A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-19-06 .... Finest Christmas Poetry and Poetry

12-19-06 | JustAmy and Mama_Bear

[JustAmy]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, GodBlessUSA, JustAmy ~

Christmastime Is Friendship Time

At Christmastime our hearts reach out
To friends we think of dearly
And checking through our friendship lists,
As all of us do yearly,

We stop awhile to reminisce
And to pleasantly review
Happy little happenings
And things we used to do,

And though we've been too busy
To keep in touch all year,
We send a Christmas greeting
At this season of good cheer.

So Christmas is a lovely link
Between old years and new
That keeps the bond of friendship
Forever unbroken and true.

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

Roast Pork with Cranberry Glaze

INGREDIENTS
2 (16 ounce) cans jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 pounds pork roast
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
Mash cranberry sauce with a fork or a potato masher. Stir in sugar, cranberry juice, mustard, and cloves.
Place pork roast in a large, roasting pan. Pour cranberry sauce mixture over the roast.
Cook at 275 degree F (135 degrees C) for 6 to 8 hours, or until meat is tender. Remove roast, and keep warm.
With a metal spoon, skim the fat from the liquid in the roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of the remaining roasting liquid (add water to fill out the measure if necessary) into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Blend cornstarch and cold water to make a paste; stir gradually into boiling liquid. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add salt to taste. Serve with the roast.

Decorations in the Air

Gaily bedecked, only slightly henpecked, we have triumphed in spite of the storm.
Now even our house, and a put-upon spouse, can rest easy and be safe and warm.
Yuletide treasures decorate, from the start to the end of the hall,
And each little one will be finding a gift, for we haven’t forgotten at all,

That the littlest ones are believers, and they know that the best gift by far,
Was a seemingly helpless child of God, in a package adorned by a star.
We’ll celebrate giving to others, and receiving with thanks and a prayer,
All the miriad ways of our blessings, at a time when there’s frost in the air.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . December 14, 2004

Christmas Lights
By Marie Irish

Bright Christmas stars shine on high,
Golden stars in the wint'ry sky;
Christmas candles in windows bright
Send a greeting into the night;
While in our hearts the Christmas flame,
Glows with a love like His who came,
The infant Christ of lowly birth,
To bring good will and peace to earth.






Bring Us Home Again

He slowly came awake today
and he lumbered to his feet,
for it was just two hours
before that he faded off to sleep.

He donned the day's attire and
grabbed his M-16.
He headed off to breakfast to keep
him strong and lean.

As he walked down to the chow line
he kept a watchful eye.
He didn't want the enemy
to take him by surprise.

As the chaplin said a special prayer
on this very special day,
he kept thinking of his family
that is oh so far away.

He rubbed his left breast pocket
where he keeps a picture of his wife
and a letter from his daughter that
he reads most every night.

He fought back a single tear
as he stared out at the sand,
wishing he could be back home
with his family close at hand.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts
and then be on his way.
He's defending our great country
and has little time to play.

When he got out to the fence line,
his buddy by his side,
he exchanged a "Merry Christmas"
followed by a tired sigh.

He climbed upon the watchtower,
his mouth a tiny grin.
He said, "Merry Christmas to the world"
and "God, please, bring us home again".

~Bradley A. Peraino~

God bless our troops





you see a fat man ...
Who's jolly and cute,
wearing a beard
and a red flannel suit,
and if he is chuckling
and laughing away,
while flying around
in a miniature sleigh
with eight tiny reindeer
to pull him along,
then lets face it...

Your eggnog's too strong!

Author Unknown








Apricot Baked Ham

INGREDIENTS
1 (5 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
20 whole cloves
1/2 cup apricot preserves
3 tablespoons dry mustard
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Score the surface of the ham with shallow diamond-shaped cuts. Combine preserves and mustard; spread over ham. Pat brown sugar over apricot mixture. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes per pound or until ham is heated through and thermometer reads 140 degrees F.

Christmas For Cowboys

Tall in the saddle we spend Christmas Day,
Drivin' the cattle on the snow-covered plains.
All of the good gifts given today;
Ours is the sky and the wide open range.

Back in the cities, they have diff'rent ways,
Football and eggnog and Christmas parades.
I'll take the blanket; I'll take the reins;
Christmas for cowboys and wide open plains.

A campfire for warmth as we stop for the night;
The stars overhead are the Christmas-tree lights,
The wind sings a hymn as we bow down to pray;
Christmas for cowboys and the wide open range.

