Too often the Real Gift of Christmas is forgotten.
Long ago Love can into this world with so much Light, the world could never forget.
And so it is with each child born into our world, the Light has come.
It is with our gentle loving reminders that we reawaken to Love within each and every One.
How can we remember everyday?
How can we shine our Light so bright that the world never again forgets?
What can we give that our gift is recognized as the remembrance of our essential Goodness and Godness?
Can we forgive quickly and easily our forgetfulness and attachment to the ways of the world?
It is true, there was a gift of Love so bright born into this tiny child.
Yes, there were many who knew and were amazed and celebrated.
Likewise, there were those who were afraid and tried to eliminate this Great Light.
Now it is time, we remember and awaken the sleeping ones to bring this Love forth.
Just a this Christ child was born so many years ago, we still have the opportunity to know.
The Love in us is still there waiting to be born anew.
We can shine the Light of Love on each and everyone.
We can awaken this Love with giving fully to all God’s Sons.
Each one has within us that spark of Love inside,
waiting to be nurtured and not laid aside.
Each child born whether in poverty or wealth,
has Love shining in them offering happiness and health.
Now it the time, to love the child within.
Here is the moment, we each can begin.
Give Love a chance, starting first with yourself.
Then spread love freely to everyone on earth.
Take some time today to stop and pray.
Give Love a chance for all those you judge.
Give Love the power to shine the clouds away.
Give Love by sharing gratitude and joy.
Let us give our gifts of wrapped presents, gifts of service and words of praise.
Let us share our affections and spending special time.
Let us remember the happy memories and blessings through our lives.
Let us open our hearts and our homes to all who would enter in.
We welcome the Christ Light into our lives.
Let us forgive our forgetting and our fear.
Let us open our hearts to love and let our minds clear.
Let us bring the Light and Love of Goodness and Beauty today.
Loving you in every way,
Betty Lue
Sharing prayerful and Loving thoughts for Gentle and Loving Holidays (Holy Days) for you and your loved ones and every One!
The Night Before Christmas
T'was the night before Christmas and all through the earth
Was the light of love shining, a holy new birth.
Forgiveness completed, all judgments aside,
My conscience was clear with no hint of pride.
My worries behind me (I'd put them to bed)
While visions so heavenly danced in my head.
The job and the family, all routine, a snap.
Unaware, I was into a spiritual nap.
When out of the calm, there arose such a clatter.
My life was unsettled. Now what was the matter.
Away from my habits I flew like a flash.
I threw off attachments, and then came the crash.
The feeling was alien, nothing the same.
I couldn't describe it or give it a name.
When what to my wondering eye should appear
But a blaze of white light, and coming so near,
With a little old angel so lively and quick
I knew in a moment, I was going to be sick.
More rapid than eagles his values they came
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
"More honesty, tolerance, gentleness, trust,
Faithful and generous, with patience a must.
To topple defenses and breach the fear wall
Now dash away, smash away, drop away all."
As just as the leaves in a hurricane swirl,
Or a dancer will leap or will jump or will twirl,
So up in the air all the pieces they flew
And I felt when I looked, I'd see everything new.
And then in a twinkling, I felt with a start,
The growing and glowing, expanding my heart.
As I came to my senses and was turning around
I saw in the mirror an image profound.
He was bathed in bright light from his head to his toe
(His clothes were quite common so no one would know)
The weight of the world had just dropped from his back
And he danced like a peddler devoid of his pack.
He moved and he walked with a sense of great ease.
His lack of self-judgment made him easy to please.
The smile of his mouth was the shape of a bow,
It would light up a crowd wherever he'd go.
His relative silence bespoke inner peace
Letting all in his presence experience release.
He had a bright face and a happy, strong laugh
Which touches the heart, cuts resistance in half.
He was loving and kind, a right jolly old elf
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a nod of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work.
He listened within (a somewhat strange quirk).
But touching his hand to the side of my face
We joined, became one, with no distance or space.
I knew in that moment just what my gift was
To love all of my brothers, with no "why" or "because".
And I'm here to exclaim, as I grow in Love's light,
Merry Christmas to all, it will turn out all right.
Adapted by Robert Waldon, 1988