Hits Th Nite Afore Chrismus in Poggy USA

 It is the time of the year when relatives seem to come out of the woodwork and this year is no different. It was late this afternoon when a pile of junk that one could barely call a truck came pulling into my driveway. Lord, I thought they might be filming a new series of the Beverly Hillbillys and somehow got lost. 

The door bell rang and I opened the door to find one of my country cousins standing on the poach. I recognized him from the pictures that another cousin had sent some time ago of a reunion she had attended in Poga, Tn. Anyhow it seems that cousin has taken "a hankerin" as he put it to "blog" but doesn't own a computer back in the hills where he is from. He begged and pleaded and said he wanted to do something special for all the kin folks back home and he hoped that it would make him famous in "blogsphere".  I mean what are you going to do?  So folks here is cousins effort and I'll leave the comments up to you. 

Reckin aint many uv you folk a been hearin bout Poggy. Well hit ere a place back in th sticks en Eas Tennasee. Hit so fer bac that th Sadurday Barn Danc don com on til Twesdie afernoon bout three aclock. Sum gubermint folk call hit Poga but ain rite spellin accordin to folks frum aron here.

Anywho sense all youin citified folk got yer vershun uv th nite afore Chrismus I dun asided to writ wun myself, Poggy style. I hopin you take a likin to hit. 

Writ by:

Tickers 3rd cuzzin twiste remuved on hisuns uncles side

Hits Th Nite Afore Chrismus in Poggy USA


It twar th nite afore Chrismus an all thru th house
Nary a critter wuz stirin , nope knot even no mouse.
The mouses dun moved ore to the nex hollar
Cause we to poor to have a mouse in th house.

Warnt no sockins hung on th cheminey wif care
Cause one par are dirty and I warin th uders.
Didn figre no use seeun as how 
Sant Nic probly ain comin dis yar no how.

Ain no youngens cause they done growd
While th only vizun they got is moving in my home.
Momma wuz in her ragged old gown
an me in my long red draws wif th fas relese bac door
had jus clum in bed fer anuder cold nite er sleep.

A suddun thar war a noize in frunt of th house
I fel plum outta bed, gotta see whut’s th matter.
Th dawgs war a howlin an raizin sum kain,
youd a thunk by dang a coon they done treed.
I run to th winder, stub my dang toe an I bout peed.

Thar warnt muc moon but what thar war
Showed off th junk bured under th snow.
All a sudden  to my blurry eyes whut did appeer
But some kina contrapshun pulled by sum deers.

There war a sawed off runt actin so slick
I thunk hit mus be my dum bruther Dick.
He came a runnin lack a bat oudda heck(can’t said th nuther wurd cauz this here are fer yungens)
But he was a cussin an hollorin, jus lak my bruther Dick.

Them poor dang critters, so mangy an poor
Warnt much more than bones with sum skin throde in.
They bucked an them stroned but fer not muc avile
Cause gittin that mess up to th wall
thar ain no way in well(heck youins no)

Any waysz ,sum how on th rouf he done got
An it warn’t  two long til I heard him squall,
Dang that ere  hot!

Twarnt long I rekon afore he got smart
cause twarnt two long I afore I heard him on th porch.
He wigled an jigled the door right smart
but hit don tak a bunch to open hit up.

I grab my shotgun an hided behin th brok down couch
Meanwhilst a watchin to see what he wuld steal
Wit his big sac he culd cary off th house
But then that wuldnt be no big a deal.

He tuke out sum stuff and comeninced a lookin aroun
Guess he was a figern on sum swapin to be adoin.
I heard him a mudderin sumptin bout sum sockins
Then he plunked down a box then set down an agin a rockin.

He piced up my jug of frech corn squzins
An a big ole swallar he did took
He gaspd fer som aire and his eyes wuz a buggin
Hit tuk him a spell but he took him anutherin

He set fer a spell an then he got up
My thum was on th hammer in case he wuz drunk
He lit fer th door when th dawg agin growlin
An in that contrapshun he dun jumped wif a thunk.

Th dawgs wuz snapin an a growlin and sum wuz a howlin
So he scremed an a hollared an swore at them poor critters
To fly away an jump up fly over th wall.
I knowed rat then that them squizins gots him drunk.
Cauze ain no critter gonna fly over no wall.

He cussed an he swore as he drove oudda site
I gotta git home cause ma ain goona by
that I been out all nite a deliverin
When lak this I git home a smellin.
As he drove thru th barn a scarein th cow
I heard him yell Hit’s Merry Chrismus in Poggy, now whars that dang still. Hehe hehe hehaw 

The Christmas Story, As Told To The Children

A long time ago in a land very far away a very special event was getting ready to happen.

The government had told the people living there that they must go  and register in the census.  For some folks it was a long way and of course they didn’t have cars back in those days so they had to walk or ride a donkey or whatever they had.

Well, there was a young couple named Mary and Joseph who had to make this trip.  Mary was going to have a baby just anytime so this was really a difficult trip for her to make but she had to go.  Of course all this had been planned by God many years before and even told about by Isaiah so this was all according to a greater plan.

