A Christmas Poem

Christmas Memories

The Christmas tree is sparkling.
The halls, with holly, decked.
The packages of red and green,
beneath the tree are stacked.

The pitter pitter patter..
of tiny slippered feet
go running through the kitchen,
to find a Christmas treat.

The frosty snow covered windows,
show a pair of sparkling eyes,
of a tiny tot who thinks a lot,
of Santa and pumpkin pie.

But as the child goes off to bed,
we here him softly pray,
"Thank you Baby Jesus!..
for being born today!"

by Donna Rodgers (at age 12)

I wanted to share this poem with you while I have a few minutes to type.  I'm sitting on the bed in Denton...several hours from home this morning, getting ready to go spend another day in hospital with my dad.  He has cancer and took a turn for worse only a few days ago.  He didn't sound right on the phone, so I started packing..quick.  His sweet fiance (of 20 years) had been worried all week that he was not handling the chemo very well any more and I had already planned to come stay the day after Christmas.

Thank goodness, once I got here, we got him checked into the hospital, and he was mostly suffering from dehydration from too much vomiting and diarrhea along with confusion from too much pain medication. Things just sort of snowballed into what could have been a life threatening situation.

I don't know quite where we are going from here.  For now, my dear hubby is caring for the kids, my daughter is preparing for Christmas dinner, and I'm staying with my mom, about an hour from the hospital.

I will get to drive home to Houston this Christmas Eve and be there for the great Christmas gift 'reveal' and it looks like the weather will allow it..the snow didn't quite make it along the I45 corridor.  What a gift from God for me!  I will drive straight back to Denton after the dinner.  Then Nancy will go home to spend Christmas day evening and the next couple of days with her family. Perhaps we will get dad home to his house by then. The Lord knows for sure.

I have thought about several posts to do, but for now..I'm just sitting across from my dad in the hospital room eating cookies some angel provided the families of cancer patients who can't be home for the holidays. I called his priest, Father Morris, and he came and prayed for my dad yesterday and it just made his day. He will also come serve himand Nancy a Christmas Eve communion. That just blessed me to no end!  And another family member who lives nearby, his cousin, will also come to see him today.  A sister is working to get here for a week after the holidays so she can help too.

The halls of the oncology floor are ringing with Christmas carols being sung by the staff.  I opened the door so daddy could listen...and thank goodness, he couldn't see me crying.  It was so sweet...but sad too.  It wasn't where we planned to be for the holidays...but we are celebrating because of the giving hearts of so many...

Merry Christmas and the Lord be with you however and where ever you may be celebrating today.

Love,
Donna