The Christmas Guest

This is the second of the two Christmas writings I mentioned yesterday. This has been recorded by several artist. My favorite rendition is by Grandpa Jones. Here's a website where you can hear the song (using Internet Explorer).

The Christmas Guest

It happened one day near December's end,
Two neighbors called on an old time friend.

And they found his shop so meager and mean
Made gay with a thousand bows of green,

And Conrad was sitting with face ashine,
When he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine,

and he said, "old friend, at dawn today
when the cock was crowing the night away

The lord appeared in a dream to me,
And said, "I am coming your guest to be."

"So I've been busy with feet astir,
Strewing my shop with branches of fir.

The table is spread and the kittle is shined,
And over the rafters the holly is twined.

And now I'll wait for my lord to appear
And listen closely so I will hear

his step as he nears my humble place
And I open the door and look on his face.

So his friends went home and left Conrad alone
For this is the happiest day he had known,

For long since, his family had passed away
and conrad had spend many a sad Christmas day.

But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest,
This Christmas would be the dearest and best

So he listened with only joy in his heart,
And with every sound he would rise with a start

and look for the Lord to be at his door,
Like the vision he had a few hours before.

So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,
But all he could see on the snow covered ground

was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn
and all his clothes were ragged and worn.

But Conrad was touched as he went to the door
And he said, "your feet must be frozen and sore.

I have some shoes in my shop for you,
and a coat that will keep you warmer too."

So with grateful heart the man went away,
But Conrad noticed the time of day

And he wondered what made the Lord so late,
and how much longer he'd have to wait?

When he heard a knock; he ran to the door
But it was only a stranger once more.

A bent old lady with a shawl of black,
With a bundle of kindling piled on her back.

She asked for only a place to rest,
but that was reserved for Conrad's great guest,

But her voice seemed to plead, "Don't send me away.
Let me rest for a while on Christmas day.

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup,
And told her to sit at the table and sup.

But after she left he was filled with dismay
For he saw that the hours were slipping away,

And the Lord hadn't come as he said he would
And conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

When out of the stillness he heard a cry,
"Please help me and tell me where am I?"

So again he opened his friendly door,
And stood disappointed as twice before.

It was only a child who had wandered away
And was lost from her family on Christmas day.

Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad,
but he knew he should make the little girl glad

So he called her in and wiped her tears
And quieted all her childish fears

Then he led her back to her home once more,
But as he entered his own darkened door,

he new that the lord was not coming today,
For the hours of Christmas had passed away.

So he went to his room and knelt down to pray,
And he said, "Dear Lord, why did you delay?

What kept you from coming to call on me?
For I wanted so much your face to see.

When soft in the silence a voice he heard,
"Lift up your head for I kept my word.

Three times my shadow crossed your floor.
Three times I came to your lowly door.

For I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet.
I was the woman you gave something to eat.
And I was the child on the homeless street.

Three times I knocked, Three times I came in,
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.

Of all the gifts, love is the best.
I was honored to be your Christmas guest."

Note: Read Matthew 25:31-46 for more information.