Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The Secret to a Happy New Year…

Just about everyone starts off the New Year by making a few, well-thought out New Year’s resolutions. In fact, I would venture to guess that most of us reason that if we will remain true to our vision of a better “you” and will commit ourselves to the fulfillment of our resolutions…we will enjoy a truly HAPPY New Year…..

The sad fact of the matter is that RARELY EVER HAPPENS.

So, in order to insure that you and my other faithful reader enjoy a blissful and extremely HAPPY New Year, I have decided to share my secret with you; although in truth, it really belongs to the apostle Paul. He wrote in Philippians 4:11-12 the following, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and EVERY circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”

And there it is, my friend….in a few simple sentences, the great apostle Paul tells us the secret to happiness….for life, health, wealth and everything else. We need to learn contentment….whether in good times or bad, whether happy or sad, in plenty or want or abundance or need…..LEARN TO BE CONTENT AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY!

Now, I know that sounds almost too simplistic and as you stand there scratching your head, think on this….We learn contentment when we abandon comparison….It is the constant use of comparison that leads to discontentment. If we buy a new car that meets our needs, we have reason to be happy…. until we compare our ride to that of our boss or neighbor or anyone else who has a newer, sleeker model. The bloom of comparison leads to the seeds of discontent and there goes the joy and happiness that was once ours.

Time after time after time, when we compare what others have with what we don’t have, we tear down our foundation to happiness. We need to see what we have as sufficient for our needs…as God’s measured blessing to insure our happiness and to keep us focused on doing His will.

Whenever you trade your contentment for discontentment, you become myopic in your vision for the Lord’s work and in His will for your life. You become so self-centered in looking at what you don’t have that you are rarely thankful for what God has given….this is more than just seeing the glass as half-empty or half-full….it is a greater truth that speaks to the heart of who you are and who you want to be in Jesus Christ.

Contentment is a learned response to the actions of a loving God….you can choose to be happy with little or with much…with great wealth or abject poverty….with exceptional wellness or poor health….the list is inexhaustible ….but the choice is always yours ….and the correct choice will lead to contentment and happiness that is often inexplicable to those who view your life from outside the faith.

So, learn this invaluable lesson that Paul sought to teach each of us….in EVERY SITUATION, in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE….don’t look around to see if others have more or less than you…learn to be content in your situation….then you will be able to live in the fullness of verse 13 in Philippians 4 that says, “I can do all things through Him that gives me strength.”

Choose today to be a person that lives with a flexible cup that is always ready to expand or contract  based on the Lord’s provisions…it is a mindset that will lead to contentment and one step closer to living a life that will honor your Heavenly Father….get started today; and oh, by the way, this is a secret that is okay to share with those you love….I know that’s what I intend to do.

Go On…..Make it a Happy New Year,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

Every year about this time,
The calendar begins to shrink...
And we are left to wonder,
To ponder and to think.

I am happy with what I have
Or am I a discontent...
That squanders all my blessings
Wondering where my money went?

For when I trust in the things I have
I'm left feeling empty and wanting more.
My joy and happiness come and go
Like living life in a revolving door.

But when I give my all to my Master;
My Savior...My Lord...My King!!!!
My heart is overflowing and
My soul will shout and sing...

Hosannas to HIM in the highest
I'm thankful for whatever comes my way.
I'm always blessed beyond measure
And thankful for each new day!

Make this new year your BEST ever...and give your Heavenly
Father the praise and adoration that He is due!

WPQ © Dec 2017











Monday, December 25, 2017

As you celebrate this special day with family and friends....remember the spirit of Christmas lies in your Heart...for

