Helen Steiner Rice: A Collection of Christmas Poetry
160
Helen Steiner Rice: A Collection of Christmas Poetry
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781630585945 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Barbour Publishing, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 09/01/2014 |
| Series: | Value Books |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 160 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
Read an Excerpt
A Collection of Christmas Poetry
By Helen Steiner Rice
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Copyright © 2014 Barbour Publishing, Inc.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63058-594-5
CHAPTER 1
Celebration
MAY CHRISTMAS COME AGAIN AND AGAIN
Here's hoping that your Christmas
Is a time that's set apart—
A time that's filled with happiness
And sunshine in your heart?
And may the warmth and love you give
Return to you all year
To brighten days in many ways
And fill your life with cheer!
–HSR
BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
Glad tidings herald the Christ child's birth—
Joy to the world and peace on earth,
Glory to God?let all men rejoice
And hearken once more to the angel's voice.
It matters not who or what you are—
All men can behold the Christmas star,
For the star that shone is shining still
In the hearts of men of peace and goodwill.
It offers the answer to every man's need,
Regardless of color or race or creed?
So joining together in brotherly love,
Let us worship again our Father above,
And forgetting our own little selfish desires,
May we seek what the star of Christmas inspires.
–HSR
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
LUKE 2:13–14
* * *
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King.
JAMES MONTGOMERY
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER OF PRAISE
Praise God, the holy One,
For giving us His only Son
To live on earth as mortals do
To draw us closer, God, to You.
Praise the Father for all things
And for the message Christmas brings.
This is indeed the day of days
To raise your voice in prayers of praise—
For we would have nowhere to go
When life has ended here below,
For redemption came and salvation was won
Through Jesus Christ, the Father's Son.
–HSR
THE MYSTERY AND MIRACLE OF HIS CREATIVE HAND
In the beauty of a snowflake falling softly on the land
Is the mystery and miracle of God's great, creative hand.
–HSR
A NEW YEAR'S MEDITATION
What better time and what better season,
What greater occasion or more wonderful reason
To kneel down in prayer and lift our hands high
To the God of creation, who made earth and sky,
Who sent us His Son to live here among men—
And the message He brought is as true now as then?
–HSR
THE CHRISTMAS STORY
A star in the sky, an angel's voice
Telling the world—Rejoice! Rejoice!
Shepherds tending their flocks by night,
Falling in awe at this wondrous sight,
Wise men traveling across the lands
To place their gifts in the Christ child's hands,
No room at the inn, so a manger bed
Cradled in radiance the holy babe's head?
That is the story that's living still
In the hearts of all men.
–HSR
Joy
MAY THE STAR SHINE IN YOUR HEART
May the holy remembrance of that first Christmas night
Make this blessed season more joyous and bright?
And may the star of Bethlehem, which shone down from above,
Keep shining in your heart today and in the hearts of those you love.
–HSR
MORE CHRISTMAS WISHES
At Christmas may God grant you
Special gifts of joy and cheer,
And bless you for the good you do
For others through the year?
May you find rich satisfaction
In your daily work and prayer,
And in knowing as you serve Him
He will keep you in His care.
–HSR
Joy came down on Christmas Day
As angels came to earth
Heralding the miracle
Of our Messiah's birth.
UNKNOWN
* * *
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
LATIN HYMN
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
In this sick world of hatred and violence and sin,
Where society renounces morals and rejects discipline,
We stumble in darkness groping vainly for light
To distinguish the difference between wrong and right?
But dawn cannot follow this night of despair
Unless faith lights a candle in all hearts everywhere?
And warmed by the glow, our hate melts away
And love lights the path to a peaceful new day.
–HSR
HOLLY WREATHS
When holly wreaths are hanging upon each friendly door
And candles glow from windows and trees are trimmed once more,
It's pleasant to be sending this special wish to you
For all the season's happiness in everything you do.
–HSR
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
1 PETER 1:8
Somehow, not only for Christmas,
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others,
Is the joy that comes back to you.
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER FOR JOY
Our Father, who art in heaven, hear this Christmas prayer,
And if it be Thy gracious will, may joy be everywhere—
The joy that comes from knowing that the holy Christ child came
To bless the earth at Christmas for Thy sake and in Thy name.
And with this prayer there comes a wish, that these holy, happy days
Will bless your loved ones everywhere in many joyous ways.
–HSR
Giving
THE SPIRIT OF GIVING
Each year at Christmas, the spirit of giving
Adds joy to the season and gladness to living.
Knowing this happens when Christmas is here,
Why can't we continue throughout the year
To make our lives happy and abundant with living
By following each day the spirit of giving?
–HSR
GIFTS FROM GOD
This brings you a million good wishes and more
For the things you cannot buy in a store—
Like faith to sustain you in times of trial,
A joy-filled heart and a happy smile,
Contentment, inner peace, and love—
All priceless gifts from God above!
–HSR
It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
W. T. ELLIS
Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.
PEG BRACKEN
THE GIFT OF GOD'S LOVE
All over the world at this season, expectant hands reach to receive
Gifts that are lavishly fashioned—the finest that man can conceive?
For purchased and given at Christmasare luxuries we long to possess,
Given as favors and tokens to try in some way to express
That strange, indefinable feeling which is part of this glad time of year
When streets are crowded with shoppers and the air resounds with good cheer?
But back of each tinsel-tied package exchanged at this gift-giving season,
Unrecognized often by many, lies a deeper, more meaningful reason—
For born in a manger at Christmas as a gift from the Father above,
An infant whose name was called Jesus brought mankind the gift of God's love?
And the gifts that we give have no purpose unless God is part of the giving
And unless we make Christmas a pattern to be followed in everyday living.
–HSR
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man I would do my part.
Yet what can I give Him? Give Him my heart.
CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
* * *
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
DEUTERONOMY 16:17
THE PRICELESS GIFT OF CHRISTMAS
Now Christmas is a season for joy and merrymaking,
A time for gifts and presents, for giving and for taking,
A festive, friendly, happy time when everyone is gay—
But have we ever really felt the greatness of the day?
For through the centuries the world has wandered far away
From the beauty and the meaning of the holy Christmas Day?
For Christmas is a heavenly gift that only God can give—
It's ours just for the asking for as long as we shall live?
It can't be bought or bartered, it can't be won or sold,
It doesn't cost a penny, and it's worth far more than gold.
It isn't bright and gleaming for eager eyes to see—
It can't be wrapped in tinsel or placed beneath a tree.
It isn't soft and shimmering for reaching hands to touch,
Or some expensive luxury you've wanted very much.
For the priceless gift of Christmas is meant just for the heart,
And we receive it only when we become a part
Of the kingdom and the glory which is ours to freely take,
For God sent the holy Christ child at Christmas for our sake
So man might come to know Him and feel His presence near
And see the many miracles performed when He was here.
And this priceless gift of Christmas is within the reach of all—
The rich, the poor, the young and old, the greatest and the small.
So take His priceless gift of love—reach out and you receive—
And the only payment that God asks is just that you believe.
–HSR
Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.
PINDAR
* * *
Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.
DALE EVANS ROGERS
CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON FOR GIVING
Christmas is a season for gifts of every kind—
All the glittery, pretty things that Christmas shoppers find—
Baubles, beads, and bangles of silver and of gold—
Anything and everything that can be bought or sold
Is given at this season to place beneath the tree,
For Christmas is a special time for giving lavishly.
But there's one rare and priceless gift that can't be sold or bought—
It's something poor or rich can give, for it's a loving thought?
And loving thoughts are blessings for which no one can pay,
And only loving hearts can give this priceless gift away.
–HSR
BEYOND OUR ASKING
More than hearts can imagine or minds comprehend,
God's bountiful gifts are ours without end.
We ask for a cupful when the vast sea is ours,
We pick a small rosebud from a garden of flowers,
We reach for a sunbeam but the sun still abides,
We draw one short breath but there's air on all sides,
Whatever we ask for falls short of God's giving,
For His greatness exceeds every facet of living.
And always God's ready and eager and willing
To pour out His mercy, completely fulfilling
All of man's needs for peace, joy, and rest,
For God gives His children whatever is best.
Just give Him a chance to open His treasures,
And He'll fill your life with unfathomable pleasures—
Pleasures that never grow worn out and faded
And leave us depleted, disillusioned and jaded—
For God has a storehouse just filled to the brim
With all that man needs, if we'll only ask Him.
–HSR
To perceive Christmas through its wrappings becomes more difficult with every year.
E. B. WHITE
* * *
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
LUKE 6:38
THE BLESSINGS OF SHARING
Only what we give away
Enriches us from day to day,
For not in getting but in giving
Is found the lasting joy of living,
For no one ever had a part
In sharing treasures of the heart
Who did not feel the impact of
The magic mystery of God's love.
And love alone can make us kind
And give us joy and peace of mind,
So live with joy unselfishly
And you'll be blessed abundantly.
–HSR
GIVING IS THE KEY TO LIVING
Christmas is a season of giving
And giving is the key to living?
So let us give ourselves away,
Not just today but every day,
And remember, a kind and thoughtful deed
Or a hand outstretched in a time of need
Is the rarest of gifts, for it is a part
Not of the purse but a loving heart?
And he who gives of himself will find
True joy of heart and peace of mind.
–HSR
Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store.
