Editor, Times-Union: Since the end of the Festival of Trees two weeks ago, I've had time to really think through what an experience it was this year. If you toured this year's Festival, you noticed quite a mixture of emotions and symbols. There were the familiar, comforting sights and sounds of the holiday season: the lights, carols and greenery; stars, wise men, snow men and snowflakes. Also you saw evidence of the hurt we've experienced as a country this year - the grief with which we're just now learning to live. This grief, mixed with renewed patriotism, causes each of us to stand a bit taller, a bit prouder than we did just a few short months ago. Hopefully as you toured this year's Festival, you also became keenly aware of just what it is that makes this community - and this country - so enviable, so great. It's that definite sense of responsibility to our own, to those among us that need help. It's our joy in the simple things of the season. It's the ability to turn sadness into beauty. It's the unselfish sharing of talents and resources for the community good. It's exalting values that strengthen children, parents and families. Such is what we experience every day at the Health Care Foundation of Kosciusko County Inc.: a generous community working together to improve the lives and health of its citizens, from the very smallest on up.
Finally, I hope those who visited the Festival of Trees left with a sense of the true season of the Christ Child Immanuel - meaning "God with us" - and that with one heart and one voice we can say "May God bless America." On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Health Care Foundation, and the Festival of Trees committee, thank you for being a part of this event and of the community we serve.
With wishes for a blessed season,
Julie Steele Executive Director Health Care Foundation of Kosciusko County Inc.
via e-mail
Fighting Two Wars
Editor, Times-Union: God Bless America. Yes, God is blessing America. He is bringing people to himself in a revival. Man cannot save himself, he needs God. There are actually two wars going on right now: the war in Afghanistan and the spiritual war. There is only one God and no other. "God is light" and "God is love." I am confident that God will deliver America and the Christian from both wars and we will be victorious again. This year for this season, I am trying to forget the war of Afghanistan and put my focus on God. God is light, life and love.
In the Bible, in the letter of 1 John, it says that "God is light," and "God is love." In the gospel of John, it teaches that "God is life," and gives life.
God is light. "I am the light of the world, anyone who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
God is life. "I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
God is love. Twice in 1 John it says, "God is love" and it teaches that man must have a vertical love to God first and then a horizontal love in fellowship to one another.
Come to Jesus Christ and be victorious in the spiritual war. Jesus Christ is our captain, we cannot fail. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victor through Jesus Christ, our Lord."
