It's the day after Christmas...

It's the day after Christmas and what have we done
Have we lengthened our table and included everyone
Or are we still partial and clicky and a little afraid
Of widening our outreach or of sharing our parade

The presents are all opened and the tree is all lit
But the babe in the stable..was He just part of a kit
Have we forgotten His message in the midst of the mix
Or were we more anxious about getting a popularity fix

It's the day after Christmas and what have we done
Have we lengthened our tables and included everyone
Or are we still partial and clicky and a little afraid
Of widening our outreach or of sharing our parade

There's loved ones still waiting for our distant hello
But we all have our reasons for the coldness we show
Our faith and our emotions and our history to this date
Has kept from saying what we know is getting too late.

It's the day after Christmas and what have we done
Have we lengthened our tables and included everyone
Or are we still partial and clicky and a little afraid
Of widening our outreach or of sharing our parade

Would you become like the shepherds or the kings of that day
Who put aside greatness and anything in the way
To be present with Jesus and receive what is ours
To share with the world like the brightest of stars

It's the day after Christmas and what have we done
Have we lengthened our tables and included everyone
Or are we still partial and clicky and a little afraid
Of widening our outreach or of sharing our parade

Go forward from this Christmas like shepherds with joy
Speak healing and kindness like this tiny little Boy
Be ambassadors and gifters be everything that He is
The message of Christmas is none other than this...

It's the day after Christmas and what have we done
Have we lengthened our tables and included everyone
Or are we still partial and clicky and a little afraid
Of widening our outreach or of sharing our parade

Glowing star of Christmas night...

Glowing star of Christmas night
What wonders came from your bright light
Awesome memories a privileged call
You're one big welcome to one and all

That first Christmas many years ago
You directed shepherds and kings to know
A tiny Babe without any might
He is the King of Christmas Light

Glowing star of Christmas night
What wonders came from your bright light
Awesome memories a privileged call
You're one big welcome to one and all

Like that first evening we celebrate
A Baby born ...but on what date
A virgin Mother a Heavenly Dad
Gave birth to One who'll make us glad

Glowing star of Christmas night
What wonders came from your bright light
Awesome memories a privileged call
You're one big welcome to one and all

Though years have passed the love remains
In all who break the earthly chains
That binds our hearts to dreadful hate
O Star of Wonder ..are we too late..

Glowing star of Christmas night
What wonders came from your bright light
Awesome memories a privileged call
You're one big welcome to one and all

Like you we'll choose to love and glow
For all mankind so they may know
That greatness isn't a boast or rage
But a tiny echo from God's Page

Glowing star of Christmas night
What wonders came from your bright light
Awesome memories a privileged call
You're one big welcome to one and all

Do you ..?

Every morning when you arise
Do you gaze upon the Heaven and skies
And consider well: what around you lies
As gifts from God,  who gave you eyes?

Before you rush and run around,
Do you quiet down and calm the sound
And hear what angel spirits have  found
In every moment that does abound??

Inside the rush and whirl  each day
Can you hear the voice of the Spirit say
I'm here around you: along the way
To help you pause and help you pray

When things are hectic as can be
And chaos is all you chance to see
Do you remember within you faithfully
That God is everywhere you can be?

We need the Babe

Tis the season to be jolly
Hang the lights and all the holly
But to make it all so bright
We need the Babe of Christmas Night

The gifts the tinsel and the tree
Delight the hearts of you and me
But beyond the glowing light
We need the Babe of Silent Night

Laughing playing, chitter chatter
Brings us all from where we scatter
Taking time to toast to share
We all still need the Babe of Prayer

So gather all  and celebrate
Unwrap the gifts and have a plate
But don't forget for forget we can
We need the Babe of Bethlehem

Little Baby, quiet One

Little Baby, quiet One
Look on us, and on everyone
We're all so needful: just like then
Please bring us love and peace again

The world is all fighting: and quarreling long
Our friendships and families are no longer strong
We're hating and hurting, and acting so deaf:
Lord we're becoming one toxic breath

Little Baby, quiet One
Look on us, and on everyone
We're all so needful:  just like back then
Please bring us love and peace again

Today and tomorrow and in between
We're all being so petty: so very mean
Jealously rivaling: and never content
Jesus, our Savior: our money's all spent

Little Baby, quiet One
Look on us, and on everyone
We're all so needful: just like then
Please bring us love and peace again

The left and the right and those who note:
They'll never ever cast out a single vote..
Are all of them fighting, and all of them unkind
Babe of our Bethlehem we're needing Your mind

Little Baby, quiet One
Look on us, and on everyone
We're all so needful: just like then
Please bring us love and peace again

If only for once.. we could let it all  go
The quarreling, the fighting..the "I told you so"
If only we could recapture it the beauty again
Please help us dear Jesus to return and begin

Little Baby, quiet One
Look on us, and on everyone
We're all so needful: just like then
Please bring us love and peace again

Let's be His Loving Kindness

We are His hands and His feet, and His Body today
Let's be His Loving Kindness all along life's way
The struggling, the sorrowing; all, so desperately need
The voice of our Savior and a selfless good deed

The other day, while driving, I saw on the street
A beggar with hi sign up "Please, help me to eat"
We kept right on driving but the memory remains
And I hear deep inside me that broken one's pains

We are His hands and His feet, and His Body today
Let's be His Loving Kindness all along life's way
The struggling, the sorrowing; all, so desperately need
The voice of our Savior and a selfless good deed

While waiting in traffic and so tempted to race
The words of some carol brought me into God's grace
I was so worried about the people who were going to slow
While ignoring the virtues that could help me to grow

We are His hands and His feet, and His Body today
Let's be His Loving Kindness all along life's way
The struggling, the sorrowing; all, so desperately need
The voice of our Savior and a selfless good deed

Too quickly we're judging and finding the wrong
Instead of finding Jesus in the ones we come along
The habits we're forming can be good ones or bad
We have only to decide it: which can make us most glad

We are His hands and His feet, and His Body today
Let's be His Loving Kindness all along life's way
The struggling, the sorrowing; all, so desperately need
The voice of our Savior and a selfless good deed

This morning, this evening.. in the night time or day
What path will we walk on ..what word's will we say
Will we echo with our Jesus that our God is all love
If so let us show it so that others can know His touch..

We are His hands and His feet, and His Body today
Let's be His Loving Kindness all along life's way
The struggling, the sorrowing; all, so desperately need
The voice of our Savior and a selfless good deed

Let's make a pact...

A Little Babe on a bed of hay
Transformed the world in a single day
The Mighty God from His heights above
Lowered the Heavens and gave us Love

And we who celebrate it always should
Imitate His love the best we could
Not selfishly or holding back
We should share with all ..let's make this pact

Like Baby Jesus on Christmas morn
We should welcome all without scowl or scorn
We should speak to all and offer love
To everyone as does God above...

And we who celebrate it always should
Imitate His  love the best we could
Not selfishly or holding back
We should share with all ..let's make this pact

The tiny Babe on Christmas Day
Wasn't exempt from knowing our human pain
He cried He laughed and even felt the bed
That would prick His Skin  until it bled

And we who celebrate it always should
Imitate His love the best we could
Not selfishly not holding back
We should share with all ..let's make a pact

The times were hard and so unfair
The Holy Family had so much to bear
But they kept on loving and praising God
So should we do where ever we trod

And we who celebrate it always should
Imitate His love the best we could
Not selfishly not holding back
We should share with all ..let's make a pact

Don't ever forget it..when you all celebrate
Who gave the true meaning to this Christmas day
It's wasn't the stores or the wrapped up gifts
But the Son of God Who had no

And we who celebrate it always should
Imitate His love the best we could
Not selfishly not holding back
We should share with all ..let's make a pact

Put it all aside this Christmas?

Can we, all, not put it all aside this Christmas...
Everything that is making us all so very restless:
All the quabbling confusion and the endless political rants
Can we all just keep Christmas about Christmas this year ..is there even a chance?

Wouldn't it be so very nice if, for once, in the morning
We could turn on the TV and see everyone with such a holiday yearning
That the love of the season would be the first mention that they bring to you and me
Without ever a mention of the backbiting and the fighting that is destroying our democracy?

Can we, all, not put it all aside this Christmas...
Everything that is making us all so very restless:
All the quabbling confusion and the endless political rants
Can we all just keep Christmas about Christmas this year ..is there even a chance?

While watching them lay him to rest ... one of our former presidents
It was obvious to me, how much we have become so fully entranced
With  the political-ness, that is clouding up our every night and day
We couldn't even let the former President Bush lie in state, without the tarnish of our political debates

Can we, all, not put it all aside this Christmas...
Everything that is making us all so very restless:
All the quabbling confusion and the endless political rants
Can we all just keep Christmas about Christmas this year ..is there even a chance?

This Christmas, can we not, all, resolve to  reach out to one another
To those estranged from us and to the homeless ..like they were our sister or brother
Can we not make this,  a new tradition, that we will all commonly share
That the smell of politics hatred or discord will never more clog our holiday air??

Can we, all, not put it all aside this Christmas...
Everything that is making us all so very restless:
All the quabbling confusion and the endless political rants
Can we all just keep Christmas about Christmas this year ..is there even a chance?

Whatever your faith beliefs are or  whatever way you may be leaning
May the love of this holiday time bring to you and yours a very special meaning
So that afterwards, when all of the boxes and papers and the gifts are put away
We can feel like this holiday was a holiday  we want to remember in a very special way

Can we, all, not put it all aside this Christmas...
Everything that is making us all so very restless:
All the quabbling confusion and the endless political rants
Can we all just keep Christmas about Christmas this year ..is there even a chance?

Beautiful blankets of snowy white..

Beautiful blankets of snowy white
Lay out softly before our sight
Chilling..freezing. all so true
All God's goodness shining through

Like the dawn of the newest day
Snow is messaging along the way
Quietly counseling..passing through
Whispering secretly: God loves you

Breathless ..floating ..frosty glaze
We can't help but stand amazed
At such wonders..so much snow
Every snowflake seems to glow...

Count them ..taste them .. let them be
Falling listless; but so  free
From the Heavens..to  us all
Immaculate icies ..Hear them call?

Like Some Wintry Rhyme

Chilly whispers circle round;
Signs of winter can be found..
Weatherman predict a stormy day.
Challenging weather is on its way.

Clouds are greying, hanging low.
Everything around us is seeming slow;
But, the creatures run to hide..
Taking nourishment deep inside

Trees are silent, holding strong.
Leaves have fallen, almost gone
Yet, there's few with golden glow:
Waiting for the next gust to go...

Winds are building, here and there
Crystal icicles, without a fare;
Are making ready, for their ride:
A snowy agenda they keep inside...

All the people, run and run;
In the stores, we see everyone..
Water, blankets, batteries too:
Enough to last a day or two..

Before you know it'll be all gone
The stormy worries, the chilly dawn
For weather changes just  like the time
So I'll write it  down, like some wintry rhyme..

The questions stop

There comes a time when all must be
Silent before the great mystery
Of life of love of things unknown
Acknowledging all is His to own

The questions stop the wondering too
For all is calmed by the  inner truth
Souls enlivened..and touched by grace
Surrender all and give Him space..

Moments ...seconds..all our time
Become a line inside God's rhyme
And we the song that singers sing
Are angel's joy that keeps echoing

So, pausing now.. you should think for real:
What matters most and what is a thrill?
For, both are here and both are loud
But only one can disperse the noisy crowd..

To Heaven's gate and to Heaven's heights
Our hearts should raise our mortal sights
For nothing's worse than having known
A love so pure that we can't ever own

Oh... what is Christmas all about?

Oh what is Christmas all about and what is it ever for?
Is it about any of the gift giving or the long hours spent in the store?
Is it about any of the presents we're getting or the running around here and there
Christmas is about a Little Baby and how His Birth is celebrated everywhere

Oh if this Christmas could be so different 
so unique and so unlike before
We could all be looking for some kind of opportunity 
to welcome the King once more
Like the first Christmas, we  wouldn't find Him, 
amongst the richest or those finely dressed
But instead we might surely find Him 
amongst those ignored by all the rest...

With all of the bows and the glitter the big boxes and all of the toys
It's easy to be caught up in the hysteria and the unmeaningful worldly noise
But apart from all of this gift giving this receiving and this big hoorah
A Baby is stil in the Holiday and He's awaiting the welcome He once saw

Oh if this Christmas could be so different 
so unique and so unlike before
We could all be looking for some kind of opportunity 
to welcome the King once more
Like the first Christmas, we  wouldn't find Him, 
amongst the richest or those finely dressed
But instead we might surely find Him 
amongst those ignored by all the rest...

O would you take time this coming Christmas to break from your normal routine
And seek out the ones, who are forgotten the ones needing some love serene
Would you go out of your way to love them ..to bring them some love.. some smile
Oh then you would surely be grasping it: the message of The Christmas child..

Oh if this Christmas could be so different 
so unique and so unlike before
We could all be looking for some kind of opportunity 
to welcome the King once more
Like the first Christmas, we  wouldn't find Him, 
amongst the richest or those finely dressed
But instead we might surely find Him 
amongst those ignored by all the rest...