Poor Father Time; he must be tired. A year has passed again.

It’s time to take a backward look, at the year Two Thousand Ten.

So much has happened; we have a long list. But just how far can we go?

Chelsea’s wedding? Pirates at sea? The violence in Old Mexico?

Tea Party movement? The WikiLeaks mess? Economic pressures at hand?

Korean crisis? Middle East wars? And the anguish of Afghanistan?

Peace on the earth and freedom for all, those are our ultimate plans,

We pray for our troops who deserve all our thanks, off in faraway lands.

First, we had Eyja-fjall-a-jokul -- and that’s not a typo, you see --

But a volcano in Iceland that just blew its stack -- suppose we just call it “E”.

It clogged up the business in Europe, with smoke and debris everywhere.

Travelers were stranded in airports, ’cause there weren’t any planes in the air.

Disaster arose at the first of the year, as earthquakes gave Haiti a blow.

The world responded with aid and supplies, but recovery’s painfully slow.

An oil rig exploded off the Gulf Shore; the damage went out to the deep.

Wetlands and wildlife were covered in oil --enough to make us all weep.

In Chilé some miners were trapped underground; we prayed; we held our breath,

As rescuers working ‘round the clock saved them from certain death.

Elizabeth Edwards passed away, despite her valiant fights.

And “Dandy Don” Meredith, who always said It’s time to turn out the lights.

Obama’s charisma’s still all the rave; his bill protects you from cradle to grave.

Voters spoke when they went to the polls, saying they wanted things changed.

Without enough backing he took a shellacking, and Congress has been rearranged.

Lisa’s still a busy nurse in the Emergency Room at nights.

And Dan might bring her patients in, from his helicopter flights.

Erik’s job is to help people breathe, at the Kindred Hospital here.

The hospital recently honored him for reaching his twentieth year.

Faye raises funds for cancer research; that is her main motivation,

While being a nurse with the Humana Plan, fulfilling her chosen vocation.

Stan’s an octogenarian now, and Pat’s a little lower.

We’re trucking right on, in rather good health -- just trucking a little slower.

“God loved us and sent his Son,” the Holy Scriptures say;

So we receive him in our hearts -- the Truth, the Life, the Way.

We pray that you receive Him too, and feel the joy and cheer

That Jesus brings at Christmastime, and all throughout the year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love,

Stanley and Patricia