On the issue of injustice and forgiveness, the US has imprisoned Jonathan Pollard. Israel's PM Netanyahu has stood up for him, calling for his release, but because of the politics of the situation, Pollard remains in jail. His crime was one of US government mismanagement, he was a known security risk and, through lack of appropriate supervision, became an Israeli spy. It is apparent that the claims are not of the order of Assange or Snowden. Pollard has served more time than any one else convicted in the US of a similar crime. He is an Israeli citizen. Maybe Obama could release him, as a gesture favouring peace?
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Happy birthday and many happy returns Ann Thompson. Born on the same day, across the years, as
- 1194 – Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1250)
- 1687 – Johann Georg Pisendel, German violinist and composer (d. 1755)
- 1723 – Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, German author (d. 1807)
- 1780 – Mary Somerville, Scottish polymath and author (d. 1872)
- 1791 – Charles Babbage, English mathematician and engineer, invented the Difference engine (d. 1871)
- 1921 – Steve Allen, American actor, comedian, and singer (d. 2000)
- 1935 – Abdul "Duke" Fakir, American singer (Four Tops)
- 1947 – Richard Levis McCormick, American historian and academic
- 2000 – Samuel Sevian, American chess player
Matches
- 1135 – Coronation of King Stephen of England.
- 1776 – American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army attacks and successfully defeats a garrison of Hessian mercenaries.
- 1799 – Four thousand people attend George Washington's funeral where Henry Lee III declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
- 1846 – Trapped in snow in the Sierra Nevadas and without food, members of the Donner Party resort to cannibalism.
- 1860 – The first ever inter-club association football match takes place between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C. at the Sandygate Roadground in Sheffield, England, United Kingdom.
- 1871 – Gilbert and Sullivan collaborate for the first time, on their lost opera, Thespis. It does modestly well, but the two would not collaborate again for four years.
- 1898 – Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of radium.
- 1919 – Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox is sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee.
- 1963 – The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" are released in the United States, marking the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level.
- 1982 – Time's Man of the Year is for the first time a non-human, the personal computer.
Despatches
- 268 – Pope Dionysius
- 1890 – Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist (b. 1822)
- 1972 – Harry S. Truman, American army officer and politician, 33rd President of the United States (b. 1884)
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About
Welcome to ByteFoundry, your IT expert. We keep you focused on building your business and delighting your customers by providing technology you can rely on
Mission
Make technology an asset for your business, not a problem.
Description
ByteFoundry provides fully managed technology solutions for medium and small business. We manage file servers, networks (LAN), firewalls, wireless networks and even desktop systems or laptops.
We are unique for two reasons, firstly we utilize primarily open source software to make the underlying hardware less expensive and the solutions more flexible. Secondly, we bring to the table the experience from managing large highly automated corporate networks and apply that experience to your small or medium business network.
Business relies on technology more and more. Even cloud technologies are useless if connectivity is failing or problematic. Medium and small business can't afford high end technical staff as full time employees - ByteFoundry makes them available so you can leverage that higher technical proficiency.
Make technology an asset for business growth, by making available expertise usually only available to large companies. Use that know-how to provide lower cost technology solutions that are more flexible and more reliable. Build solutions that solve real business problems and 'stay out of the way'. Be their IT manager not just an outsourced help desk.
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Today: The Exclusive Story of a Bachelorette’s Suicide.
“I've never met anyone like her.”http://bit.ly/DRP1225
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John Tran ..or she will be your nightmare?
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I don't know how to breathe when I sing .. ed
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Welcome to Christmas. We hope you have a pleasant stay…
Don't miss #TheTimeoftheDoctor tonight at 7.30pm on ABC TV.
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Dean Hamstead
"Nevertheless we try to represent this data relationally, because we have a relational database, and when you have a hammer, you go around hammering everything with it, whether or not that thing needs hammering."=
If a movie is released in the USA, then 2 months later in Australia - I'm just going to pirate it.
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There needs to be a story to tell that hits the right notes. Joss Whedon is not alone with having a great style .. I love Moffat's Dr Who and what he does for the female companions .. which he also did in Coupling (UK version). But there is a cult in writing promoting character external to a storyline .. it isn't character, but story which creates the character .. Buffy was hurt and damaged .. nobody does that to a character they like .. but it is only then that character asserts itself .. ed
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Arnold Schwarzenegger
The gift of giving is the greatest gift of all. That, and a chance to ride in my tank. Enter below for both!
Let’s ride: http://bit.ly/
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www.news.com.au
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www.news.com.au
Australian journalism is so poor that it is hard not to feel sympathy for Thailand. - ed===
Unbelievable facts
In October of 1994 Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption and Jurassic Park were all in theatres at the same time.===
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Jak Nu
Merry Xmas. If you are Reading this you sleep like a child and was up to open presents or are the same type of idiot that queues up outside shops when the letter s is added to their phone model... or simply you were up editing your brother's pre-wedding video shot 2 days ago and are Awesomely Wicked and therefore deserve no rest.
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When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.
Cranky Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!
PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM (originally by Phyllis McCormack; adapted by Dave Griffith)
The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart!
elderhelpers.org
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Meteorologist Jim Loznicka
You've heard about it and now you can see it. The "Angel Cloud" that appeared over Palm Beach yesterday.
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George Takei
He needed a slush fund.
Credit: Tundra Comics
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The Bible Series
Merry Christmas from 'The Bible' series! Thanks for joining us on this amazing journey and always remember the reason for the season!
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Liberal Party of Australia
The Coalition will again take the measures necessary to clean up Labor's financial mess.
