Howdy to all and Dairy Christmas!
I just got back from H... again, and since I sold my one-horse sleigh, I had to walk home.
This humble pundit is still making poor Saint Michael work on Over Time to remove devils and darkness, so as to replace them with Love and Light.
A tip of the cowboy hat to all horsemen, farmers, and agricultural laborers for a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year!
Remember, cows are people too, and I would like to include them in my end-of-year column, along with all the horses and barn cats and dogs, as a reminder that all God’s creatures, great and small, deserve our respect and caring, as do those humans who are less fortunate than us.
I say Whoa! and slow down for a moment.
Behold! December has made her grand and blustery entrance once again, announcing herself with eddies of stormy winds and breezy sparkles as she wears her chilling silver coat of silence, her hair done up in a frosty crystalline-sweep of blue swirling, shimmering mica-powder, topped off with a shivery smile.
The frost fairies have been here, trailing their magic and dust all over the fields and trees, and sprinkling and brushing it onto our windowpanes.
The woodsy Cardinal birds, Mr. and Mrs., have made their lovely appearance at the winter scene, and they hurry to tell their friends of the stashes and caches of plentiful provisions just there for the taking at backyard feeders.
Old Man Nuthatch tells everyone of his disdain, crankily scolding the greedy Blue jays and a wayward, leftover Starling or two as the bashful, reticent Junko birds nod their heads in homage to a withdrawn and elusive Father Sun.
A horse’s neigh on a brisk breeze can make us pause, as we’re sure we heard the cheery, carefree expressions of sleigh bells in the lane, their haunting echoes reverberating across endless ribbons of time.
These “sledges” of yesteryear and their road-runner contemporaries skim gracefully through winter’s twining clutches and icy tendrils, their elegance and fine craftsmanship exceeded only by their sheer speed, the frozen Lass of the Solstice attempting in vain to scratch and claw at them as they fly past.
The thundering hooves of the horses spew clouds of hoar frost and quartz as the tiny vehicles rip on through, the clouds of frozen disturbances hanging in opaque vestiges of swirling puff and haze and veil, the drivers ensconced in the center of sound and beauty, the smiles and the waves mingling with the barking dogs and trails of peace and prosperity they leave in their wakes.
Gone are my Summertime friends, the lovely Katydid in her emerald green beauty-dress, adorned in a semi-precious matte of olive and jade and sea, and the fireflies, bedecked in their costumes of shimmery yellow gemstones, all winky-blinky.
Gone is the steady, rumbling droning of the Bumbledore, intent on the latest of Coneflowers, much too busy to bother with mere mortals who are callow in the ways of addressing royalty, but who can’t help but pause in unsophisticated admiration of the highest of esteem. Why, should we bow or capture her to keep for our very own?
…And on the seventh day God had completed His work which He had done and so He rested. Thus the heavens and earth were completed, and all their hosts. (1)
“Did you see the lights,
as they fell all around you?
Did you hear the music
of Serenade from the stars?
Wake up, wake up, wake up
and look around you.
….the sun comes up
and it shines all around you.
You’re lost in space,
And the Earth is your home.” (2)
Christmastime brings in all the joyful camaraderie of tranquil visits with family and friends.
Wonderful smells of freshly-brewing coffee mingle with the clinking of silverware, the bottoms of the mugs leaving the tell-tale rings of stain on the morning papers, lying just-read next to the antique creamer and sugar bowl.
Thoughts turn to tasty delectables such as Pecan Tassies and Pizzelles, and cookies covered in sugar granules and icing, or pralines with Pecans and crystallized sugar, or the finest of chocolate cordials that burst in flavor explosions of boozy crunch and fruit.
The fragrance of biting Juniper and Spruce merge with the wafting aromas from the kitchen of pumpkin and molasses, and brown sugar and butterscotch.
Naughty devils turn into little darlings, promising not to peek, while reminding daddy to please leave a bucket of water outside so Santa’s reindeer may halt momentarily on their journey for a refreshing drink.
Shadows cast onto the walls by the flickering fireplace could be a lonely ghost or two trailing ‘round the house, their eerie forms dispensing thoughts of other-worldly, sinister visitors from a churchyard mould.
Was that Old Saint Nicholas himself running the train under the tree?
The mournful echo of the whistle resonates into our dreamy recollections of days of yore, dashing in endless circles under the Tannenbaum, the streaming black beauty flying past spewing sparks and smoke, the coach lights all aglow, going everyplace and no place.
As the devils are gathered one by one and ushered off to sleepytime, battalions of angels rise up to the Cause, swinging low to touch their gentle hands over a tousled mess of humanity, their soothing and gentle eyes passing over each one of us, their celestial music serenading the planet from behind the stars in synchronized splendor that is too wonderful for words, the Prince of Peace not far behind.