IT'S THE THOUGHT

When I was just a little lad I would travel to the mall;
I'd take along my piggy bank to buy gifts for one and all.
I'd look and search for the perfect gifts to give to Mom and Dad
To let them know how much they meant to me...I'd spend every cent I had.
~
But then one day a problem arose...the gifts had too great a cost!
I feared the worst; tears filled my eyes...my Christmas would be lost.
My Mother took me by the hand; "Now, Son, you mustn't cry,
For it's not the present that you give, but it's the reason why."
~
The reason why; what could she mean? My problem was paramount!
"It's not the gift you give my son; it's the thought that really counts."
"The thought that really counts" can't be place beneath the tree.
Did my Mom not understand what Christmas meant to me?
~
A quiet pause; a smile, a squeeze as she began to explain this thought...
It's not the tinsel nor the wrappings nor the worth of what's been bought.
For we're to give at Christmas as the Father gives to us
Out of love and selfless living without the fuming and the fuss.
~
For God so loved us all that He sent His Son to earth;
Born in a lowly stable bare of a maiden's virgin birth...
A gift so rare and so wondrous to all who receive His Love
We're promised a life abundant and eternity above.
~
So be not worried nor have regrets of the gifts beneath your tree,
For God's greatest gift was given on a hill called Calvary.
Just thank the Father every day with a life that's pure and true
And the Spirit of each Christmas will live inside of you...

So as you make your shopping list and you're settling on each amount
Just give as God has given you, and remember...

"It's the thought that really counts!"

W. Patrick Queen
Christmas 1995








Sunday, December 24, 2017

A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING…

This past Wednesday, December 20th, my wife and I celebrated the 26th birthday of our daughter, Alyson…and as her mother and I took a walk down memory lane, I was reminded of that age-old truth…A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!

I remember that during those long months of expectancy, I took a simple note card and in my rudimentary calligraphy wrote the following and placed it in Alyson’s crib….

COMING SOON…..ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.

As a father, expecting his first (and in my case, only child), I was filled with fear, trepidation and anxious moments as I anticipated this new arrival….would I be a good father? Would I know what to do and how to protect this small child? Would I, could I and should I filled my every thought, for as I have mentioned before….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING!

I’m sure that was true on that first Christmas night, two thousand plus years ago, as Mary and her betrothed husband unloaded the donkey and began to make a birthing bed for Mary. They probably waited in silence, huddled together to stave off  the cold night air as they awaited the miracle of birth. The cattle stirred and the bleating sound of the sheep interrupted their thoughts of what had happened in days past ….and look where they were now…for we all know….

A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING…..ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS THE SON OF GOD!!!!

And now, on this Christmas eve (and 2,000 plus years later) the same is true….A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING….for that was God’s intent all along. Through His prophet Isaiah, God foretold, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

God came to us in a form and in a way that we could understand….He came as a baby and through His birth, His life, His death and His glorious resurrection, HE HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING. No longer does the notion that God is mad at us hold water...that He is hell bent on our destruction because of our sin and disobedience….He has shown His great love for each of us because He sent His son…His only Son to take our place; to pay our debt; to forgive our sins; to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; to make us a new creation; to give us eternal life as a free gift from Him….and it all started with a baby.

It is my hope that you know the Christ-child of Christmas not only as the babe in the manger, but as the Christ on the cross. I pray that the babe of Bethlehem lives in your heart and is the Lord and Savior of your life. I trust that for you this baby, God’s son, is the BABY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR YOU.

If not, why not?

Don’t let another day go by without the acknowledgement that you need a savior. Accept today that the baby born to Mary and Joseph so very long ago is the baby that changes everything …and if you are willing to confess that He is Lord and that His death on the cross paid your sin debt, you will have eternal life… and your forever life, in the presence of the Heavenly Father, starts the moment you invite this baby into your heart.

Trust your heart to the babe, God’s Son, EMMANUEL….GOD IS WITH US!


Be Blessed and Know that He is God,

WPQ

Poem for the Day:

Born that night in a cattle stall,
This one babe to die for all...
God's most precious gift was born
In a manger laid on Christmas morn.

Shepherds and Angels announced His birth
Glory to God...Peace on the Earth.
And with the Wisemen let us bring
Our precious gifts to Christ the King.

In each heart may the Savior reign
Fill the skies and the lowest plains
With our praise and everlasting joy
Because of Mary's baby boy.

W. Patrick Queen @ December 2015


Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Operation….Christmas Andrew!

Tis' the season of Christmas...gloriously  filled with all the sights and sounds of this special holiday with its twinkling lights, candy canes, sleigh bells ringing, children singing ...I am sure that you get the picture; however, the center of this season is and always should be the celebration of the birth of Christ.

For each of us that profess to be a “believer” and call ourselves “little Christ”, we know that the birth of Christ is sacrosanct to our faith for it lays the foundation for us…it shows us that our God loved us enough to make himself one of us and to give his life for us so that we might forever live with Him.

