Come Home for Christmas
For many years, probably dating back to my late twenties, I
have tried each year to write a Christmas poem that embraces the reason for the
season. The poems have been short, long, epic, comical, serious, whimsical but
most of all, celebratory in nature. After all, the Christmas season is about
celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I have written about this
holy season from almost every vantage point…from the donkey that Mary rode upon
to the little angel in charge of the Heavenly Host, announcing to the shepherds
the birth of Jesus….but this year, in light of all that is taking place in our
country and around the world, my vantage point is a little different.
So many of our families have their loved ones spread across
the globe, standing in harm’s way as they defend the sacred values and ideals
that we as Americans hold so dear. It is to these brave, courageous men (and
women) that I would like to dedicate the following poem …it is my prayer that
God will watch over, protect and defend and under His great mercy, provide safe
passage home to many of our military men and women this Christmas season. I ask
that each of us do something measured and on purpose that will signify to our
armed forces the value and dignity we bestow upon them….MAY THE GOD OF AMERICA
PROTECT EACH OF YOU AND ANSWER THE PRAYER OF YOUR HEART ….TO BE HOME FOR
CHRISTMAS WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE,
Amen.
Come Home for Christmas
It seems like many
years ago that you went away
I was just a tiny tot
that loved to run and play
But, Mom says that it
was only about a year ago
When you were called
to go to war…my, but time is slow.
I can’t believe that
its time for Christmas once again
And you’re not here to
celebrate with our family and friends;
To lift me on your
shoulders; to place the star upon the tree;
To bounce me up and
down on a bronco-buckin’ knee.
Today, we climbed into
the attic with all the spiders, bugs and such
And Mom said I was
really brave for helping out so much.
We gathered all the
boxes of lights and Christmas stuff …
And that floppy-eared
old hound dog that you and I named, “Ruff.”
Grandpop carried down
the tree in that dusty old trash bag
And Mom started
cleaning with her trusty dusting rag…
But, I was very quiet
as I fought back all my tears
‘Cause Mom said you’re
not coming home for Christmas this year.
Now, I know that you
told me that I must try hard to be brave
‘Cause there were
other kids just like me you had to go and save;
You had to go and
fight in a war where valiant men would die
You told me to be “a
brave soldier” and do my best not to cry.
Daddy, I’ve been
trying to do just as you ask;
So I could kneel at my
bedside with one simple task.
To pray that Jesus
would keep you out of harm’s way
So He could send you
home to us before Christmas Day.
Yes, I made this
promise that I’m trying to keep;
That’s to pray for you
every night until I fall asleep.
So I’ll obey all the
grownups and do just what they say,
If Jesus will bring
you back to us before Christmas Day.
I promise that I will
be brave and not cry at all
If God will help my
daddy and his men to stand tall;
To fight for all our
freedoms and our American way
And let Daddy come
home and celebrate this Christmas day.
I won’t ask Santa for
anything even though I’ve been great,
If you’ll bring Daddy
home to us not one minute late…
And so, dear God, if
it’s okay to make one more request of you
Could you let all the
other daddies come home for Christmas, too?
W. Patrick Queen
November 2009
Please feel free to share this with others you
know….especially if they have a loved one in the military this Christmas
season…May God Bless each of you as you reach out for Him….
WPQ
No comments:
Post a Comment