A Christmas Prayer

Every year at Christmas
All I can see
Are pictures of the things I want
Around the tree

But this year’s a little different
I’m not thinking of myself
So my prayer for this Christmas
Is for somebody else

So I pray…
Joy To the World
Peace for every boy and girl
Hope when life is hard
Light when everything seems dark

God I know you’re listening
And you can hear
The need of every broken heart
And all their tears

I don’t have a lot to offer
Just this one simple prayer
That this Christmas everyone would know
Somebody cares…

So I pray…
Joy To the World
Peace for every boy and girl
Hope when life is hard
Light when everything seems dark

I pray that every hungry soul
Will be filled and will be warm
That not a single, solitary child
Would suffer harm

And Lord we find their ending
As we take another view
My hope is that this Christmas prayer
Would somehow come true

I pray…
Humanity would rise
And join with me
And together we’ll sing

Joy To the World (To all the world)
Peace (Peace) for every boy and girl (for every boy and girl)
(Talking bout hope) Hope when life is hard (when life is hard)
Light when everything seems dark

I pray that (I pray) every hungry soul
Will be filled and will be warm
(Not a single child) That not a single, solitary child
Would suffer harm

And Lord we find their ending
As we take another view
My hope is that this Christmas prayer
Would somehow come true…

Joy To the World
Peace for every boy and girl

"Joy to the World (A Christmas Prayer)" is the second single from Nicholas Jonas' 2004 debut album Nicholas Jonas. It was released on November 16, 2004.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Waiting for Christmas

The kids are chomping at the bit to open their gifts. It will be their first American Christmas and it didn't take much doing to get caught up in the commercialism. My excuse for getting carried away with gifts was that they started out with so little that they need to catch up ... yeah, right!

Never fond of Christmas shopping crowds, we took early Toy-R-Us and Target ad flyers and had the kids go through and mark the things they thought they might like. Naomi marked everything pink or with babies in both books. Josiah didn't like anything - but still wants everything. I'm sure we'll hear words of disgruntlement on Christmas morning. He ended up with circles around any video game that looked like fighting, as well as some nasty looking guns and such. Sigh. Lists were made and shopping completed in just a couple of trips well before the Thanksgiving rush. Whew! I took it all to work for safe keeping and wrapping out of sight of curious eyes (and hands). Once at home they instantly were on to my color-code and counted gifts just to insure everything was fair. Natch!

Most years I painstakingly decorate my tree with many beautiful, fragile, and meaningful ornaments I have been collecting since my teens. It is always a source of much pride and joy for me at the holidays. I had to work very hard to let go of myself and let the kids decorate the tree. Other than the tendency to put everything directly in front of them so there was a one foot swatch about three feet from the ground that was decorated leaving the rest of the tree bare, they did a good job. With a bit of coaching and moving some of those stacked on a single branch, it didn't turn out half bad. And the pride and joy I feel for my children when I look at this tree far outweighs anything felt for past efforts.

GLORY HALLELUJAH! THE LORD HAS COME!!
Come Christmas morning amid the wrapping and surprise you can bet we will be celebrating and rejoicing the birth of Jesus!!!

A Season of Thanks

Words of thanks from my sweet daughter:

"I'm thankful for my family, my mom, my brother, my dad. I came on a plane with my family to America from Ethiopia. My mom and my dad buy me clothes and presents. When Josiah and I came to America my mom and dad were happy and I am happy too."

And Mom is thrilled that her kids are happy!!! A bigger blessing I could not wish for. It is an utter joy!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving in Montana with the whole family - all of my brothers and sister together is not a common occurrence these days. My sister and sister-in-law pitched in to make a great Thanksgiving meal! Nonetheless, my kids ate only the dark turkey meat and a bit of dinner roll, but could not be talked into white meat, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, sweet potatoes, or any of the traditional holiday fare. Not even the pumpkin pie!

We had an uneventful trip home on Sunday despite early road reports of closures in southern Wyoming. Praise God! I am sure it was He who was responsible as we were all sending up prayers for a safe journey.

My love and prayers for all my friends during this blessed season and always . . .