Pa Did It

by Edgar Guest

The train of cars that Christmas brought
is out of kilter now;
while Pa was showing how they went
he broke the spring somehow.
They used to run around a track —
at least they did when he
would let me take them in my hands
and wind ‘em with a key.
I could’a had some fun with them
if only they would go,
but, Oh! I never had a chance,
for Pa enjoyed them so.

The automobile that I got
that ran around the floor
was lots of fun when it was new,
but it won’t go no more.
Pa wound it up for Uncle Jim
to show him how it went,
and when those two got through with it
the running gear was bent,
and now it doesn’t go at all.
I mustn’t grumble though,
‘Cause while it was in shape to run
my Pa enjoyed it so.

I’ve got my blocks as good as new,
my mitts are perfect yet;
although the snow is on the ground
I haven’t got them wet.
I’ve taken care of everything
that Christmas brought to me,
Except the toys that run about
when wound up with a key.
But next year you can bet I won’t
make any such mistake;
I’m going to ask for toys and things
that my Pa cannot break.

.
From his book, Collected Verse of Edgar A Guest
© 1934 by The Reilly & Lee Company

Hello Everyone,

 

Hope you all had a good Christmas and haven’t broken all your toys, or the kiddies’ toys, yet. I came home on Dec 23rd after ten days in Alberta, so hopefully can get back into blogging harness again.

NOTICE:

All fall I’ve been gathering all my haiku and scheduling posts on Tree Top Haiku. Starting January 1st I’m going to “blog a book” on this site with at least three solid months, one per day, of these micro-poems. If you enjoy haiku, you’ll want to check this out.

Thank You, Everyone

I’ve been watching the stats for this blog and see that I now have almost 555 Followers. A milestone of sorts! So this evening I just want to say thanks to all of you who Like, Follow, and leave comments here. I appreciate all of you and the encouragement you are to my writing endeavors.

I’m going to ease up on blogging during the month of December, as I’ve decided to make this a special time of rejoicing in the “Greatest Story Ever Told,” to savor the season and be blessed by it. I hope all of you, together with your loved ones, will enjoy the Christmas season as well.

Note to haiku fans:
For the past few months I’ve been working on my blog, Tree Top Haiku, as my “book” of haiku poems. I’ve scheduled three months of posts — starting January 1st — with haiku I’ve written in the past as well as some new ones. I don’t want to bother with putting them together into a book per se, so this is the way I will publish them.

Twelve Days of December Weather

In the month of December the weather brought to me

twelve drifted driveways,
eleven highway closures,
ten white-outs whipping,
nine blizzards raging,
eight snowbanks building,
seven sleet storms pelting,
six sundogs shining,
five sunny days!
Four freezing rains,
three dense fogs,
two warmer spells
and a dusting of snow on the trees.

Will the Spirit of Christmas Linger?

Afterthoughts

by Margaret Penner Toews

The Baby is gone from the manger,
the shepherds are back on the hill,
but they cannot forget the Message…
the Song in the night, the thrill
at the sight in the love-lit stable!
A kinship they’ve never known
is melting their hearts, transcending
the knowledge of sheep alone.

The Wise men have come, and are wending
their long trail back to the East,
filled with a sense of wonder
each on his ambling beast;
the Star, though it’s waned in the heavens,
is still in their hearts aglow.
A sense of destiny warms them
as they travel through sand and snow.

And Simeon smiles in the temple
and Anna cannot keep quiet!
They’ve beheld the promised Redeemer,
and never will they deny it.
And still the effects will tell on
all who have met The One
the shepherds saw in the stable,
God’s Only Begotten Son

Have we met Him again this Christmas?
Thrilled to the Song and Star?
Knelt with the awe-struck sages?
(Though we needed to come from far…)
Trembled with joy with Simeon;
with Anna raised a shout
of jubilant adoration,
gone our despair and doubt?
May the spirit of Christmas linger,
the song continue to ring,
Remembering our elation
at hearing the angels sing.

From her book of poems, First A Fire
©1993 by Margaret Penner Toews

My dear friend Margaret went on to her eternal reward a few years ago, but has left us
a number of excellent poem and devotional books, plus two children’s books.
These may be ordered from Gospel Publishers, Moundridge, Kansas or Ste Anne, Manitoba

Twas the Day After Christmas…

…and Mom was back to eating celery sticks.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a great Christmas Day yesterday and made some warm memories to add to your collection? We certainly enjoyed our day. Are you still nibbling on Christmas goodies or has self-restraint kicked in again?

We attended a church service in the morning, where we were reminded of God’s love for us and His gift to us. Jesus really is “the reason for the season.” Then we spent the rest of the day together with Ken and Michelle and our four grandchildren. First we feasted, then we gifted, then noshed, related and relaxed.