It's tall in the saddle we spend Christmas Day,
Drivin' the cattle on the snow-covered plains.
So many gifts have been opened today;
Ours is the sky and the wide open range,
It's Christmas for cowboys and wide open plains.
~Steve Weisberg

10-01-06 ~ Hall of Fame #17

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-18-06 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[MEG33]

Great ..I am going to try this one..It is a better size..larger than my link as you can see!

[Billie]

My gosh! I don't have any idea why it downloaded so small for you - it certainly was not over the 'size' limit for photobucket. It's like you only got the thumbnail for photobucket when you uploaded it. :(

[MEG33]

Blond moment..I did not capture the larger graphic ..just the thumbnail in photobucket..LOL I just realized what I did!

[Billie]

Hi, Texagirl! Thank you. Do you have the snow forecast for this weekend in North Texas? The worst part about snow and ice for the Christmas holidays is travelers trying to get to and from their destination. :(

[MEG33]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e379/gantelle/militaryflowers/47uf5uoBilliesgiftornament.jpg

Here's the real link..I did not click the thumbnail to get the true sized graphic I had stored!

[Billie]

LOL! Well, I'm glad it was a simple error!

[JustAmy]

Thank you, beachn4fun.
How about a Christmas recipe?

Figgy Pudding Recipe

½ pound figs
1 ¼ cups bread crumbs
1 cup almonds or walnuts
1 cup of light brown sugar (scant)
½ cup candied grapefruit peel
¼ cup candied lemon peel
3 tablespoons melted butter
4 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions
Chop the figs and mix with fluffy crumbs. Brown the almonds or walnuts (if using almonds, they should be blanched, skinned and chopped. Walnuts should be chopped).
Mix with all the other ingredients. Put the mixture into a greased mold and steam 2 ½ hours (The pudding may also be baked in a 325 oven for 1 hour). Moist, soft grapefruit peel adds a very good flavor. Serve with a brandy and cream sauce.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

[MEG33]

LOL..I hope it's my last error for today for me!

[Mama_Bear]

Good frosty morning everyone. It is c-c-c-oold here! I am hoping we have not lost our citrus during this hard freeze. I am especially hoping that our citrus farmers have been able to save their trees.

Thank you, Billie and Meg, for sharing your animated snow. Isn't it fun?

I may not be able to be here again until after Christmas, so I am going to take this opportunity to post my "Merry Christmas" to you all graphic and wish each and every one of you a beautiful and blessed holiday.

Merry Christmas, Finest FRiends!

[JustAmy]

Good morning, Rus.
Thank you for bringing us the inspirational message this morning.

Wishing you and yours a Blessed Christmas Season.

[Mama_Bear]

[Texagirl4W]

We don't have snow forecast. You're right about the poor road conditions when it snows. They are predicting lows in the 30s for 2 night (Christmas and Tuesday) but no rain so we're OK. Cold is good.

[JustAmy]

Beautiful card, Lori. Thank you.

Thank you for the lovely graphics for today's thread.

((((( Lori )))))

[MEG33]

Merry Christmas,Mama Bear..This is gorgeous!

[Mama_Bear]

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you. :-)

[Majie Purple]

"Cherish His Christmas

©2004, Roger J. Robicheau

Christmas brings such a time of love Each tender heart holds so much of

Unselfishness thrives, trust is strong The purpose to give, send love along

A time of pleasantries, patience too Good wishes to all, all feelings true

Thankfulness follows each fine deed Gifts from our God, never from greed

Great the rewards that joy does bring Like the beauty in hearing angels sing

We pray for our loved, each so dear Especially those who can’t be near

Many leave home to bravely serve All freedoms we have, they preserve

Do pray for our troops, as we should And their families too, if you would

Give thanks to our Lord, His only Son And cherish His Christmas, everyone"

[Mama_Bear]

[Majie Purple]

((((You made a Luvly presentation
of that pic I posted earlier on this month
of the soldier reading the Christmas card
from home!))))
Sharing is a beautiful thang!
& I sure don't know my way round presentation tables...
Dining tables yes...
I am an expert 'round those! Especially at Christmas Easter & Thanksgiving!!!
LOL!

[La Enchiladita]

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her. On the way my big sister dropped the bomb:

"There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun.

"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days.

"Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it; I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat.

I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.

Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care…

And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus