stuffing stockings for you….

Stockings are my favorite.
I closed my eyes today and stuffed one for each of you,
my heart layering wishes and prayers
into bright quilted spiritsocks to send on Christmas breezes.

Down in the bottom,  like a big shiny apple,
I plunked a prayer that you’d hop quick and light through tangles
like a surefooted wren in underbrush,
never bogged down or boxed in.

Then I melted down the crayons
that would color you a victim,
scooped balls from the molten pools, 
then sculpted and dried into powerful pellets
for you to pitch at lies and sink them
like the accuser in a dunking booth.

I dropped in big belly laughs,  lush meadows,  quiet pools,
and plenty of light and space,
a string of exhuberant stars burning hopeful through the night
that you’re never alone,
and a Mary Oliver poem about another sunny morning
and the lucky person who is in it
(oh let that happy lark be you)

I tucked in Dickenson’s wish that your rambles be sweet,
your reveries spacious,
and some colorful feathers that whisper “you’re worthy of wings”

I draped a bouquet of flowers from the top
to gently croon that it’s safe to bloom
and a loveable Lionel….a sort of communication angel like his character in The King’s Speech
to coach out every bit of your voice that may still huddle stuck and shut down.

Into the nooks and crannies I tucked candles that flicker encouragement,
pretty little packages of savory sustenance
and teas for chasing chill and fatigue.
Then I scooped in a whole caboodle of newborn dreams;
they trickled down like skittles into every crevice,
and some truffles of precious time wrapped in glittering foil
in strong flavors of go slow and savor
(I went heavy on these so that THIS year you’re gaining time)

And I smiled at all the love packed snug like a stowaway inside;
I hope you feel it like a song,
a warm hand on your back when you need another along,
a blanket pulled up on a cold night,
a glad squeeze for how you share and shine.

Go ahead and open it early……there will always be more,
always be enough,
always:)

A big warm thankyou to beautiful Kamana for having me over at her stunning place!  Treat yourself to a visit
to her warm island and even warmer heart.  

31 Comments

  1. Lynn on December 18, 2011 at 10:01 am

    Thank you! Thank you for the wonderful gift! So glad I came by for a visit so I could read and absorb these beautiful wishes. All that and so much more right back atcha! Muah! (that’s a cyber kiss dontcha know!)

  2. rachel awes on December 18, 2011 at 10:36 am

    oh jennifer, THANK YOU.
    what a dream come true stuffed stocking!
    i love every single thing!
    i’m just back from target…gathering stocking stuffers
    for my guys…+ i haven’t felt up to snuff this week + still…
    so your timing of giving THIS is perfect.
    i love it so. right now i’d like to especially nuzzle near
    the lush meadows + quiet pools. ahhhhh.
    love you so. xoxox

  3. Marcie on December 18, 2011 at 10:54 am

    What a beautiful gift..in every which way!

  4. Louise G on December 18, 2011 at 10:55 am

    The garden of your heart
    is one of the most beautiful places
    I have ever visited
    I keep coming back
    because the richness and vibrancy
    of your Love
    keeps flowing
    making my world
    more beautiful.

    Thank you for the beautiful stockings
    filled with all the richness of this season
    of Peace. Hope. Love and Joy.

  5. suz on December 18, 2011 at 10:59 am

    I love word weavers
    thank you for the beautiful stocking
    filled with beauty and all that I need
    a blessed christmas

  6. Michele Bergh on December 18, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    I so love my stocking! It is the best gift I could have gotten this Christmas. Wishing you the best holiday season you have ever had.

  7. S. Etole on December 18, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    Love this overflowing stocking of all that you are and give.

  8. Julia Of Petals and Wool on December 18, 2011 at 6:07 pm

    Thanks for the overflowing stocking Jennifer. What a great idea for stocking stuffers. I need of nothing after such a generous and thoughtful gift.

    Abundant blessings dear friend, May all your wishful dreams come true. Hugs. JB

  9. Mary on December 18, 2011 at 6:14 pm

    Sweet words, Jennifer. And thank you for the information – I hope to see you in class some day, although it won’t be this January. Merry Christmas, sweetie.

  10. Sandra L. on December 18, 2011 at 6:30 pm

    One of your most beautiful posts–tears are in my eyes!

    Thank you so much…for everything.

  11. Anita on December 18, 2011 at 8:02 pm

    Dearest Jen,
    Stockings are my favorite, also! And this one from you is the best of all. My wish for you is that all you give to others comes back to you one hundred times over.
    xo, Anita

  12. Bren on December 18, 2011 at 8:20 pm

    Though I can’t say it as beautifully as you do my friend, I wish you and your family a wonderfully warm, joyous and blessed Christmas!

