xmas thought

Some years ago I came across this- I've enjoyed the message every year since. It's taken a long time to share it but if you haven't seen it here it is

I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU 3 STORIES, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL THEM IN THE 1st PERSON, AS THOUGH IT WAS ME IN THE STORY.....AS I WAS WALKING ALONG THE ROAD ONE NIGHT A STORM OVER TOOK ME , IT TURNED COLD AND STARTED TO SNOW THE WIND WAS BLOWING AND I WRAPPED MY WORN AND TATTERED COAT AROUND ME AND KEPT WALKING AS THE CARS CONTINUED TO PASS WITH OUT EVEN SLOWING. I KEPT WALKING - AS I WALKED UP OVER A SMALL RISE I COULD SEE LIGHTS IN THE DISTANCE SO DETERMINED TO GET OUT OF TH COLD I WALKED ON I WALKED INTO A TOWN WITH ONLY A SMALL STORE AND A GAS STATION. I WALKED IN FOR THE WARMTH AND MEEKLY ASK FOR SOME THING TO EAT BUT THEY THREW ME OUT AND I WALKED ON
1ST VERSE
D Bm Em A7 D Bm C A7A
POOR WAY-FARING MAN OF GRIEF HATH OFTEN CROSSED ME ON MY WAY
D Bm Em A7
WHO SUED SO HUMBLY FOR RELIEF
D Bm Em A7 D
THAT I COULD NEVER ANSWER NAY
F#m Em A7
I HAD NOT POW’R TO ASK HIS NAME
D Bm C A7
WHERE TO HE WENT OR WHENCE HE CAME
D Bm Em A7
YET THERE WAS SOMETHING IN HIS EYE
D Bm Em A7 D
THAT WON MY LOVE I KNEW NOT WHY

ONE DAY MY OLDEST SON CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL TELLING OF AN OLD MAN WHO LIVED IN AN OLD SHACK SOME WHERE OUT WHERE NO ONE KNEW AND HE WAS A BEGGAR. THE INCIDENT WAS SHRUGGED OFF AND FORGOTTEN. IN ONE OF OUR HOME EVENING LESSONS FOR THE SEASON WE WERE DISCUSSING SERVICE AND HELPING OTHERS, WELL AS A LESSON THE FAMILY DECIDED TO HELP SOMEONE IN NEED FOR THE HOLIDAYS. NOW CAME OUR TRIAL WE COULDN'T DECIDE ON WHO TO HELP AND WHO NEEDED HELP. AND THEN- MY SON REMEMBERED THE OLD HOBO OUT IN THE STICKS. WELL THE NEXT FAMILY HOME EVENING CAME UP AND IT WAS DECIDED TO HELP THIS OLD MAN. WE DECIDED TO BAKE SOME COOKIES AND GOODIES TO GIVE TO HIM. AND WE ALL HAD GOOD TIMES IN THE BAKING AND WRAPPING OF THE GIFTS. OUR NEXT PROBLEM WAS FINDING THE OLD SHACK. IT CAME TO THE NIGHT WE HAD DESIGNATED AS THE NIGHT AND TIME TO GIVE OUR GIFTS AND AWAY WE WENT WHERE WE DIDN'T KNOW SO WE SEARCHED UP ONE ROAD DOWN ANOTHER. THEN OUT ON THE ROADS THAT SKIRTED THE TOWN. AND FINALLY THERE IN THE SNOW WERE FOOT PRINTS LEADING DOWN AN UNTRAVELED ROAD. SO WE TURNED AND FOLLOWED- COMING TO A SMALL SHACK WITH A VERY DIM LIGHT COMING FROM INSIDE. WE STOPPED AND GOT OUT , APPROACHED THE DOOR AND THEN VERY HESITANTLY AND GINGERLY I LED THE WAY UP THE WORN AND ROTTEN STEPS TO THE PORCH WHICH WAS NOT ANY BETTER. TRYING TO SIDE STEP THE HOLES I LEANED OVER AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. A EVER SO LONG WAIT PROVED TO BE FRUITFUL AS AN OLD MAN SLOWLY OPENED THE DOOR AND HESITANTLY INVITED US IN AS WE ENTERED THE ROOM I SCANNED THE SURROUNDINGS A SMALL BLANKET BED ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROOM A TABLE AND ONE CHAIR ON THE OTHER THE TABLE HOSTING A CANDLE FROM WHICH ALL THE LIGHT AND WARMTH FOR THE ROOM WAS TAKEN. AS WE STEPPED INTO THE CABIN IT BE CAME VERY APPARENT OF HOW SMALL THE ROOM REALLY WAS. THEN FROM WHAT SEEMED LIKE AND ETERNITY I CAME TO MY SENSES AND HAD THE KIDS OFFER HIM OUR SCANTY GIFTS. FEELING OF THE SPIRIT OF THE NEED OF THIS MAN MY WIFE OFFERED TO CLEAN HIS CLOTHES AND BRING THEM BACK THE NEXT DAY
2ND VERSE
D Bm Em A7
ONCE WHEN MY SCANTY MEAL WAS SPREAD
D Bm C A7
HE ENTERED NOT A WORD HE SPAKE
D Bm Em A7
JUST PERISHING FOR WANT OF BREAD
D Bm Em A7 D
I GAVE HIM ALL HE BLESSED IT BRAKE
F#m Em A7
AND ATE BUT GAVE ME PART A GAIN
D Bm C A7
MINE WAS AN ANGLE’S POTION THEN
D Bm Em A7
FOR WHILE I FED WITH EAGER HASTE
D Bm Em A7 D
THE CRUST WAS MANNA TO MY TASTE


