday party for Jesus! -- Author Unknown .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.