(The picture at the left is of the courthouse in Thomaston, Georgia taken in 1960.)

                                           It's a Wonderful Life

Christmas brings with it all kinds of emotions.  Many are happy. This time also brings with it sadness for many reasons. 

For instance, the death of a loved one really can turn happy in to sad times in the twinkling of an eye.

Christmas can bring with it other problems such as the lost of a job, increased financial difficulties , a marriage that is in trouble, family disagreements and health problems to name a few.

It's a Wonderful LIfe touches on Christmas and George Bailey's Uncle Billy and the missing $8,000 that was actually stolen by Mr. Potter at the bank that day. 

Mr. Potter of course, the richest man in Bedford Falls, and also a man of no friends to speak of.  You know the story, Uncle Billy goes into the bank to make the deposit and accidentally hands Mr. Potter the newspaper with the money inside.  Mr. Potter sees a chance to gain way more than money from this mistake.

Well, Clarence, the angel, was sent by God to rescue George Bailey after he became so depressed that he had decided to take his own life.

There are many George Baileys  today even as the clock is ticking on another Christmas. It might not be someone losing $8,000 from the good old Building and Loan but there are many things going on right now that could make a man or woman think of taking their own lives. 

It may be marriage problems, lack of financial resources, brought on by Christmas, the effects of a downward economy swing, an accident, or perhaps health problems.

What these people that might be affected by one of these problems probably don't know is that their angel has been dispatched and will showing up any minute.  It you are not looking closely, you might miss him.

Oh, he won't look like Clarence.  Look for a unsuspecting person.  It might be the clerk in the grocery store, or a worker at the mall. It might be a person at your church, or a co-worker.  It might be a child such as your grand child or one of your children.  It  could be seen in an unsolicited act of charity.

They might come bringing gifts such as cookies, or a pie.  It might be from some one calling on the phone to wish you a Merry Christmas or a loving email that comes at just the right moment.  It might be someone calling to say, I was thinking of you today and have been praying for you. 

All God wants is a humble, pure hearted person and he can use that person to become one of his angels. 

George Bailey had no way of knowing when he had reached the end of his rope that Clarence would show up and jump off that bridge for him. 

I have always thought it was so ironic that unstead of George killing himself, he saved Clarence.. 

Isn't that what we can do?  We may see someone going under for the third time and suddenly we realize that there is something they can do.

Just when we think we are at our bleakest moment, God shows up.  Isn't that just like God.  

He knew we were all going under unless we had a savior and he sent his son, Jesus to die on that cross just for us.  I thank God for that and I thank God for December 25, that date that we celebrate Jesus birthday.