The Best Gift

~ Catch A Star ~

THE BEST GIFT

by

 Betty Werth

On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes
Looked deep into Santa’s, to Santa’s surprise
And said as he sat on Santa’s broad knee,
"I want your secret. Tell it to me."

He leaned up and whispered in Santa’s good ear
"How do you do it, year after year?"
"I want to know how, as you travel about,
Giving gifts here and there, you never run out.

How is it, dear Santa, that in your pack of toys
You have plenty for all of the world’s girls and boys?
Stays so full, never empties, as you make your way
From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,
From nation to nation, reaching them all?"

And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy,
"Don’t ask me hard questions. Don’t you want a toy?"
But the child shook his head, and Santa could see
That he needed the answer. "Now listen to me,"

He told that small boy with the light in his eyes,
"My secret will make you sadder and wise.
"The truth is that my sack is magic inside
It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride.

But although I do visit each girl and each boy
I don’t always leave them a gaily wrapped toy.
Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad,
Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad.

Some homes are broken, and the children there grieve.
Those homes I visit, but what should I leave?
"My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff,
But for homes where despair lives toys aren’t enough.

So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy,
And I pray with them that they’ll be given the joy
Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives
In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives.

"If only God hears me and answers my prayer,
When I visit next year, what I will find there
Are homes filled with peace, and with giving, and love
And boys and girls gifted with light from above.

It’s a very hard task, my smart little brother,
To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others.
But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed,
For God has a way of meeting each person’s need.

"That’s part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth,
Is that my sack is magic. And that is the truth.
In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day
More love than a Santa could ever give away.

The sack never empties of love, or of joys
`Cause inside it are prayers, and hope. Not just toys.
The more that I give, the fuller it seems,
Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams.

"And do you know something? You’ve got a sack, too.
It’s as magic as mine, and it’s inside of you.
It never gets empty, it’s full from the start.
It’s the center of light, and love. It’s your heart.

And if on this Christmas you want to help me,
Don’t be so concerned with the gifts `neath your tree.
Open that sack called your heart, and share
Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care."

The light in the small boy’s eyes was glowing.
"Thanks for your secret. I’ve got to be going."
"Wait, little boy," said Santa, "don’t go.
Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?"

And just for a moment the small boy stood still,
Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered, "I will."

~ Winter Fantasy ~

~ Wishing you all the love and joy of the Christmas Season, and a most wondrous New Year! ~



The Art of Jack Frost

Sunflower In Frost

Pane of Fine Frosted Down

Frosted Feathers

These past few days have been so very cold. The snow crunches and squeaks under feet, hooves, and tires. Lake ice pops and trees crack, while bird chirps, sounds, and voices can be heard crisp and clear. Steaming breath freeze on whiskers and create frosted lashes, and the art of Jack Frost cover cold winter windows.

A New Year's Blue Moon

A Stunning Blue Moon

The Rising of a Gorgeous Blue Moon Illuminating a Fresh Minnesota Snowfall

What a beautiful image to begin the New Year! May the wondrous beauty of life surround you and all of your dreams come true!

I Wish a Happy New Year to All!

Waiting for the Christmas cheer


The Christmas vessel

Forest in frost

Christmas is coming ever closer. The trimmings are out and the windows have been beautifully frosted by nature in amazing ice designs. Soon the house will be filled with the fresh aroma of forest pine and wonderful scented cedar bows.

If you haven't already entered the Chronicle of Whimsy's first giveaway, please look to the post below. Happy winter everyone!

Cats and I

Yesterday it snowed.

So today the cats and I took a walk in the woods,
Bumble and Prince,

Carbon,

Bert,

no not the Cheshire Cat, but really close,
it's Fuzzy,

to look at the beautiful trees,

and visit the grand old Birch. This tree is special to me. I dreamt of it sitting on this hill when I was very young, and saw it for the first time ten years later growing on property we had just purchased.

Grandmother's Art

Winter Creek, oil on stretched canvas

Winter Sunset, oil on canvas board


It may seem as if I have been creating with oils again but, not today. Instead I thought I would share a little of grandmother's art with you.

Here and there you may have come across writings of a gentle grandmother full of love and talent, lost to me in my early years, and an easel and art box brimming with paints, brushes, and memories. Recently the beloved art box was once again opened, spilling those wonderful memories and stirring a desire to share with you art she created before and during my youngest years.

Only a few of her many paintings are with me along with an old tattered box containing a treasure of sketches and illustrations from her 1950 Home Study Course by the Washington School of Art, some of which I will share with you in coming posts.

For now I hope you enjoy this little travel back in time with visions created when I was very, very young.

November Gardening

Rose Fountain

November Jalapeno Peppers

What better way to start a wonderful day than to open a door to greet the warm sun, view the beauty of lush green plants, and inhale the blissful scents of a flowering rose. All this and more from the humble greenroom.

For us the greenroom is a wonderful thing. A Northern Minnesota growing season is very short, so planting too late in an outside garden may create beautiful plants right up to the first killing frost but nothing to harvest. Planting earlier is not often an option either as late frosts, very cold or frozen ground, and even possible snow prevent seeds from germinating and may kill or rot them before the ground warms well enough to promote growth. What the growing season will be is often a mystery (I'm sure our wild creatures could tell us).

Though it is best to grow most of the vegetables in outside gardens, planting a few of the less hardy, those that require more time to mature, and something we may enjoy fresh late in the season, in the greenroom is wonderful . This guarantees some harvest of fresh produce to pick and beautiful green plants to look at well into the cold winter months. Some of these are happily growing as permanent residents in the greenroom's warm earth floor, Moroccan Mint (for delicious teas), Egyptian Onions (a delicious little bulb), and a beautiful climbing Canadian series rose (for beauty, aroma, and wonderful rose petal water) are a few. Others are contentedly tucked into roomy growing pots, with Jalapeno Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Rosemary, Sage, and even Celery included.

How wonderful to have a little Secret Garden growing right in the heart of ice and snow.