“In
these precious moments we realize what we feel and know in our
heart—that Christmas is really about the Christ.” Thomas S.
Monson
~*~*~*~
Good
Sabbath, everyone. Sundays are always just a thought and a great story. ~~ Marilee
~*~*~*~
Memory
Jar
by
Karen Retzlaff
In
September 1999, my mom was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic
cancer.
Needless
to say, the next few months were a blur of just trying to accept what
was happening and getting through the day for all of us family
members.
When
December came I was really struggling for an idea of what to get my
parents for Christmas. I wanted to get them something really special,
but my funds were pretty tight and my parents have never been into
material things anyway.
For
some reason, I remembered that I had read about a "Memory Jar".
It's just a jar or box that you fill with slips of paper that you
write on with memories of growing up. I was amazed at how many
memories came flooding back to me once I sat down to think about it.
I had to write them down as soon as I thought of them or I would
forget them, so I had notes at home, in the car, at work, they were
all over!
About
a week before Christmas I sat down and wrote them on nice stationery
and put them in the jar. I'll tell you - it was quite an experience.
What
amazed me was that most of the memories weren't of "big things",
they were of small things, like mom making us tea, toast and Jell-O
water when we were sick as kids, or me always having toast with
peanut butter whenever we had tomato soup for lunch. Of course there
were big things too, like when I got married, or how my parents
looked when they held my babies for the first time. It was really
emotional for me to write all these down, but once I did it, I felt
wonderful!
Then
I started to get nervous about how my parents would take this gift.
My family is close, but we're not overly sentimental or affectionate.
So on Christmas morning I wrote a letter to go with the jar
explaining what it was and that they could read a few memories a day,
or all of them, but they had to wait until they were alone.
I
waited until everyone had left their house on Christmas and then I
went over to see what they thought. They told me that they had
decided that they were only going to read a few that night and then
they were going to read a few every day until the jar was empty
(there were about 100 in there). Well, they got started and couldn't
stop! They ended up reading all of them that night!
They
both told me that it was one of the best presents that they had ever
received and it showed them that they did a good job at being parents
and it really is the little things in life that count!
I
would recommend everyone doing this for the people they love. I now
know that no matter what happens with my mom's illness, she knows how
much I love her and my father and what a great impact they have had
on my life! It must have had an impact on them too because the Memory
Jar now has a prominent place right on their kitchen counter so
everyone sees it when they come in.
"God
grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the
warmth of Christmas, which is love; the
radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the
righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the
belief in Christmas, which is truth; the
all of Christmas, which is Christ."
Wilda
English
~*~*~*~
This song is a favorite of my husband Dean's. While I don't think he has ever heard a version of it he didn't like, this is an especially beautiful one.
What Child Is This
performed by Sissel
What child is this who laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian fear
For sinners here
The silent world is pleading
Nails, spears shall pierce Him through
The Cross be borne for me, for you
Hail, hail the word made flesh
The babe, the son of Mary
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant King to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hears enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The virgin sings a lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born
The babe, the son of Mary.
~*~*~*~
Today is my sweetest of heart's birthday. Every year, I recognize his special day in my blog with a favorite song of his, a favorite recipe and a love story. We've been walking together, as husband and wife, for 46 years. It seems like a long time, but it's really just a good start. I do not want to cause pain to those of you who might recently have gone through the death of a spouse or a divorce. Please be aware that in the personal parts of the narrative, I will speak of our love.
Dean is joining me on my walk today. The assignment I gave myself was to find 5 scriptures about light and use them in our Christmas cards. Dean and I recently accepted a challenge to read the 4 Gospels and the book of Acts this month, so we combined the 2 reading "assignments" together . We read in the book of Luke today and marked scriptures with the word "light". We were not able to find enough verses, so after we finished our chapters, we looked for more light references-- kind of a like a scripture hunt. One verse which we particularly liked is found in
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.
