It's Time to Light the Candles of December

RHYMES AND REASONS
It's Time to Light the Candles of December
Exposing the holiday bandits of envy and greed

by Greg Asimakoupoulos
November 30, 2007

Alas, it's December when darkness prevails.
But also the wonder of Biblical tales.
A miracle oil. A miracle birth.
A miracle visit of One sent to earth.

A season that's marked by tall tapers of wax
that light up our world with the truth they unmask.
This season of Christmas and Hanukah too
means candles for Christians and candles for Jews.
Some grace a menorah and some grace a wreath.
The glow from these candles expose cunning thieves
that lurk in the shadows and hide in the weeds.
One thief's name is Envy. The other is Greed.

These holiday bandits are hungry as sin.
They steal and devour contentment within.
Like vandals they lure us. They're really quite smart.
They pillage and plunder the peace in our hearts.
They kidnap our reason insisting on new
while what we are using is fine and will do.

They hold our minds hostage to where we want more.
More money. More status. More stuff. So much more.
More big screens. More cell phones. More video games.
So much more technology. It is so lame.

These holiday villains just must be exposed.
Their criminal conduct's the cause of our woes.
We're weary. We're listless. We're often depressed.
We're angry. We're in debt. We're way over-stressed.

And all the while famines and earthquakes and war
rob helpless young children of life like before.
No shelter. No supper. No sweet dreams at night.
No hope that injustices will be made right.
No parents. No siblings. No laughter. No time.
No chance for survival beyond eight or nine.

No lie. It's the truth. We are victims you see
of devious Greed and his partner Envy.
They're ruining Christmas and Hanukah too.
But there's a solution. Three things we can do.
The first is to thank God for all that we own.
The second's to care for the needy we've known.
The third is to sponsor poor children abroad.
By sharing with orphans, we're honoring God.

Compassion, World Vision and, yes, World Concern
allow us to reach out to kids who've been burned
by random disasters that leveled their lives
reducing their childhood to hunger and sighs.

It's really amazing. By showing we care,
we'll lock up those bandits that cause our despair.
We'll find renewed freedom from unneeded stuff
and even the courage to shout out "Enough!"

Enough of the shopping. Enough of the crowds.
Enough of more diddlies, for crying out loud.
Enough of just buying for family and friends.
Enough of this nonsense. It's time it all ends.

So as we light candles and ready our homes,
let's welcome the Presence that comes with shalom.
Let's listen for what in our hearts we might hear.
In candlelit silence, we find God. He's here.

______________________________

I hope this month each of you will find

the truth of GOD that lights your path and gives joy to your heart

as you obediently serve Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Merry Christmas from

The Village Smithy and his wonderful family

THE STRANGER CHILD, A LEGEND

In the Spirit of Christmas, we wish you the blessing of knowing how blessed we are and where the blessing originates. This story has been around for over one hundred and thirty years reminding us that God gave Jesus to teach us how we can pass the blessings of giving forward to those around us.

Merry Christmas from The Village Smithy and his wife, Della, and his youngest son, Jeffrey, living in Hollister, CA.

BY COUNT FRANZ POCCI [TRANSLATED]

THERE once lived a laborer who earned his daily bread by cutting wood. His wife and two children, a boy and girl, helped him with his work. The boy's name was Valentine, and the girl's, Marie. They were obedient and pious and the joy and comfort of their poor parents.

One winter evening, this good family gathered about the table to eat their small loaf of bread, while the father read aloud from the Bible. Just as they sat down there came a knock on the window, and a sweet voice called: --

"O let me in! I am a little child, and I have nothing to eat, and no place to sleep in. I am so cold and hungry! Please, good people, let me in!"

Valentine and Marie sprang from the table and ran to open the door, saying: --

"Come in, poor child, we have but very little ourselves, not much more than thou hast, but what we have we will share with thee."

The stranger Child entered, and going to the fire began to warm his cold hands.

The children gave him a portion of their bread, and said: --

"Thou must be very tired; come, lie down in our bed, and we will sleep on the bench here before the fire."

Then answered the stranger Child: "May God in Heaven reward you for your kindness."

They led the little guest to their small room, laid him in their bed, and covered him closely, thinking to themselves: --

"Oh! how much we have to be thankful for! We have our nice warm room and comfortable
bed, while this Child has nothing but the sky for a roof, and the earth for a couch."

When the parents went to their bed, Valentine and Marie lay down on the bench before the fire, and said one to the other: --

"The stranger Child is happy now, because he is so warm! Good-night!"

Then they fell asleep.

They had not slept many hours, when little Marie awoke, and touching her brother lightly, whispered: --

"Valentine, Valentine, wake up! wake up! Listen to the beautiful music at the window."

Valentine rubbed his eyes and listened. He heard the most wonderful singing and the sweet notes of many harps.

"Blessed Child,
Thee we greet,
With sound of harp
And singing sweet.

"Sleep in peace,
Child so bright,
We have watched thee
All the night.

"Blest the home
That holdeth Thee,
Peace, and love,
Its guardians be."

The children listened to the beautiful singing, and it seemed to fill them with unspeakable happiness.

Then creeping to the window they looked out.

They saw a rosy light in the east, and, before the house in the snow, stood a number of little children holding golden harps and lutes in their hands, and dressed in sparkling, silver robes.

Full of wonder at this sight, Valentine and Marie continued to gaze out at the window, when they heard a sound behind them, and turning saw the stranger Child standing near. He was clad in a golden garment, and wore a glistening, golden crown upon his soft hair. Sweetly he spoke to the children: --

"I am the Christ Child, who wanders about the world seeking to bring joy and good things to loving children. Because you have lodged me this night I will leave with you my blessing."
Christ Child
As the Christ Child spoke He stepped from the door, and breaking off a bough from a fir tree that grew near, planted it in the ground, saying: --

"This bough shall grow into a tree, and every year it shall bear Christmas fruit for you."

Having said this He vanished from their sight, together with the silver-clad, singing children -- the angels.

And, as Valentine and Marie looked on in wonder, the fir bough grew, and grew, and grew, into a stately Christmas Tree laden with golden apples, silver nuts, and lovely toys. And after that, every year at Christmas time, the Tree bore the same wonderful fruit.

And you, dear boys and girls, when you gather around your richly decorated trees, think of the two poor children who shared their bread with a stranger child, and be thankful.