"Twas the month before Christmas*

Riley
I'm at work MCAS Cherry Point NC , the only one in the building on Sunday morning.Testing some stuff so we can ship jet engines ASAP. Thanks for the Inspiration .

are we not all soldiers in some aspect..

Even in San Fransico East, (Portland, Me) some people seem to be getting fed up and are saying Merry Christmas and Christmas tree this year. It's about time.

I talked to a tree farmer lst week and he was telling me how he called the local TV station and asked where to get those holiday trees they are always talking about because he would like to sell them. He said people only come to his place for Christmas trees, but holiday trees seem so popular on tv, he'd like to sell those, too.


A Different Christmas Poem



The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and
I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in
rest.



Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter
delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was
Christmas Eve.



My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love
I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I
started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it
tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.



My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to
see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his
face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here
in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my
wife and my child.



"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's
freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home
on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow
blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he
said "Its really all right,



"I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the
darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."



My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and
so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me
pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and
blue.. an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my
house and my home.



I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a
foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my
sister and brother..



Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this
flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and
I'll be all right."



"But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I
asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your
wife and your son."



Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us,
and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own
watch, no matter how long.



For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we
fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as
you mattered to us."

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.

LCDR Jeff Giles , SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum , Iraq

I appreciate p/allen's comments above when he says: "Let me start by saying that I am not a big Christian , but I do know what Christmas is about..."
Now me; I guess I'd say I'm a pretty big Christian. That is, I am one, and I'm over 230lbs!

On a more serious note, I agree this stuff is sad. One of my kids recently pointed out something interesting. We've heard (recent years) that some businesses (stores, restaurants, etc.) have strongly discouraged employees from even saying Merry Christmas to customers and instructing them to say Happy Holidays instead.

Anyway, while I'm not big on running around whining loudly about my freedom of speech, etc., my kid's observation was that the "tabu Merry Christmas thing" certainly seemed like an attempt to supress someone's freedom in that area (freedom of speech and religion really). I think the point is valid.

I'm surprised a store owner wouldn't recognize that and I wonder how much it really goes on, but I guess it does. I have noticed employees, at fast food drive thru's in particular saying Have a Happy Holiday (etc.) but evidently avoiding saying "Merry Christmas" while on the job.

The pure meaning of "tolerance" has certainly changed in recent years.

While on the topic (sort of -- Christmas, Jesus, etc.), and since this is a boat related site, this may be of interest. I once got the bright idea to do a computer Bible Word search on the single word "boat" and I discovered (sort of knew this already) that Jesus, actually spent quite a bit of time in boats (as did Peter, Andrew, John, and even Paul)!

Of particular interest here, Peter and Jesus apparently even did some barefooting! So I figure I'm in good historical company while I'm in the boat or skiing!

Oh, finally, Linus in the Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon from clear back in the early 60's (I think) explains Christmas as well as I've heard in a nutshell.

Believe it or not, that flick got some resistance even back then, for several reasons, one of which was it's "true meaning of Christmas-ness." Of coarse it became a well-loved classic. Hope it remains so!

Let me start by saying that I am not a big Christian , but I do know what Christmas is about .
People dont understand what Christmas is about anymore . I really get tired of people thinking that they have to go out and buy the biggest and best presents for their kids .I have felt this way for years .

I really have a hard time at Christmas because people dont understand what it is about .
Kids do not apreciate the gifts that they get when you buy so many that you cant count. They may get one gift that they will play with for a long time and the rest get forgoten .
I get very cranky at Christmas time .I wish that more people would personaly give a gift to some one that is less fortunate than we are .

People just dont understand .

        MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

AMEN!!!
and.......

MERRY CHRISTMAS

"Twas the month before Christmas*
    *When all through our land,*
    *Not a Christian was praying*
    *Nor taking a stand.*
    *See the PC Police had taken away,*
    *The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
    *The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
    *About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
    *It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
    * December 25th is just a "Holiday".*    

    *Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
    *Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
    *CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
   *Something was changing, something quite odd! *
    *Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
    *In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
    *As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
    * At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
    *At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
    *You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*    

    *Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
    *Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
    *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
    *On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
    *At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
    *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
    *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
   * Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

    *The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
    *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
    *So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"*
    *Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
    *Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*


    *Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,
     not Happy Holiday