Twas just days before Christmas and all through the house
A mother was scurrying quicker than even the mouse.
She had made a long list of everything left to do,
The items upon it were none too few.
Candies yet to be made and cookies to bake,
If she went with store-bought, would they notice the fakes?
The stack of gifts to be wrapped was still hidden well,
When she would manage that? Only time would tell.
There were stockings to hang, last minute gifts to be found,
Christmas programs to attend—her head started to pound.
A perfect plan was exactly what she would need
If at this Christmas game, she were to succeed.
First bake cookies, next a trip to the store,
Wrap up all of the gifts, then finish the décor.
Next on the plan, she’d make the house tidy and neat;
Last, she’d cook all the food for her family to eat.
This was the morning she’d set her plan all in motion—
For Mom’s work is the magic Christmas potion.
But first, a cup of hot coffee was in order
To keep her from crossing insanity’s border.
As she waited for the cup of coffee to brew,
Her mind started swirling with thoughts of something new.
Questioning if the crazy hustle was worth it—
To make sure Christmas was absolutely perfect.
As she stood right there sipping that hot cup of joe,
She just happened to glance out her kitchen window.
The sun had not yet risen; it still was quite dark—
Not even a light down the street in the park.
When what to her wondering eyes did appear,
But her neighbors’ nativity lit up bright and clear.
And there in the middle on a manger of hay,
Between Mary and Joseph, the little babe lay.
She recognized then the story she’d been told
Held the secret passed down from the days of old—
Of the one true Messiah from heaven come down
That night long ago in little Bethlehem town.
Of shepherds hearing angels singing on high;
Of a star hung o’re a stable most simply passed by,
Of the story of God’s great redemption plan
Sent to the earth in the form of a man.
It was then that she fell with her face to the floor,
For she knew God was offering her something more—
More than all the expected holiday flurry;
More than the hustle, the bustle, and the hurry.
She knew God was offering peace and hearts full of joy,
All because of the birth of that ‘lil baby boy.
And right there on the floor, she surrendered her heart
To the One who had loved her right from the start.
It was then that she felt God’s peace flowing in,
And she knew her new life was about to begin.
Instead of following the plan she had made,
She simply bowed her head, and she prayed—
Giving thanks to the Father for this gift from above
For this season meant for sharing his joy and his love.
The mother had finally come to understand
The magic of Christmas came not from her hand—
But from the hand of the Father on high
Who sent the perfect gift on the first Christmas night.
