Christmas' True Meaning

Christmas' True Meaning

Let Christmas' true meaning,
rise up in you today . . .
may you see the real splendor
of Jesus' birth on this day.

May His beauty and grandeur,
cause your heart to sing
may the gift of His excellence
become your eternal spring.

May His majesty you behold,
with all dignity and honor
may the fullness of His truth
glorify His heavenly Father.

May the wonder of His grace,
reveal its magnificence in you
may the gratefulness you feel
be in all you say and do.

Let Christmas' true meaning,
bring your Savior near today
may you see the need for Him
today . . . and every day.

John 1:14
King James Version

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth."

Twas The Night Before Christmas - A Soldier's Story

Twas The Night Before Christmas - A Soldier's Story

Twas the Night Before Christmas Soldier's Story

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,

HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF

PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY

WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO

IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,

A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,

NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,

JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES

OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,

AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBER THOUGHT

CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,

IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,

ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,

SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR

IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,

THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED

A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO

OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,

THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES

THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS

WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,

THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE

A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM

EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,

LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER

HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE

IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT

BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES

AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED

AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

"SANTA DON'T CRY,

THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,

I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

MY LIFE IS MY GOD,

MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER

AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,

I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,

SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED

FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE

ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR

SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,

WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,

IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,

AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.



All The Angels Sang

Jesus came to be our savior,
All the angels sang and God rejoiced!
Came to bring us Heaven’s favor,
All the angels sang and God rejoiced!
Born to open Heaven’s treasure,
Key to God’s holiness for all time.
Jesus is the Father’s pleasure,
Sent to us with love and joy sublime.

Jesus came to live among us,
All the angels sang and God rejoiced!
Showed us faith both true and joyous,
All the angels sang and God rejoiced!
Taught and lived God’s good commandments,
Never once sinned at all in his life.
Jesus offers us repentance,
Gave himself for our eternal life.

Jesus came to make us holy,
All the angels sang and God rejoiced!
Came to save us, meek and lowly,
All the angels sang and God rejoiced!
Guides us to Christ-like behavior,
Puts his love for the world in our soul.
Jesus Christ our only savior,
Takes away our sin and makes us whole.

Christmas alone

Hark to the bells
Wheels roll through the snow
On every lonely carriage
And stringed lights all a-glow

Peace is all anyone wants
No one wants to fight
So they put aside their differences
If just for Christmas night

The stars they shine so brightly
Above in the dark blue sky
Tears glisten on my cheeks
As I ponder the reasons why

Here I am without you
It's Christmas but I'm alone
As everyone is with those they love
I'm all by myself at home

And so I turn on my radio
Just to hear my favorite song
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
And it's time for me to be strong

I put on my coat
And go into the night
I pass by another house
And I smile at the lights so bright

I know that you're gone
But I should be happy tonight
I can cry over you tomorrow
Now my troubles are out of sight

As the snow begins to fall on me
Shoulders dusted with Heaven's gift of white