A Christmas Carol Explained

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

A Christmas Carol explained

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, >Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

      

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.

Have a blessed Christmas!

By Edgar Guest

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;

He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season's here.

Then he's thinking more of others than

he's thought the months before,

And the laughter of his children is a joy

worth toiling for.

He is less a selfish creature than at any

other time;

When the Christmas spirit rules him, he

comes close to the sublime.

Edgar Guest

Untitled

I am love
I am long suffering
I delay so that all will come to repentance
My kindness never ends
 
To you I am easily forgotten
You look to Me only when I am needed
To you I am a person of convenience

Since I will not force you to love Me
I do not push myself upon you
Consequently, here I wait 


 
 

Warm Glow of Christmas

Multi-colored lights

Sounds of jingle bells

It is the warm glow of Christmas

Holly and mistletoe

Wreaths with big red bows

I never want to miss this

Laughter fills the air

Smiles are everywhere

It is the warm glow of Christmas

Let’s go get the tree

The biggest there can be

I never want to miss this

A stable old and worn

Was where God was born

It is the warm glow of Christmas

Shepherds come to see

All on bended knee

They didn’t want to miss this

I see the point is clear

Jesus came down here

He is the reason for Christmas

He died for you and me

He died at Calvary

we should never miss this    


Copyright 2014 Duane Windell Phillips

Harder To Believe Than Not To

Nothing is colder than the winds of change
Where the chill numbs the dreamer till a shadow remains
Among the ruins lies your tortured soul
Was it lost there
Or did your will surrender control?

Shivering with doubts that were left unattended
So you toss away the cloak that you should have mended
Don't you know by now why the chosen are few?
It's harder to believe than not to
Harder to believe than not to

It was a confidence that got you by
When you know you believed it, but you didn't know why
No one imagines it will come to this
But it gets so hard when people don't want to listen

Shivering with doubts that you left unattended
So you toss away the cloak that you should have mended
Don't you know by now why the chosen are few?
It's harder to believe than not to

Some stay paralyzed until they succumb
Others do what they feel, but their senses are numb
Some get trampled by the pious throng
Still they limp along

Are you sturdy enough to move to the front?
Is it nods of approval or the truth that you want?
And if they call it a crutch, then you walk with pride
Your accusers have always been afraid to go outside

They shiver with doubts that were left unattended
Then they toss away the cloak that they should have mended
You know by now why the chosen are few
It's harder to believe than not to

I believe

Steve Taylor

Christmas Magic

Like most kids, Christmas was a magical day for me.  Then again, who wouldn’t like a time when you get presents?  I have one Christmas memory that stands out from all others.

In the house where I grew up, there is a basement directly under the living room.  We always set up the Christmas tree in the living room.  One year, my older brother and sister, and I decided to sleep in the basement on Christmas Eve.  It is pitch black when the lights off down there.  At some point during the night my siblings woke me from a deep sleep to say someone was upstairs.  Sure enough, I could hear someone walking around.  Somehow, the darkness seemed to heighten my sense of hearing.  I had left Santa some milk and cookies.  Then I heard the distinctive “click” noises of the cookie jar being opened and closed.  I said incredulously, “Santa’s getting into the cookie jar!”  I was thinking, “What a pig!  He wants more cookies!?!?”  We whispered excitedly to each other and after just a few more minutes, there was silence up above us.

We slowly crept upstairs.  The lights were still lit on the tree and they cast a beautiful glow in the living room.  Lo and behold there were presents waiting for us.  I was completely amazed at how Santa could do it all so quickly.  The Christmas magic was solidified in my soul that day and has stayed with me for many years. 

Awake

I’ve been living my life half asleep

And not realizing all that I keep

Just being holds so much promise

This darkness claws to hold me in

Keep me back, not let me win

A heart opened wishes not to close

Something has opened the skies

I work to rub sleep from my eyes

To live life to the fullest

The lies I want to put behind

And treasure the gold I now find

Not live my life unaware