The ghosts of Christmas Past could have some important messages to tell us, perhaps we should take heed.
For it is not what we have stashed in our bank accounts that is most vital, but instead what we have stored in our hearts. It’s not about the big house we live in, the type of car we drive, or what we own, but rather the thoughts, feelings, and deeds we own, and what we have done in service to Goodness, and what we have shown to the Creator with our actions.
For it matters not the cache of wealth we have hoarded and amassed in our brief time on Earth. Instead, who did we rally ‘round, who did we offer assistance to, lent a helping hand or extended aid to, so as to facilitate someone else’s journey on their human pathway.
Like my story about the Invisible Horseman, integrity should always remain ever-present, even when no one is looking.
The Baby Jesus was unassuming and obscure upon His arrival to Earth, yet stars and angels heralded His entrance, and Kings stopped by to rock His cradle.
“The Little Lord Jesus no crying He makes….” (3)
His catch-phrase is “Peace Be with You,” and He reminds us to reflect, ponder, and look within for some serious deliberation upon all things human and supernatural.
Jesus remained humble and serene, unruffled and placid, and He has answers for everything and anything, even in the 21st Century.
Behold! Jesus the Divine Living Christ, the best Gift ever given to humanity, the best Gift that was ever bestowed upon a lost race of beings. - Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison. (4)
I keep telling you, just because you don’t see the devil doesn’t mean he and his legions aren’t there - - real, lurking, plotting, and waiting even in the most sunny and ordinary of places; take it from me.
The demons are ancient and antediluvian, yet the Virtues of the Living Christ can still help us in today’s modern times.
Patience and Generosity, married in unity with Love, will beat the devil every time and twice on Sunday, century in and century out.
The Love of Christ is real, and He will bend the Universe on your behalf.
Let us remind ourselves… “That there but for the Grace of God go I...,” by which we are all shown how lucky and blessed we truly are. Now is the time to remember to be grateful for the truly important things in life, the things we cannot touch or hold in our hands.
The Mysteries of the Christ are most worthy of our contemplation, and even though Jesus lost His sandals a long time ago, you can still bet on the long-haired Carpenter dude to help you and see you through the entire lot of it all, while you pass through on your way to Heaven.
I am going to close out with some of my old lines from the Espyville Buzz: Stick around on Earth, you are still needed here and your Christic mission is not yet complete. The beer is always cold and the fish are always biting, and people still have Light in their hearts, so give them a chance.
Skip the emails and texting; instead, telephone a parent, sibling or an old friend, or better yet, go for a visit in person. These people are your link to your past and you all share common memories together, and you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Suspend your disbelief. Run that toy train under the tree and revel in the joy of being a kid again.
Seek quiet time for prayer and meditation, and seek the Light of the Christ.
Kiss your loved ones and then kiss the dog. Go out to the barn right now and tell your horse and cow buddies how blessed you are to have them in your life, for the privilege of knowing them, and thank them for working or showing their hearts out for you.
Tell them how happy you are for them being here and that you cherish their presence.
Go on, don’t wait, you never know when they’ll be gone for good, either.
And kiss all the barn cats while you’re at it, barn cats need love, too.
Do thank a US Veteran this Christmas for their military service, for by their blood, sweat, and sacrifices, we all sleep peacefully each and every night. We can celebrate Christmas time with prayer, food, beverages, and relaxation-r & r, all because of them.
Jesus really is the reason for the season, and I sure hope He stays by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Pray for our planet, pray for Peace.
Peace is the key word, folks, so have a “Kewl Yule,” keep the snow off your sleigh and the ice off your tails, and keep on buyin’ the Community News.
Soon a brand new year will be ushered in all over this great land of ours. May all the bells ringing be Liberty bells or church bells, to remind us of our freedom and sovereignty, and as harbingers of the Divine Living Christ and His Peace, Love, and Goodness.
Thank you to all the fans who read “Horsin’ Around” every week and thank you for the nice cards and emails.
We’ll talk again soon.
Once again I am smiling right at you from a warm fireside, and my furry friends and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, to the immortal words of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, “Happy Trails to You.”
1: Book of Genesis, Holy Christian Bible NAV, Chapter 1, 2, Verses 1, 2, 3, et al
2: “Serenade,” by Steve Miller Band, composed and produced by Steve Miller; from the album “Fly Like an Eagle,” Capitol Records, Haworth Enterprises, copyright 1976
3: “Away in the Manger,” copyright W.J. Kirkpatrick, 1895. Tied for 2nd place for all-time favorite Christmas carols.
4: In the Catholic Roman Rite, a transliteration from Greek, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.”