www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Twas the night before CHRISTmas

Dear Friends,
My aunt sent me this email and i wanted to share it with you. its not meant to offend anyone who enjoys shopping at Christmas time( i confess i am one of those people) but it is to remind us all that Jesus is the reason for the season!

Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the town
Not a sign of Baby Jesus
was anywhere to be found.
The people were all busy
with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking,
and shopping in stores.
No one sang "Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santa
dressed-up in bright red..
Mama watched Martha Stewart,
Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour
the presents they'd wrap.
Then what from the TV
did they suddenly hear?
'Cept an ad.. Which told
of a big sale at Sears.
So away to the mall
they all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...
and others with cash!
And, as they made their way home
from their trip to the mall,
did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.
Their lives were so busy

with their Christmas time things
No time to remember
Christ Jesus, the King.
There were presents to wrap
and cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember
who died for their sake?
To pray to the Savior...
they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time to
"Shop til they dropped!"
On Wal-mart! On K-mart!
On Target! On Penney's!
On Hallmark! On Zales!
A quick lunch at Denny's
From the big stores downtown
to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,
and visit them all!
And up on the roof,
there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lights
up on his brand new stepladder.
He hung lights that would flash.
He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus...
Light of the World.


Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!

Christ's Spirit... how merry!

Christ's love... how enormous!

All our burdens... He'll carry!


So instead of being busy,

overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back in Christmas,
and enjoy some good nights!

-Katie g

__________________________________

Dear Katie g:

That's . . . a real gem!

(Are you somehow related to Kenny G? )

AmdG
(not related)

Dear Katie G,
Glory to Jesus Christ!

This version has been around for a year or two. Perhaps its time to post it again.
May you have a most blessed Christmas.

Deacon El
------------------------
CHRISTMAS EVE: PO RUSSKIJ
Twas the night before Ro�destvo
And all through the house
The Rusnaks all gathered
To eat sauerkraut.
The kolach was nestled
All snug in its dish
While babalky were cooking
And so was some fish.
Women in their babushkas
And men in their caps
Had all settled down
With food in their laps.
When out on the lawn
There arose such a clatter
We all left our meal
To see what was the matter.
Away to the window
Cetka flew like a flash
Screaming, "Lock all the doors
And hide all the cash."
And what to our wondering eyes
should appear
But a pagach-shaped sleigh
And some reindeer.
With a little old Rusnak so lively and quick
We knew in a moment It was Big Juzik.
More rapid than ru�anci
His reindeer all came
As he shouted, "On Stefan,"
And each reindeer's name.
"On Stefan, on Petro
On Janko and Georgij
On Vasil, on Andrej
On Pavel and Dimitrij."
Then out to the smokehouse
The reindeer all flew
With a sleigh full of kolbas
And Big Juzik, too.
Down the smoke vent he came
With a leap and a bound
Dancing a csardas
And twirling around.
He did a short polka
Then went to his work
And gave us pirohi
Then turned with a jerk.
We gave him Kapusta
And Zedo's old clothes
Then we sang "Divnaja Novina,"
And up the smoke vent he rose.
But we heard him exclaim
As we took off our coats.
"Veselyj Svjat to all
And to all dobru noc!"