I have to write a monthly message for my scroll saw club's newsletter; I kinda liked this one so I thought I'd share it here as well...

(For those of you who don't do woodworking, Flying Dutchman is a popular brand of scroll saw blade, DeWalt makes one of the most popular saws, Titebond is a favorite wood glue, and "poly" refers to a polyeurethane finish. Oh-- and chattering is something the saw does if you're tired and start getting sloppy)

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‘Twas the night before Christmas and out in the shop, I’d been working for days with seldom a stop
The gifts were all packaged and coated with Poly; a train and a wall plaque and even a dolly
I leaned at the workbench, my foot on the stool, and promised I’d not touch my saw ‘til the Yule
With a sigh on my lips and a song in my heart, I swore that next year in October I’d start
Softly I crept with my gifts to the tree; my eyelids were drooping— but what did I see?—
The list on the table— a name wasn’t checked!— I needed to finish ere Christmas was wrecked!
With a groan and a whimper I ran to my chair, pulled out my patterns and pulled out my hair
I lurched to my lumber and scraped through the scrap, desperate for just one more gift to be wrapped
On Dutchman! On De-Walt! On Oak and on Pine! On Titebond, on Poly, and all would be fine!
I sawed as it chattered, my eyelids adroop, and sanded and sprayed as my shoulders did stoop
Lower and lower my weary head dropped— ‘til silent, unknowing, my lengthy day stopped.

I woke with a start, my head on the bench. On my forehead my straightedge was making a trench
I glanced for the sound that had made me alight, and there was a child in pajamas, so slight
He looked at me and I looked at the bench, and what I saw then made my heart give a wrench—
Drips in the finish, burns from the blade; wobbly wheels on the present I’d made!
I gazed at the tot as his eyes found the toy, and the oddest look crept to the face of the boy
With all of its flaws, what would his thoughts be? With a smile he exclaimed, “Did you make that for me?”
And so I recalled, that when push came to shove…
The best gift is a gift that is given with love.

A very merry Christmas to you and yours, from me and mine. May God bless you in the coming year.
-Matt.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2015 08:42PM by zarling.

Matt, very nice.

Merry Christmas

I can see why you chose to share that one. Beautiful indeed!

Merry Christmas to all! And to all, a good harp!

That's great!!

Merry Christmas!

Coool. I like it.