A Christmas Thought

[Nookie Monster]

'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 A Far Distant Land.

With Medals And Badges,
Awards Of All Kinds,
A Hard Sober Thought
Crept Into My Mind.

For This House Was Different,
So Dark And So Dreary,
It Was The Home Of A Soldier
Once I Could See It More 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 Would See 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 Thought Of It All
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 Could Not Control It,
I Continued To Weep.

I Kept Watch For Hours,
So Silent And Still
And We Both Sometimes Shivered
From The Cold Winters 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."

I was e-mailed this poem that was supposedly written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

Christmas will be coming soon and it is the time to not only reflect upon and celebrate the ultimate sacrifice by our Savior but to also give thanks to our U.S. Service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
Let's try and spend a few moments this holiday season to stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us, and remember the thousands that are stationed all across the world, away from their families, under constant hostile threats.

May you find your Peace for this coming Christmas and New Year.

Nookie Monster

[Big TULE]

Thank you nookie, that was awesome... I am going to print that and take it and hang it on a wall at work...

[get hooked]

Very touching. I will share this with others. Thanks for the reminder. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

[Fishalot]

Thank you for posting ( A Christmas Thought )
We do need to remember thouse who have served and thouse who are serving...

Fishalot

[CARTMAN]

I come from a family who has been proud to serve. Both grandfathers, my father, sister and her husband, Numerous cousins and few uncles to boot. I too stood up and took the oath. There is no bigger compliment than someone taking the time to say thanks and remember. I hold in my prayers all the brave men and woman who stood to fight, But I also say thanks to all the families who have supported them. I never get tired of telling the wonderful stories of the people and places i was fortunate to see. "For there would be no land of the free, if not for the home of the brave".

Cartman [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[PapaHog]

Very good and thanks for posting this.

Thank God for such people.
Hog