Merry Christmas Lord, Happy Birthday Jesus!

During the Vietnam War, my father, Greg Presley, founder of A Voice For Today, was pastor of Main Street Baptist Church, Inverness, FL. The African American custodian had a son, Josh, who was killed in action and the father was notified just before Christmas. Josh's birthday was on Christmas. My Father was so moved by the man's mourning that he wrote this poem. It is timeless as we are once again at war. I hope you enjoy it. Copywritten material. Please do not copy without permission.

                    Merry Christmas, Lord.  “Happy birthday, Jesus,  This is old Tom, you remember me; I’m the one what rings the bell down at the church house.”

          “Lord, the lights are sure pretty this year, the courthouse looks a sight!”  “All up and down the streets, Lord, every pole is lit up to show it’s Christmas “.

“This Christmas aint like the others, Lord; the wife, she’s in the house cooking like always but it aint the same, Lord”.

          “Lord, I keep thinking about that Christmas 20 years ago; that was the year Josh came to live with the lady and me.  Baby Jesus, Josh was born on your birthday and we called him our Christmas gift from heaven.”

          “Christmas come and come and every year we’d get a bigger sock to hang up just for Josh.  We couldn’t buy much but we’d put an orange, some pecans and a play-pretty in it.   Lord, do you remember how his eyes lit up when he’d find his Christmas all laid out?  Those were sure enough fine Christmases, Lord, sure enough merry Christmases.”

          “Lord, do you remember when I got Josh that bicycle?  My, my!  I sure thought he’d wear himself plum out riding.  That was sure a fine Christmas, Lord”.

          “Then, there was that Christmas year before last; Josh was about through high school;   twelve years he’d been going.  He sure did look nice all dressed up for the Christmas party at the school.  You remember how good he looked, don’t you Lord?”

         

          “Lord, do you remember last Christmas?  My, that Josh sure did look good in his soldier suit.  The Army made him walk with his head up and his chest out; proud like.  Oh, he was full of stories to tell his old daddy!  He’d really seen some sure enough wonders that his daddy had never even heard about.  That Josh, how he’d strut and march for his mama and me!”

          “Lord, it just aint the same, won’t ever be any more, I guess. It seems a shame, too, Lord.   Who are those people Josh was fighting with?  I don’t know any of them.  Who is it that’s giving all the trouble?”

          “Well, this is about the poorest Christmas me and the lady ever had here, because Josh aint here.  But Lord, I know your Christmas is gonna be about the best you ever had, because you’ve got Josh with you this Christmas.”

          “We sure miss him, Lord; it just aint the same any more.  Merry Christmas, Lord”.  “Happy Birthday, Jesus.”  “Merry Christmas, Josh.  AMEN”

It’s Christmas time again and we are at war.  We must take time out from our shopping and celebration to remember those young Americans who are fighting that we may soon have peace on Earth, Good will to all men!