EMMANUEL…GOD WITH US!!! Unfortunately, too many of us, on too many occasions fail to make this holiday a celebration of the birth of Jesus and his arrival among us; rather we toddle along with the world’s view that Christmas is about the money not the manager. We set aside our beliefs to satisfy our desires for pleasure and pride. Our gifts are about us and not about our spirit of giving.

What is the greatest thing you could do to bring about change in the life of someone this Christmas?

You should become a “Christmas Andrew!”

John 1: 35-41 tells us how; “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”  “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.

Did you catch that? Andrew spent the day with Jesus and then he went to get his brother, Peter….WHY? So that he might introduce him to the Savior …The Messiah …God’s fulfilled promise of EMMANUEL.

Today, if you take a look around in your sphere of influence, there is a family member, a close companion at work or a nearby neighbor that for Christmas and all its pleasures and pageantry… they have become fixated on the familiar rather than focused on the Forever! They have become inoculated to the true meaning of Christmas and they need a Christmas Andrew…someone, who in love and gentle encouragement, will remind them that Jesus is the reason that we celebrate this season…or maybe, they don’t know the babe of Bethlehem at all.

It is your choice and you can be the “Andrew” that takes them to meet the Savior. You can share with them the joy that comes from knowing the true and living Messiah….Emmanuel. Then, they too can come to know that Jesus loves them and gave his life to ransom them from their sins.

The true message of each Christmas season is really quite simple….FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE…..WHAT WILL YOU GIVE THIS CHRISTMAS?

Give the greatest gift that anyone can give at Christmas...give YOURSELF... totally surrendered to your Heavenly Father. Be a Christmas Andrew and bring those you love to worship the babe in the manager….

Seeking to Share….Praying to be an Andrew,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

Christmas is a wondrous time
There’s always much to do;
But the greatest gift that you can give
Is to be a Christmas Andrew.

So seek to share the good news;
Tell others of the babe who came...
To heal the broken and discouraged;
The crippled and the lame.

This babe sent down from Heaven
With us as man to dwell...
The blessed Christ child with us,
OUR LORD...EMMANUEL!!!

WPQ © Dec 2017


Monday, December 18, 2017

The Man and the Birds...A Christmas Story
Each year at Christmas, I eagerly search across my radio dial trying to find the story of the Man and the Birds, as told my Paul Harvey. I find that in listening to that story, I am so wonderfully reminded of the love of God for each of us. On many occasions, I have been forced to pull off on the side of the road to listen to the conclusion of the story…it’s so hard to drive when your eyes are water-logged and leaking.
I hope and pray that during this Christmas season, you will have the wonderful opportunity to hear Mr. Harvey’s captivating telling of this timeless story…of Emmanuel, God with us. If not, then please read on and be forever blessed to know that the love of God was expressed…in human form…in a manager in Bethlehem…in a baby named JESUS.
The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey:
The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge; he was a kind decent, mostly good man. He was generous to his family and always upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.
"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another.  Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them… But how?....since any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. As he stood there listening to the bells ….listening to the bells pealing forth the glad tidings of Christmas, he understood …. And he sank to his knees in the snow.
I trust that this Christmas, when you hear those church bells ring or the sounds of carolers lifting their voices in praise to the newborn babe, you too, will understand the message of Christmas….Jesus Christ is born and God is forever with us!
Merry Christmas….Happy Birthday, Jesus!
WPQ
Poem for the day...

On that starry Christmas night
Many centuries ago....
The King of Heaven left His throne
And came to earth below.

Not as a ruler or mighty king
but as a simple child;
Born of God and woman
This babe so meek and mild.

And in lowly cattle stall
In a manger filled with hay
The God of all creation
In a feeding trough did lay.

For one day he'd lay down His life
So our sin debt would be forgiven.
This precious babe of Christmas
Was the greatest gift that was ever given!

WPQ © Dec 2017

Read today's special Christmas blog at
www.thankfulpraiseministries.com

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Our Sunday School lesson today was all about the early Jewish Christians arguing about having their Gentile brothers in Christ undergo the Jewish ritual of circumcision as part of their act of faith...which led to a great deal of discussion both then and now...and that got me to remembering this blog, written many years ago...Be Blessed!