~~Marilee
~*~*~*~
Dean's Delicious Candy
1/4
c. butter or margarine
2
½ c. sugar
2/3
c. evaporated milk
10-12
oz. vanilla chips
2-3
oz Neufchatel or cream cheese
5
oz. marshmallow creme
1
c. pecans or almonds, chopped
1
t. vanilla extract
1
t. imitation butter flavoring
Directions:
Line
a 9 x 9" pan with aluminum foil and set aside. Let the cream
cheese come to room temperature.
Heat
milk at medium setting until warm then add sugar. Bring to a rolling
boil (med-high) while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add
the marshmallow creme and butter. Bring back to a rolling boil for 5
minutes by the clock (start timing once the rolling boil resumes).
Add the cream cheese to the boiling mixture about one minute before
the end of the boil. Cut into sections to allow easy melting.
If
you get brown flakes in the mixture then turn the heat down a little.
Remove
from heat and add vanilla chips and nuts. Stir until creamy and all
chips are melted. Now stir in vanilla extract and butter flavor. Mix
thoroughly and pour into prepared pan. Cool. Remove from pan, remove
foil, cut into squares. Stand back.
~*~*~*~
In John 15:12, we are told, "this is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you." Dean and I have had 46 years of good times and not so good times. We have had incredibly joyous times and heartbreaking times. We have laughed together and we have cried together. We've gone our separate ways at times (I hide in the middle of our house, away from all windows; while he relishes being outside during lightening storms) I watch Sci-Fi on Saturday nights, he goes and problem solves in another room on the computer. He loves 4-wheeling on "treacherous" mountain trails and I close my eyes so I don't have to see the edges. I use pens, he prefers pencils. So what do we have in common? A deep and abiding faith in our Lord and Savior. We have tried to love and accept each other as Jesus commanded - "to love each other as he loves us" - completely. Marriage is ordained of God, and we want ours to last forever. For our walk into the light today, we are going to start a blessing vase. I've placed an empty candle holder in the center of our table with some slips of paper around it. At the end of each day, we will write down on one of those pieces of paper a blessing which we received that day or something which we are grateful for. It will go in the vase, then together we will read them together on Christmas Day. I encourage you to join us and make a blessing vase/jar/basket of your own.
~*~*~*~
Isa’s
Story as
told to me (Marilee)
Dad
returned from spending 2 years overseas in service to his God just in
time for the Christmas holidays. Their church had an annual
Christmas Eve dance and my grandparents encouraged Dad to go.
He really didn’t want to – girls scared him!
When
he got to the church, he drove around the parking lot, then around
the block and then the parking lot again trying to postpone the
inevitable. On one of his “circles” he saw a girl get out
of a car. He watched her “dance” across the parking
lot and knew that he had to meet that graceful, graceful girl!
Dad
parked the car, went into the church and started his search. I
can see him in my mind. He didn’t see her face, so all he had
to go on was the way she moved. He couldn’t even remember the
color of her dress – just that it was a “floatie” kind of dress.
Dad circled around the dance floor checking out all of the girls from
behind. He searched for a good 15 minutes before he found her.
Rejoicing, he asked her to dance.
He
took her in his arms and asked, “What would you say if I asked you
to marry me?”
“No.”
“Why
not?”
“You
shouldn’t ask someone to marry you when you don’t even know her
name”
“Ah,
but I do. You’re my Cara, mia Cara, and whatever your last name is
now doesn’t matter. The only one that matters, is the one
you’ll share with me.”
They
saw each other every day until Mom went back to the Y. Dad went
to Stanford, and so their relationship faded.
The
next year, Dad went to the Christmas Eve dance and saw Mom dancing
with someone else. He cut in. He took Mom in his arms and
asked, “what would you say if I asked you to marry me,
Cara?”
“No.”
“Why
not?”
“Because
you don’t know my phone number. You can’t marry someone
whose phone number you don’t even know.”
“Your
phone number right now isn’t the one that matters, what matters is
the one you’ll share with me. “
They
wrote regularly after Mom returned to school, and the next Christmas
found them back at the same church. This time they walked in
together. When Dad took her in his arms, he said, “what would
you say if I asked you to marry me?”
“No.”
“Why
not?”
“Because
if I say yes, you’ll stop dancing with me on Christmas Eve."
