My New Year's Wish For All...

It’s New Year’s Eve in the year of our Lord, 2012.  Not only can I not believe it’s going to be 2013 but I can’t believe this year is almost over.  It has gone by so very quickly.

I came out to Fort Worth on December 9^th of 2011.  I was supposed to stay about 30 days, return to Florida for a couple of weeks and then come back to Fort Worth with my belongings, planning to stay permanently.  As it turned out things happened that caused those plans to change…  for the better.  The property manager for the home I was renting called in the first week of January and said they had found new renters for the house.  These renters wanted to move in on January 16^th.  That meant I had to head back early to clean out the house.

Arden took a few days off and went with me and with the exception of three days this year when she attended beading retreat with her friends (to which I wasn’t invited), we have been together continuously since that December 9^th.  I couldn’t be happier.  Being with Arden has been a blessing for which I waited a long, long time.

The time has flown by.  Even though I’m still not working, I find plenty of things to do and the days disappear far too quickly.  Arden and I have traveled to San Antonio a couple of times this year.  We’ve been to Ohio twice, Oklahoma once and Arkansas once.   We would have travelled to Harlingen, Texas, for Christmas except this year her parents decided to come North.  But we’re supposed to go there in April.

I had to say good-by to my father this year.  After nearly 12 years of slow, continuous physical deterioration, he finally succumbed to his weakened condition and went to be with the God he served for so long during his life.  I believe he is now whole and enjoying time with my mother and my son and for that I’m happy.  I miss you, Pop, very much.  But I’m glad you’re not suffering any more.

I finally found a publisher for my book and its projected release date is April.  It’s been interesting working with the editors and just the other day I communicated with the graphic designer about the front and back covers and submitted my ideas.  There are a lot of details in getting a book published.  One of them is tracking down and obtaining copyright permission(s) to use quotes from poems or song lyrics – something I didn’t really think of when I was writing.  But I don’t want to take them out because they became an integral part of the book.

2013 will be a fun and exciting year for us.  Not only with the publication of my book but our first wedding anniversary will be in August and I plan to make it special.  When you’re in your mid 50s and newlywed you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity.  Regardless of where we go it will be wonderful to just get away together alone for a few days.  We got to do that for our honeymoon and we had such a good time we didn’t want to come back.  Anyone have any suggestions?

I want to thank all of you who read my ramblings for your support and loyalty.  In November I had over 800 page views and as of this writing my total for December is 939.  So thank you to all.  I appreciate you taking the time to read what I post, particularly since you don’t have to.

Arden and I would like to extend our wishes to each and every one of you for a prosperous and fun-filled new year.  Things are rather uncertain right now in this country and the world and 2013 may not start out to be the best year ever.  All we can do is keep working toward positive and reasonable solutions to our problems and try to find common ground as best we can.  But common ground means no extremes in either direction.

May God bless you all in these trying times.  He and He alone controls the future and it’s up to us to follow His will rather than trying to dictate our own.  As the old saying goes….  “If you want to hear God laugh – tell Him your plans.” 

Happy New Year everyone.

A Marine's Christmas Poem...

I received this in an e-mail the other day and had to share it.  Although I have no way of verifying it – it was supposedly written by a Marine.  Whether it was or wasn’t, it’s my pleasure to share it with all of you.  May God bless our men and women in uniform who volunteer everything in service to our country.  Thank you all so much for what you do.

 

T’was the night before Christmas and he lived 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 far distant lands.

with medals and badges, awards of all kinds,

a sober thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,

I found the home of a soldier, once I could see 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 saw 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 very thought 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 couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I wept for hours, so silent and still

and we both shivered from the cold night's 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, and 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.'

The Hobby Lobby Decision A Surprise?

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has denied a request to block part of the federal health care law requiring employee plans to provide insurance coverage for the morning-after pill.

According to the request, which is part of a lawsuit filed by the Hobby Lobby Corporation and sister company, Mardel, Inc., being forced by the government to provide those types of birth control and contraceptives violates the religious beliefs of the owners of Hobby Lobby.  The court, however, disagrees so far and says corporations are not religious organizations and therefore do not qualify for an exemption from the law.

