[JustAmy]

12-17-03


The Christmas Postman
by Emily Burton

Here comes the welcome Christmas postman
His cautious post-van skidding along the snow bound lane
Now up our fresh cleared path he strides
With Christmas greetings once again

It must be nice for those inside
With garlands hung on every side
With warmth and cheer and more beside
And Christmas cards from far and wide

The startled dogs leap at the window
Excited children scramble towards the festive door
The patient fir awaits its star
Abandoned trimmings swathe the floor

Try as I might I can't recall
A Christmas time so sad withal
I've had no cards or telephone call
Forgotten by friends and family all

The postman yields his precious cargo
As do the children when mother joins them at the door
Concealing gifts from Santa Claus
And postmarks she's been waiting for

It's my own silly fault I guess
Not telling friends my new address
Christmas seems to be a mess
And now I'm faced with loneliness

Each envelope is opened carefully
Attentive faces waiting to hear the words inside
Some tell the wondrous Christmas tale
Each sent with love and more beside

The folks from where he lived before
Who had his post put through their door
The Christmas cards he waited for
And could not bear it any more

Each card conceals a special meaning
Apart from cribs and seasonal verses set in rhyme
From those who love us all year round
But just say so at Christmas time

They found his house, which was quite near
And brought his cards and Christmas cheer
From all the people he held dear
Who thought about him all the year

Take those words, store them in your memory
For dismal days when you're feeling lost and on your own
Recall those words and those who sent them
And then you'll know you're not alone

Then postman thought, things aren't so bad
I've had a card from mum and dad
And all my friends to make me glad
This Christmas is the best I've had

Copyright © Emily Burton.

[JohnHuang2]

A G'evening to ya, my good friend :-)

[JustAmy]

A Cowboy Christmas

As he heads in from the feed-ground,
In the first dim glow of dawn,
The rest of the family is rising,
one by one the house lights come on.
He leaves the breath-fog shrouded cattle,
strung out eating their hay,
Frost on their backs, and his mustache,
It is a bit chilly today.
By the time he gets back to the ranch house,
things are really in gear,
little cowfolks are hollerin'
Look Dad! Santa's bin here!
Now its time for egg-nog and presents,
The family in front of the tree.
And here's wishin' a good cowboy Christmas,
To you, from my family and me!

Mike Puhallo

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Wednesday !

Have a cup while you Freep !

[The Mayor]

December 17, 2003

Never Alone

Read: Hebrews 13:5-6

I will never leave you nor forsake you. —Hebrews 13:5

Bible In One Year: Hebrews 11-13

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Robinson Crusoe, the chief character in a novel by Daniel Defoe, was shipwrecked and stranded on an uninhabited island. Life was hard, but he found hope and comfort when he turned to the Word of God.

Crusoe said, "One morning, being very sad, I opened the Bible upon these words, 'I will never, never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' Immediately it occurred that these words were to me; why else should they be directed in such a manner, just at the moment when I was mourning over my condition, as one forsaken of God and man?

"'Well then,' said I, 'if God does not forsake me, . . . what matters it, though the world should all forsake me . . . ?' From this moment I began to conclude in my mind that it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary condition than it was probable that I should ever have been in any other state in the world; and with this thought I was going to give thanks to God for bringing me to this place."

Have you been forsaken by a friend, a child, a spouse? God has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). So you too can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (v.6). —David Roper

When all around me is darkness
And earthly joys have flown,
My Savior whispers His promise
Never to leave me alone. —Anon.

Fear will leave us when we remember that God is always with us.

[The Mayor]

I will never leave you nor forsake you. —Hebrews 13:5

Fear will leave us when we remember that God is always with us.

[OESY]

High Flight
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Too often associated with space shuttle tragedies, this poem helps us commemorate
the anniversary of the Wright Brothers flight at Kitty Hawk, NC, in 1903.

[Billie]

Wanted to drop in on my way out the door to say good morning to P & P.

Amy, the Christmas Welcome graphics you've been posting every day for the past couple of weeks are just beautiful!

[chadsworth]

Greetings from warm Southern California! In the hotel using the phone line, boy is this thing slow! We are spoiled having cable at home that is for sure! So nice to be here in LA area where it is so much warmer than the valley! Eat your hearts out while you are shivering! :-) Been sitting around the hotel room munching on the delicious cookies Mama_Bear was so nice to give us. Getting ready to go to bed, but just wanted to say hello and brag about being where it is warm! Guess who this is, Amy? LOL

BTW: Mama, it was foggy in your area as we passed through this morning, hope it wasn't like that last night when you and JK drove home! Thanks again for the yummy treats!