Monday, December 04, 2006

A favorite Christmas poem


   The Jar of Jelly 

 To others' eyes, it may not look like much;
"Wrapped up in festive ribbons and some seals
To make it look more Christmasy and gay."
But you for whom it's meant will find, I know,
All that is packed within the little jar,
You will translate the label properly
And see just what the contents really are.
"Wild grape -- " you'll say, and suddenly
You'll not be walking dusty city halls,
But down an autumn-gilded little lane
Between the jewelled vines of old stone walls.
Instead of dingy bricks beyond a court
You'll see a spruce-green hillside, sharp and clear,
Sweet fern and bayberry will scent the breeze,
The whirr of partridge wings delight your ear.
It is not much to send, this one small jar,
But you will see that in it, pure and true,
Shimmers the essence of the place we love,
Preserved especially by me, for you. 

-- Barbara Overton Christie 

 I have loved this poem for many years. My mother had several issues of Farm Journal's Christmas Book, and I loved to peruse them every year. This poem was included on a page with recipes for gift jams and jellies. I was fortunate enough to be given some old issues of the Farm Journal Christmas Book in later years, and the issue containing this poem happened to be one of them. I have enjoyed so much having these books for my very own. This poem in particular shows how even a very small gift can come straight from the heart -- and that it can be much more than just a jar of jelly.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:13 PM

    Hello there!
    i wanted to email you to let you know what a blessing your blog has been to me...to cut a long story short my life with God has really suffered the last few years, after leaving a very legalistic church. I have sruggled with prayer & reading my bible. I read your posts about your prayer journal...what an amazing help it has been. To pray scriptures is a new thing for me, but what a great help it has been. Thankyou so much!

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  2. This is a really neat poem! Thanks for sharing it. Next year I hope to make a lot more homemade jam so I can give some for gifts (if anyone will dare to eat it!) :)

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  3. Isn't it neat?! I just love it.

    Of course people will dare to eat your jam -- it obviously isn't hurting your own family any!

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  4. Lynn,

    Thanks so much for your sweet comments. I am so happy that my blog has been an encouragement to you. There are times when I wonder if anyone is reading it, but then I hear from someone like you who is finding it helpful. I'm so glad!!!

    Praying Scripture is such a blessing, isn't it? And the prayer journal as a tool -- it's just such a help with my prayer life. I'm so glad others are also finding it helpful.

    Thanks again, so much, for getting in touch.

    God bless,
    Mrs.T

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