Another Christmas

Another year is ending as I watch the Christmas tree,
I have been doing this for over half a century.
I smile as I cannot believe that I am now this age,
And every Christmas it's as if I turn another page.

My favorite thing to do each year is sit and reminisce,
Peacefully at Christmas time, I love it just like this.
The Christmas tree and candles burning giving off their light,
And I just savor moments as I stare out in the night.

The snow is softly falling and it's blanketing the trees,
I love to sit and watch the snowfall on bright nights like these.
The moon is shining brightly and the snowflakes glitter so,
And all the world seems fresh and pure in newly fallen snow.

I think about when I was young as I begin to dream,
There was a time when you could use snow to make snowcream,
Vanilla and some sugar and then you were on your way,
Nothing you could ever buy could taste that good today.

I smile as something tickles me that I just saw this morning,
Everything you eat today must always post a "warning"
I laugh out loud to think of all the work that it would take,
If someone had to print "don't eat" somewhere on each snowflake.

"Ridiculous" I softly said the world is not that bad,
But in this modern world you sometimes long for days you had.
I look upon the table where my used newspaper lay,
And see a full page ad announcing "big sale starts Sunday."

I smile when I remember as I sit here in my prime,
When no stores opened up on Sunday once upon a time.
Sunday was a day for church and then relax at best,
Now it seems we never take the time to stop and rest.

I see the candle flicker on my table in the jar,
And realize it's really great that we have come this far.
The modern world we live in is so great in many ways,
But sometimes as I sit and think, I long for yesterdays.

A day when books lay by the chair not just a TV guide,
A day when people just went out to take a Sunday ride.
A day when family sat around and talked about the day,
A day when people actually sat down to eat and pray.

Today the meals are fast food places where the families swoop,
There was a time when fast food meant a can of chicken soup.
Drive through this and drive through that and talk into the speaker,
And then we buy a treadmill wondering why our legs are weaker.

Everybody wants a Christmas the old fashion style,
Just to gather and enjoy the Spirit for a while.
But it never happens even with the plans at hand,
Christmas comes and goes and they just cannot understand.

There was a time when people gathered and sung by the tree,
Now the only music that you hear is a CD.
There was a time when people made tree ornaments to trim,
Now the tree has build in lights and you just plug it in.

I smile as I think of my years and changes I have seen,
And wonder what He thinks of us as He has viewed this scene.
Two thousand years of Christmas' that He has watched on earth,
I wonder what He thinks of how we celebrate His birth.

The lights, the decorations and the shopping at the mall,
The gatherings and presents I'm sure he won't mind at all.
I'm sure he has no problems with the modern Christmas trees,
But sometime during Christmas we should get down on our knees.

Just to let Him know that we know what it's all about,
Just to let Him know that in our mind there is no doubt.
We remember all the words the angels had to say,
When they first announced the words "For unto you this Day"

[ by James A. Kisner © 2002 (PoppyK1@aol.com) -- {used with permission} ]