Please SHARE to show your support for our plans that will strengthen Australia's economy.
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Andy Trieu
I told a bunch of tourists once that boxing day was named after a famous Australian boxing match between a kangaroo and a emu...#boxingday
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Clive Palmer?
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http://www.news.com.au/national/the-surprising-reason-why-man-flu-is-a-real-thing/story-e6frfkp9-122
www.news.com.au
Soldier on - ed===<Do the Alarmists check both sides of the debate or just go ahead and publish already busted alarm stories?
They're Ba-a-ack! With the busted c@w f@rt methane causes global bµllt!sh!>
theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.com
http://===
May need to resize .. ed
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<... I just don't care. I still like seeing Xmas trees. There are worse things to look at despite being conflicted.
" The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm-tree; in Rome it was the fir; the palm tree denoting the pagan messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as Baal-Berith. The mother of Adonis, the sun-god and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state to have brought forth her divine son. If the mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the 'Man the branch.' And this entirely accounts for the putting of the Yule Log into the fire on Christmas Eve, and the appearance of the Christmas tree the next morning."
That sure puts a different spin on Christmas traditions, now doesn't it?
Most Christians don't even realize that G-d warned us about such things in the Bible.
In Jeremiah 10:1-4, G-d warns us against putting up these decorated trees like the pagans were doing....
Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel. This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them. For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter."
The Puritans understood this. It comes as a surprise to most Americans to learn that the Puritans once banned Christmas trees in many areas of the United States because they were considered so pagan. ">
unexplainedmysteriesoftheworld.com
- See more at: http://unexplainedmysteriesoftheworld.com/archives/the-mystery-of-the-pagan-origin-of-christmas-jesus-was-not-born-on-december-25th-but-a-whole-bunch-of-pagan-gods-were#sthash.a8Rz2Kjr.dpufDavid Daniel Ball Atheist researcher attacks Joseph Atwill's work ..http://www.patheos.com/.../joseph-atwill-has-not-proven.../
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Holden promise to continue making substandard cars for Australia, but not in Australia. - ed
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www.news.com.au
Who knew? - ed===
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"Mommy?"
"Yes, Max?"
"Does Santa go to every country in the world?"
"Yep."
"How about Australia?"
"Yep."
"Africa?"
"Yep."
"Even South Yorkshire?"
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Pastor Rick Warren
Urge friends who don’t yet know Jesus to watch "The Greatest Gifts You'll Ever Get" Repeating EVERY HR .http://bit.ly/1dYPov8===
Madu Odiokwu Pastorvin
Heavenly Father,I thank You for Your grace and mercy on my life. I choose to rise and put my trust in You. Thank You, Lord, for accomplishing Your purposes in my life.I thank You for what's to come. Help me go beyond believing to expecting my dreams to come to pass. Show me how to prepare for the things You have planned for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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gopthedailydose.com
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Obama to Israel "Free Arab terrorists to show your goodwill to Abbas'
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www.israelnationalnews.com
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B"H These two obviously love their community of Kochov Ya'akov located in the Binyamin region.
Photo by Ezra Ridgley
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www.algemeiner.com
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calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.se
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www.meforum.org
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December 25, 2013
By:Rivkah Rybak
Approximately 10 families were represented at today's Knesset meeting with Israel’s Deputy Defense Minister MK Danny Danon. Other members of Knesset were also such as:
David Tsur - Hatenua Chaired by Tzipi Livni
Ayelet Shaked - HaBayit HaYehudi
Nissim Zeev - Shas
Orit Strock - HaBayit HaYehudi
Yoni Chetboun - HaBayit HaYehudi
There are no words that can express the display of courage, determination and desire of the families present at today's meeting with Danny Danon and the members of Knesset.
To sit and listen to the compelling stories of the survivors, for those who are at a stage to consider themselves survivors, left many speechless. Members of Knesset expressed distress for the current governmental situations surrounding the release of terrorists, in the soon to be third group of murderers.
After the formal representations around the table, many informal and perhaps even more productive conversations grasped the attention of those who remained.
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| Phone | (02) 8405 7992 |
| info@bytefoundry.com.au | |
| Website | http://bytefoundry.com.au |
About
Welcome to ByteFoundry, your IT expert. We keep you focused on building your business and delighting your customers by providing technology you can rely on
Mission
Make technology an asset for your business, not a problem.
Description
ByteFoundry provides fully managed technology solutions for medium and small business. We manage file servers, networks (LAN), firewalls, wireless networks and even desktop systems or laptops.
We are unique for two reasons, firstly we utilize primarily open source software to make the underlying hardware less expensive and the solutions more flexible. Secondly, we bring to the table the experience from managing large highly automated corporate networks and apply that experience to your small or medium business network.
Business relies on technology more and more. Even cloud technologies are useless if connectivity is failing or problematic. Medium and small business can't afford high end technical staff as full time employees - ByteFoundry makes them available so you can leverage that higher technical proficiency.
Make technology an asset for business growth, by making available expertise usually only available to large companies. Use that know-how to provide lower cost technology solutions that are more flexible and more reliable. Build solutions that solve real business problems and 'stay out of the way'. Be their IT manager not just an outsourced helpdesk.
We are unique for two reasons, firstly we utilize primarily open source software to make the underlying hardware less expensive and the solutions more flexible. Secondly, we bring to the table the experience from managing large highly automated corporate networks and apply that experience to your small or medium business network.
