It happened one day near
December’s end,
two neighbors called on an old-time friend,
and they found his shop so meager and mean,
made gay with a thousand boughs of green.
And Conrad was sitting with face a-shine,
when he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine,
and he said, “Old friends, at dawn today,
when the cock was crowing the night away,
the Lord appeared in a dream to me
and said, “I am coming your guest to be”.
So I’ve been busy with feet astir
strewing my shop with branches of fir,
the table is spread and the kettle is shined
and over the rafters the holly is twined.
Now I will wait for my Lord to appear
and listen closely so I will hear
His step as He nears my humble place,
and I open the door and look in 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 has spent many a sad Christmas Day.
But he knew with the Lord as his 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 standing there
in answer to his earnest prayer.
So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,
but all that he saw on the snow-covered ground
was a shaggy beggar whose shoes were torn
and all his clothes were ragged and worn.
But Conrad was touched and went to the door
and he said, “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 as Conrad noticed the time of day,
he wondered what made the dear Lord so late
and how much longer he'’ 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
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 Guest.
Yet her voice seemed to plead, “Don’t send me away,
let me rest for 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 passing away
and the Lord had not come as He said He would
and Conrad felt sure he has misunderstood.
When out of the stillness he heard a cry,
“Please help me and tell me where am I”.
So again he opened his friendly door
and stood disappointed as twice before.
It was only a child who had wandered away
and lost from her family on Christmas Day.
Again, Conrad’s heart was heavy and sad,
but he knew he should make this little child glad.
So he called her in and wiped her tears
and quieted her childish fears.
The 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 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 you head for I kept My word”
“Three times My shadow crossed your floor—
Three times I came to your lonely door—
For I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet,
I was the woman you gave something to eat,
and 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.
