Nobody was there, except for our dogs and a dead mouse
The peoples all gone, to my grandparents home
In hopes that it would be a good place to roam
The children were coming, all cluttered in their cars
While visions of presents to get swirled in their heads.
While Rebecca in her good dress, and I in my best shirt from a afar.
Had just arrived at the grandparents, them wed.
When out in the sky the sky bloomed free and blue
I looked outside too.
Away to the door I ran like a flash
As I heard cars coming up, as fast as a rash.
The sun on the breast of the fresh grown plants
Gave the looking of photosynthesis to people who rant.
When what to my wondering eyes should I see
But four big wheels, and kids getting out, of an SUV.
With a strong black haired driver, so nice and kindly
I knew in a moment it must be Uncle Andy.
More rapid than reindeer his children they came.
And I said hi to them, and shouted, and knew them by name!
There was Will, and May too, and Libby the oldest.
and when the Greg clan came there was the rest:
Brian, Barrett, and Rachel too!
Now dash away, dash away, dash away to school!
As grown ups came before that mass swirl of kids
When they couldn't get in, they got rid.
So into the living room the children all came
With their hands full of presents for Pop on his b-day.
And then in a short moment, I heard in the kitchen
The steaming and making of each little food.
As I looked in there sneakily, and was going to go walk.
From his room my granddad came, his name is Pop!
He was dressed all in khaki and wool, from his head to his foot.
And his clothes were all tarnished with slogans and he had in his pockets loot.
A book in his hand he had got from his room
And he wanted to read it, just do it when there's a moon
His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses! his nose like a cherry!
His deep clear voice was doing a wonderful flow.
And the top of his hair was as white as the snow
The part of a chocolate he held chewing in his mouth
And the sound it encircled is really was owww.
He had a round face and a very tall figure
That looked down on me, a perfect lure.
He was handsome and tall,
a right wonderful man
And I talked to him when I saw him, as long as the land.
Some talk of his voice, and a story to tell,
soon gave me to know it was as sweet as sleep in a bed.
He spoke so many words, then gave me a moral,
And made some of the food, then turned away like he was royal
And laying a hand aside of the remote
to the channels he went, as I wrote!
He laid back in his chair, to his cider gave a drink,
And so he closed his eyes as quickly as opening a link.
But I heard him say, before he went to sleep as he might.
"Merry Christmas you, and you have a good night!"
Ok, so I wanted to tell about us getting to the grandparent's house in a poem, but it was harder and longer than I thought. Some parts might not of made sense, so I'm sorry if you're in the dark. But anyway, we arrived at the house, where the Greg clan, and the Andy Clan, also the Mom clan (us) were all there. Ma Poc and Pop (the guy who said the Merry Christmas) had made some of the food, but other people helped. Right, about him going to sleep and eating chocolate, he may have done that, but I only said that to make stuff rhyme and make sense. I just wanted to say it in the famous "Twas the night Before Christmas" poem way, and I did, more or less. It was kind of fun. Anyway, so now I will tell you more. A lot of people took pictures by the tree, making memories. The younger kids including Barrett, who is 18 and has red hair and is tall and deep voiced, all went outside and placed soccer. I was the goalie, and I blocked some shots as well as took one, Rebecca, May and Barrett being on a team. Libby and Will were on mine, and helped out a lot, but Barrett got between my legs. I got dirty on my kakai pants at one point, doing a bad thing since my mom warned me not too. Oh well. We continued playing in the hot sunny atmosphere. I was so excited that tomorrow was Christmas Day, and was enjoying the time. Surely, tomorrow, it would be a sunny day, Christmas, would be sunny also. Surely so. What else would it be?
I went inside and talked to Rachel, Greg's daughter, who I hadn't seen since we left. She has black hair and is in her 20's, I believe. I talked to her about the trip around the world she went on, and what she's majoring in, cultural studies and global policies. It was interesting. She didn't know what country she was focusing on, but she thought she would do the middle east countries. She's so nice and good to talk to. I also talked to Barret about rock climbing, his hobby, and talked to Brian, a tall brown haired guy who is the son of Uncle Greg and Aunt Beth, about him doing business as a major in college. I saw Aunt Beth, who is a small thin lady with short hair, and I gave her that missing trinket from the day when we went to Lunch with Uncle Greg, when Nora, a lady at a store, forgot to give it to us. She liked the thing, it saying "Wishing you Joy" and being a gold rectangle with a bracelet thing that makes it hang. I talked to her also about books, and middle school, and a little bit about the trip and how it's been. Later I asked Pop about how it was to be in the air force, and he told me about boot camp and flying a plane once, that he had glasses so he had to do personnel stuff instead of flying. In his office in a little box he presented to me his dog tags, and they were silver and plain with smooth metal and parts where they were chipped off, two of them. He also showed me little button awards and gold plates, that were a specific rank and title. He told me he had two because if you get killed they leave one with you to identify with, and they take one because they want to remember who you are and your rank. Well, I'm glad he never had to use his two dog tags for that. Really glad.