First off - is anyone surprised by this?  Sonia Sotomayor has always been a loyal Obamabot and defended Obamacare in court before she was appointed to the SC bench.  I'm not sure why she decided to rule against the request until the case actually comes through the court but possibly it's because she was making an example out of Hobby Lobby.  "You will comply, regardless of whether your case has been heard, or you will pay millions of dollars for your refusal" is basically the message she sent out.  She made no comment on whether or not Hobby Lobby has religious grounds for the case itself - only that they will be forced to provide the insurance coverage when that portion of the law goes into effect or be fined, daily. 

There are many who would agree with Justice Sotomayor.  Hobby Lobby is indeed a for-profit corporation that provides thousands of jobs across the country.  However, like Chik Fil-A, the owners are staunch Christians who, among other things, keep their stores closed on Sundays because of their religious beliefs.  So there are a couple of questions that need to be answered.  Does the owner of a company give up his/her guaranteed religious rights just because he/she starts a business?  Does the owner of a company have the right to legally run that business according to his religious beliefs without interference from the government?

It seems we may soon discover the answer to those questions.  If the court rules against Hobby Lobby will it then force corporations owned and operated by Muslims to provide birth control and contraception for their employees?  It would seem so but who wants to bet it won't happen?

2013 should be an interesting year.  I read yesterday that the Supreme Court has also allowed an eligibility suit against President Obama to move forward.  If what I read was correct (and I can't find it right now), the court has allowed that enough evidence has been provided that the case can move forward on its own.  So we shall see what happens with that.  As I said - it will be an interesting year in the USA.

In other news, the country says good-bye to General Norman Schwartzkopf, one of the greatest military leaders in my lifetime.  General Schwartzkopf spent his life serving his country and deserves all honor and recognition.  Hopefully, his former Commander in Chief and friend, President George H.W. Bush, won't soon follow him.  His condition has not been improving, according to news reports, and it may be his time as well.  My thoughts and prayers are with the Schwartzkopf family and the Bush family.  May God comfort them all and give them peace as only He can. 

May each and every one of you have a very happy and prosperous new year.  In these days of extreme political posturing and looming financial crisis in the United States, I realize that wish may not be a possibility.  But what can I say?  I'm an optimist.

The Night After Christmas...

This is another original poem that I wrote several years ago.  A couple of lines may sound familiar because I used them in one of my Parranda poems, but I wrote this one first.  It's been called irreverent and I guess that's true - but I hope you enjoy it.

The Night After Christmas

 

T'was the night after Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, (the cat got the mouse).
The stockings, once hung on the chimney with care,
were now on the floor; the chimney was bare.
The children weren't nestled or snug in their beds.
They were playing football with helmets on their heads.
And I, in my underwear and Seahawks cap,
had just settled down on the couch for a nap.

 

When out on the street there arose such a clatter,
I jumped from the couch to see what was the matter.

I ran to the front door, tripped over the rug,
and landed on my face with a thud.
The moon shining down on that dark, dreary night
about halfway made up for the broken street light.
And I thought to myself as I rose from the floor
"Who's the idiot who put that rug by the door?."

 

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

but that man in the red suit, drinking a beer.
He was sloppy and dirty, covered with soot
from the top of his head to the sole of his foot.
There was mud on his clothes, on his hat, on the fur,
and when he saw me, he said with a slur....

"Christmas is over. My job is done.
It's time for me to have some fun.
I'm going to Bermuda, away from the toys,
away from those ungrateful girls and boys.
I give them all presents and what do I get?
A cold and a sore throat from getting all wet.
The reindeer are eating my money away
and I only use them on Christmas Day.
Mrs. Claus told me not to come home drunk this year,
so I'm going to a bar to drink some more beer!"