Business relies on technology more and more. Even cloud technologies are useless if connectivity is failing or problematic. Medium and small business can't afford high end technical staff as full time employees - ByteFoundry makes them available so you can leverage that higher technical proficiency.
Make technology an asset for business growth, by making available expertise usually only available to large companies. Use that know-how to provide lower cost technology solutions that are more flexible and more reliable. Build solutions that solve real business problems and 'stay out of the way'. Be their IT manager not just an outsourced helpdesk.
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sultanknish.blogspot.com
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www.israpundit.com
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www.timesofisrael.com
The statistics aren't significant .. 2% is too small, and probably not representative of wider society. More likely to be children of diplomats or involved with senior administrative or business positions - ed
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www.timesofisrael.com
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<What evil spirit possessed Moshe Dayan to give up Har Habayit/The Temple Mount?>
http://youtu.be/7l1ol69rRxo
Dayan was not a believer. He thought it was a chess piece. It is too central to Israel's identity to give away. - ed
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December 25, 2013 / 22 Tevet, 5774 / Plenty of articles to keep you busy all day!
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The 'peace process' is well underway. Israel is under intense pressure to give up significant parts of its homeland and divide Jerusalem, its eternal capital. Unfortunately, Israel was pressured to release over 100 Palestinian terrorists, many with blood on their hands. Half have already been released, with another release scheduled to take place soon. We believe that this is a huge tragedy for the people of Israel, 80% of whom opposed this painful decision. Now more than ever, Israel needs the strong support of friends like you! You can make a real difference by helping us utilize the full power of the internet to spread the truth about Israel and prevent future tragedies. Please consider becoming a partner in support of Israel with a monthly donation. Simply check the 'monthly' box on the screen. Click to Donate --> https://unitedwithisrael.org/donate While the brave soldiers of the IDF protect Israeli citizens from their enemies on the battlefield, 'United with Israel' is fighting the war of public opinion in homes, cafes, universities, synagogues and churches throughout the world. The enemies of Israel have spent billions to spread lies and demonize the State of Israel. United with Israel uses the latest technology to reach millions across the globe and turn them into advocates for Israel. We are now expanding our program into multiple languages to reach people in their native tongues. Your support is needed to build grassroots support for Israel around the world. At this special time, we ask you to open your heart and help Israel today. CLICK BELOW TO MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION https://unitedwithisrael.org/donate United with Israel must raise SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS to maintain and expand its professional staff and pay for language translation, content development, video production, graphics, programming, advertising, SEO, social media technology, local branch development and much more. With your support, we can empower millions of people around the world to become global advocates for the People, Country and Land of Israel. Thank you for opening your heart and helping Israel today. With Blessings from Israel, The 'United with Israel' Family PS - We ask you to kindly forward this email to your family and friends. They too, deserve the opportunity and privilege to make a real difference by standing United with Israel. CLICK TO DONATE --> https://unitedwithisrael.org/donate Checks can be sent to our US address: United with Israel PO Box 151 Lawrence, NY 11559 United States Checks can be mailed directly to Israel: United with Israel 8/19 Nachal Maor St. Box 71530 Bet Shemesh 99623 ISRAEL To donate by phone please call: +1-646-213-4003 (USA) +972-2-533-7841 (Israel)===
 
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December 26: Boxing Day in Commonwealth countries; St. Stephen's Day (Western Christianity); Twelve Holy Daysbegin (Esoteric Christianity); Kwanzaa begins in Canada and the United States
_and_Marie_Sklodowska_Curie_(1867-1934),_c._1903_(4405627519).jpg)
- 1825 – Imperial Russian Army officersled about 3,000 soldiers in a protestagainst Nicholas I's assumption of the throne after his elder brother Constantineremoved himself from the line of succession.
- 1871 – Thespis, the first comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, made its debut at the Gaiety Theatre, London, UK.
- 1898 – At the French Academy of Sciences, physicistsPierre and Marie Curie (both pictured) announced thediscovery of a new element, naming it radium.
- 1996 – Six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado, a murder that generated extensive coverage from theAmerican media.
- Pioneering British computer scientist andcode breaker Alan Turing, convicted ofgross indecency for homosexual activity in 1952, is granted a posthumous royal pardon.
- After the pardoning of businessmanMikhail Khodorkovsky, an amnesty law in Russia leads to the release of thousands of prisoners, including two members of Pussy Riot (Nadezhda Tolokonnikovapictured), and the dropping of charges against participants in a Greenpeace protest.
- In handball, the World Women's Championshipconcludes with Brazil defeating Serbia in the final.
- Amidst fears of civil war, the South Sudan Liberation Army captures Bor.
- ESA's Gaia space observatory is launched to compile acatalogue of astronomical objects.
Events[edit]
- 1135 – Coronation of King Stephen of England.
- 1481 – Battle of Westbroek: Holland defeats troops of Utrecht.
- 1776 – American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army attacks and successfully defeats a garrison of Hessian mercenaries.
- 1790 – Louis XVI of France gives his public assent to Civil Constitution of the Clergy during the French Revolution.
- 1793 – Second Battle of Wissembourg: France defeat Austria.
- 1793 – The wedding of Prince Friedrich Ludwig of Prussia and Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz takes place.
- 1799 – Four thousand people attend George Washington's funeral where Henry Lee III declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
- 1805 – Austria and France sign the Treaty of Pressburg.
- 1806 – Battles of Pultusk and Golymin: Russian forces hold French forces under Napoleon.
- 1811 – A theater fire in Richmond, Virginia kills the Governor of Virginia George William Smith and the president of the First National Bank of Virginia Abraham B. Venable.
