A Silent Wish

A Christmas Medley - 10th December

A silent wish sails the seven seas
The winds of change whisper in the trees ...

'Um, how's your day been?' Matt asked, swallowing nervously.

Sam tamped down on her annoyance to answer, politely, 'It was fine thanks, and yours?'

'Oh, mine was great,' Matt replied. Sam rolled her eyes. Here goes, she thought, and sure enough, 'I managed to get a tricky little problem solved in one of my projects that I'm working on for a client. Have you heard of Kinet Systems?'

Sam groaned inwardly. Not only was she walking next to him, but now he expected her to know about some stupid thing, a business maybe.

Barely managing to hide her frustration, she replied, 'Nope. I've never heard of them.'

'Well, I'll tell you more about them sometimes. You'll be impressed.' Sam bit her tongue. 'Are you going to the ice skating tomorrow night? If you aren't, would you go with me?'

Sam's heart beat a little faster in her chest, but 'I'm not going - I'm going to be busy.' Grudgingly she added, 'We're going carol singing at the care home.'

'Why don't you come along after? I don't mind coming to pick you up. You know I've got a bike?' Matt tried to encourage her.

Sam chuckled inwardly. How envious was she of his freedom on that bike, 'Can I ask my Mom and see what she says? I can let you know on Facebook in the morning?'

'Sure,' Matt smiled, pleased.

Song extract from "When a Child is Born"

Forgotten

A Christmas Medley - 9th December

O grant us through our day of grace
With constant praise to seek Thy face;

Life's so unfair. Why is it me every single time. What do I have to do to have friends who remember me when something is going on. Sally, she knows how I feel about being left out of stuff, yet she's going and doesn't remember to ask me to go. Some days I wonder why I even bother to go out of the house. And why do I think I'm any good at anything? Argh! I could punch a wall, maybe the pain will help. But no, I sit here, practicing the piano like a good student, and they're all going to the skate party. Why, oh why?! It's just so not fair that I'm left alone in the evening. Yeah, I know that I'm going to the carol singing that night, but they don't know that. I should feel better because I'm already doing something, but it doesn't help. The fact is, I've been forgotten, yet again. What is it about me that makes people forget I exist? It's not like I'm any different to them? Judy, even Matt is going! Why him? He's weirder than I am! So what makes him get remembered, while I get forgotten. Even Judy shouldn't have forgotten me. How can she think that I'd not want to go, or not be invited, even if I were to say no. I've hardly seen her this week - she doesn't know about the carol singing. What type of a friend is she? I just wonder why I bother. I just get forgotten, every time. It's just no use anymore.

Song extract from "Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light"

Bethlehem

A Christmas Medley - 8th December

Little donkey, little donkey
Had a heavy day
Little donkey
Carry Mary safely on her way.

A chill wind blew over her as surely as she felt a familiar blanket cloaking her. She found that she was sitting at a well in a dusty square, amongst flat-roofed, squarish buildings that looked like they were the same texture as the road.

So why are we here?' she turned to her companion, who was seated beside her.

'Watch, and wait,' he smiled at her. 'They'll be here soon.'

A short while later, she spotted some motion down one of the ... pathways ... between the buildings to their right. A figure walking alongside a beast, with another person sitting on the beast. They were stopping at each door and knocking.

'That's Mary and Joseph, isn't it?' Sam breathed, too awed to speak any louder.

'Yes, it is. And they're looking for a place to sleep.'

'Oh, I do hope that they find one,' Sam answered.

'Haven't you read The Word? Of course they'll find somewhere to stay. It's already happened.'

Sam was confused. Already happened? Here she was waiting for it to happen ....

'Don't miss this part. I always love this ...' her companion brought her attention back to the present ... past?

As Sam watched, she saw Joseph step up to another door and knock. This building was bigger than the other she could see from where they were sitting. The door eventually opened, light spilling out onto the pathway beyond, and over Mary, seated on the donkey. Now for the first time Sam could see how pregnant and tired she was. Her heart went out to her.

Joseph was nodding as he spoke to the person standing in the door. Then he moved away from the door and went to stand beside Mary, laying his arm around her shoulders. Sam could see their weariness in all that they did. Then the person inside came out, carrying a lamp with him. He turned to the left and walked along the building, towards where Sam and her companion were sitting. Joseph, Mary and the donkey followed him. Before it seemed they would reach the end of the buildings he turned left between them with the others disappearing after him.

'That inn-keeper's a nice man, to give them a place to stay - even if it's only a stable.'

'Yes, he is," her companion nodded. 'I made him like that, especially for this purpose.'

"And I'm glad you did," Sam admitted. But as she did, her vision turned fuzzy and the town disappeared from her sight.

Song extract from "Little Donkey, Little Donkey"

Resting

A Christmas Medley - 7th December

Here we come a wassailing
Among the leaves so green, ...

"The team will be singing carols at the care home on Saturday night," her Mom said. "Will you be joining us?"

"Ah man, do I have to?" Sam pouted. They were relaxing in the lounge; Sam was playing a game while her Mom read a book.

"Well, the old people loved you last year ... and they'll ask where you are if you don't come," her Mom replied.

"Yeah ... they like to pat me on the head and remind me how they remember me when I was knee-high," Sam said sulkily.

"Oh Sam," her Mom came and put an arm around her. "You know, when I was your age, they used to say the same thing to me. Even now I might occasionally meet someone who remembers me at that age - especially at the care home. So it's you and me both, you see!"

"Mmmmmm," Sam responded, thinking. "I guess it isn't so bad then. And I do enjoy the singing - and some of the old ladies are lovely. I think I'll definitely be there - so long as one of the ladies tells you that they remember you when they were knee-high." She smiled at her Mom.

Her Mom laughed. "There's the spirit!"

Song extract from "Here we Come a Wassailing"

Santa Claus?

A Christmas Medley - 6th December

... He's making a list and checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice ...

'I just LOVE Santa Claus. For me, he's part of what makes Christmas Christmas,' said Sam. She and her friends were in the study area of their school library, doing some research on Christmas traditions around the world for a class assignment.

'Sure, I can't deny that,' Jim responded, 'but he takes people's attention away from the real reason for Christmas - Jesus' birth.'

'You see, that's my point - I don't think that he does,' Sam replied.

Judy, who had been listening to the conversation, cut in, 'I'm curious - why do you think that?'

'Well, you see, I read a few years ago that the Santa Claus character is actually based on a real person,' Sam answered. 'His name was Nikolaos, and he was a Greek bishop sometime back in the first few centuries of the church. He became known for giving gifts to the poor and needy anonymously, asking for no recognition in return - and this is essentially what Santa Claus symbolises.'

Song extract from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"