Happiness---Lost! Finally…Hope!
Ring!
Ring! Ring! “Merry
Christmas!” Smiled the bell-ringer
“Humpf! Indeed!”
Replied a scowl sneering the holiday-singer
Groceries to
buy---too expensive!...No time for foo-foo-rah
Beak-nosed,
thin-lipped, sour; no smile to waste on “Hoorah!”
Pushing a
squeaky cart, ignoring all, choosing the very cheapest
Nary any glance
at patrons alive with Christmas-spirit deepest
“Foolishness!
And, for what!?” She squinted a
tortured-conviction
In the checkout
line awaited unexpected sacred-patient
interdiction
Third ahead
stood---Oh! God!...Prude-Stella who
had stolen her beau
Sixty years
hence in ole high school he had decided with Stella to go
Married, they
were, after his service to the country given to the army
Soon enough the
husband sought her out when the “bliss” grew stormy
“Foolish!” She
had taken him back on a whim-of-love-lost, full-throttle
Stella won him
back again; too soon he tried to drown within a bottle
Old Prim ’n Proper-wife claimed he had died
in Alaska searching for gold
In Truth!?---all knew…he was doing
twenty-to-life in barren Montana-cold
Stella exited
with her cart; next in-line stood a taw-head little boy
His sweaty hand
held coins (too few) for purchase of a shiny new toy
Wet-tears led to
a whisper-whimper; the clerk saddened, empathetic
Next patron
motioned the clerk to comply. remembering, sympathetic
“Idiot!” She decided,
shaking her head; he’ll break it before tomorrow
The generous
patron offered; “Merry Christmas!”
with a Love-borrow
Home, at last,
beyond the hub-bub-rush, she slowly Spartan-chewed
On the absolute insanity of Christian-generous giving,
she reviewed
With a simple-humble sudden tender-heart she
welled with salty-tears
At midnight-mass
she sat in the back lamenting too many wasted-years
Ring!
Ring! Ring! “Merry
Christmas!” Smiled the bell-ringer
“Merry
Christmas!”
She smiled, a true-holiday Happy-singer
May thou
every-day be---Happy-chosen with…sacred-Hope!
Amen!
Plus:
Hallowed Church-echoes
Gong!---Gong!...reverberates
midnight echoes-lamented
Whisper-scurry
church-mouse poor-souls spirit-contented
From On-high in celestial bell-tower yon “cross”-clad
steeple
Bronzed
clarion-clang: Pray! Hope! For Ye
“transgress”-people
Slip silent wee
hours to new-day promise kiss pink-blush dawn
Subtle-stained
long gold sun-shaft altar-railing shadow-drawn
Cold-empty pews
of oaken-hewn, fabric-polished saintly-glow
Retain such holy
Words-of-prayer in secret-locked trusted-know
Creaks
rusted-hinge as the altar-boy in reverence stealthy-enters
Inhales
incense-linger novena-mass pious-perfect Cross-center
Fires corner
cast-iron wood stove to stir a coming comfort-heat
Surveys yon
altar-table setting; lights sacred white candle seat
Prepares holy-tome with placed color-coded
ribbons-selected
For the priest
to speak aloud neither chapter nor verse neglected
Trickles-in
two’s, three’s and four’s filling vacant with holy-congregation
To quiet
genuflect, then bow and kneel portending pious contemplation
Above a
multi-colored silent-sea the bell chimes-nine solemn choir-tones
Announcement
tingle-jingle ushers servers-prim escorting priest to throne
Celestial
deep-ringing alto-voice in worship-call
to Jesus-Lord,we consecrate
Heart-cherished Love Individual-Faith! Unison-collective prayer, we promulgate
Each day in time
through space to worship-true the Innocence-birth
Pure-of-intent exemplar-trial in humble-simple
pure Purpose-of-worth
From yon infant-drawing
of a first breath guaranteeing too soon, a last
Offer-free of
self and life Praise! Honor! Glory!
Faithful-servant cast
Reflect in
crowned-arches gold light-glow committed evil-transgression
Redeem
sin-stained soul to spirit-light in humble-self holy-confession
In congregate
receive Communion-holy spirit-soar
Salvation-found
Vacate the
sacred-church in peaceful-rest onto Celestial heaven-bound
Amen!
Hail! Fellow Christian Soldiers!
(a Christmas plea)
Hail! My faithful fellow believer
celebrants. Proudly: Praise! Honor! Glorify! God!
Time is hereby justly noted that it is
imperative for the Christian community to literally throw down the gauntlet of
their belief in open challenge to the secular humanist protagonists who wage an
intensely focused coordinated attack on our traditional values: Faith! Family!
Freedom!
