This story happened here in December's end, when two neighbors called on an old times
book.
They found his shop so meager and mean, they gave it a thousand boughs of wood.
Now Conrad was sitting with face to shine and suddenly he stopped as he stitched a twine
and he said,
Old friend, at dawn today when the cop 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 field stir, spruing my shop with branches of pearl.
The table is spread, the kiddly shine and over the rafters the hoggies toy.
And now I will wait for my Lord to appear and I will listen closely so I will hear his
steps as he nears my humble place and I open the door and look on his face.
Now Conrad's friends went left and 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 with the Lord as his Christmas guest why this was to be the dearest and best.
So he listened with only joy in his heart and with every sound he would rise from the
dark and look for the Lord to be in his door like the vision he had a few hours before.
He ran to the window when 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's heart was touched and he opened his friendly door and he said, your feet must
be frozen and so I have some shoes in my shop for you and a coat that will keep you warm
too.
So with grateful heart the man went away but Conrad noticed the time of day and he wondered
what made the Lord so late and how much longer he would have to wait.
When he heard a knock he ran to the door but it was only a strange noise.
A good old lady with a shower of black and a bundle of kindling piled on her back.
She asked for only a place to rest but that was reserved for Conrad's great gifts.
But her voice seemed to plead, don't send me away, let me rest for a while on Christmas
Day.
So Conrad invited her in, grew her steaming coat and told her to set it to table and
wait but when she left he was filled with dismay for he saw that the house was slipping
away and the Lord hadn't come as he said he would and Conrad felt sure he had missed
the mistake.
When in the silence he heard a small cry, please help me and tell me where am I?
So again Conrad opened his lonely door and he stood disappointed as twice before.
It was only a child who had wandered away, lost from her family on Christmas Day.
Now Conrad's heart was heavy and sad but he knew he should make the little girl glad
so he called her in and 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 that the Lord was not coming today for
the hours of Christmas had passed away.
So he went to his room and he knelt to pray and he said, Dear Lord, why did you be late?
What kept you from coming to call on me for I wanted so much your face to see?
When soft and silence a voice he heard, lift up your head.
I kept my word.
Three times my shout crossed the floor.
Three times I came to your lonely door.
For I was the beggar with the rooms cold too.
I was the woman you gave something to eat and I was the child on the homeless street.
Three times I mocked.
Three times I came here.
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.
Of all the gifts, love is best.
I was honored to be your Christmas gift.