Moisture dripped from
the branches that Christmas eve
A fine beautiful pine tree it had become.
I swear I think it was shedding tears.
It stood six feet tall and fully branched.
I had watched it grow for some years

Something special about this tree
It seemed to have a personality!
It stood in the forest near my house,
and sometimes when the wind blew ...
I swear I heard someone say..
please come find me...

My neighbor down the road mentioned
his grandchildren were coming to visit,
but he didn't have a tree and the vendors
had already closed up for the season.

Suddenly a thought occurred to me about
that special tree in the forest.
I told my friend not to worry,
I had something for his grandchildren,
I would be along in a bit.

I grabbed my saw and got in my old
pickup truck and drove to the stand and
walked into the forest knowing this
was what I was meant to do.

I sawed the tree and and carried it
back to the truck and loaded it on.

I walked back to the stump to get my saw
and as I looked down I saw the image of
a smiling face, with one teardrop falling
imprinted in the stump where I had sawed.
I knew then I would have no regrets
for cutting down the tree.

To everything there is a time and a
place, just as God intended.
So weep not for what has gone.
But know the real meaning of
Christmas is giving.
After all God gave us his most
precious gift of all.
Merry Christmas all.
By Bonnie Ray 2007
All Rights Reserved
Used with permission.

God Bless you and Merry Christmas to you all!