Then Santa stumbled and fell in the snow,
and I heard him chuckle a soft "Ho, ho, ho".
"I guess I really do need to sit down,
but it sure is cold sitting here on the ground.".
When I invited him in, he was up in a wink, asking
"Say, you got anything in your house to drink?"
I offered him coffee and a place to lay down,
but he said "Not a chance, I'm going out on the town!
There's one night a year that I party like this,
and this is one night I'm not going to miss!"

Then licking a finger and picking his nose,
he belched twice and then - up the chimney he rose.
He slipped on the ice and fell from the roof,
and landed in the yard with an "OOF"
But he jumped up quickly and staggered away,
and I still can't believe what I heard to this day.
I heard him exclaim as he faded from sight
"I'd trade all my reindeer for a cold Miller Light!"

 

- by Glen Clark

A Christmas Surprise...

Around 8 o’clock PM on Christmas Eve, Arden brought my guitar into the living room and asked – “Are you going to play something and sing for me?”  Tradition in her family is for everyone (or most people anyway) to participate in karaoke.  Her father has a karaoke machine in his house that we used a lot last year.  We were going to use the computer and simply download the songs from the internet, but that activity hadn’t started yet.

I was kind of in the middle of something at the time Arden asked and responded “Well, I wasn’t planning on it right now.  Maybe later.”  She said “OK” and took the guitar back to the bedroom.  I continued what I had been doing and paid no attention when she walked back into the room.  She was holding a brand new guitar case and I immediately knew what was in it.  A few weeks before Christmas I had mentioned, mostly in jest, that the local guitar store had a certain guitar on sale for a great price.  I never thought she would actually go there – I had mentioned before that I wanted a new one but thought that would be something we purchased in the future.  I was completely surprised and overwhelmed.  I laid the case on the floor and slowly opened it…

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

but the Martin 12 string that I held so dear.

It was tuned up, perfect and ready to play

and was by far the best gift I got on that day.

We never did end up singing that night

but I played for a while and it sounded just right.

Yesterday morning we got up and opened the rest of the presents scattered around the tree.  (I was the only one who got one present early.)  I repaid her (at least somewhat) with some rather nice gifts that she really liked but I don’t think I bowled her over as she did me.  I’m still in a state of disbelief even as I tell you about it.  I love my new guitar.  And I love my Arden dearly.

After the gift giving was completed I went into the bedroom and pulled out my new toy.  As I did I spied my old guitar sitting in the corner and had a great idea.  My step-son likes to play the guitar and sing with the family but he didn’t have a guitar of his own.  So I picked mine up and took it to him in the living room.  He may not have been equally surprised as I was but he was certainly happy with my decision.  I just thought it was a the right thing to do.

I hope everyone had a wonderful day yesterday and that you each got at least one thing you really wanted (along with socks, underwear and the usual “stuff” that people give on Christmas.)  After all – it’s about the birth of our Lord, love, family and giving to others, right?  It’s not the size of the gift but the love with which it’s given.  And Arden showed me her love in a very surprising and wonderful way this year.  Thank you, Baby! 

I’m thinking, if I start now, by next Christmas I may have put the idea into her head what I want next…

Have a wonderful Christmas season.

My Simple Christmas Message To You...

I remember Christmas when I was a child.  Being the son of a Baptist minister we were in church on Christmas Eve every year.  When we got home, sometimes we would open presents on Christmas Eve, sometimes we’d wait until Christmas morning.  If Christmas Day happened to fall on a Sunday we always got to open our presents the night before because we would be in church first thing Sunday morning.

When we were little our parents would send us five kids to one of the upstairs bedrooms for a little while so “Santa could come”.  They did try to keep the story alive as long as possible but having four older siblings, I can’t really remember a time when I actually believed there was a real Santa because there was just something wrong with it.  I’m not sure I could tell you what that was (and I don’t remember any of my siblings flat out telling me the truth) but I was always happy that there were going to be presents, regardless of where they came from!

Whether we opened presents on Christmas Eve or waited until Christmas morning we, as a family, always read the Christmas story from one of the gospels before the presents were handed out.  We took turns every year, usually with one of the younger kids volunteering because it made us feel big.  And it didn’t matter if we had just come from a Christmas Eve service at the church – we read the gospel anyway.  It was a tradition that lasted until most of us were gone from home.  It was a good tradition.