Well as I said, it was a long way but Mary and Joseph made it. When they got to the town, Bethlehem, they found it was really crowded and they couldn’t find a hotel room, which was not a good thing because it looked like Mary was going to have her baby just any time. They finally found a man who said they could stay in the stable behind the Inn.
It wasn’t much but it was all he had, so Mary and Joseph made their way to the stable where the animals were kept... Probably some cattle and maybe some sheep or even a donkey.  At least it was a place out of the cool night air and they could use the hay to make a comfortable bed.

Well it wasn’t long before Mary told Joseph that  it was time for the baby to be born.  Of course they didn’t have hospitals and such so Joseph helped deliver the baby and they wrapped him in a soft cloth called swaddling cloth and since they didn’t  have a baby bed or cradle they placed him in the manger. It was nice and soft, filled with hay and the baby slept.

In the meantime out in the  country there were some shepherd's watching their sheep in the night time.  Well lo and behold all of a sudden there was an Angel right there on the side of that hill where the shepherds were.  Can you imagine how shocked and scared they were?  The Angel said, “Don’t be afraid.”  “I have some great news for you and for all the people in the world to hear.”  There is a child born tonight and he will be the savior of the world. He is the Christ that was told about that would come.  So go to Bethlehem and see the child, you will know who he is because he will be wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
Then there was a whole bunch of Angels singing and saying, “Glory to God in the highest . And on earth Peace and good will to all people”

Well, the shepherds got up and off they went to Bethlehem and sure enough there they found the baby Jesus, just like the  Angels said they would.  They knew that this was Jesus and they fell to their knees and worshipped him and then they returned to their flocks.

Way over in another part of the world some wise men had been watching a big bright star and wondering what it meant.  In all their reading they decided that it meant that a King had been born so off they went to find him and to take gifts.

They had a long way to go and might have gotten lost but they followed the star that God gave them to follow.

 When they got to Jerusalem , which was not to far from Bethlehem they stopped at the castle where King Herod lived. He was the ruler of the country and not really a nice man. Of course he had heard about a King that was to be born and was jealous and afraid that he might be replaced.  He told the wise men to find the new king and then come and tell him so he could go and worship him as well.

 Eventually the wise men arrived and  they found Mary, Joseph and  little Jesus.  The Wise Men had brought fine gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh,  those two things are expensive good smelling stuff, to present to the new king. They presented their gifts and worshiped the new King and then God sent an angel to them and said for them not to tell Herod because he was a bad man and would kill the child.  So they went home in another way.

Of course Herod was mad and he was scared that he was going to be replaced so he ordered all the new born babies under the age of three to be killed but Mary and Joseph were warned by an angel and  took Jesus and went to another country to live for a while.

So that’s how Jesus was born and we know that He grew up and taught us many things. Most of all we know that He came to save us from our sin.
This is why we celebrate Christmas.
The gifts from Santa , the big dinners are nice and  of course we always enjoy being together with our family but all in all it should be all about Jesus.

 I hope it is at your house.
Merry Christmas to one and all. 

THE REASON WE CELEBRATE

The Manger and the Cross and … 
By A.F. Ticker (12-22-2009) 

In this season of the year, I am reminded of the reason for the season through the Christmas story as presented in the Gospels. Angels proclaimed the “good news” to the shepherds as they watched their flocks by night, and a star shone brightly in the sky that guided wise men from the East to seek the “Newborn King.”

The people of that time were sorely oppressed by the government of Rome, as well as by their own Jewish leaders. They were looking for an earthly king who would come and deliver them from their immediate circumstances. They were not looking for a child, born of a young virgin girl, born in a stable, and laid in a manger. They wanted a Messiah born of wealth and power, dressed in finery, a man who would overthrow the oppressive government. Many had forgotten the words of Isaiah, written some four hundred years earlier, which foretold the coming of the One Who would free His people. They only wanted the Messiah who would come to set the captives free and bring the vengeance of God on their enemies. 

Isaiah 61:1-2: 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God … 

The remainder of the story was set aside since it did not bring the results the people were looking for. The people were indeed looking for a great warrior King. 

Isaiah 53:2-9: He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 

Return with me to the beginning: 

Luke 2:19: 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Indeed, what a glorious and fulfilling account of events. It does create for many a time of celebration, as it should. It tells the glorious news of a Savior being born, a Savior for all mankind. The shepherds acted in accordance with their directions, which were to go and see. When they did, they found the child who would become the Savior of the world, at least for those who would believe and act accordingly.

We know that He was born a King, for the wise men traveled many miles to find Him. When they arrived in the vicinity, they inquired:

Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him”(Matt: 2:2)

The story does not end with the manger or the arrival of the wise men who proclaimed him a King. For that we have even more reason to celebrate.

For those who have read the story, we know this child, Jesus, grew into manhood, and people were drawn to Him by His Spirit and His compelling message. Many who heard him teach and saw the miracles that he performed followed Him. This displeased those who were in power, especially the Jewish leaders. The Romans were so used to “insurrections” of all sorts that they actually paid little attention to this Man from Galilee. Those in power were fearful of loosing their power, and therefore, many stories were made up against this Jesus of Nazareth.

