Seasons

By Judith Shields Regini

Creative works provide a means to take us to other places. The verses in this collection seek to take you to the comfort that life and God have to give.

Seasons presents poetry and prose primarily focused on the holidays of Christmas and Easter, but it also includes some poems and other creative works considering special people or events in the life of author Judith Shields Regini. These inspirational writings celebrate God and the holidays of the church, and they offer solace and hope to those who need them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973652199

Judith Shields Regini

Judith Shields Regini has been writing creative works since she was young, growing up on the poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and many other historical poets. She joined church life as an adult choir member and then choir leader and then began writing Easter and Christmas poetry along with special poems to honor specific life events. She grew up in Galveston, Texas. Now enjoying retirement, she lives with her husband, Al, in Dickinson, Texas.

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Copyright © 2019 Judith Shields Regini.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-5218-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-5217-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-5219-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019901314

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/23/2019

Contents

Acknowledgments

Christmas Season

Reflections

Hurricanes and Christmas

Miracle or Coincidence?

The Gifts

All I Want for Christmas

Sounds of Christmas

Stargazing

Christmas Gifts

Zeke and Zack

Heaven Rejoices

Christmas Morn

Straw Dreams

Santa and the Baby

Many Years Ago

When Christmas Comes Again

The Praise of Kings

King for All

The Meaning of Christmas

A Quiet Night

Night-Light

Adoration

A Cowboy’s Christmas

One Wondrous Night

Daydreams

A Child’s View

A Meeting of the Minds

A Child’s Story

There Is

Oh! Sweet Joy!

Christmas Memories

One Night Long Ago

Easter Season

Life to Life

The Woman and the Man

Me and the Ice Plant

Prayer of a Church Choir Member

Touch Me

Be Still—He Comes

What Would You Say?

Spirit Renewal

The Faster I Go

Mary’s Arms

Darkness Vanishes

Hosanna!

No Doubt

Thoughts of a Confused Spectator

In Those Days

Miracle Man

The Easter Parade

A Song of Easter

Walking Home

Memories

The Way Home

Do You Know?

What Comes with Faith

Miracle at Dawn

Son Rise

Thoughts

Miracle

One Sunday Morning

No Worries

On the Road

Teardrops Fell

Jesus Fell

Thoughts

Fallen Soldiers (The Child’s Lament)

And Time Stands Still

Loneliness

Thoughts on 9/11

History Repeats Itself

Perseverance—That’s My Sister

As Seasons Change

About the Author

Acknowledgments

I wouldn’t have been able to put together this book without the creative gift my parents, Nell Clifton and Henry Shields, gave me. I would be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge the love and support of my husband of forty-five years, Alvine Regini. Thanks also to my sister and brother, Nancy Lounds and Zane Warren, for their love and encouragement through the years. I would be remiss if I didn’t send thanks to Our Lady’s Choir and especially to Mary Ann and Dale Fogle, who helped me recover paper copies of my creative works, lost during the floods of Hurricane Harvey. I have also been encouraged and supported in my poetry through the years by my sisters-in-law, Mary Ann Galletti and Karen Moss, and their wonderful families—names too numerous to list here.

Finally, I thank God for the words He presented to me for this book. Without His grace, there would be no book.

CHRISTMAS SEASON

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Reflections

Mercy! What a madhouse at the market. Don’t know why they had to decide to do this census now. It’s beyond me! All these people, children, and animals.

Now for the juggling act. Open the door while holding my bread, cheese, and wine. Umm. There! Quick to the table. Almost dropped them. Whew, got it! Cold breeze blowing in; gotta close the door.

What’s this? Some kind of letter? Now who would be writing to me? So official looking. There, got it open. What’s this?

Greetings, Jeremy of Bethlehem! You are hereby invited to view the child of Mary and Joseph. This is an experience no one should miss. Be at the inn—tonight!

Now who in the world would believe this? It’s cold outside. I’ve been working all day, and I have no idea who this Mary and Joseph are. Why would I want to see their child?

Guess I’ll eat now.

Sometime later.

Finished the dishes. It’s still early. Hmm, wonder what I’ll do. It’s so boring tonight. Guess I’ll sit in front of the fire for a while. What’s in this chair? Piece of paper says, Greetings. Oh, the invitation. Maybe they’re friends of Mother’s or Father’s. Maybe they know my sister or brother.

Well, since I’m so bored, I guess I’ll go for a walk. Maybe the brisk air will perk me up. Which way should I walk? Don’t want to go downtown. I came from there earlier. Guess I’ll walk toward the inn. No reason to, of course.

What a pretty night. No clouds in the sky. So clear, and the stars are shining so brightly. Town is quiet. Resting.

What’s that commotion? All that talking. Excited voices. Where’s the sound coming from?

There it is. Everyone is at the inn. Can’t see what’s happening. That star is shining so brightly in my eyes. It’s like daytime. Wait a minute. They’re at the stable, not the inn.

Guess I’ll see what everyone is so excited about. Will you move, please? Who are they? Look like kings? Wise men, someone said. Huh? I don’t see what all the fuss is about. All I see are animals. Wait. What’s that over in