Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 19, 2015

QUESTION - continued from page 1

When I imagine Christmas and the history that followed the birth at Bethlehem, the personification of a 
metaphor comes to life — a metaphor about a man who was of impeccable beauty and grace, so peaceful 
was his appearance, so absolute his perfection. The question was justifiably asked if the world had ever 
seen such a man. 

One day as this man walked along the streets, he came to the place of a blazing fire, and the woman 
outside of this great inferno frantically told the man that her two children were trapped inside. Though 
the man was composed of the most extraordinary beauty, the laws of heaven and his allegiance to God 
transcended every physical characteristic that could ever be said of his appearance. So the man, without 
considerations of his own safety, charged into the burning building. He covered the children with 
his coat and rushed out into the street. The intensity of the fire greatly disfigured the man, and after 
surviving a few short hours, he perished. One of the children quickly forgot the man, but the second 
child lived every day in devotion to the sacrificial person who so unselfishly saved his life.

Many gifts are given at Christmas and numerous forms of celebration exist, but we must never forget 
that Christmas is God’s hope of forgiveness.

There is no real power in Christmas, no song so noble in singing, or story worth repeating, unless we 
know the immortal history of that night.

Christmas is the immortal moment in which Jesus entered the world and rescued us from those eternal 
flames of judgment. 

I have known my heart to be as dark and wretched as Scrooge’s, and I have known myself to be destitute of 
decency and utterly irresponsible as that first child. I was openly indifferent to the greatest act of charity 
ever communicated to this world. If I had not Christmas and the Cross of Calvary as the example of God’s 
mercy, what hope in all the world’s imperfect hopes should I ever hope to encounter? So immeasurable 
was the gift of Jesus that it cannot be reasoned in the greatest estimation of our imagination. How is it 
that one perfect sacrifice could satisfy the debt of so many, and how could it pardon a man so pitiful as 
me? 

I believe in the power of Christmas because of what was done for me, and if you should offer me a 
“Happy Holidays,” please forgive me — for I must offer you a “Merry Christmas” in the most heartfelt 
sense of what I know it to mean. 

May judgment and charity rule your heart, and may you come to know the benevolence of that Christmas 
King.

Merry Christmas and “God bless us, every one!”

Craig Hakola CraigHakola@gmail.com

5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 19, 2015 

COUNTY APPROVES UPGRADES FOR PAMELA PARK

 
from the real estate team of Cathy and Jacquie 
Cathy Crockett 626-676-1565 
Cathy.crockett@podley.com 
CalBre #00597561 
Jacquie Pergola 626-627-4903 
Jacquie@jacquiepergola.com 
CalBre #01069687 
LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- Supervisor Michael 
Antonovich announced that the Board of 
supervisors has approved a $1.4 million upgrade 
to Pamela Park, a popular neighborhood facility in 
Duarte which also serves Monrovia, Arcadia and 
surrounding communities.

 “Pamela Park is a vital neighborhood resource 
with picnic areas, recreational amenities and 
a wide range of programs for local youth and 
their families,” said Supervisor Antonovich. 
“This upgrade project includes renovation of the 
parks’ restroom facilities and an 800-square foot 
expansion of an existing community building with 
additional new craft and storage rooms.” 

 With today’s approval by the Board, the 
Department of Public Works will begin project 
design and construction is expected to begin in July 
2016 and be completed in seven months.

ADVISORY: GOLD LINE TRAINS BEGIN FULL 
OPERATION TEST RUNS MID-DECEMBER - LOOK, 
LISTEN, AND LIVE! GRADE CROSSING SAFETY TIPS

 Look, Listen, and Live! Grade Crossing Safety 
Tips:

 Trains will begin full schedule test runs along 
the Foothill Extension of the Metro Gold Line, 
on or about December 18, 2015. Trains and grade 
crossings will be active and functioning with only 
the absence of passengers.

 Here are some safety tips from Metro: 

 Use designated crossing areas and wait for the 
walk/crossing signal.

 If the gates are down, do not attempt to go 
around them, it’s against the law and unsafe.

 If a train is coming, be sure to stay behind the 
yellow warning stripes.

 Always stop, look, and listen for trains before 
crossing the tracks, and be sure to look both ways.

 Never race a train to a crossing.

 Never climb railroad vehicles or walk on the 
tracks.

 Before starting across the tracks, be sure there’s 
room for your vehicle to get completely across.

 Both Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies and 
Arcadia Police Officers will be actively enforcing 
traffic laws at all grade crossings and Gold Line 
Stations.

 We have seen both pedestrian and vehicle vs. 
train collisions here in Los Angeles County and 
in the vast majority of collisions...the train wins! 
Saving a minute is not worth your life, or the life 
of someone else. Practice good safety and obey the 
laws pertaining to grade crossings. Look, Listen, 
and Live!

 Get detailed, up-to-date emails and text messages 
specific to your community from the Arcadia 
Police Department by registering for “Nixle” alerts 
at: https://local.nixle.com/register/ You can also 
register for alerts and advisory text messages only 
by texting your zip code to 888777. (Standard text 
messaging rates may apply, depending on your 
cell phone plan). Nixle provides community wires 
nationwide. Once registered, you can subscribe 
to messages from other areas that service your 
relatives or other loved ones, or other locations of 
interest to you.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com