It was cool to see them though. Still later, after going to the restroom, I saw Dad and MaPoc talking in her office. I joined in, and learned that she had in her hand a little green book with the title on it The Conflict of the Ages. She talked about how her great grandfather Christian Longstretch Poorman was a printer, scholar, and many other things, and that the book was written in 1907, the one she held in her hands. It was crazy to fathom it had survived that long. The book was about the great conflict between God and Money, and all through history it was examined. The cool thing was everything he said still applies for today, that, it was still relevant. Even though more than a hundred years ago, the book still applied for today. I think that's pretty cool. I wanted to look at that very interesting book, and I did, in another part to the story.... Anyway, I played outside some more, laughing with the Andy clan and deflecting shots, but trying not to get dirty. "HEY, WE'RE DOING THE BLESSING! COME ON IN!" someone shouted. I forget who it was. We all went inside, tired and thirsty, also hungry. Every person there crowded around the dining room table as Pop said a prayer, talking of the food, us being grateful for everything in the year, and that we were home for Christmas, and that we were all together ready to celebrate Jesus's birth and glorify him. We also prayed that the Jeff clan would be alright, as they were in Texas for Christmas. I was sad they weren't there but glad they were having fun. I looked around the table, seeing Pop, MaPoc, Greg, Aunt Beth, Brian, Rachel, Barret, Uncle Andy, Aunt Lia, Libby, May, Will, Mom, Dad, Rebecca, and then I looked at myself. It was cool to see most everybody together and to have that good time with my family. I will cherish it for time to come.
We were served food! In the little kitchen I got an interesting orange thing that tasted good and some lasagna. For some odd reason, I keep having that food at places. There was also salad and hot cider. I sat at the table where most of the old guys sat, the guy adults. Their conversations were not interesting to a kid. I tried to move where all of the younger people sat, in the living room talking of cool things, but Dad stayed me and said I should sit here, that I would have a better meal on a flat surface like a table, not in my lap. Reluctantly I stayed 'til I finished. But then, sadly, I got a headache. I tried to stay still and sat down on the couch by Aunt Beth as my fellow kids kept asking if I could go outside. I was unstable to do so. I had an Advil though and felt better. At that time everyone had finished eating and we all got seats as Pop opened his presents, as his birthday is on December 24th, Christmas Eve. That can be a good and bad thing. Anyway, he got mostly shirts and jackets and things from the Andy and Greg clan. They were cool. What did our clan get him? Well, we had gotten him an iPad and had already put all his contacts and account settings in, and gave it to him earlier in the day. We showed him some of the nooks and crannies of the device. We didn't want to show it to him then because it would be so late in the visit and... well it was just better to do it now. He liked all his presents.
Okay, I must admit something. I have said things in the wrong order. You know how I talked about seeing the dog tags and Poorman book? That was before everyone arrived, when we were there with them at 10 and 11. I forgot. How about talking to Aunt Beth? That was when I had a headache. I'm sorry. I forgot.
Rebecca spoke her bible verse she was to do later at the church service, Luke 2:8-16, the shepherd verse. It was very clear, slow, and good. Her diction was profound. After that each of the kids (Barret, Rachel, Brian included) were given a little brown box with a see through green and red bow, that had a silver circle inscription below it. With difficulty I opened it, and everybody opened it and had seen their presents before I did. Pop helped me to open it, and then I took off the bow and opened the box. Inside was a decorated in green and red printed letter, with my name at the top. MaPoc wrote it, and it was about how the year was full of trials and tragedy and many different things, explaining that the book was written by C. L. Poorman, and that she scanned it on to a DVD. It goes into a computer, and you can read the original pages like that or print it out. It was really cool, me wanting to read it. I was really excited to read it. It was in a CD case, and had green background and gold words, and many swirls. Also in there was rolled up money, forty dollars. I thanked my kind grandparents a lot, a lot. That was very nice of them.Will and Pop read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" together, switching off. Will did a great job all in all. Such a cute little guy. After that we had dessert from a big brown tall chocolate cake, and people left except us.We wished them Merry Christmas. I read a little kids book called "The Littlest Shepherd" about a little shepherd who witnesses the birth of Jesus. Also one we got at Nashville, combing Santa and Jesus into a story. I read the bible and we left to go to home and then to church, where we would listen to a service, in which Rebecca was a part in. We left their house, going to see them tomorrow. We left at 3:45.