- 1825 – Advocates of liberalism in Russia rise up against Czar Nicholas I and are put down in the Decembrist revolt in Saint Petersburg.
- 1846 – Trapped in snow in the Sierra Nevadas and without food, members of the Donner Party resort to cannibalism.
- 1860 – The first ever inter-club association football match takes place between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C. at the Sandygate Roadground in Sheffield, England, United Kingdom.
- 1861 – American Civil War: The Trent Affair: Confederate diplomatic envoys James M. Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the United States and United Kingdom.
- 1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou begins.
- 1862 – Four nuns serving as volunteer nurses on board USS Red Rover are the first female nurses on a U.S. Navy hospital ship.
- 1862 – The largest mass-hanging in U.S. history took place in Mankato, Minnesota, 38 Native Americans die.
- 1870 – The 12.8-km long Fréjus Rail Tunnel through the Alps is completed.
- 1871 – Gilbert and Sullivan collaborate for the first time, on their lost opera, Thespis. It does modestly well, but the two would not collaborate again for four years.
- 1883 – The Harbour Grace Affray between Irish Catholics and Protestant Orangemen causes five deaths in Newfoundland.
- 1898 – Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of radium.
- 1900 – A relief crew arrives at the lighthouse on the Flannan Isles of Scotland, UK, only to find the previous crew has disappeared without a trace.
- 1919 – Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox is sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee.
- 1925 – Turkey adopts the Gregorian calendar.
- 1941 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
- 1943 – World War II: German warship Scharnhorst is sunk off of Norway's North Cape after a battle against major Royal Navy forces.
- 1944 – World War II: George S. Patton's Third Army breaks the encirclement of surrounded U.S. forces at Bastogne, Belgium.
- 1948 – Cardinal József Mindszenty is arrested in Hungary and accused of treason and conspiracy.
- 1963 – The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" are released in the United States, marking the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level.
- 1966 – The first Kwanzaa is celebrated by Maulana Karenga, the chair of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach.
- 1972 – Vietnam War: As part of Operation Linebacker II, 120 American B-52 Stratofortress bombers attacked Hanoi, including 78 launched from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the largest single combat launch in Strategic Air Command history.
- 1976 – The Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) is founded.
- 1982 – Time's Man of the Year is for the first time a non-human, the personal computer.
- 1991 – The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union meets and formally dissolves the Soviet Union.
- 1994 – Four Armed Islamic Group hijackers seize control of Air France Flight 8969. When the plane lands at Marseille, a French Gendarmerie assault team boards the aircraft and kills the hijackers.
- 1996 – Six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey is found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado.
- 1996 – Start of the largest strike in South Korean history.
- 1997 – The Soufrière Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat explodes, creating a small tsunami offshore.
- 1998 – Iraq announces its intention to fire upon U.S. and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern no-fly zones.
- 1999 – The storm Lothar sweeps across Central Europe, killing 137 and causing US$1.3 billion in damage.
- 2003 – A magnitude 6.6 earthquake devastates southeast Iranian city of Bam, killing tens of thousands and destroying the citadel of Arg-é Bam.
- 2004 – A 9.3 magnitude earthquake creates a tsunami causing devastation in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldivesand many other areas around the rim of the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000.
- 2004 – Orange Revolution: The final run-off election in Ukraine is held under heavy international scrutiny.
- 2006 – An oil pipeline in Lagos, Nigeria explodes, killing at least 260.
Births[edit]
- 1194 – Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1250)
- 1532 – Wilhelm Xylander, German scholar (d. 1576)
- 1536 – Yi I, Korean scholar (d. 1584)
- 1646 – Robert Bolling, English-American merchant (d. 1709)
- 1687 – Johann Georg Pisendel, German violinist and composer (d. 1755)
- 1716 – Jean François de Saint-Lambert, French military officer and poet (d. 1803)
- 1716 – Thomas Gray, English poet and scholar (d. 1771)
- 1723 – Friedrich Melchior, Baron von Grimm, German author (d. 1807)
- 1737 – Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (d. 1815)
- 1751 – Clemens Maria Hofbauer, Austrian missionary, priest, and saint (d. 1820)
- 1771 – Julie Clary, French wife of Joseph Bonaparte (d. 1845)
- 1780 – Mary Somerville, Scottish polymath and author (d. 1872)
- 1785 – Étienne Constantin de Gerlache, Belgian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Belgium (d. 1871)
- 1782 – Philaret Drozdov, Russian bishop (d. 1867)
- 1791 – Charles Babbage, English mathematician and engineer, invented the Difference engine (d. 1871)
- 1803 – Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Estonian writer and physician (d. 1882)