“Oh,
but this dance isn’t the one that matters. What matters is
all of the Christmas Eve dances we’ll share in our own home.”
They
married 3 months later.
Every
year we had a Christmas Eve dance. Mom dressed up and Dad put
on his best suit, and they danced. How they danced! My sisters
and I sat on the stairs and waited for our turn to dance with Dad.
Every Christmas Eve was filled with music and dancing. Those
memories are precious to me.
When
my husband asked Dad for permission to marry me, he said, “Only if
you’ll dance with her every Christmas." What a romantic
he was!
I
first heard this song in December 2004, shortly after my father’s
death.
This
song is Christmas to me.
****
Isa
referred to Luther Vandross’s recording of Dance With My Father. When I wrote her story, she asked me to include the song with it. I found this version
on youtube, and loved the video. Happy Dean's birthday,
everyone ~~ Marilee
Dance
with My Father performed
by Kellie Coffey Written
by Luther Vandross and Richard Marx
"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past,
courage for the present, hope for the future." Agnes M. Pharo
~*~*~*~
When Love Was Born
performed by Mark Schultz
Star light shines, the night is still, Shepherds watch from a hill I close my eyes and see the night When love was born
A perfect child gently waits A mother bends to kiss God’s face I close my eyes and see the night When love was born
Angels fill the midnight sky They sing, Hallelujah, He is Christ, Our King Emmanuel, prince of peace Love come down for you and me Heaven’s gift, the Holy spark to light the way inside our hearts Bethlehem through your small door came the hope we’ve waited for The world was changed for evermore When love was born I close my eyes and see the night When love was born ~*~*~*~
I woke up early this morning and thought about following
Christ’s pathway of light, and I thought “wow, I don’t think I’m ready for
this. Not yet, anyway”. I went into the computer room and closed all of the
windows so that no outside light could enter. I unplugged or turned off all
light sources, even the little one on my phone charger, and sat in absolute
darkness. My mind went back to yesterday’s walk and I found myself on the same
path in the same forest and realized that I knew where I was. In Central Idaho,
there is a lake called Stanley Lake. It’s beautiful. I love to go there to the
bird watching bench and sit and watch the birds flying over the lake and the
trees. It’s so serene and peaceful. I imagined sitting there totally content,
when the skies darkened. It grew cold, the winds blew and it started to rain.
Everything was black, and then the lightening started. (I hate lightening
storms and being outside in one is about the most frightening thing
imaginable). It shook the earth and I tried to find somewhere to go, something
to protect me, but I couldn’t move. The storm raged on until it finally passed
and beams of light pierced the clouds. Warmth filled me and drove all
of my fears away. This past year has been a dark one for our country:
political unrest, violence, hatred, Covid-related issues – so much darkness. The storms we are experiencing, in this life right now, can only be calmed by the
light and love of Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow, we’ll take a baby step, let’s find 5 scriptures
about light and Christ and include our favorite on our Christmas cards. It’s
time to make them out, right? I think I already know mine. ~~ Marilee
John 8:12
He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life."
~*~*~*~
NoBake Peanut Butter Cookies
1 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 - 12 oz. jar peanut butter
6 c. corn flakes
Combine sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a
boil. Remove from the heat and stir in peanut butter. Pour mixture over the
corn flakes and stir to coat. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper and chill
until set.
~*~*~*~
The Little Christmas Star
-
by Pedro Pablo Sacristan
Of all the stars that shine in the sky, there had always
been one that was brighter and more beautiful than the others. The whole sky's
planets and stars looked on in admiration, wondering what could be the
important mission that this star was to carry out. And the star itself did
exactly the same, aware of its own incomparable beauty.
The speculation ended when a group of angels came to the
star:
"Hurry. Your time has arrived, the Lord calls upon you
to carry out an important mission."
And the star went as fast as she could and found out that her
mission was to show where the most important event in history would take place.
The star was filled with pride, and dressed herself in her
most beautiful costume of glint and bedazzlement. She proceeded to follow the
angels, who would show her the right place. The star shone with such strength
and beauty that she was seen from all parts of the World, and so much so that a
group of wise men decided to follow her, knowing that she must be pointing to
something important.
