You Were Given A Life

[SalemWitchChild]

~ you were given a life.....

Twas the night before Christmas when all thru the house

Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that St. Nick soon would be there.

The children all nestled snug in their beds

With no thought of the dog filling their head.

And mom in her kerchief and I in my cap

Knew the dog was cold, but didn't care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash

Figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow

gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But Santa Clause with his eyes full of tears.

He unchained the dog once so lively and quick

Last year's Christmas present now painfully sick.

More rapid than eagles he called the dog's name

and the dog ran to him despite all his pain.

Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen

On Comet on Cupid on Donner and Blitzen.

To the top of the porch to the top of the wall

Let's find this dog a home where he will be loved by all.

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year

For Santa had made one thing quite clear.

The gift of a dog is not just for the season

We had gotten the dog for all the wrong reasons.

In our haste to think of the kids a gift

There was one important thing we missed,

A dog should be family, and cared for the same

You don't give a gift, then put it on a chain.

And I heard him explain as he rode out of site,

"You weren't given a gift, you were given a life."

Author Unknown

[RevRainbow]

[Brother Michael Sky]

thank you for posting this SalemWitchChild...

I go out to counsel so many people who have pets that are obviously in need of a great amount of nurturing... sometimes it hurts so bad to see the condition of their animals, that it is very hard to maintain my usual level of sympathy... to see what some folks do to the animals who Love and Respect them so greatly, causes a rage in me that I have struggled to leave behind... How terrible would their life seem were they chained, with three feet of chain, to the bumper of a car throughout the rain, and snow, and blazing heat.... with kibble thrown in the dirt around them.... and they sit in their snug houses - stuffing cheetos in their faces, loudly complaining how God has not supplied a big screen TV.... after all, they ask for so little.....