- 1819 – E. D. E. N. Southworth, American author (d. 1899)
- 1820 – Dion Boucicault, Irish actor and playwright (d. 1890)
- 1837 – Morgan Bulkeley, American politician, 54th Governor of Connecticut (d. 1922)
- 1837 – George Dewey, American admiral (d. 1917)
- 1853 – René Bazin, French author (d. 1932)
- 1859 – William Stephens, American politician, 24th Governor of California (d. 1944)
- 1863 – Charles Pathé, French film and record producer, co-founded Pathé and Pathé Records (d. 1957)
- 1867 – Phan Boi Chau, Vietnamese activist (d. 1940)
- 1872 – Norman Angell, English journalist, author, and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1967)
- 1873 – Thomas Wass, English cricketer (d. 1953)
- 1874 – Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah, Bangladeshi educator, litterateur, Islamic theologist and social reformer (d. 1965)
- 1883 – Maurice Utrillo, French painter (d. 1955)
- 1887 – Arthur Percival, English army officer (d. 1966)
- 1888 – Marius Canard, French orientalist and historian (d. 1982)
- 1890 – Uncle Charlie Osborne, American fiddler (d. 1992)
- 1891 – Henry Miller, American author and painter (d. 1980)
- 1893 – Mao Zedong, Chinese military leader and politician (d. 1976)
- 1894 – Jean Toomer, American author and poet (d. 1967)
- 1899 – Udham Singh, Indian activist (d. 1940)
- 1901 – Elmar Muuk, Estonian linguist (d. 1941)
- 1902 – Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan, Russian painter (d. 1980)
- 1903 – Elisha Cook, Jr., American actor (d. 1995)
- 1904 – Alejo Carpentier, Swiss-Cuban author (d. 1980)
- 1905 – William Loeb III, American publisher (d. 1981)
- 1906 – Imperio Argentina, Argentine actress and singer (d. 2003)
- 1907 – Albert Gore, Sr., American politician (d. 1998)
- 1911 – Arsenio Lacson, Filipino journalist and politician (d. 1962)
- 1913 – Frank Swift, English footballer and journalist (d. 1958)
- 1914 – Annemarie Wendl, German actress (d. 2006)
- 1914 – Richard Widmark, American actor (d. 2008)
- 1918 – Georgios Rallis, Greek politician, 173rd Prime Minister of Greece (d. 2006)
- 1921 – Steve Allen, American actor, comedian, and singer (d. 2000)
- 1922 – Richard Mayes, English actor (d. 2006)
- 1923 – Richard Artschwager, American painter, illustrator, and sculptor (d. 2013)
- 1924 – Frank Broyles, American football player and coach
- 1926 – Earle Brown, American composer (d. 2002)
- 1926 – Gina Pellón, Cuban-French painter
- 1927 – Denis Gifford, English journalist and historian (d. 2000)
- 1927 – Alan King, American comedian and actor (d. 2004)
- 1927 – Stu Miller, American baseball player
- 1927 – Denis Quilley, English actor (d. 2003)
- 1929 – Régine Zylberberg, French singer
- 1930 – Jean Ferrat, French singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
- 1930 – Donald Moffat, English actor
- 1933 – Ugly Dave Gray, English-Australian comedian and actor
- 1933 – Caroll Spinney, American puppeteer and voice actor
- 1935 – Abdul "Duke" Fakir, American singer (Four Tops)
- 1935 – Norm Ullman, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1936 – Peep Jänes, Estonian architect
- 1936 – Trevor Taylor, English Formula One racing driver (d. 2010)
- 1937 – John Horton Conway, English-American mathematician
- 1937 – Jay Heimowitz, American poker player
- 1938 – Bahram Bayzai, Iranian director, screenwriter, and producer
- 1938 – Robert Hamerton-Kelly, South African-American pastor, scholar, and author (d. 2013)
- 1938 – Alamgir Kabir, Bangladeshi director (d. 1989)
- 1939 – Fred Schepisi, Australian director and screenwriter
- 1939 – Phil Spector, American singer-songwriter and producer (The Teddy Bears)
- 1940 – Edward C. Prescott, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1940 – Ray Sadecki, American baseball player
- 1941 – Daniel Schmid, Swiss director (d. 2006)
- 1942 – Vinicio Cerezo, Guatemalan politician, 28th President of Guatemala
- 1942 – Catherine Coulter, American author
- 1942 – Gray Davis, American politician, 37th Governor of California
- 1942 – Dan Massey, American activist and author (d. 2013)
- 1944 – Jane Lapotaire, English actress
- 1945 – John Walsh, American television host, producer, and activist, created America's Most Wanted
- 1946 – Alan Frumin, American politician
- 1946 – Tiit Rosenberg, Estonian historian
- 1947 – James T. Conway, American general
- 1947 – Jean Echenoz, French author
- 1947 – Carlton Fisk, American baseball player
- 1947 – Josef Janíček, Czech singer-songwriter and musician (The Plastic People of the Universe)
- 1947 – Richard Levis McCormick, American historian and academic
- 1948 – Candy Crowley, American journalist
- 1949 – Mikhail Boyarsky, Russian actor and singer
- 1949 – Bob Hartman, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Petra)
- 1949 – José Ramos-Horta, East Timorese politician, President of East Timor, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1950 – Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Pakistani politician, 17th Prime Minister of Pakistan
- 1951 – John Scofield, American guitarist and composer (Trio Beyond)
- 1951 – Richard Skinner, English television and radio host
- 1953 – Leonel Fernández, Dominican lawyer and politician, 51st President of the Dominican Republic
- 1953 – Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Swedish-Estonian journalist and politician, 4th President of Estonia