For days, the star followed the angels, showing the way, and
she was eager to discover what place she was going to illuminate. However, when
the angels stopped, and with great joy said "Here it is!" the star
could not believe it. There were no palaces, no castles or mansions, no gold or
jewels. Only a small, half-abandoned, dirty, smelly stable.
"Oh, no! Not that! I can not waste my shine and beauty
lighting up a place like this! I was born for something greater than
this!"
And though the angels tried to calm her, the star's fury
grew and grew, and so much pride and arrogance bubbled up inside her that she
began to burn. And thus she consumed herself and disappeared.
Well, what a problem! There were only a few days left before
the big moment, and they were without a star. The angels, in a panic, ran to
Heaven to tell God what had happened. After thinking for a moment, God said:
"In that case, search for the smallest, most humble
and joyful of all the stars you can find and bring it here."
Surprised by the order, but unquestioning, because the Lord
often did this kind of thing, the angels flew through the heavens in search of
the smallest, most joyful star. It was a tiny star, as small as a grain of
sand. He knew so little that he gave no importance to his brightness, and he
spent his whole time laughing and chatting with his friends, the biggest stars.
When this star was brought to the Lord, he was told:
"The most perfect star in creation, the most wonderful,
the most brilliant has failed due to its pride. I thought that you, the most
humble and joyful of all the stars, should be the one chosen to take its place
and light up the most important event in history: the birth of baby Jesus in
Bethlehem."
The star was filled with so much emotion and joy that he had
already arrived over Bethlehem, led by the angels, before he realized that his
brilliance was negligible and that, however much he tried, he could not
illuminate things much better than a firefly could.
"Ok," he said to himself.
-"How come I didn't think before accepting this
assignment? I'm the smallest star there is! It is totally impossible for me to
do as well as that great shining star ... The shame of it! I'm going to mess up
an opportunity that all the stars in the heavens would have loved to have had
..."
Then he thought again, "all the stars in the
heavens." Of course they would love to take part in something like this!
And without hesitation, the start took to the skies with a message for all his
friends:
"On December 25th , at midnight, I want to share with
you all the greatest glory that can exist for a star: to light up the birth of
God! I will await you in the little town of Bethlehem, by a small stable."
And indeed, none of the stars rejected this generous
invitation. So many stars joined together, that they formed the most beautiful
Star of Christmas that would ever be seen, even though the little star couldn't
even be seen amid all the brilliance. And happy at his excellent service, and
as a reward for his humility and generosity, God transformed this little
messenger into a beautiful shooting star, and gave him the gift of granting
wishes every time his beautiful trail gleaming in the night sky was seen.
Extracted from The Little Christmas Star - Short Story(bestshortstories.com)
“Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world – stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death – and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.” ~ Henry Van Dyke
~*~*~*~*~
I began setting out nativity scenes yesterday morning and have continued throughout the day. I have 29 out now. With each set, I thought about the huge difference Jesus's birth brought to our world. Have you ever imagined yourself walking through a forest filled with beautiful trees and wild flowers? That's what I did. I walked into a beautiful, peaceful paradise. I continued walking until I came to a fork in the trail. One path split off into the "wish" side of the forest and the other to the "hope" side. Some people get confused about these two things. Wishes are for genies and hope is for believers. As an example, I thought to myself, "Gee, I wish that Santa Claus would come down the chimney and get all of those boxes from the top shelf. Did I expect it to happen? No. Then I thought, "I hope that if I ask Dean, he'll get them down for me. Did he? Yes. Dean is real. He's solid. He's someone I believe in, not a genie who will disappear in a puff of smoke. Our Savior is real. He was born in Bethlehem to show us by His life the pathway we should follow. He paid the price for our Atonement. He gives us hope. Tomorrow, I will walk into His light.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
I'm changing the order of things today because I found an absolutely incredible video on Youtube. It was posted on the 26th of November of this year, so the odds are that you haven't seen it either. Watching it changed everything I was going to do and say. It really filled me with joy. It will be both the song and the story today. I'm so impressed with it! Please watch and listen to this song by Gentri which includes their children telling the story of Christ's birth ~~ Marilee
"Do You Hear What I Hear" (Official Music Video) | GENTRI
Said the night wind to the little lamb,
do you see what I see
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
do you see what I see
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
do you hear what I hear
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
do you know what I know
In your palace warm, mighty king,
do you know what I know
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Said the king to the people everywhere,
listen to what I say
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
listen to what I say
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light
*~*~*~*
Fastest and Best Fudge Ever
4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
½ t. cinnamon
1/3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
½ c. margarine or butter, cut into pieces
½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts
Combine powdered sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon in 8-cup glass bowl. Pour in milk and vanilla. Sprinkle margarine over top.