For me this Christmas day was definitely an encouragement in the writing line. Bob gave me three books:
one tells me how to publish my own e-book (The Global Indie Author by M.A. Demers)
one was about how to edit my own work (Editor-Proof Your Writing by Don McNair)
and one was about how to stay sane while doing all this (Crazy Busy by Kevin Deyoung.)

While we were together, the grandchildren encouraged me even further. They said, “You should write a WHOLE STACK of books!” Now that’s a tall order. And in the afternoon our son-in-law was introducing me to Corel Draw, which he has on his computer and I don’t. To illustrate its capabilities he set up a sample front cover for Silver Morning Song.

With all this encouragement, how can I help but keep on writing? (After I get all these books read.☺)

I’ve been writing about my upcoming book, Silver Morning Song. I was really hoping to announce its arrival this year yet, but it has suffered a serious setback and will take awhile longer to appear. For various reasons I changed my mind about doing it through Friesen Press and hope to publish it myself as an e-book. (Hence the step-by-step instruction manual for Christmas.)

Looking ahead, here are a few projects I have in mind for the winter:
– study these editing and publishing manuals
– prepare and /or publishing my manuscripts (I have four in the works.)
– sew a few things for my granddaughters and myself
– give the house a good cleaning
– work on the new jigsaw puzzles I received as Christmas presents☺

That ought to keep me busy–but hopefully not crazy. What goals are you setting for yourself for the first months of the New Year?

Christmas Greetings to All

Then Simeon took the baby Jesus up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
Luke 2:29-33

Wishing all my readers a happy and peaceful Christmas holiday.
Thanks for reading and following this blog. I appreciate you all.

Christmas Busy

Christmas Busy

In the rush of Christmas doings,
wrapping gifts and baking treats,
setting out the decorations,
joining singers in the streets,

can you spare some precious minutes?
Can you still pick up the phone,
make a call to one who’s sadly
spending Christmas all alone?

Can you spare a bit of turkey
with the veggies and some pie
for a lonely soul with no one,
no close family nearby?

In the midst of all the bustle
of the kinfolk coming home,
have you time to share with someone
spending Christmas all alone?
.
Christine Goodnough

Where Did Love Begin?

We were in a store last week when I heard a Christmas song being played, and I caught the words, “Love was born at Christmas.”

Of course this set me to thinking of Divine Love. Actually, love first appeared on earth when God reached down and formed man; love was present when He breathed into Adam the breath of life. Love and concern were present when God took Adam’s rib and shaped a wife for him.

Love existed between God and his people when He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. He loved them even when they broke His very first and only law. I believe there was love as well as pain in His voice when He called, ‘’Where art thou, Adam?” And God’s love covered their nakedness, promising at the same time a Redeemer.

When Cain slew His brother Abel, God’s love was heard in His asking, “Where is thy brother?” He punished Cain, but when Cain was afraid someone else would avenge Abel’s death, God in His love “put a mark on Cain” so that no one would slay him.

The Bible is a book written on multiple levels. It’s a history, the only accurate story of mankind, giving also the beginnings of a people blessed by God. It’s an allegory; the Great Conflict, the story of sin and its effects in this world. It’s a romance novel where the Hero tries to woo and win His beloved. In spite of many rejections He persists, finally laying down His life for her.

It’s a blueprint; it lays out God’s plan of redemption as it unfolds through the centuries. It’s an instruction booklet, showing us how to be happy and live at peace with our fellow man, if we will only put into practice what we read.

The Bible is a book of promises, giving us many examples of God’s care for His own, His interventions in political circles on behalf of His children. This culminates in the promise of life everlasting in Heaven with Him when the troubles of this life are done.

Love was born at Christmas in this sense: Love personified came into the world in a human form. Jesus came to explain the love that has always existed in Heaven, to exemplify it, and also to pay the price of love. He came to be the sacrifice that would restore Man’s connection with his Creator – a connection that started when God lovingly breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul.

Divine Love has always been here with us. We just couldn’t see it quite so clearly, couldn’t reach out and touch it, until Jesus came.

Have a blessed Christmas, everyone!

Holiday Cheerless

FORGOTTEN

Old man, alone now,
buys his own gift,
pays for his own turkey
dinner December tenth–
with a glass of cheer–
at an obliging restaurant.
He can’t wait for Christmas
to discover he has been
forgotten again.

A Diamond or a Coal

A diamond or a coal?
A diamond, if you please:
Who cares about a clumsy coal
Beneath the summer trees?
A diamond or a coal?
A coal, sir, if you please:
One comes to care about the coal
What time the waters freeze.

Christina Georgina Rossetti

 

—

The waters are freezing now, at least hereabouts. Predicted high of -20 C

today, so we care very much about having heat!

 

For the past two weeks I’ve been very diligently writing Christmas letters;

my last one went in the mail today. Now on to the other joys of the festive season!