- 1953 – Henning Schmitz, German drummer (Kraftwerk)
- 1954 – Peter Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer
- 1954 – Tony Rosato, Italian-Canadian actor
- 1954 – Ozzie Smith, American baseball player
- 1954 – Steve Steen, English actor
- 1955 – Evan Bayh, American politician, 46th Governor of Indiana
- 1956 – David Sedaris, American comedian, author, and radio host
- 1957 – Dermot Murnaghan, English journalist
- 1957 – Mike South, American porn actor and director
- 1958 – Adrian Newey, English engineer
- 1959 – Wang Lijun, Chinese police officer
- 1959 – Kōji Morimoto, Japanese animator and director
- 1959 – Hans Nielsen, Danish Speedway rider, Four times world Individual Champion
- 1960 – Temuera Morrison, New Zealand actor
- 1960 – Christian Müller, German footballer
- 1960 – Jim Toomey, American cartoonist
- 1961 – Andrew Lock, Australian mountaineer
- 1961 – John Lynch, Irish actor
- 1962 – Mark Starr, American wrestler (d. 2013)
- 1963 – Lars Ulrich, Danish-American drummer, songwriter, and producer (Metallica)
- 1963 – Bill Wennington, Canadian basketball player
- 1964 – Elizabeth Kostova, American author
- 1966 – Jay Farrar, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, and Gob Iron)
- 1966 – Tim Legler, American basketball player
- 1966 – Sandra Taylor, American model and actress
- 1966 – Jay Yuenger, American guitarist and producer (White Zombie)
- 1968 – Tricia Leigh Fisher, American actress and singer
- 1968 – Dennis Knight, American wrestler
- 1970 – Krissada Sukosol Clapp, Thai actor and singer
- 1970 – James Mercer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Shins and Broken Bells)
- 1971 – Jared Leto, American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and director (Thirty Seconds to Mars)
- 1971 – Mika Nurmela, Finnish footballer
- 1971 – Jonathan M. Parisen, American director
- 1971 – Tatiana Sorokko, Russian model, fashion journalist and haute couture collector
- 1972 – Esteban Fuertes, Argentine footballer
- 1972 – Shane Meadows, English director, producer, and actor
- 1972 – Robert Muchamore, English author
- 1973 – Paulo Frederico Benevenute, Brazilian footballer
- 1973 – Zach Blair, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Hagfish, Gwar, Rise Against, and Only Crime)
- 1973 – Gianluca Faliva, Italian rugby player
- 1973 – Reichen Lehmkuhl, American model and actor
- 1974 – Tiffany Brissette, American actress
- 1974 – Josie Ho, Hong Kong singer and actress
- 1974 – Joshua John Miller, American actor
- 1975 – Marcelo Ríos, Chilean tennis player
- 1976 – Lea De Mae, Czech porn actress and model (d. 2004)
- 1976 – Simon Goodwin, Australian footballer
- 1976 – Nadia Litz, Canadian actress and director
- 1977 – Sofia Bekatorou, Greek sailor
- 1977 – Adrienn Hegedűs, Hungarian tennis player
- 1978 – Karel Rüütli, Estonian politician
- 1978 – Kaoru Sugayama, Japanese volleyball player
- 1979 – Fabián Carini, Uruguayan footballer
- 1979 – Chris Daughtry, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Daughtry)
- 1979 – Dimitry Vassiliev, Russian ski jumper
- 1979 – Craig Wing, Australian rugby player
- 1980 – Todd Dunivant, American soccer player
- 1981 – Pablo Canavosio, Argentine-Italian rugby player
- 1982 – Kenneth Darby, American football player
- 1982 – Shun Oguri, Japanese actor and model
- 1982 – Aksel Lund Svindal, Norwegian skier
- 1984 – Ahmed Barusso, Ghanaian footballer
- 1984 – Anthony Walsh, bloke in Melbourne
- 1984 – Leonardo Ghiraldini, Italian rugby player
- 1984 – Alex Schwazer, Italian race walker
- 1985 – Beth Behrs, American actress
- 1985 – Yu Shirota, Japanese-Spanish actor and singer (D-Boys)
- 1986 – Hugo Lloris, French footballer
- 1987 – Adam Walker, English flute player
- 1989 – Yohan Blake, Jamaican sprinter
- 1989 – Jennica Garcia, Filipino actress
- 1989 – Lecabela Quaresma, São Toméan runner
- 1989 – Ben Schumann, Australian actor
- 1990 – Andy Biersack, American singer-songwriter (Black Veil Brides)
- 1990 – Aaron Ramsey, Welsh footballer
- 1990 – Denis Cheryshev, Russian footballer
- 1992 – Kätlin Aas, Estonian model
- 1992 – Cecilia Costa Melgar, Chilean tennis player
- 1994 – Samantha Boscarino, American actress
- 1994 – Souleymane Coulibaly, Ivorian footballer
- 1995 – Zach Mills, American actor
- 2000 – Samuel Sevian, American chess player
Deaths[edit]
- 268 – Pope Dionysius
- 418 – Pope Zosimus
- 1350 – Jean de Marigny, French bishop
- 1458 – Arthur III, Duke of Brittany (b. 1393)
- 1476 – Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Italian husband of Bona of Savoy (b. 1444)
- 1530 – Babur, Mongolian emperor (b. 1483)
- 1574 – Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine (b. 1524)
- 1624 – Simon Marius, German astronomer (b. 1573)
- 1731 – Antoine Houdar de la Motte, French author (b. 1672)
- 1771 – Claude Adrien Helvétius, French philosopher (b. 1715)
- 1780 – John Fothergill, English physician (b. 1712)
- 1784 – Seth Warner, American soldier (b. 1743)
- 1786 – Gasparo Gozzi, Italian playwright and critic (b. 1713)
- 1869 – Jean Léonard Marie Poiseuille, French physiologist (b. 1797)
- 1890 – Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist (b. 1822)
- 1909 – Frederic Remington, American painter and illustrator (b. 1861)
- 1923 – Dietrich Eckart, German journalist and politician (b. 1868)
- 1925 – Jan Letzel, Czech architect, designed the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (b. 1880)