Microwave, uncovered, at High power for 2 minutes. Mix well and pour into aluminum foil lined and greased 8 x 8 x 2" baking pan. Sprinkle pecans over top of fudge and press in lightly. Refrigerate until firm––abt. One hour.
*~*~*~*
Make Christmas Special
Making Christmas special doesn't mean that you have to have "tons" of presents under your tree or spend "tons" of money you probably don't have. It's all about spending "time" with those you love. Each Thursday, we will share ideas about something we can do to make Christmas fun. Please feel free to leave comments or email me and I will include your ideas. You see, “It can come without ribbons, it can come without tags. It can come without packages, boxes, or bags … For Christmas doesn’t come from a store, Christmas comes from the heart, and that means a whole lot more.” Covid has affected our world dramatically. Start a new tradition this year, make it fun: pull taffy (I haven't done that since I was a kid), make a new ornament starting this year. (I have some fun, easy ornaments on my pinterest boards). You can have a pickle hunt! You can eat by candlelight! Whatever is fun for you.
“Each
of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!”
Neal A Maxwell
*~*~*~*
Would
I Know My Savior?
written
by Sally DeFord
performed
by Allyse Smith Taylor
Would
I know my Savior, wrapped in swaddling bands?
Lying in a
manger-bed
Light of heaven round his head
Would I hear the
angels bend t’ward earth to sing?
Would I know the Holy
Child?
Would I know my King?
Would
I know my Savior, safe in Mary’s arms?
Cradled in a
lullaby
Heaven’s legions watching nigh
Would I know his
goodness?
Would I feel his grace?
Would I know the Holy
Child if I beheld his face?
Would
I know my Savior, in a lowly stall?
Where the lowing cattle
feed
Where the silver starlight leads
Where the humble
shepherds seek the Holy One
Would I hear the Spirit
whisper,
“This is God’s own Son.”
I
think my heart would know him
Christ
The
Holy One
For I can hear the Spirit whisper,
“This is
God’s own Son.”
*~*~*~*
My walk started off positively yesterday. I said a prayer of thanksgiving for the baby born in Bethlehem. As I fixed breakfast, I thought of Him. As I loaded the dishwasher, I thought of Him and tried to imagine what it would have been like to live then. My first thought was, “no toilets”, then “no washing machines”, “no cell phones” and finally “no disposable diapers!” I kept thinking about it. The Johny Mathis song, "When A Child Is Born" came into my mind. I couldn't stop singing it. "A ray of hope flickers in the sky, A tiny star lights up way up high. All across the land, dawns a brand-new morn. This comes to pass when a child is born." Jesus Christ was the ray of hope to a struggling world. Judah was a vassal state of Rome, the whole world was. Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. Thirty-seven years before the birth of Christ, Herod the Great was appointed king by Rome. He was crafty and brutal, a powerful puppet. Human life had little value. Herod was ruthless in destroying anyone who opposed him, including his own children. The people of Palestine prayed for their promised Savior and King, not understanding that he would be born a common child who would not be a great political leader, but rather the Spiritual Liberator of all. "A ray of hope flickered in the sky, A shining star lit up way up high. All across the land, dawned a brand-new morn. That came to pass when a child was born." I will set out nativities today and encourage each of you to do the same and to think of that child and the hope he provides to each of us. What do you hope for? ~~ Marilee
*~*~*~*
Every Wednesday will include games
Elf Co-ordination Game
Everyone knows that Santa’s elves have to multitask. This game tests if you’re up to working in his warehouse. Each player is given a book, a three-foot dowel that has been painted like a candy cane, a glass of water, and a ball. After Santa says "Ready, set, go" you head for the finish line with the book on your head, a glass full of water in your left hand and the candy cane in the right. At the same time, you roll a ball with your feet. The first person across the line is the winner.
