Happy New Year!-2018
Your gift: A brand New Year!
Your challenge: Improve over 2017
I wish you: Health! Wealth! Happiness!
Contemplate your choices---choose...wisely!
Plus:
January
In the beginning was the Word
And the Word was God
He created heaven, earth, beast and bird
Adroitly accomplished at the Deity’s nod
Borned man and mate to populate the land
Gave them four seasons singing tempo-time
All synchronized by His sacred-directing hand
To the marching cadence of a perfect rhyme
Crystal-frozen light=wave sculpture flows
Frigid wind howls in deep-dark chill-night
Blizzard white cloud in moon aura glows
’Til each tiny snowflake sparkles light-bright
Across frozen water winter coats skate
Down hill races a child on stark red sled
Spring buds sleep as they patiently wait
Winter sun’s warmth mostly has fled
Earth’s beauty caught in a black and white frame
Daguerreotype picture in various grey shades
January winter-white, the canvas’ stark terrain
It’s Painter brushed evergreens into dark glades
Bony limbs stretch through a burnished-bronze sky
Beckon red-feathered birds adorn winter-bare trees
Sings Chinook-wind honoring heaven-on-high
True harbinger-of-springtime, the spirit it frees
Cherish each instant of gift-seasons four
See
nature-reality strutting winter-white
Embrace life-space; celestial-heaven adore
In sacred-gifted time-space smile a delight
Amen! Mon Amie! (I love
snow!)
Plus:
16 “And, Unto them a Child is Born!”
“Ladies and Gentlemen! One and all,” came
Z. Tyler’s deep voice from the holiday-decorated bannister railing at the top
of the stairs. “Your kind attention, if you please.”
With that, he came down the stairs
carrying a light blue blanket securely in his arms.
“Aunt Lexi, Granny Beth and Poppy Graig
and all those in attendance,” he announced, “I give you ‘Daddy’ Z. T.’s brand
new baby boy: Zachariah Farrell!”
The proud parents had given the baby Z.
T.’s first name and Mary Theresa’s maiden name for his middle moniker.
He pulled the corner of the blanket back
for everyone to see. A baby face in a knitted blue cap with thick, full, tight blonde
curls spilling out and big, sparkling brown eyes greeted Z. Farrell’s new
world, immediately winning the hearts of all who gazed upon him. Rye-Rye beamed
and Bapa could not help but remember his very first view of his grandson, just
after he had been born; now, Z. Tyler’s child was the exact image of that baby
birth event a quarter century ago.
That had been love at first sight, for
Bapa, and this event proved to be, truly: Deja vu!
The little girls crowded around as Lexi
kissed her nephew’s little cheek, then she hugged her big brother; Lauren
gently rubbed the baby’s tender cheek with the back of her finger while Annie
place her finger in the tiny hand and the new baby boy grasped it, to her
delight. Beth kissed both her boys and
Graig looked like he just might burst with pride. Bapa and Nanny and Becky and
Alex joined the melee and offered warm hugs and kisses all around.
“Mommy Mary Theresa is doing just fine.” Z
Tyler announced, laughing. “She’s, uh, resting, now.” He added, “And, I’m quite
sure that she deserves a little rest.”
Everyone laughed. Someone began a chorus
of “For he’s a jolly good fellow!”
Nanny thought that Bapa sang louder than
anyone else.
The old farmhouse glowed in the warmth of just
one more perfect Christmas Eve and the delight of yet another Christmas
miracle: the birth of a healthy baby in the continuation of the human cycle.
Someone asked if the family would repeat
the Nativity Play the following evening, on Christmas Day. Bapa said he would
have to consult with the actors.
Anna Marie gave the collective answer,
laughing.
“Sure! After all! We’ve been practicing
and---” then, she said the word perfectly, letting everyone know she had only
been teasing them, “---rehearsing!” Lauren and Lexi laughed.
Life is a series of unplanned very special
events full of wonder and surprise; some are extra-special holidays with
conclusions that endure throughout eternity---like…Christmas Perpetual!
Merry Christmas!