Just Like Me...

I don’t know about you, but I often get the hankering for the world to be a better place; in fact, A PERFECT PLACE. I have given this a considerable amount of thought and have come to the conclusion that this could best be accomplished if everyone was just like me.

Now, I am not always right, but I am seldom wrong. I always have the best intentions, although, things don’t always turn out the way I intended. I am generous to a fault as long as the sacrifice doesn’t hit to close to home….and I have been known to pay others a sincere compliment with no thought of what’s in it for me. That’s about as close to perfect as it gets….RIGHT? I’m sure that by now, you know that all this is tongue-in-cheek….but isn’t it interesting to note that there are those who think, act and live as if this scenario above would make the world a perfect place. There is no hope that this will happen, yet many are living a life of strife and turmoil because they have not come to that conclusion….for those living in despair and hopelessness because the world will NOT conform to your ways, this poem is for you….

A PERFECT PLACE
Oh, how I wish the world to be
A perfect place for you and me.
A world where all is total bliss
‘Cause nothing ever is amiss.
For this to happen, we must all agree
Everyone has to be just like me.

Then I would control what you wear
How you style and cut your hair;
What you eat and what you bake
And how you treat a stomach ache.
All debates would quickly end
And everyone would be my friend.

I’d gladly mandate your movie picks
And give you advice on your politics.
No loud music with boisterous beat,
No double parking on one-way streets.
I’d pick the songs that you could hum 
And even choose your bubble gum.

All this I’d do and all for free
So everyone would be like me.

At church we’d sing my favorite songs
The pastor would preach on my favorite wrongs.
We’d start the service right on time
And I could leave and not spend a dime.
Yes, church would be the perfect dream
 And I get back home to cheer my team.

Yes, all would share my point of view
And nothing would ever seem askew.
There’s not a problem that I can see
If everyone were just like me …..
Just one small thing that dwells within
My ugly faults….God calls them sin.

So what’s a perfect world to do
When I’m a sinner and you are too;
To make this world what is should be
No one should ever be just like me.
A higher standard we must find
If we’re to be pure in heart and mind.

God’s plan is clear for us to know
He sent His Son, His love to show.
If we trust in Jesus, then we’ll see
Our sins were borne at Calvary;
With His perfect life He did atone
And now He reigns on heaven’s throne.

A perfect place one day we’ll see;
He’s coming back for you and me.

How sweet the song on that day we’ll sing
In praise and honor for our King;
Then you and I will know true bliss
Upon our cheek, our Savior’s kiss;
For there in glory, we shall see His face
At last…at home…in His Perfect Place.


W. PATRICK QUEEN

Copyright August 2008

Thursday, December 14, 2017

The Oil of Forgiveness

The Christmas season brings for many, the joy and celebration of spending time with those you love and adore, reveling in the traditions of Christmas past. Unfortunately, looking back to those past Christmases can also bring heartache, pain and the pangs wrought by unforgiveness. Who of us hasn't had a Christmas spat with a family member that leaves us feeling tender and bruised; however, for most of us, we check our egos and extend the hand of love and forgiveness to each injured party and move on with our celebration of this holy season.

Maybe, you find yourself this Christmas season getting ready to avoid someone with whom you have been wronged.  The pain and hurt are still fresh on your mind and embedded in your heart...you have not been able to forgive, much less forget.

The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:32 that we cannot afford to live this way and be in right communion with our Heavenly Father...Paul says, "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ."

After all, the true meaning of Christmas is the starting point of God's plan of salvation by providing Heaven's perfect lamb in the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ...the once and for all sacrifice that would show mankind the Father's immense love and make a way for us to be FORGIVEN and reborn as new creatures in Christ.

So if our great and holy God the Father can forgive us for our sins, shortcomings and mess ups that wound and destroy our relationship with Him; how much more can He expect us to forgive those we encounter that do likewise to us. If we were perfect, then we might expect to sit on our throne and demand better from those that we love...but let's face it...
NO ONE IS PERFECT EXCEPT THE RIGHTEOUS SON OF GOD...BORN IN A MANGER SO THAT HE MIGHT BECOME AS US, ONLY PERFECT! It is that perfection that allows him to wear the mantle of Savior, die for OUR SINS, be raised from the dead, and assume His rightful position, seated FOREVER AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER.

