2 days until Christmas - a new poem!

Well we have almost made it to Christmas.

Today is my last day at work until January 2, and I am very happy to be lucky enough to have saved enough vacation days so I could have a wee break over the holidays.

I don't have a lot planned.  I hope to relax, catch up on a lot of reading, perhaps write a bit on my mouse story, and generally be lazy.

I am house and cat sitting for our neighbours, so I will have to get out of my jammies every day - but I am not going near a store that is for certain.

I think the highlight of my week off will be having my friends over for dinner and the evening on the 27th.  There is nothing quite like spending time with friends you have known most of your life.  Its comfortable, it's fun, and its very very special. 

I won't be posting here until at least New Years Day - that's the other thing I plan to do - stay off the computer.  I will check my emails but that's about it - I don't want to spend my week attached to the computer.

So I will wish you all a Very Happy Christmas.  My wish is for all my readers to have a beautiful memorable Christmas with family and friends.  Celebrate life with life, but also keep memories from Christmas' past close in your heart...

Have a Blessed Christmas and a Healthy and Happy 2012!




THE CHRISTMAS TALE


Forgotten is the little babe,
Born so long ago;
And the story that surrounds his birth,
Is one some folks don’t know.

The story says some angels came,
To tell about the child;
I guess to our rich cyber world,
This tale appears quite wild.

Three wise men came, or were they kings?
And did they travel far?
How come they walked alone at night,
And followed some bright star?

About that star that shone so bright;
How did it know just where,
The tiny newborn kid would lay;
And who’d it think would care?

Upon a pile of hay it’s told,
The baby’s crib was made.
With animals there, enclosed within,
A barn is where they stayed.

A virgin Mom, a dirt-poor Dad,
And yet they had a King.
They say he came to earth for me;
Whoever heard of such a thing?

I wasn’t even here as yet,
Nor was my family tree.
How’d he know we’d come in time,
How’d he know about me?

They tell me that he loved me then,
And that he loves me still;
Baby Jesus came to fill my heart,
I pray he always will.

However you believe this story goes,
Its one tale always told;
By those with truth and faith and love,
In wondrous pageant bold.

Repeated new each year that comes,
Great story; same great end.
The greatest story ever told,
The greatest story penned.


Dale Graumann
2011

3 days until Christmas - a puzzle

Someone sent me a puzzle in an email months ago which led me to Jigidi.com.  I was hooked.  Every night I try and do one.  I usually choose the large size and my favorite are the mosaic and the seasonal categories.

Here is a very simple one to start with - if you want a better challenge to while away a few hours be sure to bookmark this site and... Enjoy!


http://www.jigidi.com/puzzle.php?id=ZLC3QY70

4 days until Christmas - A pagent!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gallery_id=115925&gal_cid=1

5 days till Christmas! Reaching out!

There are many many people who will be alone this Christmas season.  We all know someone like this, some of us know several.

It could be an elderly person who's family all live a fair distance away, or perhaps all their family have passed on.

Sometimes it is not an elderly, but someone single who has no family nearby.  This person might have friends, but maybe they won't mention the fact that they are going to be alone to their friends, because they don't want to intrude on some one else's family Christmas.

Maybe someone, does have family near by - but the family dynamics are such that even with family living close - that person will be alone.

I remember my nursing days when I worked the ER one Christmas.  The staff told me that Christmas and New Years were the busiest nights for attempted suicides - and indeed they were correct.  We had many that night - of all ages, and all walks of life.

Those of us who have family or friends close to share the season with, rarely give these people a thought.  We willingly drop some money in a Salvation Army kettle, or donate to a homeless shelter - we give to the obvious needy - but what about the ones not nearly so obvious?

It really doesn't take a whole lot of time or energy to make a lonely person feel loved.  A card or even better yet a 10 minute visit with a hug included.  Amazing what that will do for someone who really needs a human touch.

Or how about setting an extra spot at your table and include someone not usually included in your celebrations?   It might just make your Christmas the best ever!

I hope we all are listening to what others are "not" saying.... It could make a secret wish come true, it could save a life!

6 days till Christmas - Blessings!

Why is it when you are waiting for something special, the days and hours leading up to that event are filled with excitement and  sometimes dread - but you can't wait for the moment to be there - and then poof - it's over, done... gone!

That is kind of how I felt about our Lesson and Carol service yesterday.  As an individual, it was an event I have attended many times in my past, and one that I have always longed to participate in.  As a choir member of our church, it was an event for which we practiced and worked very hard indeed.  Just moments before we were to go upstairs to start the service, there was an unaccustomed moment of nervousness within this group of singers, that seldom, if ever - is seen on any given Sunday.

And then it seemed - it was over....

Truth be known - as the newest member of the choir - I was most certainly the least prepared for this event, and yet it didn't feel that way when we were singing.  I felt part of a group of exceptional people lead by an exceptional leader and my knowledge or lack of knowledge seemed to fade behind the beautiful music we were blessed to be singing.

I struggled not with the music - but with emotions that were running wild.  I wanted to cry - from sheer joy  - and I did on the last verse of  O Come All Ye Faithful.  I was moved to tears to the point that singing was impossible.

Why?

Because so many people were present to hear us sing - among them my 23 yr old son who has been absent from the church for several years.  Also present was my beautiful girlfriend, some co-workers, and another friend who drove 4 hours on a snowy day to support me and our choir.  The knowledge of their love and support, the spirit of the season, and the organ at full sound - spilled me over the top.

What a wonderful feeling - what a wonderful evening.

I must say thanks to our Choirmaster and leader - Blair... thank you, Blair for allowing me to be part of this incredible choir.

Secondly thank you to the Choir members themselves.  Every one has been so helpful and accepting of the "newbie" in their midst.

And the biggest thank you goes to My Lord God, for without him in my heart - I would not be here this Christmas nor would I be writing this today, or singing his message in our beautiful church,  St. Luke's Anglican Church.

My title says Christmas is 6 days away - for me it's already here!

7 days until Christmas - Singing!

La la la la......

Wish us all clear voices, good vision and like our choirmaster would say - make sure your dentures are tight in your mouth! 

Lessons and Carols, here we come!

8 days until Christmas - Practicing!

Fa la la la la.......

Dale is busy at church practicing with the choir for our Nine Lessons and Carol Service tomorrow night.

If you have little children joining you this Christmas, here is a cute idea for a special cookie for the little ones...

http://www.meals.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Chip-Cookie-Sleds.aspx?recipeid=144680&ReferralSourceId=100e63be-5a02-4368-89e5-4ea271c6f5c9