On Friday of this week we will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I hope we all will take the time to reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas.

The real reason we celebrate Christmas is simply stated in one of the most well-known verses of the Bible. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life – John 3:16.)

In one incredible moment God left heaven and put on human flesh to come live among us as a baby. And that baby grew up to be the crucified and living Savior.

Merry Christmas to all!

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The Millen News will be closed noon, Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Friday, Dec. 26, for Christmas. We will reopen 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 28.

The newspaper office will also be closed Thursday, Dec. 31, and Friday, Jan. 1, for the New Year holiday. Items for inclusion in the Jan. 6 edition should be submitted by 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30.

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Happy birthday to: Mandy Weathersby, Jeremy McBride, Caleb Chance, Deirdre Edenfield, Chad Brown, Angie Wilkerson, Carrie Cook, Alistair Campbell, Wally Sasser Sr., Rev. Charlie Davis Jr., Charlie Davis Sr., Hud McTeer, Mary Hydrick, Horace Weathersby III and Megan Johnson.

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Celebrating wedding anniversaries are: Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Wayne, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Bolton, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Chance Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Saxon, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Wilkerson and Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Walker.

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Military Active Duty List: PV2 Jeremy Johnson, U.S. Army, 59th Quartermaster Company, Ft. Carson, Colorado; Ronnie Perryman, Charlie Troop, 108th Calvary Division, 4th Platoon, Afghanistan; Lance Cpl. Adam Lanier, U.S. Marines, 8th & I Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.; E-4 Sr. Airman Roy Davis, U.S. Air Force, RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom; Lance Cpl. Patrick Barnette, U.S. Marines, Baharia, Iraq; Sgt. Adam Demshar, 44th Signal Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq; Cpl. Lee Ogden, U.S. Marines, Camp Pendleton, CA; E5 Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric B. Kelsey, U.S. Navy, NSA Naples, Italy; Senior Airman Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force, Osan AFB, Korea; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, 735th Air Mobility Squadron Detachment 1 Commander, Richmond Royal Australian AFB, Richmond, Australia; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette Destroyer; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army National Guard, 878th Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R. Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, A-Gang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl. Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga., Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and SPC Charles “C.J.” Amerson, U.S. Army, Camp Adder, Iraq.