Epilogue
A shiny silver dollar full moon orb glowed
brightly in the black Christmas Day night-sky as it patiently traversed the
eternal heavens on its routine trace in an appointed, yet unattained, promised rendezvous
with the ’morrow sun in a hopeless chase of heavenly tag which could never reach
fruition. Bapa had ignited the huge bonfire just after that same red-orange flaming
ball had set on the western horizon teasing twilight which ushered in the gray
dusk soon to drape the abyss with black velvet staccato-studded pinpoint
blue-white sparkle diamonds stretching beyond eternal infinity; the radiant
night light slightly obfuscated those dancing affectations dulling their
lustrous glittering allure as they competed unsuccessfully for full
illumination. Afternoon festivities had included ice skating on the frozen
lake, sled riding challenges over the rolling meadow hills and one-horse open
sleigh rides in the festive red sleigh decorated for the occasion with pine
boughs and sprigs of red berry holly, pulled quite effortlessly by Magic, the
half Arab, half Morgan mare, given to the grandkids as a present two years
prior. Nanny’s Christmas dinner, served at the noon hour, had persisted through
the day as guests continued to arrive. Bapa’s brother and his family arrived
from the city and brought Grandma with them. A black candy kettle lined with
copper was pressed into service as the cauldron for an outdoor chili cooking
for the evening meal, rounded out with roasted hot dogs, toasted marshmallows
and gallons of soda, tea and punch. About seven in the evening, the little
girls, Z. Tyler and the other assembled children of the guests all donned cloth
remnants, arranging the goods to resemble shepherd cloaks, and gathered at the
impromptu “stable” setting lean-to against the barn in the lot between it and
the house. Mary Theresa and the new baby watched the proceedings from the warm
confines of the farmhouse living room, tended by Nanny, Grandma and a few of
the other ladies. The remaining members of the assemblage gathered outside in a
semi-circle around the Biblical Nativity setting as Z. Tyler, portraying
Joseph, Anna Marie, as Mary, Lauren Victoria and Alexandria Elizabeth serving
as angels, each conscripting a lamb to lend authenticity to the scene, with the
rest of the children playing the parts of shepherds and wise men, took the
stage near the manger cradling the baby Jesus. A quiet reverence took hold of
the participants in the re-enactment of the Christmas story as Annie, Lexi,
Lauren and Z. Tyler began to softly sing the lyrics of the season; the crowd
joined the sacred rendition of traditional praise and glory to:
“Christmas
Perpetual!” Amen!
“Silent Night!
Holy Night! All is calm, all is bright…”
Peace on earth;
good will to men! Amen!
Merry Christmas!
About
the Author
Carl E.
Schuler was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 2, 1947. At age nineteen
he married his life-love, his soul mate, the beautiful, Lady Candice Leah, his
Angel. Two daughters bless their lives: Catherine Elizabeth (Evans) and Rachel
Rebecca (Baur). Beth is an attorney; Becky holds a Civil Engineering degree and
is CEO of an internet company (padilly,com). Four perfect grandchildren have
added infinite love to their family: “Handsome” Z. Tyler, 29; Lauren Victoria,
the “Little Professor”, 15; Alexandria Elizabeth, “Lexli-Lu”, 13; and, Anna
Marie, our blondie “Annie Rie”, also, 13. Zachariah and Lexi are siblings;
Lauren and Anna are sisters. Each is saintly, following in their Nanny’s
exemplar demeanor, emulating her elegant class.
Our “girls” are beautiful, talented, angelic, loving, as is our Z.
Tyler-man. The young ladies are into horses displaying aptitude for equestrian
events: dressage, stadium jumping, cross-country and fox hunting. Z. Tyler
excels in sporting endeavors; each is an exemplar person. I am proud of them,
blessed to know them, love each more than
life. Thank
You for them! Lord!
A quote from
the author: “On a 1990 blizzard day west Kit Carson-way, I offered a hungry
pilgrim all my spare change, about ten dollars. He was skeptical at my
approach, reluctant to accept my charity. Upon reflection, I should have done
better by giving him the new coat I had recently purchased; the old ragged
blanket he carried was tattered and torn and terribly thin.”
All we
have to offer is Good! toward one
another
The
very best we bestow is Love! to each
other
Honest! Humble! Humor! All worthy intent sought
Offer
miles of smiles with pointed-purpose thought
Live! Love! Laugh! Focus contemplate!
Vigilant
be! Not one future be ever late!
Faith!
Family! Freedom! Might just be all there really…is
In one
eternal instant the only mercy judgment will be…His!
Amen!
Blessed
are the meek! Indeed!
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