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2008/12/29
During the first week of December, I received an email from an 18-year-old young woman who asked my help in finding her a poem for her grandmother’s funeral. Kirsty had a close relationship with her grandmother who had died unexpectedly. She didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. Kirsty searched for just the right poem, but was unable to find it. 
I wrote back to Kirsty and told her I would try to help her either by writing a poem or finding one with the thoughts she had included with her email. It is difficult to write such a poem, not knowing the grandmother or granddaughter and their relationship together. In the meantime, my advice to this lovely, young woman was to try to write one from her heart or take a poem and personalize it. Whatever she wrote would be the perfect poem because it was from her.
I combined two poems and added a beginning and ending:
Nana, I didn’t get a chance
To tell you my goodbye.
God took you very suddenly
Sadly, I don’t know why.
I thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.
I thought about you yesterday,
And days before that too.
I think of you in silence,
I often speak your name.
All I have are memories,
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake,
With which I’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping,
I have you in my heart.
{Wings of the Angels
By Tim Chambers}
A gentle wind blew across the land
Reaching out to take a hand
For on the winds the angels came
Calling out a mother’s name.
Left behind, her children’s tears
Loving memories of the years
Of joy and love, a life well spent
And now to God a mother’s sent.
On angel’s wings, a heavenly flight
The journey home, towards the light.
To those who weep, a life is gone,
But in God’s love, ’tis but the dawn.
{end}
Spread your ever deserving wings,
Nana, angel above.
Please look down and watch over me,
Guide with eternal love.
Until we meet at Heaven’s door,
I’ll miss you ever more.
Kirsty chose the poem, “I’m Free” and personalized it for her Nan:
Don’t grieve for Nan, for now she’s free
Nan’s following the path God has laid you see.
She took His hand when she heard him call
Nan turned her back and left it all.
She could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
Nan found that peace at the close of day.
If her parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things Nan too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
Nan wishes you the sunshine of tomorrow.
Her life’s been full, she savoured much
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps Nan’s time seemed all too brief
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God gave Nan wings and let her fly free.
GOD BLESS, KIRSTY XX
The day before the funeral, Kirsty wrote to me:
Just wanted to say thank you again. the funeral is tomorrow. It’s going to be hard but I know I need to be brave for her. This poem is my way to say goodbye.
Kirsty wrote to me after the funeral:
I did it and I’m glad I did. It’s been a very emotional day, but at the same time a good day if that makes sense. Chatted, laughed and cried – considering the situation the day went really well.
My reply to Kirsty was:
I’m so glad you feel that way. It is good. Funerals are a celebration
of life. Today you honored your Nan. I’m sure she is looking down on
you with great pride.
You’re welcome, but you are the one who followed through with what you
felt was important. It is a sign of maturity. If you ever need to reach out
to someone, I’m here.
Nana
Kirsty gave me permission to share this with you in hopes that it may help you. I know this Christmas must have been difficult for her, as it was with the passing of our Mom-Mom this year. For all my visitors searching for just the right poems for the special ones in your lives that are now with you in spirit, my heart is with you this holiday season.
2008/12/25
By Clement Clarke Moore
Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there;
The children were nestled
all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums
danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief,
and I in my cap,
Had just settled down
for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn
there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed
to see what was the matter.
Away to the window
I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters
and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast
of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day
to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes
should appear,
But a miniature sleigh,
and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver,
so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment
it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles
his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted,
and called them by name;
“Now, DASHER! now, DANCER!
now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID!
on, DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch!
to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away!
dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before
the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet
with an obstacle,
mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top
the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys,
and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling,
I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing
of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand,
and was turning around,
Down the chimney
St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur,
from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished
with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys
he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler
just opening his pack.
His eyes — how they twinkled!
his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth
was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin
was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe
he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled
his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face
and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed
like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump,
a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him,
in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye
and a 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 filled all the stockings;
then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger
aside of his nose,
And giving a nod,
up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh,
to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew
like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim,
ere he drove out of sight,
“HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL,
AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
2008/12/20
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Can you name the gifts given on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas in this classic Christmas carol?
- I’ve always enjoyed singing the Twelve Days of Christmas in an attempt to see if I could remember each of the symbols, especially when repeating the previous ones in order for the next day. It always seemed like a fun, nonsensical Christmas carol, whereas the gifts from the recipient’s lover are actually Christian symbols.
Do you know when the Twelve Days of Christmas are?
- I always thought they were the 12 days leading up to December 25. But, no they aren’t the 12 days before Christmas – they are the 12 days following Christmas ending with Epiphany on January 6.
Do you know the meaning behind the symbols?
- My granddaughter, Kaitlin, is at the age where she questions things that aren’t clear to her. She asked me why someone would give a partridge in a pear tree as a Christmas present. I didn’t have an answer. So as any good grandmother would do, I “googled” it. This is the site that I found: Twelve Days of Christmas. The website explains the background and controversy surrounding the symbols and then provides meanings for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
I think it’s too sophisticated for a seven-year-old to understand, but I found the essay interesting. If Kaitlin asks again, I’ll keep it simple at a level she might understand. But in the meantime, we’ll continue to enjoy singing the Twelve Days of Christmas. How much of the song can you sing without missing a line?
The first day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
The second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The third day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The fourth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The fifth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The sixth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The seventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The eighth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The ninth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The tenth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The eleventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
The twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Twelve fiddlers fiddling,
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.
~ Anonymous ~
Three Kings, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, tells of the Three Wisemen who followed the bright night star to find the baby sleeping in a manger…the baby Jesus whose birth we celebrate on the 25th of December.
Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Balthazar;
Three Wise Men out of the East were they,
And they travelled by night and they slept by day,
For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.
The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.
Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys;
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.
And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell,
And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast,
And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people they met at some wayside well.
“Of the child that is born,” said Balthazar,
“Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews.”
And the people answered, “You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!”
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.
And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, “Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king.”
So they rode away; and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped –it stood still of its own free will,
Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.
And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard,
Through the silent street, till their horses turned
And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard;
But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred,
And only a light in the stable burned.
And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child, that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human, but divine.
His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.
They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body’s burying.
And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David’s throne.
Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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