DR. SEUSS
* * *
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2 CORINTHIANS 9:7
HEART GIFTS
It's not the things that can be bought
That are life's richest treasures,
It's just the little "heart gifts"
That money cannot measure.
A cheerful smile, a friendly word,
A sympathetic nod,
All priceless little treasures
From the storehouse of our God.
They are the things that can't be bought
With silver or with gold,
For thoughtfulness and kindness
And love are never sold.
They are the priceless things in life
For which no one can pay,
And the giver finds rich recompense
In giving them away.
–HSR
GIVE LAVISHLY! LIVE ABUNDANTLY!
The more you give, the more you get
The more you laugh, the less you fret.
The more you do unselfishly,
The more you live abundantly
The more of everything you share,
The more you'll always have to spare.
The more you love, the more you'll find
That life is good and friends are kind,
For only what we give away
Enriches us from day to day.
So let's live Christmas through the year
And fill the world with love and cheer.
–HSR
He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.
ROY L. SMITH
* * *
My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?
BOB HOPE
A GIFT OF JOY
As once more we approach the birthday of our King,
Do we search our hearts for a gift we can bring?
Do we stand by in awe like the small drummer boy
Who had no rare jewels, not even a toy
To lay at Christ's crib like the wise men of old,
Who brought precious gifts of silver and gold?
But the drummer boy played for the infant child,
And the baby Jesus looked up and smiled,
For the boy had given the best he had,
And his gift from the heart made the Savior glad.
Today He still smiles on all those who bring
Their hearts to lay at the feet of the King.
–HSR
Prayer
MAY CHRISTMAS RENEW IN US A CHILDLIKE FAITH
May Christmas renew in us a childlike faith
For only then can we all endure
These changing times and feel secure,
For faith in things we cannot see
Requires a child's simplicity—
For in a small child's shining eyes
The faith of all the ages lies?
And tiny hands and tousled heads
That kneel in prayer by little beds
Are closer to the dear Lord's heart
And of His kingdom more a part
Than we who search and never find
The answer to our questioning minds—
For God can never be defined
By any meager, mortal mind,
And only a child can completely accept
What probing adults research and reject.
O Father, grant once more to men
A simple, childlike faith again,
For only by faith and faith alone
Can we approach our Father's throne.
–HSR
A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS
God, give us eyes this Christmas to see the Christmas star,
And give us ears to hear the song of angels from afar?
And with our eyes and ears attuned for a message from above,
Let Christmas angels speak to us of hope and faith and love—
Hope to light our pathway when the way ahead is dark,
Hope to sing through stormy days with the sweetness of a lark,
Faith to trust in things unseen and know beyond all seeing
That it is in our Father's love we live and have our being.
–HSR
God goes to those who have time to hear Him—and so on this cloudless night He went to simple shepherds.
MAX LUCADO
* * *
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
LUKE 2:19
GOD IS ALWAYS THERE TO HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us find joy in the news of His birth,
And let us find comfort and strength for each day
In knowing that Christ walked this same earthly way,
So He knows all our needs and He hears every prayer,
And He keeps all His children always safe in His care?
And whenever we're troubled and lost in despair,
We have but to seek Him and ask Him in prayer
To guide and direct us and help us to bear
Our sickness and sorrow, our worry and care?
So once more at Christmas let the whole world rejoice
In the knowledge He answers every prayer that we voice.
–HSR
LISTEN IN SILENCE IF YOU WOULD HEAR
Let us listen in silence so we may hear
The Christmas message more clearly this year.
Silently the green leaves grow;
In silence falls the soft, white snow?
Silently bright stars appear,
In silence velvet night draws near.
And silently God enters in
To free a troubled heart from sin,
For God works silently in lives,
And nothing spiritual survives
Amid the din of a noisy street
Where raucous crowds with hurrying feet
And blinded eyes and deafened ears
Are never privileged to hear
The message God wants to impart
To every troubled, weary heart.
So let not our worldly celebrations
Disturb our Christmas meditations,
For only in a quiet place
Can we behold God face-to-face.
–HSR
LEARN TO REST
We all need short vacations in life's fast and maddening race—
An interlude of quietness from the constant, jet-age pace,
So when your day is pressure-packed and your hours are all too few
Just close your eyes and meditate and let God talk to you.
–HSR
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER
Oh God, in Thy great goodness,
May our guidance Christmas night
Be the star the wise men followed—
Not a man-made satellite.
–HSR
(Continues...)
Excerpted from A Collection of Christmas Poetry by Helen Steiner Rice. Copyright © 2014 Barbour Publishing, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction,Celebration,
Joy,
Giving,
Prayer,
Friends and Family,
The Meaning of Christmas,
Blessings,
Peace,
Index,