Merry Christmas

Christmas Carol

Before the paling of the stars,

Before the winter morn,

Before the earliest cock-crow,

Jesus Christ was born:

Born in a stable,

Cradled in a manger;

In the world His hands had made,

Born a stranger.

Priest and king lay fast asleep

In Jerusalem;

Young and old lay fast asleep

In crowded Bethlehem;

Saint and angel, ox and ass,

Kept a watch together,

Before the Christmas day-break,

In the winter weather.

Jesus on His mother's breast

in the stable cold,

Spotless Lamb of God was He,

Shepherd of the fold:

Let us kneel with Mary maid,

With Joseph bent and hoary,

With saint and angel, ox and ass,

To hail the King of glory!

 ---Christina Rossetti 

 .   .   .   .  .

Mothers

These leucojum are from my grandmother's garden, from many years gone by.

How Blessed

The little things of life are all so sweet,
The morning meadows wet with dew;
The dance of daisies in the noon, the blue
Of far-off hills where twilight shadows lie,

The night with all its tender of mystery of sound
And silence, and God's starry sky!
Oh! life--the whole life--is far too fleet,
The things of everyday are all so sweet,
The common things of life are all so dear.

The waking in the warm half-gloom
To find the old familiar room,
The scents and sounds and sights that never tire,
The homely work, the plans, the lilt of baby's laugh,
The crackle of the open fire;
The waiting, then the footsteps coming near,
The opening door, the handclasps and the kiss--
How blessed, after all, the now and here!
The common things of life are all so dear!
                              - Author Unknown


Happy Mother's Day

Boston

Walk Beside Me

Walk beside me, O, my Saviour,

Through the morning's sparkling dew,

Then as daylight grows still brighter,

For each task my strength renew:

When the evening spreads its shadows

O'er the way that I must go,

Still thy presence close beside me

Will to me sweet peace bestow.

Walk beside me, O, my Saviour,

Through this darkening vale of tears,

For if Thou art close beside me

My faint heart can keep no fears:

When at last the morning breaketh

In the land of endless day,

Still my prayer shall be, dear Saviour,

Walk beside me all the way. . .

-L. P. Lehman, Jr.

An Emtpy Cross, An Empty Tomb

Rejoice

Gold, brightly gleam in eastern sky!

The Lord of glory leads on high

From out Death's grace, past stars and suns,

Adoring hosts of shining ones,

Their joyful souls, redeemed, forgiven,

For He, Death's Conqueror, is risen!

Leaves, gaily flutter on the trees!

He scorneth not the least of these

Repentant ones, marred with earth's strife,

But leads them to the Tree of Life,

And by His blood their souls are shriven,

For He, the Lord of Life, is risen.

Birds, sweetly sing in ether blue!

Since every word of God is true

Some day in heaven's crystal light

I, too, shall walk, my soul made white,

And sing of pardon freely given

For He, the Saviour of the world is risen!

                            Grace W. Haight

A thought...

Measure of Success

When sunset falls upon your day

And fades from out the west,

When business cares are put away

And you lie down to rest,

The measure of the day's success

Or failure may be told

In terms of human happiness

And not in terms of gold.

Is there beside some hearth tonight

More joy because you wrought?

Does someone face the bitter fight

With courage you have taught?

Is something added to the store

Of human happiness?

If so, the day that now is o'er

Has been a real success.

___Selected