Christmas 2022

JUST A LITTLE LAMB

Mabel Pittman

(discovered in my “file” of poems, etc., handwritten…..

no reference to another “author,” but no memory of writing it!)

I’m just a little lamb following my shepherd

through the streets of Bethlehem tonight.

I’m looking for a palace on the hillside . . .

but where’s the celebration? Where’re the lights?

I heard and saw bright angels in the sky.

The shepherds were afraid, and so was I.

They said the King of Kings is in this town.

And when they left, the shepherds came on down.

The bell around my neck keeps loudly ringing,

but I am sad because I hear no singing.

No palace do I see . . . no celebrations.

No signs at all of royal preparations.

I’m wondering if this king’s upon his throne.

Will he let me come, or will he send me “home?”

Ah! Ahead I hear the shepherds shout,

“We’ve come to see the king!” The people all run out.

Oh! In front of me is just an inn -

a simple place where common folks have been.

There’s no king . . . just a place for animals of guests -

a stable in a cave. And really not the best.

I see a manger, but I see no throne.

I long for the shepherd’s joy to be my own.

They’re shouting, laughing, jostling to see . . .

a baby in a manger! It must be!

This is why the angels sent us here . . .

to see a baby - YES! I now come near.

The little baby looks at me . . . and ……..THEN I KNOW . . .

He is the One who made me! It is so!

The Master of the Universe has come down

to wear the garb of man - not a crown.

This truth now causes me to leap with joy.

My little bell rings loudly and I poise

To worship this - the Lamb of God come down!

And surely someday, after all, He’ll wear a crown!!!

The shepherds who were responsible for raising the “sacrifice lambs” were the first to have the great news of “the Lamb of God!” I pray this Christmas is a joyful season for you, also, as you celebrate the Lamb of God coming to be our perfect sacrifice!

HUGS AND PRAYERS,

Had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my Steamboat Springs Lee family……Looking forward to Christmas time with my California family at Mark & Lauren’s home…….PLUS many, many Christmas events here in Colorado. Praying you all will be blessed as celebrate our Savior’s birth!

Mabel

Wonderful message from dear friend Carol:

Early this morning I was at the UPS office so I would be there when the doors opened. I had a package to send to our son Tim and his family who live in Chicago. There was only one person in front of me approaching the UPS door as they opened, then I was next. The young mom in front of me had a sweet little girl with her. I was guessing she was around five or six years old. When this mom saw me right behind her (she too had gifts in her hands), she held the door open for me, seeing that I had one very big box that I was carrying and about to mail. I thanked her very much for doing that for me. Then her little daughter held up a little stuffed bunny she was clutching. It was obviously well-loved and well-worn. She said in a loud excited voice, “Look what I have”. She held it up as high as her little arm would reach...with her little face, full of joy, smiling at me. Of course, I bent over to see her little bunny that she was so excited to share with me. I immediately noticed that it was a long-eared fluffy (missing some of its fluff) floppy bunny. But then I also quickly noticed that one of the ears was missing entirely.

But you know what???...this little girl didn’t mind! She loved it soooo much that she wanted to share it with a complete stranger. I proceeded to tell her just how very cute and adorable her bunny was. She smiled big. It was such a sweet moment. I then proceeded to get my package weighed, paid for, and left.

I’m not sure why, but my heart was full of emotions from my encounter with this little girl and her one eared bunny, and how much love she had for it. As I was getting into my car, I realized that we too are “one eared bunnies”, yet God sent his son Jesus, Emmanuel...God with us...here on earth to an imperfect world, with imperfect people, in order to show us His unconditional love, and to rescue us from our sin by believing that He came, He died, and rose again so that we could live with him forever in his beautiful forever home, HEAVEN! I also thought about how excited this little girl was to share her bunny with me, even though it only had one ear. And it came to me...that God is never ashamed or embarrassed of us either, even though flawed. He Loves us soooo much!

This simple encounter with this little girl reminded me this Christmas season, in a fresh new way, how much God loves me!!!!...and YOU! It is the GREATEST gift a “one eared bunny” named Carol could ever receive.

Harry and I pray that you will feel God’s unconditional, overwhelming love from our Savior, even amidst the hustle and bustle that this season is often filled with.

“For GOD sooooooo loved the world, that He gave his only son.......”

Playing piano recently for a group of ladies from church...

The Two Moms at Christmas……OUR KIDS SURVIVED!!

Finally! A REALLY recent picture of older grandson Connor

LONGTIME FRIEND, DAWN, WHO LIVES ACROSS THE FREEWAY (about 20 minutes ) FROM SON MARK…..FUN TOGETHER