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It was a dark and stormy Christmas eve, and all of the reindeer were sick with hoof and mouth disease. Santa was in a bustle. (He was also …….., but that’s beside the point). How would he get presents to all the good little boys and girls – all ten of them? He tried rounding up cats, but that was as difficult as, well – rounding up cats. He tried wolves, but they were all on the street corner whistling as the girls went by. He thought of dogs, but they were dog-tired.

And then, a light bulb flashed in his head! Momentarily blinded by the light, Santa cried, “For Godssake, Rudolph stop taking my picture with that G.D. camera!” But Rudolph had given him

an ……….

“Quick”, he told his wife, “call Sydney!”

“Who’s Sidney”, asked Mrs. Claus.

“No, no, not the person, but Sidney the city. The one in Australia”.

“But where in Sidney?”

“Oh, I don’t know. How about the city zoo?”

So Mrs. Claus called the Sidney local zoo and handed the phone to her husband.

“Hello, Sidney Zoo? How many Koala bears do you have?”

“Oh, Criky, Mate, I don’t know. A couple of dozen I guess”.

“Well, round up a dozen of your best, and I’ll pick them up tonight.. I’ll make sure you get a good present under your Kangaroo, if you do.”

“OK, Mate, you got it. Just one question. How will I know which Koala to put out?”

Santa though for a minute. “Go to the …….bush trees and pick those who live in upper branches. Then put …….. on them.”

“OK. Whys that?”

“That way I’ll get highest Koala-trees”

“…….”

and that’s how all 10 children got their presents that year.

 

~Rick Wile

It was a dark and stormy night but I had hope that the light would come out. After every storm there comes a calm. After every darkness comes the light. After every night comes the morning. Out of every joy comes a fear. Fear is part of being human. Fear can be conquered through love.

Love everybody. Every human has value. Every human carries a spirit and every spirit is beautiful. I am in darkness now. I am in a storm now, but I have to keep hope. Hope is what sustains. Hope is why we get out of bed in the morning. Hope is light. Don’t be afraid of a dark, stormy night because the sun will be shining soon!

~ Amy Tripp
(1970-2015)

It was a dark and stormy Christmas Eve. The children were all in jammies and ready for bed, imagining what dear old St. Nick would bring. Of course the adults were worried about the travelling conditions for family and friends making their way to the Lynch household.

Now I don’t know if you believe in Santa Claus (dear old St. Nick), but if you know the story of Rudolph, chances are you know that Santa WILL be coming to town.

As the story goes, Rudolph has a bright, shiny nose and he will make sure that Santa makes it to every single house around the world. All one has to do is BELIEVE. It’s a matter of faith and if you believe in the miracle of Christmas, Christmas will come no matter what!!

 

~Cathy Lynch

Clouds obscure the moon, and

A chorus of crickets call

There is wind in the trees –

A storm is coming.

Trees toss and bend

Torrents of water

Wash along the shore

A break in the clouds

And the Androscoggin rolls

in the moonlight.

I stand to watch a flash of lightening

And hear a deafening crash of thunder

On the walking bridge

Which sways beneath my feet.

I grip the railing with a cold, wet hand.

A man drowned the other day

Jumping from this bridge.

The current took him.

Yellow light in the distance are houses

One is my destination.

I walk the swinging bridge

Iron cables thick and strong.

Wooden boards bend beneath my feet.

My coat is lashed by wind and water.

I am cold to the bone

As I make my way toward home.

                            ~Doug Palmer

It was a dark and stormy Christmas Eve and I felt as if I had been walking forever –

The ground was uneven and wet and soggy. My clothes had absorbed too much rain. My socks were wet all the way through – my nose was even dripping!

Suddenly through the mist I saw a light – it looked like just a pinpoint in the distance. Could it be Tinker Belle? or a firefly?

Wow! A tiny house in the wood.