Every Christmas, I write poems for my kids, and this year I'll share them here, to invite you into the celebration of what God is doing in these young lives. The poem listed first is for my youngest, my daughter. The other two poems, for my middle son (originally posted Jan. 11), and for my oldest son (originally posted Jan. 4), are included below it.
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Here’s to my sweet
hummingbird,
My happy, bouncing
kangaroo;
My darling daughter,
nearly three,
Oh, how I do delight
in you!
Those bright blue
eyes are like the blue
That fills the bottom
of a flame:
Indomitable soul of
fire,
And gorgeous as a
summer’s day.
I love your sweetness
and your fire,
I love them both, oh
yes, it’s true;
And even when my
patience frays,
Yes, I still love you
through and through.
You play at brothers’
games so well
That they adore their
sister’s ways;
But walk in your own
world, too,
Of dresses, dolls,
and girlish grace.
You have your Mommy’s
heart, but still,
Sometimes in you,
myself I see:
You love your books
and you love tea;
You roll your sleeves
up just like me.
And you love music,
song and dance;
Sometimes you sing,
and make us hush;
Sometimes you tell us
what to sing,
And we obey (because
we must!)
So Merry Christmas,
little one!
You fill our house
with charm and cheer,
And every day we
share with you,
Oh, we’re so grateful
that you’re here.
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Give me that smile,
those deep brown eyes,
Give me the joy of
being five!
Son, you remind us
every day
Of the wonder of
being alive.
We love the way you
love your friends;
Your greatest joy is
company:
Just like
Great-Grandma Dourte did,
You love “together”
ardently.
Thanks for seizing my
solitude
And filling it with
hugs and games;
Thanks for wanting to
be with me
Even on my grumpy
days.
I know that being five
is hard,
With disappointment,
sadness, pain;
But you bounce right
back with boundless joy,
And want to do it all
again.
I love your
curiosity,
Questions that make
me scratch my head;
I wish that I could
answer them,
Find some response to
what you’ve said.
But often all I do is
laugh
Because your
questions bring me joy;
You remind me of days
gone by,
When I was five, a
“middle” boy.
You’ve been so brave
this year, my son,
In life at home and
life at school;
We delight in your
happiness,
And we’re so thankful
that you’re you.
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Hooray for seven
years of life,
For seven years of
loving you!
My son, you are a joy
to us;
This Christmas we
delight in you.
We love the way you
love the world,
With all its
countries, all its states,
All its capitals, all
its flags,
All its cultures, all
its ways.
This world is great
in every part
Because it’s made by
God’s own hand;
But you, my son, were
made like Him:
More grand than all
the world is grand.
Just like you love to
learn about
The lands that lie
both near and far;
Just so, we love to
learn of you,
And the wonder of who
you are.
This year we’ve seen
you grow so far—
You are helpful and
sincere;
You love your
brother, sister, pets;
You fill our days and
hours with cheer.
And you’ll grow
stronger, wiser yet,
As we are graced to
walk with you,
To see you join the
legacy
Of being good, and
kind, and true.
So here’s to maps and
flags and games,
And here’s to reams
of paper used!
We’ve loved the
pictures, puzzles, cards,
And all the ways that
you’ve been you!