Snowball Fest
Divide your group into teams. One person on each team is the “chef”. He throws marshmallows into his fellow team member’s mouths. The team gets a point for every marshmallow that is caught. If you want to get
*~*~*~*
Recipe
Caramels
2
c. granulated sugar
½½
c. butter (not margarine)
3/4
c. light corn syrup
2
c. heavy whipping cream
Butter
a 9 x 9 x 2 pan and set aside. Place sugar, butter, corn syrup, and 1
c of cream in a heavy 3-quart pan and bring to a rolling boil over
medium heat. Slowly add second cup of cream in a slow trickle so the
boiling does not stop. Stir continually. When all of the cream is
added, place the thermometer in the pan. As the temperature
increases, reduce the heat. Cook to 246EF
for a firm caramel. Cook 2 degrees less for a softer caramel. Pour
the caramel into the buttered pan. Let set at room temperature until
firm, then cut with a lightly buttered knife and dip in chocolate or
wrap plain.
*~*~*~*
The
Stables At Midnight: A Christmas Story
By:
Anne Flyzik extracted
from :
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/stables-midnight-christmas-story
I
have a true story to tell about midnight on Christmas.
It
happened in 1991 or '92. My marriage had ended, and I was leasing a
farm as a boarding stable. I had around 20 horses at Christmas that
year.
My
son was then 5 or 6 years old and knew the Thomas Hardy poem about
all the animals kneeling down at midnight on Christmas Eve. He begged
and begged to go to the stable at midnight, but I put him off, not
wanting to disappoint him in this year of so many
disappointments.
You
see, I had a lot of horses that did not like to lie down even in the
wee hours of the night, including two mares whose owners told me
they'd had those two for years and had yet to even see them off their
feet. A number of the others would lie down, but would immediately
get up when someone entered the barn or came near them.
Well,
that Christmas Eve, Conor woke up at 11:30 and begged to go to the
stable to see if it was true. My heart was a little heavy as we went
down.
It
was 11:59. We entered the barn at midnight, flashlight in
hand.
EVERY
horse was kneeling. We walked down one side and back up the other.
Every horse was kneeling; none got up.
None
were flat on their sides, not even the yearling. And the two mystery
mares were also kneeling; so were the track lay-ups who always jumped
to their feet when people approached: every single one of them.
It
was so hushed and quiet and beautiful.
The
faith of a child....
Conor
is 13 now and stands 5'10. He still says to me, "Remember that
Christmas Eve when we went down to the barn to see if the horses were
kneeling?"
It's
one of my most special lifetime memories.
Thomas
Hardy's "The Oxen" (1915)
Christmas
Eve, and twelve of the clock, "Now
they are all on their knees," An
elder said as we sat in a flock By
the embers in hearthside ease.
We
pictured the meek mild creatures where They
dwelt in their strawy pen, Nor
did it occur to one of us there To
doubt they were kneeling then.
So
fair a fancy few would weave In
these years! Yet, I feel, If
someone said on Christmas Eve, "Come;
see the oxen kneel
"In
the lonely barton by yonder coomb Our
childhood used to know," I
should go with him in the gloom, Hoping
it might be so.
I
was not able to contact the author to receive permission to use her
story, but there was a link at the site allowing people to e-mail it and share with others. I’m assuming that it can be used as long as I include contact
info. Here is the information given on the website I extracted it
from: www.chronofhorse.com
“This
Christmas story has long been a favorite on the Chronicle of the
Horse Forums, and the author, Anne Flyzik, graciously gave permission
to reprint it on www.chronofhorse.com.”
(Just in case you want to listen to the song, it starts about 30 seconds in.)
