The Inn was full. There was no room.
And yet, of course I might have made
Arrangement. But the evening gloom
Came on --- a man must keep his trade ---
The evening guests were in --- they all had paid.
There was no room. The inn was full ---
And it had been a busy day!
So many vexing questions pull
A landlord's heart. All cannot stay.
The late ones must be turned away.
The inn was full. There was no room.
But certainly I could have done
Something if I had known for whom ---
Ah, that my door should be the one
To shut out Mary and her Son.
B.W. Williams (1709?)
Collected years back
by Marylee Manson Armour
Blogged December 15, 2007
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
A Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson
Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels, the
gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the
wisemen.
Close the door of hate and open the door
of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with
every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing that Christ
brings, and teach us to be merry with clean
hearts.
May Christmas morning make us happy to be
Thy children and the Christmas evening bring us to
our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving
and forgiven, for Christ's sake. Amen.
Collected by
Marylee Manson Armour
that we may share in the song of the angels, the
gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the
wisemen.
Close the door of hate and open the door
of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with
every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing that Christ
brings, and teach us to be merry with clean
hearts.
May Christmas morning make us happy to be
Thy children and the Christmas evening bring us to
our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving
and forgiven, for Christ's sake. Amen.
Collected by
Marylee Manson Armour
Saturday, December 23, 2006
WIND THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES
A NEW SONG FOR MY BROWNIES
Singing was a favorite activity of my Brownies.
Around 1962,a new girl joined our troop.
Her family had lived in Scotland for a time and had just returned.
One day, the mother of our new member visited our troop. She taught us a song I hadn't known.
The poem and song,Wind Through the Olive Trees a traditional carol in this season, comes again and reminds us of the gifts the Creator brings into life: a cooling breeze, and trees, people and creatures,joy, and love!
WIND THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES
Wind through the olive trees
Softly did blow,
Round little Bethlehem,
Long,long,ago.
Sheep on the hillside lay,
Whiter than snow.
Shepherds were watching them,
Long,long, ago.
Then from the happy skies,
Angels bent low,
Singing their songs of joy,
Long,long ago.
For in a manger bed,
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem,
Long long ago.
Traditional
Recalled
December 23,2006
Singing was a favorite activity of my Brownies.
Around 1962,a new girl joined our troop.
Her family had lived in Scotland for a time and had just returned.
One day, the mother of our new member visited our troop. She taught us a song I hadn't known.
The poem and song,Wind Through the Olive Trees a traditional carol in this season, comes again and reminds us of the gifts the Creator brings into life: a cooling breeze, and trees, people and creatures,joy, and love!
WIND THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES
Wind through the olive trees
Softly did blow,
Round little Bethlehem,
Long,long,ago.
Sheep on the hillside lay,
Whiter than snow.
Shepherds were watching them,
Long,long, ago.
Then from the happy skies,
Angels bent low,
Singing their songs of joy,
Long,long ago.
For in a manger bed,
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem,
Long long ago.
Traditional
Recalled
December 23,2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
How Far is it From Darkness to Light?
Scripture: John 8:12
"Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life "
The three Wise Men,without knowing the distance to the Light, began their journey with faith.They rode on camels to follow the star. Shepherds were also drawn to that Light and didn't know how far away it would be. In faith they set forth to walk from the darkness. With God's love guiding and sustaining those earnest seekers, a miracle happened. Distance and darkness proved no barrier. The faithful ones reached the manger in time to find Jesus, who would be, forever, their holy light.
Today there are cars, buses, trains and planes to cover distances. People find street signs helpful as they travel, To follow the spiritual path to God, no transportation is needed. There is no physical distance to cover.
Jesus foretold of a time when people would worship God at hand, in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23) When God's created seek God within thought, they will find the manger, where Christ is born anew, every moment. There the Savior Jesus, the Christ, welcomes all who come and with His light, guides seekers to a wholeness of Life.
Prayer: Wondrous God, you call each of your created to draw near to you. May every person accept your invitation.
maryee manson armour
December 1998
A Writing Activity led by Linda Loomis,
Journalism Faculty, SUNY Oswego.
"Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life "
The three Wise Men,without knowing the distance to the Light, began their journey with faith.They rode on camels to follow the star. Shepherds were also drawn to that Light and didn't know how far away it would be. In faith they set forth to walk from the darkness. With God's love guiding and sustaining those earnest seekers, a miracle happened. Distance and darkness proved no barrier. The faithful ones reached the manger in time to find Jesus, who would be, forever, their holy light.