Well, we drove home and went to the restroom and got water and such; Dad stayed in the car and took a nap in the front seat. Rebecca got ready for her speaking part that was going to happen. We then drove to our church. It had take us a long time, as it was 4:45 when we got home and 5:00 when we left. We got there at 5:15, 15 minutes early. Dad and I dropped Rebecca and Mom off and they ran up the steps to the sanctuary. We parked the car and looked around to find a parking spot. It was so crowded, the church being big and it being Christmas Eve. Then Dad finished his drink and we went inside. It was very very crowded in the lobby as Dad went to the restroom and I looked at the paintings of the apostles they have there. Then we went into the sanctuary, seeing the countless people sitting and talking. Thousands of people all right there in that place, all conversing and having different conversations, all the moving heads, all the minds in the very room, in the pews, on the stage, in the balcony, outside in the lobby, all coming together to celebrate Christ's birth and praise his name! It was a great and wondrous sight to put eyes upon. I couldn't believe it. With Dad we saw Mom waving to us in the middle of the pew, and we passed a lady with blonde hair who Mom talked to later in the night. I sat between my two parents as Mom told me Rebecca sat in another place, by her fellow speakers. Then I read a little of my Bible I brought until the prelude started, soft and steady organ music. The service... had begun.
They went through the whole Christmas story, with the verses spoken from various books, Matthew, Luke, John included. They paused for lighting the advent candle, Dr. Mike Long talking about the preachers in Kenya who need money to get their textbooks, and good songs like "Joy to the World" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". It went from the decree sent out, to Gabriel visiting Mary, to them going to Bethlehem and settling down in the manger. Next Rebecca came up to the mike, and Pastor Long adjusted it to her size. She did the verse just as good as at Pop and MaPoc's house, and I'm very proud of her. Next a girl named Jessica did the wise men part, and an old lady named Cookie did the end. She's one of the best speakers I know. She took me under her wing when I did the verse one year, and so it was cool to see her again. There was "Silent Night" and "Oh little town of Bethlehem" that was played. It ended with the song, "Go tell on the Mountain". But that wasn't the real end. Then ushers lit the lights of the choir, and everyone on stage got their candles lit too. Then they went down the rows, continually lighting it. The last year, I had held it and then got burned, dropping it into another person's pew. They were alarmed but a nice black haired guy smiled and handed it back. The year before I also burned myself, but didn't make that much of a scene. This year as the lights of the room dimmed and the lights from the candles were being lit, I wanted to not burn myself this year. Would I be just as unsuccessful, or would I prevail? I was about to find out.
Mom gave me the light, balancing it into mine, the fire burning as it hit the speck. It was surrounded by a circular plastic, so I thought I was pretty safe. I held it with both hands as we did a good, everlasting prayer about keeping the light alive even in the darkness of life, of remembering this moment, that "light" as Dr./Paster Long said, "God's light, will prevail over all darkness." "Now, before you throw these candles away, just look at this image for a second, and remember this whenever you are in need or don't know where to look, because God is your place of refuge." I looked around, at the millions(it seemed) of lights in the room, the small dots of yellow in one large group, all of the people just silent, cherishing the moment. It was really great to go to church on Christmas Eve, to be with my family and to be able to celebrate the birth of our Lord with all of our church family. I loved that moment of the day the most, I think. Not getting presents the following day, or doing fun things on our break from traveling would equal that moment. It was special, serene, and everlasting. But simple, yet steadfast and strong. That moment, was I think the best part of the day. Long did a great sermon on that note. It wasn't just talking about celebrating that very special birth, it was something else too. Overcoming darkness with Jesus's light. That light, is faith. The Christian Faith.
Well, the lights came back on as we blew out the candles, and Rebecca came to our pew. I congratulated her at her awesome job. She really did great. I am also glad I didn't get burned this year. Sad, too, it would've made for a good story. Oh well. We deposited the candles, went down the stairs of the lobby and got outside. Well, Mom, Dad and Rebecca did. I talked to my old babysitters, Laura and Stephanie. They are both brown haired, young adults. They're nice. I said hello to them before I went to the restroom, and then when done I went outside. We talked with the two sitters for a while in the moonlight before going home. I said a silent prayer in the car when everyone else had gone in. Then, I went inside. Mom made food for the following day with Rebecca as I watched It's a Wonderful Life with Dad. Such a wonderful (see what I did there?) movie. I'm sure you know the plot. Everyone does. Anyway, we watched all but the end, it ending at 10:00. I left Dad's office at 9:26, as asleep and and my head hurting as an epidemic victim. Dad tucked me in as I drifted off to sleep. I was excited for the following day, Christmas Day, the best of all days. It was to be fun, a good time with family, and a relaxing time. But, that's another blog, isn't it? Goodbye for now.
Go tell it on the blog post! Over the websites and everywhere! Go tell it on the blog post, that Jesus Christ is born!,
Andrew.
No comments:
Post a Comment