One of us would volunteer to be “Santa” and pass out the presents to everyone.  Having a total of seven people in the family meant lots of presents, even if they weren’t all very fancy.  (My dad worked hard but he wasn’t wealthy by any means.  It was amazing he could feed five kids.)  Each of us got a pair of new shoes and usually at least one gift that we asked for, as long as it was affordable.  My dad’s parents gave each of us a new $20 bill every year and my aunt and uncle on my mother’s side gave us each a box of assorted chocolates.  I guess it was just easier for them to do that.  But we always looked forward to both gifts because they were ours and we didn’t have to share.

Back then it was quite common to have snow for Christmas.  In fact, when I lived in West Virginia (until I was 9) we always had plenty of snow.  One year I got a new sled – the kind with the wooden deck and the metal runners.  My brother showed me how to sand the paint off the runners and wax them to make it faster.  There was a hill at the end of our street that ended in a creek and another on the other side of the creek that had a path which wound through the woods until you got to the water.  Once in a while they would close off one of the streets a few blocks from home that was a good sized hill and we’d go sledding down the snow packed street.  It was great fun!

Mostly what I remember about those Christmases is the family celebration.  We’d have our own Christmas then visit our grandparents in two different cities in West Virginia while we were all out of school.  I remember it as a great family time, full of love, God and the joy of the season.

Of course, when I had a child of my own I became Santa (and I became an elf because it seemed everything Christopher wanted had to be put together…!)  I actually miss that part and would like to go back just once.  But life goes on.

So on this Christmas Eve of 2012, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas filled with the love and joy of Christmases past, when life was simpler and being happy about the birth of Jesus was the reason for that joy.  If you’re not a believer, I wish you the same joy but doubt you’ll experience it as the rest of us do.  Christmas is about the celebration of Jesus Christ and the love He gives to each of us.  It’s about the love of family and good friends.  Christmas is about love.  May that love effect each and every one of you in its own way. 

A Gringo’s First Christmas AFTER Puerto Rico…

I wrote this after leaving Puerto Rico for Colorado in 1997.  When Christmastime got close, a couple of friends in Puerto Rico sent messages asking if I was going to write another poem for Christmas.  What could I say?  Of course I was!  Below is the result.

I've enjoyed sharing these with  you.  They bring back good memories for me and many others who were there at the time.

Merry Christmas to all.  Feliz Navidad a todos.

 

(For all my friends in Puerto Rico and dedicated to
Ruben Cuadrado, who introduced me to Parranda
and left this Earth too soon.)
 
It's the night before Christmas and I'm feeling sad -
I'm here in Colorado and the weather is bad.
Outside it's snowing and my body feels old
(just something that happens when the weather gets cold).
I wish I was in Puerto Rico again.....
lying on the beach in the sun.
 
Christmas this year just won't be the same.
It costs twenty-one dollars for Bacardi rum!
I'll be eating turkey with stuffing again -
not lechón, arroz con gandules and rum.
They don't even know what "parranda" means,
and no one knows how to make rice and beans!!
 
American Christmas music is good,
but you can't dance merengue to "Joy to the World".
And I brought a jar of cañita along....
but after the first snow, it was soon gone.

It's beautiful here with the lights on the snow.....
But it's too damn cold -  I've got to go.
My tan disappeared in about a week,
and people tell me I look kind of sick.
I need to get back to the island again -
to the cocos, coquis, ocean and sun.

My new job is good and I'm doing well,
but I hate the weather - it's cold as hell.
I just can't adjust to the climate change.
The people here love it - but they're all deranged!
They tell me to go out and play in the snow!
But I smile politely and say "Hell no!"
I spend time under the sunlamp each night,
trying to get my tan back just right.

So on this Christmas eve, I'm thinking of sun,
of parranda, lechón, merengue and rum.
Someday I'll return to the island I miss....
but for now - I guess I'll spend Christmas like this.

G. Clark