Once Upon A Christmas

For some this is a happy story, and there are those who find it sad,
But there's a lesson here for all of us, just waiting to be had.
The setting is at Christmas time, the year I do not know,
The place a street in shanty town, where some would call skid row.

There's a child in the story, the boy's name is Dan,
He was a frail and sickly child who never grew to be a man.
His father and he was very poor, his only clothes were torn,
He had no Mother for she had died, the day that he was born.

The house he live in was a shamble, A pitiful little shack,
The only room in the house, seemed cold, dingy and black.
There was very little food to eat, Dan was hungry often time,
There was never money for presents, just living took every dime.

But you never heard Dan complaining, he was thankful for what he had,
And the thing Dan treasured most, was an evening with his dad.
Dan thrived on cheering up his dad, and was delighted by his smile,
It seemed to help his dad forget their misery for a while.

But then the sickness came and took his dad away,
And The irony of it all, was he died on Christmas day.
He had never had a Christmas, like the other kids had,
This Christmas was his worst, for he had lost his dad.

When the funeral was over, and Dan returned home again,
He was met at his door, by a very strange man.
The man looked like a giant and Dan was startled by his size,
But his manner was very gentle, you could see it in his eyes,

My name is Dan," said Dan, "Now tell me, who are you?
"I am the spirit of Christmas" said he, "And this is what I came to do".
"All of your days have been filled with hurt and strife",
"And you've known so little happiness in the days of your life."

"From your pain of Christmas day your heart is filled with grief",
"So I stand before you now to bless you with relief."
"I will grant you just one wish so word it carefully,"
"That the rest of your days may be full of cheer and free of poverty."

Little Dan closed his eyes, then opened them with a nod,
And said the wish I want to wish, is that my dad is now with God.
The room was suddenly filled with a flash of blinding light,
And a voice said "He is and you will join him there tonight".

Little Dan's body, then crumpled to floor,
The stranger went unnoticed, he slipped quietly out the door.
Everyone who knew Dan, thought heartbreak killed the boy,
How was they to know he'd found an eternity of joy!

The moral of this story is, remember at Christmas time,
Life and the Christmas spirit is more than me and mine.
So try to live unselfeshly, to follow God's plan,
Keep Christ in Christmas and someday,

You will join little Dan.

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