- 1931 – Melvil Dewey, American librarian and educator, created the Dewey Decimal Classification (b. 1851)
- 1933 – Anatoly Lunacharsky, Russian journalist and politician (b. 1875)
- 1933 – Henry Watson Fowler, English educator and lexicographer (b. 1858)
- 1933 – Eduard Vilde, Estonian author and diplomat (b. 1865)
- 1960 – Tetsuro Watsuji, Japanese philosopher (b. 1889)
- 1963 – George Wagner, American wrestler (b. 1915)
- 1966 – Herbert Otto Gille, German SS officer (b. 1897)
- 1970 – Lillian Board, South African-English runner (b. 1948)
- 1972 – Harry S. Truman, American army officer and politician, 33rd President of the United States (b. 1884)
- 1973 – Harold B. Lee, American religious leader, 11th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (b. 1899)
- 1974 – Farid al-Atrash, Syrian-Egyptian singer-songwriter, oud player, and actor (b. 1915)
- 1974 – Jack Benny, American comedian and actor (b. 1894)
- 1974 – Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton, Scottish navy officer (b. 1890)
- 1975 – Karl Tarvas, Estonian architect (b. 1885)
- 1976 – Yashpal,Indian Hindi Author (b.1903)
- 1977 – Howard Hawks, American director and screenwriter (b. 1896)
- 1980 – Tony Smith, American sculptor (b. 1912)
- 1981 – Savitri, Indian actress, director, and producer (b. 1937)
- 1981 – Amber Reeves, New Zealand-English author and scholar (b. 1887)
- 1983 – Violet Carson, English actress (b. 1898)
- 1984 – Sheila Andrews, American country music singer (b. 1953)
- 1985 – Margarete Schön, German actress (b. 1895)
- 1986 – Elsa Lanchester, English-American actress (b. 1902)
- 1988 – Glenn McCarthy, American businessman, founded the Shamrock Hotel (b. 1907)
- 1988 – Pablo Sorozábal, Basque-Spanish composer (b. 1897)
- 1989 – Doug Harvey, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1924)
- 1990 – Gene Callahan, American production designer (b. 1923)
- 1992 – Nikita Magaloff, Georgian-Russian pianist (b. 1912)
- 1994 – Parveen Shakir, Pakistani civil servant and poet (b. 1952)
- 1996 – Kostas Palios, Greek actor (b. 1926)
- 1997 – Cornelius Castoriadis, Greek philosopher and economist (b. 1922)
- 1999 – Curtis Mayfield, American singer-songwriter and producer (The Impressions) (b. 1942)
- 1999 – Shankar Dayal Sharma, Indian politician, 9th President of India (b. 1918)
- 2000 – Jason Robards, American actor (b. 1922)
- 2001 – Nigel Hawthorne, English actor (b. 1929)
- 2002 – Herb Ritts, American photographer (b. 1952)
- 2002 – Armand Zildjian, American businessman, founded the Avedis Zildjian Company (b. 1921)
- 2004 – Troy Broadbridge, Australian footballer (b. 1980)
- 2004 – Jonathan Drummond-Webb, South African surgeon (b. 1959)
- 2004 – Marianne Heiberg, Norwegian diplomat (b. 1945)
- 2004 – Poom Jensen, American son of Ubolratana Rajakanya (b. 1983)
- 2004 – Sigurd Køhn, Norwegian saxophonist and composer (b. 1959)
- 2004 – Angus Ogilvy, English businessman (b. 1928)
- 2004 – Aki Sirkesalo, Finnish singer (b. 1962)
- 2004 – Mieszko Talarczyk, Polish-Swedish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Nasum and Genocide Superstars) (b. 1974)
- 2004 – Reggie White, American football player (b. 1961)
- 2005 – Muriel Costa-Greenspon, American soprano (b. 1937)
- 2005 – Kerry Packer, Australian businessman (b. 1937)
- 2005 – Viacheslav Platonov, Russian volleyball player and coach (b. 1939)
- 2005 – Vincent Schiavelli, American actor (b. 1948)
- 2005 – Erich Topp, German commander (b. 1914)
- 2006 – Gerald Ford, American politician, 38th President of the United States (b. 1913)
- 2006 – Ivar Formo, Norwegian skier (b. 1951)
- 2006 – Munir Niazi, Pakistani poet (b. 1928)
- 2007 – Joe Dolan, Irish singer (b. 1943)
- 2007 – John A. Garraty, American author (b. 1920)
- 2007 – Stu Nahan, American sportscaster (b. 1926)
- 2008 – Gösta Krantz, Swedish actor (b. 1925)
- 2009 – Felix Wurman, American cellist and composer (b. 1958)
- 2010 – Edward Bhengu, South African activist (b. 1934)
- 2010 – Teena Marie, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1956)
- 2011 – Houston Antwine, American football player (b. 1939)
- 2011 – Pedro Armendáriz, Jr., Mexican actor (b. 1940)
- 2011 – Sarekoppa Bangarappa, Indian politician, 15th Chief Minister of Karnataka (b. 1932)
- 2011 – Joe Bodolai, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1948)
- 2011 – Fred Fono, Solomon politician, 9th Deputy Prime Minister of Solomon Islands (b. 1962)
- 2011 – Sam Rivers, American flute player and composer (b. 1923)
- 2011 – James Rizzi, American painter (b. 1950)
- 2012 – Abdul Ghafoor Ahmed, Pakistani politician (b. 1927)
- 2012 – Gerry Anderson, English director, screenwriter, and producer (b. 1929)
- 2012 – Fontella Bass, American singer (b. 1940)
- 2012 – Paul T. Bateman, American theorist (b. 1919)
- 2012 – E. Porter Hatcher Jr., American politician (b. 1936)
- 2012 – Gerald McDermott, American filmmaker and author (b. 1941)
- 2012 – Jean Perrot, French archaeologist (b. 1920)
- 2012 – Ibrahim Tannous, Lebanese military commander (b. 1929)
- 2012 – Rebecca Tarbotton, Canadian-American activist (b. 1973)
Holidays and observances[edit]
- Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
- Christian Feast Day:
- Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Church)
- Earliest day on which Feast of the Holy Family can fall, celebrated on Sunday after Christmas or 30 if Christmas falls on a Sunday.
