My friend Greg Asimakoupoulos penned the following poem, reminding us about our apparent apathy during the Christmas season. It certainly challenged me.
O Little Town of Where-We-Live
A musical prayer of confession
by Greg Asimakoupoulos - Dec. 21, 2006
Note: These lyrics can be sung to the tune of O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Where-We-Live
you surely know the score.
We give to those who give to us
and overlook the poor.
The homeless and the widows
don't have much Christmas cheer.
How can they when they live without
the basics through the year?
But we who live with all we need
take all of it in stride.
The holidays are good to us.
We rarely are denied.
We bake our Christmas cookies
and gather with our friends.
A concert here, a party there
and then the season ends.
But somehow something's missing
in spite of what we do.
If honest, we're quite empty
and joys it seems are few.
We end each year resolving
to break with old routines
and yet come next December
we're like we've always been.
This Christmas may God give us eyes
to see what makes Him cry.
And hearts to feel the pain he knows
when plans for justice die.
As shepherds left their livestock
we're called to leave our flock
to seek the place where Christ is found
uptown or down the block.
Now THAT gives me something to think about as we start a new year.
ReplyDeleteThis Christmas, in an effort to put the Christ back in Christmas, my family cut way back on the gifts and put the focus on the real reason for the holiday, and you know what? It was the best Christmas yet.
I couldn't believe how far behind I've fallen on reading your site until I stopped by tonight and saw all the new posts! And it never fails- every visit gives me something new to ponder.
Wishing you and the rest of your family a very happy, healthy and blessed New Year!
-Lauren
Dear David. I sure don't know where you find all these good poems that really hit me right in the heart.
ReplyDeleteIt is so true!!!
I think that for some people the saddest time of year is Christmas.
Every year my sister Betty and her husband John open up their home on Christmas Eve. This is a very happy time for some of the lonely ones and a good time for us too as we talk to them and find out how evrything is going.
It DOES seem though that the crowd is dwindling as some of the older folks have passed on and some of the younger folks have MOVED on, but it is a tradition that we never want to break.
In spite of it all though David, I think we should be helping the widows and encouraging the young families with children just not at Christmas but all year long.. It should be happening any chance we have to help and even at times when it is a sacrifice on our part.
The Lord is no man's debtor either. He just multiplies and multiplies His blessings and gives us even more that we can share again!
ONE OF YOUR LAST posts of the year David and what a glorious finish to a successful blogging year!....May the Lord continue to bless you on this blog site and the Barnabas and the others!!....from Terry