TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Holy Crap, you should have issued a tissue warning, VJ....
Mine is flying tonight. Please say an extra prayer for him. The weather is yucky
out there.
--
Jalynne
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"vj" wrote in message
...
this appears each year. as the mother of a "serviceperson" who will
not be home, i give thanks each day she is safer than many who are
not. The author's request, at the end, is that this be forwarded each
year. regardless of anyone's feelings about the start of hostilities,
our servicepeople themselves deserve support from those at home. -- vj

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN NOT ONLY ON THE
HOLIDAYS BUT EVER OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR AS WELL!

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.
The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is
due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate
these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of
what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and
dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to
plant this small seed.


-----------
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
-----------
It's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;
it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

it's just so hard sometimes....sigh. I really am getting to hate Tuesday nights.
This sounds weird, but it's harder for me when he's gone only one night per week then
if he's gone for several weeks, because it just disrupts the whole routine of
everything. Not that I wish him gone, of course, but this is sure less than ideal.
Don't get me wrong, I'm very very thankful that I have him at home and that he won't
be going overseas. I'm grateful for the ones that do, and even for the ones who stay
at home who work behind the scenes so that the ones overseas can do their job.

Ok, i'm a blithering idiot now...i'll shut up...but i'll be awake all night, most
likely, so feel free to email me, or whatever.
--
Jalynne
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"vj" wrote in message
...
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Jalynne"
:

]Holy Crap, you should have issued a tissue warning, VJ....
]Mine is flying tonight. Please say an extra prayer for him. The weather is yucky
]out there.

absolutely! prayers on the way!
Jamie just went back early this morning. [sniffling]


-----------
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
-----------
It's not what you take, when you leave this world behind you;
it's what you leave behind you when you go. -- Randy Travis

Mine is flying tonight. Please say an extra prayer for him.

On the way, Jalynne!

Carol in SLC
My newest creation (11/28): http://members.aol.com/CarolinSLC/clay.jpg
http://members.aol.com/CarolinSLC/claycu.jpg

Thanks, he's home safe and sound. Looks like between now and the end of Feb, he'll
be flying nearly every Tuesday night....Boy that freaks me out for some reason. I
guess the winter weather....anyway...wanted to thank you for your extra prayers.
You'll know where to find me on Tuesday nights, i guess...lol
--
Jalynne
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"Carol in SLC" wrote in message
...
Mine is flying tonight. Please say an extra prayer for him.

On the way, Jalynne!

Carol in SLC
My newest creation (11/28): http://members.aol.com/CarolinSLC/clay.jpg
http://members.aol.com/CarolinSLC/claycu.jpg