Monday, December 14, 2015

The Magic of Christmas


Photo by Catherine Castle


Christmas will be here soon and I’m totally unprepared.

At the writing of this post, I have no tree up, no decorations outside, only my stocking stuffer gift purchased, and a house that is in desperate need of cleaning before my company arrives.

I’ve been on a writing deadline with my husband; dealing with a back injury for the past six months; and, in my infinite over-reaching manner, I’ve booked myself with more must-dos and want-to-do chores than I could manage in a year, much less in the three weeks before Christmas. Busy, busy, busy is the catch phrase I, and I’m sure you, can relate to.

But busy is not what this season is about.

Christmas is about Christ. How he came and why he came.  

Christmas is a time of miracles.

Christmas is God’s love for me and you.

I may not be prepared for the material side of Christmas, but gratefully, I’m prepared for the gift God has given us-the gift we celebrate every year at Christmas.

So, today I’m forgetting all the chores and things I think must be done, and remembering the God’s Christmas gift through a sonnet I wrote a couple of years ago celebrating the magic of Christmas. I hope you also find the heart of the Christmas season this year, and keep it with you all year long.


Christmas Magic
By
Catherine Castle


What magic lies within the stable door?
Is it the lullaby so sweetly sung?
A song that lifts the heart and comforts souls,
sung from mother’s lips to swaddled, newborn son.
Is it the shepherds or the lowing sheep
or hov’ring angels stippled in starlight
who keep a watchful vigil while he sleeps,
tucked in a bed of straw to rest the night?
Though magic lies within all of these things
we think about on every Christmas Eve,
true magic lies within the shadows crossed
upon his blessed head where thorns aggrieve,
and in his hands where Jesus took the blame
to stay my soul and purify my name.
© 2103 by Catherine Castle

~May the Blessing of Christmas be on you and yours and may the love of Christ fill your heart and home.

Merry Christmas from Catherine Castle



About the Author:

Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. Besides writing, Catherine loves traveling with her husband, singing, and attending theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Her inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing is a ACFW Genesis Finalist, 2014 Epic finalist, and 2014 Rone winner, and 2014 Beverly Hills Book Award Winner. You can find her book at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful thoughts. I read them just as I had visualized all that I would like to do but I know I only need to sit and ponder this incredible birth and indescribable sacrifice!
    Hope your husband continues to improve and Merry Christmas!

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  2. Connie,glad the devotional touched you. And thanks for the well wishes. My back has improved a lot. Traction does wonders.

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