Evil perverts purity through evil
pernicious deception in its manifest masquerades running the lukewarm gamut of
insults from innuendo and half-truths to stabbing outright un-truths; and, the
effort is well-planned, well-funded and purposely defined. To wit: Christmas
songs have been playing on the air waves since early autumn, however, and, this
is most telling, only a very minute percentage are Christian hymns. An accident? A coincidence?
Nativity displays banned from public
property; how long until “someone” is offended because a Christian dares honor
their beliefs on private property but the exhibit can be viewed from a “public”
street? “Outrageous!” you say. “Never happen!” you decree. Oh! Really? An
obviously, and, self-admitted, socialistic government has pointedly demonized
many Christmas traditions and blatantly outlawed other icons they deem support
Christian religion in any manner. Wow!
Christ’s birth and resurrection are the
basic tenets of Christianity! Amen!
I will stand to be counted first to
defend anyone’s right to believe as their conscience dictates, allowing their
personal motivation to interfere with that spiritual doctrine as they may so
choose. However, “Merry Christmas” is our Christian celebration and I
purposefully invite the secularist “Happy holiday” crowd to seek their own
tradition to celebrate, or ignore, if they so dare; if not, they can, quite
simply, do without! But, leave our sacred Christian values---alone! Amen!
The delightful characters in our
presentation of the book “Christmas Treasures” proudly display the badge of
Christian traditions based in love of faith and family exemplified in speech,
deed, manner and action toward all, friend and stranger alike. Their
faith-based beliefs preclude them from declaring hostile battle on the
ill-informed secular humanists who openly proclaim that Christians are their
sworn enemy; but, the battle lines are clearly drawn and the warfare we wage on
evil in the spiritual dimension in all of its clandestine disguises through the
dark one’s pathetic masquerade is “Just” and we refuse to be either intimidated
or dissuaded. Amen!
The ultimate resolution? Scripture, in
Revelation, decrees that the “good” guys win!
Merry Christmas!
Join us! My fellow Christian
soldiers!
Enjoy! Amen!
Christmas
Eve Miracle!
In a peaceful valley meadow
Watched a vigilant shepherd boy
Came celestial angel vision
“Follow yonder heaven star”
As God bestows eternal Joy
Through ebony soft velvet
On rustic stable country town
Father Joseph looking on
Blessed Virgin Mary mother
Soft white snowflakes drifting silent down
Lay Infant sweet in rough manger hay
Adoring man and creatures knew
Innocent born to this world
Almighty Gift to one and all
Savior King swaddled in soft blanket blue
One sacred more redemption Chance
God’s Love refreshed again
Live free in righteous dignity
Peace on His beloved earth
Good heaven-Will to men
Millennia doubled later
In a country barn lot staging
On a snowy Christmas Eve
Children actors dressed in costume
Played out His holy hallowed paging
Joseph-Zachariah Tyler
Anna Marie-Blessed Virgin Mary mother
Newborn Jesus-Zachariah Farrell
Lauren Victoria-one celestial angel
Alexandria Elizabeth-another
Re-enact the Innocent birthing
Present a holy Silent Night!
Celebrate the Revelation
Redeem each generation
On this cold calm sacred site
There, in a peaceful little valley
Came the human delegation
Communion worship at the table
Upon the land of milk and honey
Bless this faithful congregation
Infinite universe continuum
Eternal heaven there above
At a beginning circle ending
Of expanding heart emotion
Holy Trinity-filled Love
Promise Me to truly try
Weak I be shall surely falter
Temptation all around
Caught again in evil snare
Savior birth, my Spiritual altar
In presence of His Awesome Wonder
On bended knee, please forgive trespass
Soul is human-nature stained
Spirit in His Deity-image made
In hopeful-mercy justice I confess
Christian years keep on a-mounting
My “Book of Life” empirical
Many come and been and gone
I require His holy salvation
Infant-born, His Christmas Miracle!
Christmas Perpetual! Amen!
Plus:
2 Which came first? The Bapa or the Egg?
“Can we help you get the horses ready for your
trip today?” asked Lauren.
“I’ll take care of that. But, it would be
a big help if you girls would bundle up and hunt the eggs for me, today.”
“Oh! Yeah! I love gathering the eggs,” triumphed
Lexi’s immediate, elated reply.
“Me, too!” Lauren added, enthusiastically.
Anna Marie sat uncharacteristically
silent, a mischievous smile on her pretty face.
“What about you, Anna?” inquired Nanny.
“Oh! Sure!” answered Annie Rie. “But,
Lauren and Lexi are real chickens when it comes to collecting eggs.” She
giggled at her own little joke, enjoying the pun.
“Why is that?” asked Bapa in a serious
tone; of course, he already knew the answer.
“Well,” offered Anna by way of
explanation, “they are afraid to reach under the hens whenever they are sitting
on an egg.”
“Oh! That’s okay, Annie,” Bapa said. “Not
to worry; they have fearless Anna Marie to beard the lion in his den. Right?”
