Christmas
Ready For Christmas?
Ready For Christmas?
“Ready for Christmas,” she said with a sigh,
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high,
Then wearily sat for a moment and read,
Till soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
“Ready for Christmas? What do you mean?
Ready for Christmas when only last week
You wouldn’t acknowledge your friend on the street.
“Ready for Christmas, while holding a grudge?
Perhaps you had better let God be the judge,
Why, how can the Christ-child come and abide
In the heart that is selfish and filled with pride?
“Ready for Christmas when only today
A beggar lad came and you turned him away
Without even a smile to show that you cared?
The little he asked – it could have been spared.
“Ready for Christmas? You’ve worked, it is true,
But just doing the things that you wanted to do.
Ready for Christmas? Your circle’s too small –
Why, you are not ready for Christmas at all!”
She awoke with a start and a cry of despair,
“There’s so little time and I’ve still to prepare.
O Father, forgive me, I see what You mean,
To be ready means more than a house swept clean.”
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree,
It’s the heart swept clean that He wants to see;
A heart that is free from bitterness, sin –
Ready for Christmas – and ready for HIM.
A revised version of the poem by:
Alice Hansche Mortenson
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:34-40
Christmas Without Jesus?
Christmas Without Jesus?
Christmas without Jesus, How can this really be?
And yet for many years it was this way for me.
I hung the lights and wrapped the many, many toys
For all my little ones, my precious girls and boys.
I gave them all that I possessed of worldly gifts and things,
But I did not have the greatest gift that only Jesus brings.
Though I gave them all I had right from the very start,
I could not give them Jesus for He wasn’t in my heart.
Then, Praise the precious Lamb of God, one day He came,
He spoke to my empty heart and called me by my name.
Now I have more to give my children than gifts on earth.
I give them Jesus, God’s Firstborn Son, whose lowly birth
Prepared the way for all mankind to look to Him and see,
Christmas without Jesus, This really cannot be.
Theresa Wood (December 9, 2002)
Christmas In Heaven
Christmas In Heaven
I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below,
with tiny lights like heaven’s stars reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear
for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year
I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,
but the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you the joy their voices bring,
for it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart,
for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I can’t tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place.
Can you just imagine Christmas with our Savior face to face?
I’ll ask Him to lift your spirit as I tell Him of your love,
so then pray for one another as you lift your eyes above.
Please let your hearts be joyful and let your spirit sing,
for I am spending Christmas in heaven and I’m walking with the King.
Copyright 1999
by Wanda Bencke
benckefamily@hotmail.com
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A note from the author:
Lysandra Kay Bencke was my thirteen year old handicapped daughter. On Christmas day 1997, Lysandra had a seizure and was in a coma for five days before she passed away. During those five days I wrote “Christmas in Heaven”.
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