Today there are cars, buses, trains and planes to cover distances. People find street signs helpful as they travel, To follow the spiritual path to God, no transportation is needed. There is no physical distance to cover.
Jesus foretold of a time when people would worship God at hand, in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23) When God's created seek God within thought, they will find the manger, where Christ is born anew, every moment. There the Savior Jesus, the Christ, welcomes all who come and with His light, guides seekers to a wholeness of Life.
Prayer: Wondrous God, you call each of your created to draw near to you. May every person accept your invitation.
maryee manson armour
December 1998
A Writing Activity led by Linda Loomis,
Journalism Faculty, SUNY Oswego.
Friday, December 15, 2006
A Memory of Love from 1934
Scripture:
And now faith, hope and love abide, these three, and the greatest
of these is love. Ist Corinthians 13:13
*****
When I have asked people if they have any regrets,
the answer has always been "yes."
What we, and others regret, more often, are words that we did not share
with a person, whose life had touched ours, while we had a opportunity. (The person was still with us.)
*****
My Regrets
In a time of poverty, my late Aunt Bonnie Eldred, with a gift of love, gave me and eleven other children, a special Christmas. In later years, I learned of Aunt Bonnie's kindness. I don't think I ever told my Aunt how a special Christmas, in our one-room school, has stayed in my memory.
*****
1934
My Aunt Bonnie, in 1934, was 20 years old. She had earned her first money, by hand-painting Christmas cards. While Aunt Bonnie was thinking about how to spend her money, she overheard her older sister, my Mother, talking in the next room. Mother said to my grandmother, "With everyone so poor, it's going to be a bleak Christmas for our children, and the other children in the one-room school."
The next day, (I learned much later), Aunt Bonnie went to see the teacher. She told her of the money she had earned. She said, "I have an idea. Will you help the children write a note to Santa?" The teacher agreed.
The next day, the teacher helped us write to Santa. We could ask for a doll, a jackknife, a book, or a spinning top.
In not too many days, our parents came to our school to see our Nativity play. We all remembered our parts, and our parents clapped for us.
After the play ended, the teacher closed the bed-sheet curtains. When she re-opened the curtains, there was Santa with a cap and a white beard. (My 12 year-old brother played Santa.) Santa came to each one of us with popcorn, candy and a package. Santa had popcorn and candy for our parents, too.
When we children opened our packages, we found the gifts we wanted. That day was a happy one for us children, but Aunt Bonnie had tears in her eyes. We children wondered why.
Written December, 1998; Shortened, December, 2006
A Writing Activity led by Linda Loomis, Professor of English at SUNY Oswego, New York
And now faith, hope and love abide, these three, and the greatest
of these is love. Ist Corinthians 13:13
*****
When I have asked people if they have any regrets,
the answer has always been "yes."
What we, and others regret, more often, are words that we did not share
with a person, whose life had touched ours, while we had a opportunity. (The person was still with us.)
*****
My Regrets
In a time of poverty, my late Aunt Bonnie Eldred, with a gift of love, gave me and eleven other children, a special Christmas. In later years, I learned of Aunt Bonnie's kindness. I don't think I ever told my Aunt how a special Christmas, in our one-room school, has stayed in my memory.
*****
1934
My Aunt Bonnie, in 1934, was 20 years old. She had earned her first money, by hand-painting Christmas cards. While Aunt Bonnie was thinking about how to spend her money, she overheard her older sister, my Mother, talking in the next room. Mother said to my grandmother, "With everyone so poor, it's going to be a bleak Christmas for our children, and the other children in the one-room school."
The next day, (I learned much later), Aunt Bonnie went to see the teacher. She told her of the money she had earned. She said, "I have an idea. Will you help the children write a note to Santa?" The teacher agreed.
The next day, the teacher helped us write to Santa. We could ask for a doll, a jackknife, a book, or a spinning top.
In not too many days, our parents came to our school to see our Nativity play. We all remembered our parts, and our parents clapped for us.
After the play ended, the teacher closed the bed-sheet curtains. When she re-opened the curtains, there was Santa with a cap and a white beard. (My 12 year-old brother played Santa.) Santa came to each one of us with popcorn, candy and a package. Santa had popcorn and candy for our parents, too.
When we children opened our packages, we found the gifts we wanted. That day was a happy one for us children, but Aunt Bonnie had tears in her eyes. We children wondered why.
Written December, 1998; Shortened, December, 2006
A Writing Activity led by Linda Loomis, Professor of English at SUNY Oswego, New York
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