by Pat Severin

I hear the church bells ringing
The stockings have been hung.
It’s time for celebration
And carols to be sung.

There’s presents to be gotten
And cards that must be sent
Put up the tree, so much to do,
My energy is spent!

Is this the way your Christmas is,
So filled with plans and worry?
You’re go-go-going all the time
And always in a hurry?

Just take a breath and realize
Who’s birth we celebrate.
The Savior King born Christmas night,
In manger’s low estate.

That baby born in Bethlehem’s
The one and only reason.
This Gift above all others, this
God’s promise kept this season!

And in the midst of all of this,
The chaos, fervor, stress,
The Christmas story’s still the same,
God’s Son’s our happiness.

So gather all your loved ones near,
Forget the list of "things".
Remember LOVE came here to dwell,
Whenever church bells ring!

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Pat Severin is a retired Christian school teacher who serves her Lord in many ways. These have included school, church and teen ministries and her current personal ministry of creating cards that include her original poems of encouragement. These she sends out weekly to those going through difficult life struggles.

In addition to her Christian poetry contributions to the Agape Review, she has been published in the Clay Jar Review, Thewayback2ourselves, and Pure in Heart Stories, which feature Christian poetry and stories for children. She has been published in many of the Southern Arizona Press Anthologies, in the book called I Chose You: Imperfectly Perfect Rescue Dogs and their Humans and will be featured in the upcoming book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons I Learned from My Dog. Pat is a member of SCBWI, the Society of Children’s Book writers and Illustrators.