I have written an introduction for this site that I will post later, and I am not "officially" starting this new blog until the first week of January, but because it is almost Christmas, I thought I would at least post my one and only Christmas poem.
The format of this site will be a devotional or short story accompanying one of my poems. Therefore, I will start my first post the same way.
Julie's Christmas Carol
In 2010 I was still very much single and living alone. Well, no, not alone, at that time I had five dogs and ten cats. Yes, you read that correctly! I was a veterinary technician at that time and, though I had vowed when I accepted the job in 2007 that I would not obtain any pets from clients, I had already taken home six more cats and one dog that were in great need of rescuing. Yes, I am absolutely a soft-hearted person when it comes to an animal in need!
Most of you will understand when I say my dogs and cats are not mere pets or possessions to me, but they are my family, which was why 2010 proved to be a heartbreaking year. I lost 1 dog and 4 cats in a short span of time. So many losses of those I dearly loved so fast left me barely able to catch my breath and weeping long into the night. I found great comfort in the 3 dogs and 6 cats I still had but missed the precious ones I had bonded with.
As Christmas approached and I found it hard to feel merry or jolly, I cried out to God in my grief. I did not blame Him for the losses as death is an inevitable part of living on this planet. Instead, I allowed His love and comfort to slowly heal the cracks in my heart and though the grief ran its normal course, and I felt sadness for a while, I was still able to remember the sacrifice Jesus made when He came to this world. The awe and beauty of Christmas wrapped me in the love of God, and I wrote this poem to remind myself that grief is temporary, but God's love is eternal.
Julie's Christmas Carol (2010)
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Even if you heart is broken;
When grief has pierced your soul
With pain so deep it can't be spoken
Remember the little town of Bethlehem,
And the stable that held pure light;
The Christ child that came to heal our wounds
Even on the darkest night
Away in a manger
Is not just about a baby in the hay,
Jesus is alive forever,
And washes sin and sorrow away
Do you see what I see?
When all seems lost and day is night,
It is yours to discover...
Miracles still happen when you seek His Light