Now, I don't know about you, but as a guy, I HATE rattles, creaks and noisy squeaks. In fact, on more than one occasion, I have pulled my car over and got out or under the car to find out where a rattle or squeak might be originating...and when found, I grab my little squirt can of WD 40 and apply liberally to the squeak...for me, it is the oil of liberation.

The same should be true for our injured relationships with our loved ones and the "squeak" of unforgiveness that keeps us uncomfortable and sometimes down-right mean and vindictive...that's when it is time to pull out the oil can of forgiveness and let it have its way in salving and solving the problem that keeps us at odds with a loved one. Use the oil generously as you ask for forgiveness or offer forgiveness to someone who may have wronged you...the one that apologizes first is saying "I love you and being with you" more than I love being right or pompous in my attitude. The one who forgives first says "I find my strength in holding tightly to the ones I love" more than I want to punish those who have hurt me. The one who forgets first says "My joy is complete when our relationship is as it should be....WHOLE AND WITHOUT BLAME AND OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER IS MY GREATEST TREASURE."

Maybe this Christmas season there is someone you need to forgive so you can begin to forget and move past the hurt...maybe, you're the one that needs to be forgiven...but in any case, someone has to squeeze the oil of forgiveness on the situation or another Christmas may come and go and loving one another as Paul commanded will be lost...an another Christmas memory will be made...

So make memories that count and show the Father's love this Christmas...that will honor the Babe in the straw and give those you love a very Merry Christmas.

Loving the Babe...Making Memories with those I Love,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

Christmas is a wondrous time
Filled with unending joy...
As we each celebrate
Heaven's baby boy.

But our joy can go amiss
When others cause us pain
As we forget what God has done
With eternity our gain

So share His love and tenderness
Forgiving those you love
And in so doing you will share
The Father's boundless love....

Merry Christmas!


WPQ©Dec 2017

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

A Time to Shine

I grew up in Charlotte, near a small mill town lovingly known as Christmas Town, USA. It gained its name due to its Christmas tradition of lighting each home and the entire mill village in thousands and tens of thousands of Christmas lights.

Each Christmas season, over a million viewers would climb in their cars, vans, SUVs’ and church buses and make the drive south on I85 to the McAdenville Exit to make the 2 mile trek though this quiet hamlet. In fact, I have seen times when the cars were backed up in the exit and emergency lanes, bumper to bumper, for over three miles down the interstate…why all this commotion year after year to make a trip to this small town at Christmas?

Everyone was drawn to the LIGHTS….to the sheer magnitude of the beauty of millions of brightly shining lights, adorning each home; the tiny mill and the trees around the small pond and all the other buildings of this small, quaint mill town.

But why did the people of McAdenville go to such trouble each and every Christmas season to do the work, spend the money on decorations and electricity and have the town invaded by millions of outsiders?

I believe they understood the scripture in Matthew 5: 14-16 that reads, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

This is the season for us to shine …to give light and warmth, love and encouragement to all those we encounter …to tell others that the light of the world has come …the Babe of Bethlehem….Jesus.

It is in this season, above all others, that our hearts should be filled with charity for those less fortunate than us. Our pocketbooks and our wallets should naturally fall open as we look for ways to bring “light” to those who are in the midst of “darkness”…the loss of a job; mourning for a dear loved one who has passed away; the onset of unforeseen misfortune or mounting bills; empty tables and empty cupboards…and the list goes on.

You can be that “light” today if you will only open your eyes and then, open your heart and your hand to those who need help. There are many that are hurting in our communities, churches and company cultures that will never say a word or let anyone know the circumstances in which they find themselves…but God knows and He is just waiting for a willing heart and an open hand to meet their needs. Ask God to help you find someone who needs your help and then get ready for action. He will provide …both the need and the means to meet that need.

Today, let your light shine so that He will receive the glory….you can and must be the light of the Savior in the world today…He has no one but you….will you let Him be glorified in you….it’s time to shine for Jesus!

Glorifying the Father ….Shining brightly to light my world,

WPQ

Poem for the Day:

Lord, make my life a guiding light
So that my neighbors might see.
May they be lead to seek your face
Because of what they’ve seen in me.

