Born Again Christmas

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=215 BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" background="0440eb82ermwup.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <div> ''HOW GREAT THOU ART''</div> <div>  <embed src="HTMLobj-162/How_Great_Thou_Art_clay.mid" autostart="true" loop="true" width="145" height="70">  </div> <div> <B>SOUND CONTROL</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="POEMS OF HOLIDAY SEASONS"> </A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="POEMS OF HOLIDAY SEASONS"><B>BACK TO HOME</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="guestbook.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="guestbook"><B>VISIT MY GUESTBOOK</B></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;" BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" background="043b85f1ermwup.jpg"> <div> <B>POEMS OF HOLIDAY SEASONS</B></div> <div> <B>( FOOD FOR THOUGHT )</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#330000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I>"BORN  AGAIN  ON  CHRISTMAS"</I></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>Here's a tale told to me by a friend who's born again. </B></div> <div> <B>We sat beneath a church yard tree </B></div> <div> <B>with a cool breeze overhead; </B></div> <div> <B>with one deep sigh he  wiped his eyes, </B></div> <div> <B>then this is what he said: </B></div> <div> <B>" I stood there all despondent, down-trodden with concern; </B></div> <div> <B>because I lost employment..from lay-offs by the Firm. </B></div> <div> <B>Three months had passed and counting, and close to Christmas Day, </B></div> <div> <B>my woes were quickly mounting and my bills I could not pay. </B></div> <div> <B>I thought about my children, Michelle, Darlene and Wes, </B></div> <div> <B>and my wife who had been stricken with cancer of the breast. </B></div> <div> <B>I asked myself this question: "If something does not give, </B></div> <div> <B>is life still worth the living, if it comes too hard to live?" </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>Then came my thoughts of others whom had much wealth abound; </B></div> <div> <B>that they will have no problems when Santa makes his round; </B></div> <div> <B>for there'll be gifts aplenty 'mid cheers and joyful bliss, </B></div> <div> <B>the children and the grown-ups will share in happiness. </B></div> <div> <B>I wallowed in self pity, for I could not afford </B></div> <div> <B>to buy my family Christmas gifts because of being poor;</B></div> <div> <B>or feel the spirit yuletide brings when love and cares prevail; </B></div> <div> <B>only then to give it up because the system failed. </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>And I stood  still and clutching, ( with  tearful, swelling eyes,) </B></div> <div> <B>the cold and icy railing that spanned the bridge's rise. </B></div> <div> <B>Within my "blurry" vision.. spume  the  waters far below, </B></div> <div> <B>while making a  decision if time had come to go, </B></div> <div> <B>when a voice broke through the stillness and this is what it said: </B></div> <div> <B>"There's no such thing as illness if it's only in your head, </B></div> <div> <B>for if you die 'tis certain: 'tis not you who bears the woes, </B></div> <div> <B>but your lovely wife and children to solve what life bestows. </B></div> <div> <B>It's they who'll bear the burdens, they, who'll wear the crown </B></div> <div> <B>They, whom now are praying that you will not let them down." </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>And when that voice astounded, I could not tell from where, </B></div> <div> <B>but the message that was sounded.. came in so loud and clear! </B></div> <div> <B>Was it God's voice conversing? or an inner voice surreal? </B></div> <div> <B>Was it from a passing person whence came the firm appeal? </B></div> <div> <B>But anyway it happened there, I felt a great release,</B></div> <div> <B>as if a giant grizzly bear had swept me to my knees!</B></div> <div> <B>Painful tears that flowed before have turned to tears of joy, </B></div> <div> <B>I was striken by the force of truth that God employs. </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>I slowly rose and almost froze with chills from bone to bone, </B></div> <div> <B>with weaken gait I headed straight to loved ones left at home . </B></div> <div> <B>When I arrived and went inside, I saw the Christmas tree, </B></div> <div> <B>a pine they cut that proved enough and pretty as could be! </B></div> <div> <B>And it was dressed with simple things like little angels there, </B></div> <div> <B>and silver bells that clings and rings and sparkles mid the glare. </B></div> <div> <B>And beneath the tree were gifts for me, </B></div> <div> <B>like clothes my wife had made, and photos of the kids I love, </B></div> <div> <B>whom asked not what I gave. </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>"My family knew what I went through, and more than once they said: </B></div> <div> <B>"Daddy, You indeed are all we need, that nothing else can do; </B></div> <div> <B>Christmas comes but once a year, but we will count that too!" </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>"Back on an icy bridge that night I think it was a "sign", </B></div> <div> <B>through snow and rain a voice came and saved me just in time. </B></div> <div> <B>For from that voice there came rejoice, I laid my burdens down. </B></div> <div> <B>I begged the Lord for mercy and to turn my life around. </B></div> <div> <B>And that's the way this story finds... me blessed in </B></div> <div> <B>Jesus's Name, for back at that Christmas time, </B></div> <div> <B>I was born again!" </B></div> <div> * * * *</div> <div> <B>Story and Verse Written By William E.Hardison (c) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>  <div align="center"> <div style="padding:0px; border:1px solid #999999; width:235px; margin: 0px;background-color:#F2F4FA;"> <form action="http://pub2.bravenet.com/elist/add.php" method="post" style="margin:0px;"> <div style="background-color:#DBE0F5;padding:3px;font:12px arial;color:black;"><b>Join the Mailing List</b></div> <div style="margin:10px; font: 11px arial; color: black; text-align:right;"> <div style="margin-bottom:5px;">Enter your name and email address below:</div> Name: <input type="text" name="ename" size="25" maxlength="60" /><br> Email: <input type="text" name="emailaddress" size="25" maxlength="100" /><br> <input type="radio" name="action" value="join" checked style="border: 0px;"/>Subscribe  <input type="radio" name="action" value="leave" style="border: 0px;" />Unsubscribe  <input type="hidden" name="usernum" style="border: 0px solid black; height: 0px; width: 0px;" value="126720699" /><input type="hidden" name="cpv" style="border: 0px solid black; height: 0px; width: 0px;" value="1" /> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="GO" /></div> <div align="center" style="margin-bottom:5px;"><a title="Free Mailing Lists from Bravenet.com" href="http://www.bravenet.com"><img src="http://assets.bravenet.com/cp/bn-elist.gif" alt="Free Mailing Lists from Bravenet.com" border="0"></a></div></form> </div></div>   </B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="the_four_seasons.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE FOUR SEASONS"><B>NEXT POEM</B></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>