  13. Kel on December 18, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    such a superb stocking Jen
    thanyou for gifting one to each of us

  14. missing moments on December 18, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    Wonderful stocking of words!

  15. leslie on December 19, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    jennifer, i’ve just been reading and re-reading the comment you left on my “i believe” post today… thank you, from my heart, for your words of deep empathy and encouragement. they made the tears flow, in a good way. may you be blessed as you have blessed.

  16. ELK on December 19, 2011 at 1:55 pm

    i am filled with hope and happiness as you fill the stockings .. such a poetic , special post from a woman who is just that all the time !! Blessings friend ~~

  17. marion on December 19, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    What a beautiful gift, so lovely to slowly unwrap and to savor!
    I wrap them back up and present them to you.

    My own Lionel, oh. The best gift ever.

    Than you for these beautiful words!

  18. Barbara on December 19, 2011 at 4:38 pm

    Oh, Jen, how did you know just what I needed? I will indeed savor this gift – definitely one of my favorites. Thank you so much! Joyous wishes coming your way from me!

  19. janet on December 20, 2011 at 5:49 am

    Best gift ever=stockings are my favorite too…this one filled with all I really want! Hug

  20. Sherry Trasher on December 20, 2011 at 8:05 am

    What a wonderful Christmas present. You are a true gift and blessing to me. I am so happy to call you friend.

    Merry Christmas!
    Sherry

  21. Cousin Cathy on December 20, 2011 at 8:10 am

    What a beautiful gift in words. God gave you this beautiful gift to write your feelings and you need to put all of this in book form. What a an amazing book it would be with your pictures and written words. Thanks always for sharing your gift. Love to you.

  22. jeanie on December 20, 2011 at 8:43 am

    Jen, this is my best stocking ever. Better than the candy and surprises of childhood, the tea and olives of today. This is filled with love, beauty and friendship and all the good wishes we need! Thank you for a lovely post — I think my favorite of this holiday season! Merry Christmas to you — and I hope you packed a little stocking for yourself while you were at it!

  23. Anne on December 20, 2011 at 8:53 am

    Love it! What a gift to all of us — each zeroing in on the special part of the stocking that we need right now, knowing we’ll need it all in the year to come. BEST of all, the last line, SO true: “there will always be more, always be enough, always”. Thank you for that reminder and a big hug from me to you!

  24. LindyLouMac in Italy on December 20, 2011 at 10:09 am

    Thankyou Jennifer for your lovely gift of this post. Have a good Christmas and I look forward to following you in 2012.

  25. Connie Smiley on December 20, 2011 at 11:33 am

    Jennifer, so glad I opened this early! What a treasured gift! I’m trying to hold tight to the “go slow and savor”. Thank you, thank you!

  26. Christina on December 20, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    tears wet my eyes for the love i have for this.
    thank you my friend!
    palms clasped
    xo

  27. Maggie Mallard on December 23, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    Ah honey Christmas is now complete after receiving this lovely stocking from you! I wish I could put the words together like you to tell you how this touched my heart and warmed me like no other gift has ever touched me.
    Thank you dear sweet gifted friend. May God Bless you each and every day of the New Year and
    your Christmas as Merry as you have made mine
    Love
    Maggie

  28. Poetic chronicles on December 24, 2011 at 6:43 am

    What a heartfelt, generous poem for all to share. Personally, I’ll pick heavily on the ‘go slowly and savour’ chunk, and on the blanket for cold nights because it feels oh so cosy! Merry Christmas to you and your family dear blogging friend! 🙂

  29. Relyn on December 26, 2011 at 2:25 pm

    Christmas Day has flown past. Just now I have a quiet moment between bouts of after-Christmas sale shopping. I wanted to stop by and wish you all the joys of the season. As the quiet week approaches, may you find time to do all the things you most love. May you know, each day, how very blessed and loved you are. Happy Holidays, friend. ~ Relyn

  30. Dulcy Stewart on December 26, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    My gosh Jennifer…… I know you get this all the time, but your writing is just mind blowing! What a most special and wonderful gift you have created for us. I especially need the “more time” in my stocking. Only because there is so much beauty to see and create. Life is flying by so fast….. but what a great ride, and you’re such a treasure to share it all with!!!!
    xoxo
    dulcy

  31. Kim on December 28, 2011 at 10:07 am

    Thank you for sharing your beauty!

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