MTP BlogMerry Christmas from The Memphis TEA Party
Having trouble viewing this email?
Click here
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=ltvhmfdab&v=001qcrdJaeP7TbwfzHAHeQxv7FJEqdYa6pjlGGunKdbmYkMt4njQCPHFU0wTMUUmmllta5YHCLTCUrXrvZgcwNq2LxiP5TwBuR-LHFJAoYG44_xItYPTrtLcyyt6vl-h_tJIRoA40Z8mJU1Yuk14KRuM3ro2K6icUnptRo9hk-56JoXzbqb3TumH29F71aGYAQ8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greetings from the Memphis TEA Party!
The past year has been full of challenges, disappointment, exhilaration and joy.
We spent much of the year battling what seemed insurmountable odds, fought many
legislative battles and turned out those who would lord over us in Congress..
But all of this pales in comparison to the commitment and honor of our soldiers.
They battle a real enemy and put their lives and families on the line for the
benefit of our country.
During this Christmas season, I would ask that you buy a cup of coffee or lunch
for one of our service members should you come across them while you are traveling.
Take a moment of silent prayer to lift them up and thank God for their heroic generosity.
When your sitting at the table enjoying your Christmas dinner, thank God for the
sacrifice of all who have served and are serving. For it is their gift that we
enjoy this season.
And please enjoy this poem as you think about this year. For as we celebrate the
birth of Jesus Christ, who was born, lived and died for our salvation, the soldier
is often called to give his life for our right to praise Him and freely choose those
who would govern us!
And may God bless you and yours during this Christmas season and my God bless America!
Sincerely,
Mark A. Skoda
Chairman, The Memphis TEA Party
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Soldier's Christmas Poem
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear,
'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!'
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.'
'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,'
Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.'
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'
' So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.'
'But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
'Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The poem above has often been circulated via email and attributed to a soldier in
Iraq. The truth is that this poem was written by one Michael Marks. The attribution
along with his comments are listed below:
In loving appreciation of the countless Americans who have, and continue to serve
in the Armed Forces and those who gave their life for their country. Your sacrifices
will never be forgotten. We look forward to the day you come home. God bless and
keep you always, and God Bless America.
A Soldier's Christmas was the first in this series of patriotic writings, drafted
on Pearl Harbor Day 2000 when in the wake of the 2000 Presidential Election our
nation saw the right of US Armed Forces personnel openly questioned and debated.
I felt it unconscionable that at the onset of the Christmas season, those serving
to defend our nation would hear anything but our love and support. It is our challenge
to stand for their rights at home while they stand for our lives and safety overseas.
This poem went out and quickly spread around the world in emails, letters, and
magazines. I received letters from Marines in Bosnia, soldiers in Okinawa, from
a submariner who xeroxed a copy for everyone on his sub. Moms wrote, dads, brothers
and sisters. I have saved and cherish every letter and set out to continue writing
throughout the year.
Michael Marks
©Copyright December 7, 2000 by Michael Marks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forward email
http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=ltvhmfdab&m=1102913459819&ea=blog.thememphisteaparty.com@myqbc.mobi&a=1104106032621
This email was sent to blog.thememphisteaparty.com@myqbc.mobi by mark@thememphisteaparty.com.
Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(TM)
http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001kXARqX7dosm4fSH5K3lxYw%%&se=001T5rgzZck27o%&t=001DWrpDmL_nfcOl11Zvdu07g%%&llr=ltvhmfdab
Privacy Policy:
http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp
Email Marketing by
Constant Contact(R)
www.constantcontact.com
The Memphis TEA Party | 9245 Poplar Avenue | Germantown | TN | 38138
Click here
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=ltvhmfdab&v=001qcrdJaeP7TbwfzHAHeQxv7FJEqdYa6pjlGGunKdbmYkMt4njQCPHFU0wTMUUmmllta5YHCLTCUrXrvZgcwNq2LxiP5TwBuR-LHFJAoYG44_xItYPTrtLcyyt6vl-h_tJIRoA40Z8mJU1Yuk14KRuM3ro2K6icUnptRo9hk-56JoXzbqb3TumH29F71aGYAQ8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greetings from the Memphis TEA Party!
The past year has been full of challenges, disappointment, exhilaration and joy.
We spent much of the year battling what seemed insurmountable odds, fought many
legislative battles and turned out those who would lord over us in Congress..
But all of this pales in comparison to the commitment and honor of our soldiers.
They battle a real enemy and put their lives and families on the line for the
benefit of our country.
During this Christmas season, I would ask that you buy a cup of coffee or lunch
for one of our service members should you come across them while you are traveling.
Take a moment of silent prayer to lift them up and thank God for their heroic generosity.
When your sitting at the table enjoying your Christmas dinner, thank God for the
sacrifice of all who have served and are serving. For it is their gift that we
enjoy this season.
And please enjoy this poem as you think about this year. For as we celebrate the
birth of Jesus Christ, who was born, lived and died for our salvation, the soldier
is often called to give his life for our right to praise Him and freely choose those
who would govern us!
And may God bless you and yours during this Christmas season and my God bless America!
Sincerely,
Mark A. Skoda
Chairman, The Memphis TEA Party
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Soldier's Christmas Poem
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear,
'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!'
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.'
'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,'
Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.'
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'
' So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.'
'But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
'Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The poem above has often been circulated via email and attributed to a soldier in
Iraq. The truth is that this poem was written by one Michael Marks. The attribution
along with his comments are listed below:
In loving appreciation of the countless Americans who have, and continue to serve
in the Armed Forces and those who gave their life for their country. Your sacrifices
will never be forgotten. We look forward to the day you come home. God bless and
keep you always, and God Bless America.
A Soldier's Christmas was the first in this series of patriotic writings, drafted
on Pearl Harbor Day 2000 when in the wake of the 2000 Presidential Election our
nation saw the right of US Armed Forces personnel openly questioned and debated.
I felt it unconscionable that at the onset of the Christmas season, those serving
to defend our nation would hear anything but our love and support. It is our challenge
to stand for their rights at home while they stand for our lives and safety overseas.
This poem went out and quickly spread around the world in emails, letters, and
magazines. I received letters from Marines in Bosnia, soldiers in Okinawa, from
a submariner who xeroxed a copy for everyone on his sub. Moms wrote, dads, brothers
and sisters. I have saved and cherish every letter and set out to continue writing
throughout the year.
Michael Marks
©Copyright December 7, 2000 by Michael Marks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forward email
http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=ltvhmfdab&m=1102913459819&ea=blog.thememphisteaparty.com@myqbc.mobi&a=1104106032621
This email was sent to blog.thememphisteaparty.com@myqbc.mobi by mark@thememphisteaparty.com.
Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(TM)
http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001kXARqX7dosm4fSH5K3lxYw%%&se=001T5rgzZck27o%&t=001DWrpDmL_nfcOl11Zvdu07g%%&llr=ltvhmfdab
Privacy Policy:
http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp
Email Marketing by
Constant Contact(R)
www.constantcontact.com
The Memphis TEA Party | 9245 Poplar Avenue | Germantown | TN | 38138
Comments