A Christmas to Remember

Christmas usually makes us think of shopping in the snow, of caroling, loving, giving, sharing, And that special mistletoe.
It reminds most folks of Santa, And presents 'neath the tree, And Christmas had always brought, Those same thoughts to me.
But something happened late one night To change the way I feel. An unexpected incident that made the season real.
I had just come from talking, to a real close friend of mine. We were pondering the season, In a voice much like a whine.
For complaining seems to be the norm When Christmas gets this near. "Just can't wait to get it over" Is all you ever hear.
Well, it was snowing really hard I was miserable and cold. And the packages I had, Were getting awfully hard to hold.
So I thought I'd just stop and sit While I waited for my ride. I found a bus stop shelter I went and sat inside.
My Christmas spirit was not the best, As I shivered from the cold. And all the holly jolly stuff, was getting really old.
I sat there with my attitude, When I noticed 'cross the street, A nativity no one cared for, It looked old and pretty beat.
The thought had crossed my mind, "How sad, does no one really care?" Now that Santa's the important one, To children everywhere.
People passing, no one cared, The cradle had been tipped, And the dress on Virgin Mary, was looking worn and ripped.
I figured, well it's so commercialized, And now Santa is the one, That children care about 'cause he brings all the fun.
That's the time I spent on that so I'm just as guilty too, Until I saw the incident That changed my point of view.
It was a man dressed in a suit, A Santa Claus no less. He was fixing up the manger scene, And cleaning up the mess.
As I sat there watching him I didn't feel the cold, I felt the love and warmth he had For a birthday long ago.
He looked down at baby Jesus, Then he knelt down reverently, Took his hat from off his head And laid it 'cross his knee.
I heard the prayer he said that night, It's one I'll not forget, He said, "Bless the children I've not seen And all the ones I've met.
Please help the parents of these kids, To make them understand, That you're the reason we are here I'm just here to lend a hand.
He said, " I didn't mean to be important, I didn't mean to be the one That everybody thinks of first, When you're the chosen son."
He wiped his eyes from tears of love As he continued on, " I want the folks to realize This way they think is wrong.
Please help me have the power To teach these people true, That the spirit of the holiday, Its not in me, but You.
I see in all the homes around, They decorate in me. I was supposed to be for fun It's you they need to see.
I'm sorry I'm complaining He said still on one knee, " I wish I had the power, To help some of them see.
For God so loved the world he gave His only begotten son, How can they compare my gifts To this special Holy One.
He stopped talking for a moment, Just knelt in fervent prayer Beside the manger scene he fixed With tender loving care.
He put his hat back on his head, Slowly rose up on his feet, He zipped his coat, said good-bye then wandered down the street.
It wasn't 'til that moment, I noticed people everywhere, They all had stopped to listen, And they had heard that Santa's prayer.
'Cross the way was an apartment with windows that faced the street, And faces in every window Probably people he'd never meet.
Will he ever know The 'power' he received, If I hadn't seen it for myself I'm not sure that I'd believed.
But now I know the 'power' Is in each and everyone, As we treat Christmas as a birthday For an only begotten Son.
I know that Christmas in my house Will never be the same again, It changed one night I heard Santa say, "In Jesus name, Amen"