Saint Nicholas porcelain figurine hand painted by Leslie Howe 2023.
Blog is in honor of Three Kings’ Day: January 6, 2025
When
I go a shopping
I
see toy Santas there
I
just try to ignore them
but
in my heart I care.
I
kind of know the real one
the
one who lived in time
He's
nothing like those Santas
So
here what's on my mind.
Nicholas
was his name;
they
later added "Saint"
that's
what they called him
because
he was so great.
He
was raised by his "Uncle"
that
uncle taught him well
and
many a Jesus story
did
his uncle tell
Nick
liked that story
the
one about the Wise
who
came to worship Jesus,
the
star before their eyes.
They
gave so many presents
and
never left their names
to
Nick that seemed a wonder
to
never seek their praise.
He
saved some men from drowning
when
he was just a boy
He
learned how to create things
and
often carved a toy.
Those
toys he gave to children
the
poor and the sad
He
liked to see his presents
make
other people glad.
He
even gave some money
to
families who had lost
all
their family riches
when
their trading ships were tossed.
He
never left his name
to
take away the joy.
He
learned from the wise men
when
he was just a boy.
When
he was grown up
A
bishop he became
in
the place called Myra.
Diocletian
caused him pain
For
he was sent to prison
for
holding to the Faith
that
his uncle had taught him
I
guess that was his fate.
But
Constantine did free him
when
in the sky he saw
"In
this sign you conquer."
He
freed the Christians all.
And
Nick was always faithful
to
his godly call
and
others tried to follow
being
good to one and all.
When
he went to heaven
other
people came
they
did their selfless giving
in
Nicholas’ name.
So
why don't you join in
with
all this wondrous fun,
since
Nicholas' giving
has
only just begun?
The
Master gave a blessing
for
all of those who give
they
are the only ones who
have
really learned to live.
Bible allusions: Matthew 2:1-11;
Acts 20:35
Guest blog is by Leslie Elaine Smith Howe,
who received a B.S. from Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA (1965), M.A.
(math) Cleveland State University (NSF) (1969), and M.T.S. Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA (1970). She has worked as a
public-school teacher teaching computer languages and math, camp counselor,
Sunday School teacher, and served as a Pastor’s wife. She is also the author of
a compilation of poems, A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
and Me: Childhood in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries and several
historical novels: Hatshepsut, The Pharaoh’s Daughter and Corina of
Damascus.
