'Twas The Fight Before Christmas

'Twas The Fight Before Christmas
Author Unknown

'Twas the fight before Christmas when all through the house
Not a good deed was stirring, and Dad was a louse!
Their mother was angry and loaded with care,
'Cause the gift list was longer than ever this year!

The children were nagging for gifts worth a ton,
And Dad was convinced, "Christmas just isn't fun!"
With Mom's loud complaining, and Dad mad at all,
They loaded the car for the trip to the mall!

They stopped first at Sears to buy Grandma a platter,
At Wards Sis tried on jeans that confirmed she was fatter!
They stopped at the ATM for some more cash,
And saw their new neighbors with THEIR Christmas stash!

Hearts sank as they saw what their neighbors could spend,
"We've got to buy more!" Everybody chimed in!
When, what to their shopping red eyes should appear,
But a sign with the answer to their Christmas fear.
"Use credit, use VISA, use MasterCard,
Just run up their limits, it's not very hard!"

More rapid than eagles, the charges, they came
And they whistled and shouted and called them by name.
Now Nordstroms, now K-Mart, now Price Club and Kinneys,
To Broadway, to Target, we'll finish at Penney's!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall,
Their packages piled up; they'd OUT-BOUGHT THEM ALL!!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky,
So flew away hope of a Christmas of joys,
Not a problem was changed by the gifts and the toys.
And then, in a twinkling, Dad knew without doubt,
They needed to know, "What is Christmas about?"

That night in a dream he saw Bethlehem town,
And a babe in a manger with thorns for a crown!
And then what Dad saw brought the tears like a flood,
Christ's back was all tarnished where lashes brought blood.

A rugged old cross was his tortuous rack,
As he shifted it's weight to his now bleeding back.
His eyes, filled with burdens, 'twas nothing there merry,
The thorns had no roses, the night became eerie.
His dry thirsty mouth was drawn thin like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was plucked out cruelly, and slow.

The cross from his back held him high in his shame,
And the soldiers encircled his death with a game.
He had a kind face, in his eyes none saw hate,
And he shook when they laughed at his horrible fate.
He was dying for me, took my sins on himself,
And I wept when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A look in his eye, and the twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know, I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work;
And he took all my sin, and then turned with a jerk.
"It is finished," he said. Death he willingly chose,
Then GLORY TO GOD, from the grave He arose!!!

Dad sprang from his bed, shouting what Christmas gives.
"It's not all the gifts, but that Jesus now LIVES!"
So you'll hear them exclaim, on their next Christmas night,
Happy Christmas to all, WHO WILL KEEP CHRISTMAS RIGHT!!!

Sunday Song of Celebration 29 Nov 09

Can't live a day ~ Avalon


For more inspirational videos visit Oldmanblurts YouTube.

Which Direction Will You Choose?

In thinking about Black Friday and the commercialism of the season, I thought the story below expressed a good thought to ponder.


Paid In Full
Author Unknown

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.

Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he shouted at his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man had become very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father now was getting old, and thought perhaps he should go see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages.

His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had wanted. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

Have a Happy Healthy Holiday Season

I hope everyone had a Fantabulous Thanksgiving. I have been busy but really enjoying this past week with my daughter and family. Today on FOCUS Friday I present a column of mine which was originally published in The Henry County Times on November 25, 2009. I hope it inspires you to consider your health and the decisions you make this holiday season. Whatever the holidays you celebrate, I wish you happy and safe one and a Happy New Year.


Have a Happy Healthy Holiday Season

As the holiday season rolls in earlier and earlier each year with our lives being bombarded with decorations and advertisements from all directions and our friends and family putting numerous demands on our time, it is easy to feel frustrated, stressed and apathetic about our health. In our efforts to achieve a happier and healthier lifestyle it is important for us to plan for our success.

During the holiday season the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds, but this can easily be avoided if we plan our meals correctly and remember the turkey gets stuffed, not us. It is not necessary and unhealthy to stuff our bellies full when we sit down for our Thanksgiving meal. I know it is easy to do but consider making the meal itself healthier. We can easily fill up on healthier foods and limit the amount of high-calorie, high-fat foods we consume.

In order to achieve this we must first make the decision we are going to concentrate on our health. Why wait until New Years Day to begin taking care of ourselves? Most New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside and are forgotten. There are numerous excuses we can make for ourselves but the truth is we are the ones in control. It takes looking into the mirror and deciding we are going to change our habits. If we don’t, we will find ourselves gorging on holiday treats and buffets and then feeling guilty because we made the decision to fail.

