As many of you know, this was our first Christmas together as a married couple, and it is a Christmas we won't soon forget. Not for the reasons one might think. I sat down early this morning (Sunday) before getting ready for church and wrote a poem to express my thoughts. After reading to Michael, what I had penned, he took pen to paper and wrote the last seven stanzas. We will let the poem speak for itself:
“What did you get for Christmas?”
Some fudge, some socks, a cigar?
Or did you get something really neat
Like a vintage acoustic guitar?
When I return to work this week
That is a question they may ask.
They’ll want to know just what I got
And on what pleasures I did bask.
I’ll have to answer honestly
It’s not about wrapped things.
It’s not about what we get
But what our Savior brings.
Our hearts are filled with joy this year
And nothing can change that fact
No matter what the world might do
To tempt, to entice, to detract.
From all we hold so great and true
In our minds, our souls and our heart.
If all our “things” were taken away
Our joy would not depart.
We did not exchange a THING this year--
No boxed gifts or wrapped guitar.
In fact, a thief, on Christmas Eve
Stole my husband’s car.
He had just spent tons of money
To get it registered and “smogged”
It cost him all his savings ‘cause
The catalytic converted was so clogged.
Once it passed all the tests;
The plates cost even more.
Taking care of all the required things—
Became a costly chore.
But, one we had to take care of
So Michael could use his car.
He’s looking for work in the coming year
And most jobs are pretty far.
So there it was in the parking lot
With a brand new license plate.
We also got liability insurance
Before the expiration date.
We were covered for “Collision”
For that was all we could afford
“Comprehensive” might have allowed us--
To purchase a used Ford.
But, alas, we cannot complain.
You may wonder how we are.
We can still rejoice and thank The Lord
All they got was Michael’s car.
Imagine that, on Christmas Eve
A rainy, cold, dark night.
A thief broke into Michael’s car
And drove it out of sight.
Not only did he get the car,
This was auto theft first class!
His Christmas bonus for his crime?
We had just filled the tank with gas!
I wonder if he did exclaim
As he “drove it out of sight”,
Merry Christmas to myself this year—
It’s been a real good night!
But this is not the end of matters
We trust that God, with fear,
Will draw this thief unto Himself
And help him know true cheer!
He could not touch our joy or song
As God so good and gracious
As chosen to secure for us
All things so efficacious.
That in His pleasure, we be found
To walk the narrow way,
And guardeth every step we take
Till blameless on that day—
When Jesus comes, whose love abounds
In us yet more and more;
With knowledge and discernment
As to Him we shall then soar.
And things that seemed at times
To weigh upon us as a loss;
Will be found, unto His praise
Who gave upon the Cross—
His all that we may apprehend
His love Whom in all things
Worketh for eternal good
As over us He sings.
Delighting in the goodness
And the mercy He has shown
That all through life He carried us—
That through Him, we are known.
"It is (indeed) A Wonderful Life" when you know the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Michael's Honda Accord when it was safe and sound back in North Carolina.
“What did you get for Christmas?”
Some fudge, some socks, a cigar?
Or did you get something really neat
Like a vintage acoustic guitar?
When I return to work this week
That is a question they may ask.
They’ll want to know just what I got
And on what pleasures I did bask.
I’ll have to answer honestly
It’s not about wrapped things.
It’s not about what we get
But what our Savior brings.
Our hearts are filled with joy this year
And nothing can change that fact
No matter what the world might do
To tempt, to entice, to detract.
From all we hold so great and true
In our minds, our souls and our heart.
If all our “things” were taken away
Our joy would not depart.
We did not exchange a THING this year--
No boxed gifts or wrapped guitar.
In fact, a thief, on Christmas Eve
Stole my husband’s car.
He had just spent tons of money
To get it registered and “smogged”
It cost him all his savings ‘cause
The catalytic converted was so clogged.
Once it passed all the tests;
The plates cost even more.
Taking care of all the required things—
Became a costly chore.
But, one we had to take care of
So Michael could use his car.
He’s looking for work in the coming year
And most jobs are pretty far.
So there it was in the parking lot
With a brand new license plate.
We also got liability insurance
Before the expiration date.
We were covered for “Collision”
For that was all we could afford
“Comprehensive” might have allowed us--
To purchase a used Ford.
But, alas, we cannot complain.
You may wonder how we are.
We can still rejoice and thank The Lord
All they got was Michael’s car.
Imagine that, on Christmas Eve
A rainy, cold, dark night.
A thief broke into Michael’s car
And drove it out of sight.
Not only did he get the car,
This was auto theft first class!
His Christmas bonus for his crime?
We had just filled the tank with gas!
I wonder if he did exclaim
As he “drove it out of sight”,
Merry Christmas to myself this year—
It’s been a real good night!
But this is not the end of matters
We trust that God, with fear,
Will draw this thief unto Himself
And help him know true cheer!
He could not touch our joy or song
As God so good and gracious
As chosen to secure for us
All things so efficacious.
That in His pleasure, we be found
To walk the narrow way,
And guardeth every step we take
Till blameless on that day—
When Jesus comes, whose love abounds
In us yet more and more;
With knowledge and discernment
As to Him we shall then soar.
And things that seemed at times
To weigh upon us as a loss;
Will be found, unto His praise
Who gave upon the Cross—
His all that we may apprehend
His love Whom in all things
Worketh for eternal good
As over us He sings.
Delighting in the goodness
And the mercy He has shown
That all through life He carried us—
That through Him, we are known.
"It is (indeed) A Wonderful Life" when you know the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Michael's Honda Accord when it was safe and sound back in North Carolina.
Post Script: On Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at approximately 2:00 pm, we received a call from the California Highway Patrol. They had found Michael's car! It had been abandoned just 2.4 miles from our apartment. We picked it up at the tow company's yard (where we had to pay another couple hundred dollars) and had it back home by 4:00 pm. Praise the Lord! Nothing was damaged; nothing was stolen from inside the car; and it still had nearly a full tank of gas. I had given it up for gone. Now we deal with how to best protect it from being stolen again. I suppose we could sleep in the back seat everynight until we can afford a car alarm (tee hee)--perhaps if we were still 23 years old we might consider that an option--but, we're not, so we won't.
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