Episode 677 - The Christmas Guest

In this episode, Phil shares the classic poem "The Christmas Guest." Listen in to this touching story that sets a warm tone for the week and gently reminds us of the true spirit of the season. Join us as we start Monday with a touch of holiday joy. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season from all of us at Cannon Financial Institute!

Resources

"The Christmas Guest" Poem - https://www.joyinourjourney.co...

Please send Comments, Questions, and Feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com

Please send First Friday Feedback Submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com

Transcript

Top performers in every field surround themselves with those who inspire them, who seek to build them up, and who push them to reach beyond their current limits. I'm Phil Buchanan, Executive Chairman of Cannon Financial Institute. I designed Monday Morning Mojo to provide you with a weekly spark, a push, and motivational insight to live your best life.

Thanks for joining. Good Monday morning. It is Phil here with episode 677 of Monday Morning Mojo. Well, it's that magical time of the year. And all of us here at Cannon wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Several years ago around this time on this podcast, I read. The Christmas Guest, a poem by Helen Steiner Rice, which she adapted from earlier works of Ruben Salins and the famous Leo Tolstoy.

I shared on that first Christmas Guest podcast that I had heard the poem first delivered by country star Grandpa Jones at my grandmother's house when I was a small child. Evidently, many of you also remembered the Christmas guests from your childhood, and I base that on the feedback and the comments that I received.

So each year since I have shared it again at this time, and the comments continue to come wishing you and yours the very best. I hope you enjoy. The Christmas guest. It happened one day, near December's Inn. Two neighbors called on an old friend. And they found his shop so meager and lean, made gay with thousand bows of green.

And Conrad was sitting with face ashine, when he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine. And he said, O friends, at dawn today, when the cock was crowing the night away, the Lord appeared in a dream to me and said, I'm coming, your guest to be. So I've been busy with feet astir, strowing my shop with branches of fern.

The table is spread and the kettle is shined, and over the rafters, the holly is twined. Now I'll wait for my Lord to appear and listen closely, so I will hear His steps as He nears my humble place, and I'll open the door and look on His face. So his friends went home and left Conrad alone, for this was the happiest day he had known.

For long since, his family had passed away, and Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas day. But he knew what the Lord as his Christmas guest. This Christmas would be the dearest and best so he listened with only joy in his heart and with every sound he would rise with a start and Look for the Lord to be at his door like the vision he had heard a few hours before So he ran to the window after hearing a sound, but all he could see on the snow covered ground was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn and all of his clothes were ragged and worn.

But Conrad was touched and he went to the door and he said, you know your feet must be frozen and sore. I have some shoes in my shop for you and a coat that will keep you warmer too. So with grateful heart the man went away. But Conrad noticed the time of day, and wondered what made the Lord so late, and how much longer he'd have to wait.

When he heard a knock, he ran to the door, but it was only a stranger once more, a bent old lady with a shawl of black, with a bundle of kindling piled on her back. She asked for only a place to rest, but that was reserved for Conrad's great guest. But her voice seemed to plead, don't send me away. Let me rest for a while on Christmas day.

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup and told her to sit at the table and sup. But after she left, he was filled with dismay for he saw that the hours were slipping away and the Lord hadn't come as he said he would. Then Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood. When out of the stillness he heard a cry, please help me and tell me where I am.

So again he opened his friendly door and stood disappointed as twice before. It was only a child who wandered away and was lost from her family on Christmas day. Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad but he knew he should make the little girl glad. So he called her in, wiped her tears, and quieted all her childish fears.

Then he led her back to her home once more. But as he entered his own darkened door, he knew the Lord was not coming today, for the hours of Christmas had passed away. So he went to his room, and he knelt down to pray, and he said, Dear Lord, why did you delay? What kept you from coming to call on me? For I wanted so much your face to see, When soft in the silence a voice he heard.

Lift up your head, for I kept my word. Three times my shadow crossed your floor, and three times I came to your lonely door. I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet, and I was the woman you gave something to eat. I was the child on the homeless street. Three times I knocked, and three times I came in. And each time I found the warmth of a friend of all the gifts, love is the best.

And I was honored to be your Christmas guest. Merry Christmas, everyone. Monday Morning Mojo is a production of Cannon Financial Institute. Executive producer of Monday Morning Mojo is Sarah Jones. Managing producer of Monday Morning Mojo is McCall Chamberlain. Editing and mixing is done by Danny Brunner.

Until next time, I'm Phil Buchanan, reminding you to be a force for good, have a great week, and thanks for being part of the Mojo community.