Among his disciples was one named Judas who would betray him for thirty pieces of silver. And so it goes. In the final part of this story we find Jesus on trial and accused of insurrection and various other “crimes.” Pilate, the Roman head of government in that region, found “no fault in this man.” But like a good politician, Pilate prevent himself from being portrayed as the “bad man” and offered the people their choice of a murderer or Jesus to be set free. The shouts of “Crucify Him. Crucify Him!” rang loud across the courtyard, and the people voted in favor of Barabbas. The known criminal Barabbas was set free, and Jesus was sentenced to death, just as had been foretold in Isaiah.

And so we come to the Cross: 

Matthew 27:35-54: 35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “ They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” 36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

I have attempted to take you on a journey of celebration, a celebration not only for this season but for every day of the year. I have taken you from the manger to the cross, but I must continue for the story is not complete, and the reason for real celebration is not finished.

We know from the accounts in the Gospels that Jesus was taken from the Cross and buried in a borrowed tomb, but then, on the third day, He arose from the grave, triumphant over death and the grave. And that, dear friends, is a wonderful reason for celebration.

But bear with me. The story continues. Jesus walked and talked with His disciples, and after 40 days was caught up into heaven. While the disciples stood stunned with mouths agape, there appeared two men (angels bearing more good news).

Acts 1:11: 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." 

Now this is a reason for celebration! The King Who came to the world as a child, grew to manhood, was crucified, buried, raised from the tomb, and ascended into heaven is coming again. This time He will not come as a peaceful Child. This time He will come as The King of kings and the Lord of lords.

John gives us a glimpse in the book of Revelation of how this same Jesus, the Son of God, will return. 

Revelation 19: 11-16: 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 

Hallelujah! And now we have the complete story and the full reason for the celebration. 

Thank you for reading. I hope you have an understanding of why I have written what I consider the Reason for the Season — this time we call Christmas — and why I celebrate it with joy. 

The Christmas Story As You May Never Have Heard It

We are all familiar with the traditional Christmas story as presented in three of the four Gospels.  Each tell of a census being declared by Augustus Caesar and that Mary and Joseph had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register and to pay the tax required by the Roman government.  We are told that there was no room for them in the inn so they found shelter in the stable where Jesus was born and laid in a manger,  

We know of the star over Bethlehem  and marked the spot where the Savior lay and that shepherds being visited by angles telling of the joyous birth . We know the shepherds made their way to the stable and there they worshipped the New Born King.   

We are also told that wise men who traveled a very long distance to pay homage to a new king and that they , as would most natural men stopped at the palace of King Herod, thinking surely this would be a fitting home for a king. 

The scripture records that Herod was furious that perhaps his successor was born without his knowledge and thus threatened his power.  The scriptures tell us that in his rage he ordered all young male babies from age two and under be killed...And this leads me to the Christmas Story as perhaps you have never heard it told....

Matthew27:35-54:  35He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 

 As I was reading this passage thinking of Jesus coming into his Father’s vineyard 2000 years ago on that first Christmas, one phrase jumped off the page at me. It was the father’s statement – surely, if I send my son, “They will respect my son.” 

We know this child, Jesus, grew into manhood, and people were drawn to Him by His Spirit and His compelling message. Many who heard him teach and saw the miracles that he performed followed Him. This displeased those who were in power, especially the Jewish leaders.  And that dear readers is what lead me to tell the story" .... an unusual Christmas story  
Indeed He was sent , not to collect from the tenants in the manner some may see but to collect the “hearts” of those  who would hear and accept His message . 
The story of the son who goes to the vineyards is little different . The result was the same for indeed He... God's Son was rejected, beaten, and then killed (crucified).    For indeed those to whom He was sent...did not respect the Son


Things through history have changed little for indeed today we see that many still show no respect for the Son.  We are bombarded daily through the media and especially the social media by those who have no respect for the Son.   They rail against the words written on our currency,, IN GOD WE TRUST... They claim it holds up Christianity as something better than other religions  and that it mush be cast out of our society immediately.  Then there are those who would sink so low as to release, especially at this most Holy Season, a NETFLIX movie depicting Jesus,, the Son of God as a gay man and his mother  Mary as a prostitute,  They show no respect for the Son.   Others ridicule those who follow Jesus as Lord of their life... they show no respect for the Son.

The disrespect of the Son who was sent has brought the condition of the world to where it is today.  Little do they know that the killing of the Son was not the end of the story....it was but the beginning and a wonderful beginning for those who accept the Son as their Savior. 

Those who put the Son to death some 2000 years ago and those who attempt to kill Him anew each day have forgotten the rest of the story.  We know from the accounts in the Gospels that Jesus was taken from the Cross and buried in a borrowed tomb, but then, on the third day, He arose from the grave, triumphant over death and the grave. And that, dear friends, is a wonderful reason for celebration. 

There is yet another reason to celebrate but not all will do so because like the workers in the vineyard they will reject “The Son” and their story will have no glorious end. But for those who chose to claim Him as their Lord and Savior the story has no end. For we read in the Scripture that He indeed will come again, this time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all those He calls his own will reign with him Forever and Ever.
 
Now that is a reason for celebration!