~A BRANCH OF FAITH~

Christmas was in the morning,
and Santa was on his way;
yet there was no tree for a nine year old,
to cheerfully decorate.

Dressed warmly in tattered, old rags,
into her backyard she strayed;
determined to find a Christmas tree,
to bring home and proudly display.

On bended knees she searched,
until she finally found;
a tree that looked as lonely as her,
so she pulled it from the ground.

She placed the tree in her living room,
and used twine to hold it in place;
she found the few decorations,
that she had managed to save.

She carefully put an old towel around,
the bottom of her newly found tree;
then she hung the few decorations,
on the prettiest tree she had seen.

When the last decoration was hung,
she plugged in the strand of lights;
and how that lonely tree that she found,
became a most beautiful sight.

“Now Santa will have a place,
to put the Christmas gifts;
and she smiled and giggled, as she thought,
"I hope all my presents will fit".

She woke her Mother up,
to show her what she had done;
Her Mother smiled as she softly said,
"This is truly beautiful hon".

"I'm glad that you like it Mommy,
now we're ready when Santa arrives;
I wanted to put a Christmas tree up,
I thought you would be surprised".

Her Mother's expression changed instantly,
from a smile into a frown;
"What's wrong Mommy, don't you know,
that Santa won't let us down"?

"Now listen to me Sweet-pea,
you know how poor we are;
Mommy has no money to buy you gifts,
though I love you with all of my heart".

The child looked at her Mother,
and saw tears well up in her eyes';
She told her Mommy, "We'll still get presents,
for Santa Clause never lies.

We'll still have a blessed Christmas,
just wait and you will see;
He will still leave gifts for us both,
underneath our Christmas tree".

They hung their Christmas stockings,
a pair of old, tattered socks;
As the Mother tucked her daughter in bed,
she said, "Hush now, no more talk".

Christmas morning had arrived at last,
and the child sprung out of her bed;
She woke her Mother and said to her,
"Let's see what Santa has left".

Underneath their beautiful Christmas tree,
there were presents everywhere;
Her Mother stared in disbelief,
at the gifts piled here and there.

"I told you Mommy that Santa would never,
let either one of us down;
For I wrote, "Dear Santa, please give my Mommy,
something of which she'll be proud".

They  heard a very loud knock,
on the weathered, wooden front door;
There were many sacks of food for them,
how could anyone ask for much more?

They sat down late that evening,
and ate their Christmas meal;
and for the first time the Mother felt,
as though God was present and real.