A Holiday Message - Christmas 2011

So I was reading a message in our weekly newsletter at the VA. It was written by Erick K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I thought I would give it a try and write a poem about the message he had for us. It goes like this:

A Holiday Message

Christmas 2011

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

It’s Christmas and God’s most joyous day,
Across this great country, the USA.
It brings to mind our soldiers so brave,
For our freedom they worked so hard to save.

Over the years,….one comes to mind,
Poorer soldiers you would never find.
In 1776 on Christmas night,
The American Army was led to join a fight.
Over the Delaware River they did go,
With General Washington, the leader in the ice, wind and snow.

Another Christmas day in 1944,
Our American troops sacrificed once more.
They were cold, without food, supplies or winter clothes,
Fighting with undaunted courage against the foes.
General Patton came in the next day or two
To relieve these soldiers displaying the flag of red, white and blue.

On Christmas Eve, 1950 against all odds,
Our men broke away from Hungnam as they prayed to God.
That they would make it away, safe and sound,
They would not give up, they stood their ground.

For more than two centuries in our country so grand,
American men and women continue to guard our land.
We thank them all, for the sacrifice they make,
For their job never seems to be over,….they do it for our sake.

To all our soldiers young and old,
And to those of you with stories that have been and will be told,
We’ll pray for you and cheer you on,
No matter the weather, no matter the storm.

So please join me in wishing a Happy Holiday Season,
To all the soldiers who are out there for all kinds of reasons.
They protect and defend us and keep us from feeling fear,
To ALL of you please, have a Joyous Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Ball of Many Colors - Christmas Season 2011

A Ball of Many Colors

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

Christmas 2011

It’s a Ball of Many Colors

And so simple in many ways,

But to me it means so very much

And is certainly perfect for display.

It came about one quiet day

After thoughts of what this ball could mean,

To me it represents the Christmas Season

And all the beauty that it brings
.

It sparkles with the lights that hit it

As the surface of it shines so bright,

The glistening of that colorful ball

Reminds us of God’s most Holy night.

Upon the Christmas tree this year

I thought of where the ball should hang,

With thoughts of Jesus as the small babe

And the angels in Heaven who to him sang.

I think of his mother Mary so dear

And what she went through to give him birth,

I took but just a minute or two

To think of what it meant to those on earth.

And as the three wise men came very far

With the star they followed, as it lit the way,

It brought them to God’s most precious gift,

Our Brother who laid there in a manger of hay.

And back to this Ball of Many Colors

It was made for all to see,

To remind us of His love we share

When we hang it on His Christmas Tree.