- James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- Stephen (Western Church)
- Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- December 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
- Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)
- Mummer's Day (Padstow, Cornwall)
- St. Stephen's Day (public holiday in Alsace, Austria, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland,Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland), and its related observances:
- The first day of Kwanzaa, celebrated until January 1 (United States)
- The first day of Junkanoo street parade, the second day is on the New Year's Day (The Bahamas)
- The first of Twelve Holy Days (Esoteric Christianity)
- The second day of Christmas (Western Christianity)
- Wren Day (Ireland and the Isle of Man)
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV
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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Morning
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 7:14
Let us today go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in him, and can sing, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first glance his miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus, "The seed of the woman," not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly man, was as to his human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that he may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail not to note his humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as "a virgin," not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, and how miserable the accommodation afforded to the new-born King!
Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour.
Evening
"And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."
Job 1:5
Job 1:5
What the patriarch did early in the morning, after the family festivities, it will be well for the believer to do for himself ere he rests tonight. Amid the cheerfulness of household gatherings it is easy to slide into sinful levities, and to forget our avowed character as Christians. It ought not to be so, but so it is, that our days of feasting are very seldom days of sanctified enjoyment, but too frequently degenerate into unhallowed mirth. There is a way of joy as pure and sanctifying as though one bathed in the rivers of Eden: holy gratitude should be quite as purifying an element as grief. Alas! for our poor hearts, that facts prove that the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting. Come, believer, in what have you sinned today? Have you been forgetful of your high calling? Have you been even as others in idle words and loose speeches? Then confess the sin, and fly to the sacrifice. The sacrifice sanctifies. The precious blood of the Lamb slain removes the guilt, and purges away the defilement of our sins of ignorance and carelessness. This is the best ending of a Christmas-day--to wash anew in the cleansing fountain. Believer, come to this sacrifice continually; if it be so good tonight, it is good every night. To live at the altar is the privilege of the royal priesthood; to them sin, great as it is, is nevertheless no cause for despair, since they draw near yet again to the sin-atoning victim, and their conscience is purged from dead works.
Gladly I close this festive day,
Grasping the altar's hallow'd horn;
My slips and faults are washed away,
The Lamb has all my trespass borne.
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Today's reading: Zephaniah 1-3, Revelation 16 (NIV)
View today's reading on Bible GatewayToday's Old Testament reading: Zephaniah 1-3
1 The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah:
Judgment on the Whole Earth in the Day of the LORD
2 “I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
3 “I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”
from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
3 “I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”
“When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,” declares the LORD,
4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,
the very names of the idolatrous priests—
5 those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host,
those who bow down and swear by the LORD
and who also swear by Molek,
6 those who turn back from following the LORD
and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him....”
on the face of the earth,” declares the LORD,
4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all who live in Jerusalem.
I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,
the very names of the idolatrous priests—
5 those who bow down on the roofs
to worship the starry host,
those who bow down and swear by the LORD
and who also swear by Molek,
6 those who turn back from following the LORD
and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him....”
Today's New Testament reading: Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:
“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,
you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve....”
you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve....”
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CHRISTMAS
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. -Luke 2:20
At the birth of Jesus, amidst the dirt and straw of a stable, millennia of promises, prophecies, and hopes were fulfilled. In the birth of a child, something that happens every single day all over the world, something happened that would change the world. Everything the faithful were anticipating took shape. It was the alignment of all that was meant to be. But the birth of Jesus has that power and significance only if he really is who he said he was.
The shepherds heard, they saw, and it was all just as they had been told. In a perfect conjunction of heaven and earth, God came to earth, connecting the two for his eternal purposes. Years later, Jesus would tell us in so many different ways, "I have come into the world as a light" (John 12:46); "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" (John 10:10); "For this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth," (John 18:37).
So...
When we are sensing the dirtiness of life in this world, we can focus on the purity of Christ.
When we feel weak, we can lean on the power of Christ.
When we are ill, we can remember that he is the great physician.
When we are confused, we can turn to his words to get our bearings.
When we are damaged, we can remember that he said that he would not break a bruised reed nor snuff out a smoldering wick.
When we know we have sinned, we can know his forgiveness.
When we are wayward, we can remember he called himself "the way."
When we have been lied to, we can remember he called himself "the truth."
When we feel like our energy and our enthusiasm is waning, we can remember that he called himself "the life."
And so, we can pray:
Thank you Lord Christ for humbling yourself and taking the form of man. Thank you for pushing back the darkness of this world and of my life. Thank you for fully living before us so that we can see just how much life we can have. Let me live for the next 52 weeks in the light of your ongoing presence and power in this world. And then let me celebrate Christmas again-with joy.
This is the final email in the devotional series “Christmas Joy”. For additional devotional material from Mel Lawrenz, please visit The Brook Network. Or, An e-book version of this devotional is also available, compatible with your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android or Kindle.
Merry Christmas!
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