Here's a beautiful email I received today from a very special friend of mine. It is so touching I wanted to share...

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

A favorite organization of mine, Operation Write Home is a lovely gateway to express your gratitude to an unknown deployed member of the Military. They live in a stressful job and sometimes just a note from home from a stranger is just as good as a cup of hot chocolate with marchmallows.

I came across this vid just this morning, he has a very witty sense of humor which I just love...he's so funny. Bill Whittle.
http://www.pjtv.com/;jsessionid=abc5b3fmmcO87519dzMvs
Pajamas TV? heard of it? I hadn't.

The latest for me, I GOT MY SHOPPING DONE!!! Yes the clicking you hear is not reindeer hooves on your roof it's just me clicking my heels as I jump for joy. On with the journey towards December 25...Giftwrap Mountain! But before Giftwrap Mountain, is Cookie Junction. haha...I never drive by Cookie Junction...gotta pick up offerings for Santa baby!

So sad this morning for the hummingbirds outside my window, the temp is 25 degrees outside and the hummingbird feeder is frozen. I had humming bird wars yesterday at about 3pm when the sun thawed it out enough for a drink. I'm not sure how to fix that problem, I guess bring it in at night? brrrrr me.

I hope you have a day that is filled to the overbrim with blessings, remember Romans 8:32, God freely gives us all things.

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, most commonly translated to English as Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, is a Christmas carol of German origin. The text is thought to be penned by an anonymous author, and the piece first appeared in print in the late-16th century. The hymn has been used by both Catholics and Protestants, with the focus of the song being Mary or Jesus, respectively. In addition, there have been numerous versions of the hymn, with varying texts and lengths.

My favorite version of this is from John Michael Talbot, from my favorite Christmas album of all time, The Birth Of Jesus.

This version on YouTube (among a kajillion others) is particularly sweet and reverent, like a prayer. Sweet boys...

Oh to keep God in this holiday, I've spent too much time online today trying to get the perfect gifts for my little blessings. They are just at that delightable...imaginative age, and that genuine look of bliss in their eyes when they look at Mickey Mouse and Tigger and Devastator and Armoryoulookreallyscarytron....(OK, I did just make the last two up. I just can't keep up with the Transformer characters,) ...that genuine look is just priceless.

That look is by definition, "childhood" and it goes by so quickly, I can't hang onto it. It just whooshes by...I have a friend who hung onto her husband as he was dying as if she could by some means keep his spirit inside his body and not lose him. I understand just what she meant...She felt him just whoosh away. Sometimes, all the 'times', we just can't hang on to the moment.

So, I will start again tomorrow. In search of that moment. So I can get the camera, and I can look back on the moment when they opened the box, and looked right into my eyes with utter delight. As time continues to whoosh right by.

I can only hope Santa is doing his shopping for ME as well...and here's a big fat hint...

Blessings on top of blessings to you! I hope you are enjoying the season.