Sure the red velvet cake tastes great at the time but is it really worth the guilt and torture you put yourself through 20 minutes later when you feel bloated and are asking yourself why you over indulged? Not in my opinion, however, if we decide to fill up on healthy vegetables and fruits before diving into the stuffing and piling on the gravy, we will feel better about ourselves and can avoid the need to make New Year’s resolutions we have no intention of keeping in the first place. A good plan is to fill half of your plate with veggies, one-quarter with a lean meat and the other quarter with your starch.

There are many other things we can do during this holiday season in order to keep from gaining weight. When going to a party, begin the day with a healthy breakfast rich in fiber and protein and be mindful of your calorie intake throughout the day. We need to realize appetizers are not meals! Nibble on the healthy snacks like nuts, wheat crackers, veggies, and fruits. Stay away from the buffet table and walk around and mingle. Don’t feel you have to say yes to everything someone offers you to eat. Remember, drinks contain calories too, especially if you plan to consume alcohol.

But our weight gain should not be our only concern for our health. There are many stressful situations we will deal with during this holiday season which can leave us feeling achy, irritated, and depressed. One of the easiest things we can do to relieve stress and also help us avoid gaining weight is exercise. This is especially important if you have a lot of traveling to do. In an airplane or a car we can do knee hugs lifting our knees toward our chest, twist our necks rotating them around, and shrug our shoulders up and down to stretch out the kinks of our travel.

To avoid the irritating situations of shopping, gift wrapping, long lines, cooking, and the numerous other events going on in our lives, we must have a plan. Staying on top of all of these events can be achieved through following Santa’s advice by making lists and checking them twice. However, even the most organized person can feel over extended during the holiday season. Things which have helped me overcome the aggravation are taking deep breaths, shopping online or at local merchants to avoid crowds, and going for a leisurely stroll just to unwind and relax. You must make time for you!

Also, loneliness and depression are common feelings among many people during the holiday season. There are a few things you can do to overcome these feelings. You can spend time outside in the sunlight, get up and dance around, have sex, watch a funny movie or exercise to increase those feel-good endorphins. Pick up the phone and call a friend; this may raise your levels of progesterone, a mood-boosting, stress relieving hormone. If you are experiencing extreme depression please seek the advice of a health professional.

Although we are quite busy this season, catering to the soul is necessary. Make the time to take care of yourself. Take time to volunteer and help the less fortunate. This can easily redeem a sense of joy and thanksgiving in all of us. By taking this time to supply another’s needs, one’s heart will feel complete. Take care of yourself this holiday season and have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving.

Gratitude, Abundance, and Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

This video will get you in touch with your feelings of Gratitude and Abundance. Gratitude is a powerful, healing energy. "Gratitude" evolved from a popular poem by Sara Dawn, inspirational author and visionary. Learn more about Sara by visiting http://www.saradawn.com/




Please stop by Oldman's Poetry Corner to read my newest poem, Thanksgiving Reflection.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Happy Thanksgiving

Two Quotes for Tuesday 24 Nov 09

Worship and Thanksgiving


God is spirit,
and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

John 4:24


They sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying,
"For He is good,
for His loving kindness is upon Israel forever."
And all the people shouted with a great shout
when they praised the LORD because
the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Ezra 3:11

Thank You, GOD

Thank You, GOD
by Helen Steiner Rice


Thank You, GOD for everything

I've experienced here on earth--

Thank You for protecting me

from the moment of my birth--


And Thank You for the beauty

around me everywhere,

The gentle rain and glistening dew,

the sunshine and the air,


The joyous gift of "feeling"

the soul's soft, whispering voice

That speaks to me from deep within

and makes my heart rejoice--


Oh, GOD, no words are great enough

to thank You for just living,

And that is why every day

is a day for real THANKSGIVING.

Sunday Song of Celebration 22 Nov 09

Who Am I - Casting Crowns

We Choose the Path to Our Future

Don't Hope... Decide!
Author Unknown


While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about -the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me. Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jetway, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags.

He stopped right next to me to greet his family. First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say, "It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, "Me, too, Dad!"

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son's face in his hands said, "You're already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!" They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father.

The man said, "Hi, baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, "I've saved the best for last!" and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing.

He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. "I love you so much!" They stared at each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be.

I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me.

I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, "Wow! How long have you two been married?" "Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "Well then, how long have you been away?" I asked the man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile."Two whole days!"

Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he'd been gone for at least several weeks - if not months. I know my expression betrayed me, I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!"

The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, "Don't hope, friend... decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, "God bless!" With that, he and his family turned and strode away together.

I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What'cha looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, "My future!"