Peace and love this Christmas
A very special prayer
That love and understanding
Will gather everywhere

Snow that falls so gently
Wherever you may go
Sparkling in the moonlight
With such a peaceful glow

Memories of loved ones
Always in your heart
Smiles that last forever
Precious works of art

Pausing for a moment
To realize good health
Sharing friendship always
The treasure of great worth

All these things to ponder
On very special day
Hands across a nation
Love of Christmas stay

For only just one moment
Bow your heads in prayer
Thankful for the freedom
That we will always share.


~ Francine Pucillo ~
used with permission

POETRY~EMOTION

You Are
Forever In Our Hearts
Never Apart

As You Spend
Christmas With The King

I am spending Christmas in Heaven this year.

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below, with tiny lights, like Heaven's stars, reflecting in the snow.

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear, for I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear, but, the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.

For I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring, for it is beyond description to hear an angel sing.

I can't tell you of the splendor, or the peace here in this place, can you just imagine the Christmas with our Savior, face to face?

I'll ask him to light your spirit, as I tell him of your love. So then pray for another as you lift your eyes above.

Please let your heart be joyful, and let your spirit sing, for I'm spending Christmas in Heaven and I'm walking with the King.

Poem Walking With the King.
About the Author: John Mooney wrote
"Merry Christmas From Heaven" in 1989,
after the death of his mother in August.
His only intention was to present it to
his family that year at Christmas. He knew it
was going to be a very difficult
holiday season without her. The words, and
the comfort he and his family needed,
came to him after a prayer one night.
As he wrote, he thought of the words
his mother might say to each one of them.

"Merry Christmas From Heaven"
1990 copyright, John Wm. Mooney, Jr.

Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound The Carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
?There is no peace on earth,? I said;
?For hate is strong, And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
?God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Doll and a White Rose

I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kind of wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys.

And wondered if the grandkids would even play with them. I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money?". She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have enough money for it."

The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere, that she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle. The boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it". I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said, "No, Santa can't go where my sister is... I have to give the doll to my Mamma to take to her". I asked him where his sister was. He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, "She has gone to be with Jesus.

My Daddy says that Mamma is going to have to go be with her." My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Mamma not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store." Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store.

He said, "I want my Mamma to take this with her so she won't ever forget me. I love my Mamma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me. But Daddy says she will need to be with my sister." I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet.

While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pulled out a handful of bills. I asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?". He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know it has to be enough." So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it. Of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you Jesus for giving me enough money." Then the boy said, "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so Mamma can take it with her to give to my sister. And he heard my prayer. I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Mamma a white rose, but I didn't ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Mamma.

She loves white roses so very, very much." In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about he little boy as I finished my shopping In a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition. The family was deciding on whether to remove the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.

Two days later I read in the paper that the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young mother was.

And there she was holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store. I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.

Author: V. A. Bailey

With the Holiday Season upon us (as with every day of the year) Please Heed these words For Only you can stop something like this from ever happening again to a family. It is simple, if you have been drinking, don't drive. If you are with someone that has been drinking, stop them from driving or call them a cab.

I would like to Thank "Everyone" who has come by and visited "Heaven's Blessings" and "Ryan's Wings" for you have All been so Gracious and Kind in your comments and emails that I have received. A Very Special Thank You and Happy Holidays goes to MoonandBack Graphics, Francine Pucillo and All of the Very Creative and Wonderful People whose graphics, poems, music, and scripts I am able to use to make all of this possible for you to enjoy....God Bless, you have All made my life so much richer with your God given talents and compassion to share your gifts with so many of us here in Cyperspace! I deeply appreciate what you do.

My Family and I would like to extend Our Sincere Wishes To You and Yours this Holiday Season, I would also like to leave you with this, It is a poem I found on the Internet,