Anna looked confused, as did Lexi; Bapa,
Nanny and Lauren smiled.
Nanny came to the little blondie’s rescue.
“That just means that you’re not afraid,
Anna,” she offered.
“Me, too! I’m not afraid, either,” chimed
in Lexi.
Lauren remained silent, sure anything she
might say could turn out to be disastrous.
“Me, three!” said Bapa.
Everybody but Anna Marie laughed at his
antics.
“Aw! Annie. I was just teasing,” he said,
somewhat contrite. He was afraid he had hurt the little girl’s feelings.
But, Anna Marie was seldom, if ever, outdone
at anything. No one could have guessed what she would say next; upon
reflection, they might have been able to anticipate her strategy, if they had seriously
considered the source.
“Can you lay an egg, Bapa?” teased an
impish interrogatory with perfectly timed naïveté. It was so unexpected that
Bapa was stunned; his mouth fell open in astonishment.
Laughter erupted; Annie Rie laughed
loudest of all, pointing at her grandfather.
“I’m not so sure of my abilities at a lot
of things, my little darling, Anna Marie. But, I can absolutely assure you that
I cannot lay an egg.” He shook his head, making a face at the thought.
Again came the thunderous laughter,
mostly, at their grandfather’s obvious consternation.
With that declaration, hoping to put an
end to the merriment, Bapa popped the last bite of biscuit into his mouth and
stood, trying, unsuccessfully to feign embarrassment.
“And, so,” he announced, eyeing the
youngest, “with that bit of levity, I think I best just go and tend to my morning
chores.”
He called Goldie and went into the coat
room between the kitchen and the back porch where he donned his winter parka
and his favorite fishing-type hat, one with a flat crown and a three inch
floppy brim all around; once outside, he would pull the hood over his head and
tie the drawstring taught against the frigid weather. As he dressed to face the
fierce cold, he caught sight of Anna Marie; she stood in front of the
refrigerator with the door open, obviously searching for something. Once
prepared for the outside chores, he looked in to say, “Good-bye!”. Annie stood
by his vacated chair behind the kitchen table, smiling mischievously.
“Hey! Bapa!” Came that taunting tease as
the eight year old bent over his seat, “are you sure you absolutely can’t lay
an egg?”
Standing straight, she raised a hand off
his chair, holding a jumbo-sized chicken egg!
Everyone laughed, including Bapa. Leave it
to Annie Rie to spice up any event.
“Anna Marie!” He scolded, teasingly, “if I
had laid that egg, this is one chicken you would be plenty scared of. I’ll guarantee
you that, my dear not-so-‘innocent’ little Blondie!”
“But, Bapa!” Annie continued, not missing
a beat. “I think you’re too big a chicken to lay just one little ole egg!”
Then, she squealed a high pitched cackle,
bringing up her other hand with a second egg in it along with a long white
chicken feather. Her wide grin beamed with delight. Where she had
instantaneously obtained that feather was a mystery which remained her secret,
forever.
Her shenanigans brought the house down.
Anna laughed so hard she nearly dropped one of the eggs, catching it at the
last moment between her body and forearm. That only served to cause more
laughter. Lauren and Lexi were in tears and Nanny was bent double at her waist,
trying to catch her breath. Bapa pointed at Anna while everyone else pointed
toward him. He knew that within a few years, he would no longer be able to
outwit her; maybe not even now.
Bapa felt entertained, too. But, he was not going
to let Anna garner all the applause.
He snatched the
feather from Anna, sticking it in his back pocket so that it protruded prominently,
looking like the tail feather display of any proud barnyard rooster.
Then, he took his flop-brimmed hat, rolled
under the opposing edges of the rim so that the front and rear became
elongated, put it on his head, upside down, making it resemble a cock’s comb,
and pulled it far forward, craned his neck and raised his nose, bent both knees
slightly while spreading them apart, bowlegged-style, placed each hand on his
waist causing his elbows to stick out like wings. He then scratched the floor
with his feet while flapping his arms and strutted out the door moving his head
back and forth while shaking his single white tail feather at the assemblage.
He closed the door as he stepped onto the back porch. Even Goldie seemed
perplexed at his outrageous behavior, turning his head from side to side in
wonderment.
After several minutes, the girls were
recovered enough to begin clearing the table, although spontaneous bursts of
laughter erupted from one or the other setting them all off on another tirade
of uncontrollable giggling as Annie mimicked Bapa’s strutting rooster
impersonation.
Just, as things began to return to normal,
as though anything in this family was ever “normal”, the back door opened and
Bapa stuck his head in to give his best-ever cock-crow imitation; it was so
authentic sounding that he thought the real barnyard rooster must be envious.
He could still hear their howling laughter as he finally stepped off the porch
into the yard. “Cock-a doodle do!” echoed from the interior as the three
imitated his antics and Goldie rolled in the snow.
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