ONE WINTER NIGHT AS I DROVE FROM WORK TO HOME BACK FROM A LONG DAY OF WORK BEING OUT OF TOWN. IT WAS LATE AND I WAS IN A HURRAY AND THE WEATHER WAS BAD THE WIND WAS BLOWING THE FALLING SNOW. IT WAS SO HARD TO SEE THE ROAD IT WAS DARK AND EVEN WHILE THE HEATER WAS RUNNING I COULD FEEL THE COLD THE DRIVE WAS SLOW AND I FELT ANGUISH TO GET HOME. AS THE WIPERS SLAPPED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND I STRAINED TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD..... I SEEN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD A MAN, AS I SLOWED DOWN TO BE SAFE I COULD SEE HIM TRYING TO FIGHT THE WIND AND SNOW AND COLD ALL BUNDLED UP AND STAGGERING FORWARD, AND THEN I DID IT I STOPPED TO GIVE HIM A RIDE. I NEVER DO THAT. THERE'S TO MANY PROBLEMS THAT CAN COME UP. I DID I STOPPED HE OPENED THE DOOR AND STEPPED IN NOT SAYING A WORD AS HE CLOSED THE DOOR I SLOWLY MOVED THE CAR INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE AND CONTINUED ON. QUIET. MY MIND STARTED RUNNING- WAS HE DRUNK? WAS HE A DRUG ADDICT? WAS HE GOING TO ROB ME? HE DIDN'T LOOK TO CLEAN. WHERE WAS HE GOING? WHAT WAS HE DOING OUT ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS? WE TRAVELED ON. I TRIED TO STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION, THERE WAS NO ANSWER NO WILLINGNESS TO TALK BUT HE LOOKED AT ME A TIME. IT WAS LIKE HE LOOKED RIGHT THROUGH ME, HIS EYES WERE DEEP AND CLEAR ALMOST AS THOUGH HE WASN'T THERE. WE DROVE ON IN THE QUIET COLD NIGHT.
5TH VERSE
D Bm Em A7
THEN IN A MOMENT TO MY VIEW
D Bm C A7
THE STRANGER STARTED FROM DISGUISE
D Bm Em A7
THE TOKEN IN HIS HANDS I KNEW
D Bm Em A7 C
THE SAVIOR STOOD BEFORE MINE EYES
F#m Em A7
HE SPAKE AND MY POOR NAME HE NAMED
D Bm C A7
“OF ME THOU HAST NOT BEEN ASHAMED
D Bm Em A7
THESE DEEDS SHALL THY MEMORIAL BE
D BM Em A7 D
FEAR NOT THOU DIDST THEM UNTO ME”


I posted this on the old family web site I thought some would like it

Grandma Walker

It never seems to slow down... even when you want to take a breath life's tides keep crashing and swelling.Grandma is not doing so great... she is ever getting weaker. You should find time to call or visit. She would love that.We brought a Christmas tree we cut during Thanksgiving break and set it up... its like a charlie brown tree... :) cute and fun for her. Mom and I had fun spending the evening with her... we loaded the tree up with candy-canes and ornaments...I go over every Sunday, if she is up to it... and every Sunday I am in town and we sing around the piano. She sure loves to sing... and the music makes her feel better. You should find time if you can this Christmas season to come to see her, tell her you love her, and give her the gift she so much wants... you.We are all busy... and money is always tight... a phone call is cheap... and gas prices are down. She loves you and she could sure use a visit (phone or otherwise).I know Dot, Mel, Arch, Deanna, and Christy have all seen her within the last week... if we as grand kids can take a moment to love our Grandmother in more than just a Christmas card... more than ever this is the time...

This is a post by Mel Atwood on the walker family site

Grandma Walker

Well here it is today.

I went over to see Grandma Walker this last week end and found her among the living.

She had a stroke aweek ago last saturday, while at the Dr.'s office. Lucky huh! That really slowed her down for a week. She seems to be doing better now, but I do think we made her quite tired while we were there. I don't know how long she has left. I guess noone knows that kind of thing, but she is old and looks it. I will be said when the time comes for her to go, I somehow miss her already.

Aunt Chrity is staying with her 24 hrs a day now and will untill the end I guess. It takes a lot of work and patience to help others so completely.

Ya know this kind of thing makes me miss all of you out there more than the norm. Let me tell you I love you all. I don't do that much anymore, but I do.

just me to let ya know
mel