WPQ     Jan 2003


Thursday, December 7, 2017

The Tradition Continues as we celebrate His birth....


The Perfect Tree

High upon a lonely hill, above the town below
Wintry winds begin to swirl...the snow began to blow.
Trudging through the wintry mix, each step measured like the other;
Walking with my Mom and Dad, my two sisters and my brother.

Off on our yearly conquest to find the perfect tree,
To decorate for Christmas...in one week, it would be
A time of great excitement, of laughter and jubilation;
A special time that fills each heart with joyous celebration.

'Twas there upon that precipice, there stood a tree so small
That everyone overlooked it because it was not tall.
Its branches looked like matchsticks; its tiny, barren limbs
Barely felt the winter's cold that encircled them.

Standing like a sentry, in silence, he would guard;
 There alone to keep his watch upon this vacant yard.
My family, they marched onward; but I...I stopped to see
This tiny wisp of God’s creation…...this sparse, unproven tree.

I pleaded with my Mom and Dad, '"Let's take this little tree!
I know it doesn't look like much, but imagine the possibilities..."
A row of lights, some shiny balls; the tinsel placed just right.
It would command attention on that very special night.

For I'm sure that the shepherds and probably the Wiseman, too
Wondered about a tiny child and what he would someday do;
For He would set God's people free and fill those He met with grace...
And those who gazed on the manger's babe had seen the Father's face.

So, in each Christmas season, remember that the perfect tree
Is the one that became the Cross of Christ….
The one He bore to Calvary.

For the real story of each Christmas Season
Has special meaning for you and me….
As we celebrate God‘s unspeakable gift and remember

The Perfect Tree!



W. Patrick Queen @  Christmas 2011

Monday, December 4, 2017

A reprint of a Former post on SALT & LIGHT...May you each be blessed in this upcoming Christmas season as you celebrate....

Traditions…Our Treasures Shared!!!

It is at this special season that many of us bring out some of our greatest treasures, as well as some of our most treasured traditions…..special ornaments that have been passed down through the family for generations; special holiday cookie or cake recipes that are loaded with all things fattening and lots of love; a time-honored gathering on Christmas morning to read the Christmas story before turning our attention to the mounds of presents under the tree.

Whatever your traditions …whatever your treasures…..they are always amplified in their meaning and symbolisms when they are shared with those you love most….so in the mindset of sharing one of my traditions, I give you a poem written for Christmas in 2011.

For approximately the last 20 years, I have been writing a Christmas poem to share with my family and close friends….some years the message came quickly and with great ease; other years provided a true test of imagination and arduous effort, but nevertheless, God always provided me with a new thought of the Christmas celebration.

The following is my poem for the 2011 Christmas season….As I share this tradition with each of you, I pray that God will richly bless you and your family as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas,
WPQ

The Heartbeat of Heaven

The hallowed halls of Heaven were quiet on that night
When the multitude of angels took off in heavenly flight;
Bound for earthly realms and there in one voice to sing
Their praises to the Christ-child….Heaven’s newborn King.

There was no celebration on that night so long ago
When the heartbeat of Heaven gave up His throne to go;
To save a lost and hopeless world; they hardly noticed then
That God had sent His only Son as ransom for our sin.

The cherubs were not gleeful; they each choked back their tears
For the heartbeat of Heaven would now be gone for years.
For as He took the form of man, the Creator, His Son he gave;
This tiny child from Heaven now sent for all to save.

To live a life of obedience; to answer the Father’s call….
Born that night in Bethlehem in a lowly cattle’s stall.
No trumpet sounds or blaring horns were there to greet His birth
As the heartbeat of Heaven came silently to earth.

For in that manger lay Heaven’s righteous, Holy One
Born to a virgin meek and mild ….God’s gift of His only Son;
A precious gift so freely given….sent from Heaven above;
A gift of God’s great mercy and His never-ending love.

So in this Christmas season, let us each rejoice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, our King;
For the heartbeat of Heaven gave up His royal throne….
He gave his life as a sacrifice so we would never walk alone.


Walking with Jesus today…tomorrow…and forever!!!!!

W. Patrick Queen
 @
December 2011