Christmas Soul-searching...

 I HATE how much (on some days) I see myself in this cartoon.

When did it all begin

This season of remembering

The birth of Jesus Christ the King

When did it all begin?

When did it all begin?

This season of profuse shopping

Of gift, giving and receiving

When did it all begin?

When did this love that Jesus brought

Become a sort of seasonal thought

Instead of a lifestyle that He taught?

When did it all begin?

…this eating, drinking, let’s be merry

Deck the halls, gulp eggnog, sherry

Mistletoe and holly-berry

When did it all begin?

When did it all begin?

And why then must it cease?

Should not these things remain

Of hope and joy and peace?

And where does it begin?

Does this season impart

Its celebration

In my house or in my heart?

© Janet Martin

I began reading up on where it all began…and suddenly I saw similarities re-appearing of its pagan roman origin. It’s up to each one of us to do what we can to make Christmas more than a season…yet, I have asked this question too often and I answer it constantly ‘are you ready for Christmas?’ Yesterday someone asked me and a sort of jolt ran through me…what does it really require to be ready? My bags were laden with baking ingredients for a last minute panic-bake. God forbid we enter Christmas without cookies and other goodies right? Wrong? And all those gifts really must be nicely wrapped, right? Wrong?...and all those cards and goodies to deliver MUST be done, right? Wrong? What if I really ‘did Christmas’ all year through...?

Am I ready for Christmas?

Am I? Will I be

Ready to meet Jesus

Bowing humbly, reverently

What have I done to prepare?

Have I swept out a little space

Arranging the Nativity Scene

To give Christmas its pious face?

Have I let lists or Jesus

Dominate my mind?

Am I shining with hope, peace and joy

Or feeling way behind

And unprepared…for what, I ask

For a holiday; a feast?

Or for true rejoicing for the gift

Laid there by lowly beast?

Am I ready for Christmas

Or am I not even able

To give the baby Jesus

Room within the stable

Because my city is full

Of many other things

That it seems somehow

Now this season brings…?

Am I ready for Christmas?

If not, what must yet be done

To be prepared to bow and worship

Its Reason; Jesus Christ God’s Son

© Janet

Mom, are you stressed?, my daughter asked me last night and I answered, Yes! and I hate it...why? My eyes were NOT on this...

The Christmas Porch

The Christmas porch is special

It smiles its greeting bright

In ever-green good wishes

Of wreath-garland delight

Its festive splash reminds us  

That Christmas time is near

Spilling to street and sidewalk

Warm rays of Christmas cheer

Oh, may the Hope it stands for

Re-ignite in us anew

Glowing, not just at Christmas

But each day all year through

© Janet Martin

Last week one night my daughter and I car-pooled, requiring me to walk quite a number of blocks to where she had parked the van…it was so much fun to admire the personal touches smiling good wishes from many porches.

Hath Winter Then a Heart of Tenderness? a Sonnet

 

Hath winter then a heart of tenderness

For landscapes clad in humble brown and gray?

Where farewell and arrival coalesce

…Winter spills forth as autumn slips away

She touches with redemption-tinted garb

The stricken aftermath of summer cheer

Her sugar-coated kisses fill the yard

Where yesterday it suffered autumn’s tear

And where the wanton field lies naked, bare

She covers grass and furrow with the gleam

Of diamonds fit to garnish angel’s hair

Tucking to earth the farmer’s latent dream

Granting a gentle respite to his care

Filling the sky with snowflake-choir requiem

***

Tis right to entertain both joy and grief

This season; the portent of hope or fear

Where we embark anew, beyond the sheaf

Of garnered days that shape the bygone year

Like gathered harvest, this year’s deeds are wrought

Preserved beyond the elements of time

Its echoes tuning pastures of our thought

Where longing and fulfillment toll their chime

And now a gracious sheath of purity

Embellishes the dull and stricken plain

A mother with compassion’s sympathy

Blankets the grim reminders of our pain

Drawing our eyes to present mystery

History sleeps; to linger there is vain

***

Hath winter then a heart of tenderness?

White snow covers a year of scarlet tears

The naked bough reaches for her caress

The heart reaches beyond past hurt and fears

To offerings of hope and happiness

Unblemished; yet again a gift of grace

Ignores our monuments of selfishness

Where we have scarred her perfect virgin face

With sordid sins of foolish fantasies

Time’s vault will not exhume our leaps of woe

But gently leads us from these agonies

Across a threshold unmarred as fresh snow

Granting to us but this; our memories

To keep the good then let the remnant go  

Janet Martin~ 

Winter wanders in
wearing a white bridal gown
earth carries her veil


It seems fitting that the first day of winter brings with it, snow.

One Christmas Wish

If you had asked her a month ago

I dare say she would have had a list

But now she’s down to one big wish

All she wants for Christmas is snow

She’s tried her best to bring it on

Singing ‘let it snow, let it snow’

But the ground remains bare and cold

A few dry leaves garnish the lawn

She’s almost down to one hand, you know

Of finger-counting sleeps

But with unwavering faith of a child she keeps

Dreaming and hoping and praying for snow

© Janet Martin

The Magic of Christmas

When the purple wood-smoke circles

Into five o’clock afternoon

When silver of snowflake spirals

Like sugar from heaven’s spoon

When shouts of happy children

Sparkle in the frosty air

I feel the magic of Christmas

Descend like an evening prayer

When spicy-sweet fills the kitchen

With flavors that pleasure and tease

When buttered sugar-flour creations

Bring back childhood memories

When gingerbread, shortbread, plum-pudding

Flaunt tempting, annual art

I feel the magic of Christmas

Warming the home in my heart

When dear ageless songs of the season

Thrill both the aged and youth

As carolers exalt the Reason

Of glory-child’s Christmas truth

When glitter of ribbons and paper

Covers each table and chair

I feel the magic of Christmas

Cradle the earth in a prayer

When sorrow and joy-blended beauty

Aches in the atmosphere

When we lay aside mundane duty

To revel in this season’s cheer

When all of the hurt that might hinder

We kindly and firmly release

I feel the magic of Christmas

And oh, its sweet magic is peace

I cherish the magic of Christmas

And pray it will never cease

© Janet Martin

Who Is This Babe of Bethlehem?

Son of God

Son of Man

Tender Shepherd

Spotless Lamb

Everlasting

Father, Child

Born to virgin

Mary mild

Prince of Peace

King of kings

Consuming Fire

Offering

On Calvary

Suffering alone

Down to earth

From Heaven’s throne

Jesus Christ

One true God

Sacrifice

Victor and Rod

The beginning

And the end

Holy wrath

And faithful friend

Alpha and Omega

One

Yet Father, Holy Spirit

Son

Who is this Babe

Of Bethlehem?

He is God

He is I AM

Janet~

Touch

It is a wonderful thing

Flesh

Warm

Pulsing

And full

Of what

Living may bring

It is no small gift

Inhale

Exhale

Touch

Kiss

Ripple of moments

As they drift

It is almost too much

Ebb

Flow

Hold

Let go

Yet ever hungry for

More of love’s touch

J~

The Way of Days and Other Such Things

Like honey-suckle of summer

Soon this little day will lie

Beneath the shrouds of winter

And December’s lullaby

Like snow upon the fallow

Melting in the high-noon sun

This day slips to the hollow

Where all life’s moments run

We rise, but to surrender

No one can flee or steal

Time’s portent from the fingers

Of the Potter at the wheel

The orbit of each season

Like all things living must

Relinquish transient reason

Returning dust to dust

Like the wick of a candle

Illuminated by a spark

Before the puff of winter

Snuffs its light and it is dark

© Janet Martin