This Old House
I like an old house.
One within whose walls
Happy children oft have sung
And soldiered through the halls.
Under the eaves a wren has found
A haven for her nest.
And furry rabbits, chased by dogs
Under the porch, a rest.
Up in the attic, though dusty and dark,
The treasures it holds are not few;
A trunk full of heirlooms, a football and games
And a memory wrapped in a shoe.
Through windows now stained with the passage of time,
With lead clasping the prism edged glass,
Sunlight is humbled to simple hues
A rainbow can't surpass.
The newel post extends its arm
Up the stairway and through the hall,
To guide the laborer from his toil,
To rest, strength to recall.
And even the walls seem mellowed with time
Having soaked up a fragrance or two;
Of cinnamon rolls and pungent rye bread
And a rosebud once glistening with dew.
And the lamp on the table, sending its glow
Through the window and out on the lawn,
Seems to welcome a friend to sit by the hearth,
Away from the hustle of town.
In an old house that's lived in, somebodies home,
There's death, and anxiety, hardship in birth;
But you can return from wherever you roam
For peace and for pardon; for love and for mirth
John O. Benson
The early morning chill will find me warming myself with an extra special cup of Christmas coffee. A flip of a switch will burst the room into Christmas flavor. The twinkling lights will seduce me into my chair by the tree. It will be time to settle in for a day filled with wonder.
In a sense, this year is not much unlike that very first Christmas; so much undeserving and so much receiving. I have a wonderful wife who puts up and cares for me. My kids who go so far as to laugh at my wonderful jokes, again. And what about the treasures held captive under the tree waiting to be set free....Though I don't deserve such things, they are there for me to receive and cherish. So many years ago a boy child was offered to me. Again, I surly didn't deserve the gift I was offered, but not unlike the treasures under the twinkling lights, I unwrapped the gift and received the offering.
Where better to spend Christmas but at home. A season surrounded by family and comfort. May this Christmas find you at home for the holidays. If you can't make it, maybe your dreams will take you this Christmas!
May your hope increase.
May your joy be full.
May your peace be secure and
May you relish in the love that surrounds you.
Merry Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment