CHRISTMAS EVE CONVERSION

        ONE CHRISTMAS EVE, A LONG TIME AGO

AN OUTLAW WAS CAUGHT, IN HIGH WINDS AND SNOW

HE COULDN’T SEE PAST HIS PONIES TWO EARS

IT WAS THE WORST BLIZZARD TO HIT THIS COUNTRY IN YEARS 

HIS HORSE BUCKING SNOW WAS DOING HIS BEST

BUT WITH THREE FEET OF SNOW, THEY BOTH NEEDED A REST

THEY WERE FREEZING AND LOST AND THINGS SURE LOOKED DIM

SO HE DUG OUT A SNOW CAVE AND BURROWED RIGHT IN 

“I’VE REALLY MESSED UP THIS TIME”, HE SAID UNDER HIS BREATH

FOR HE KNEW THAT HE AND HIS PONY COULD SOON FREEZE TO DEATH

IF THEY DIDN’T GET HELP, AND NO HELP WAS IN SIGHT

THEN HE HEARD THE BRAY OF A DONKEY, AND THROUGH THE BLOWING SNOW

SAW A LIGHT 

THEN A SHEEPHERDER SLOWLY APPEARED THROUGH THE TREES

LEADING HIS DONKEY AND STOMPING THROUGH SNOW PAST THEIR KNEES

HE WALKED UP TO THE OUTLAW WITH A LANTERN IN HAND

THAT WAS PUTTING OUT HEAT, AND A LIGHT THAT WAS GRAND 

HE HELPED THE FREEZING OUTLAW UP ONTO HIS DONKEY’S STRONG BACK

THEN LEAD HIM AND HIS PONY TO HIS LITTLE ROCK SHACK

HE HELPED THE OLD OUTLAW IN, AND STOKED THE FIRE AT HIS FEET

THEN PUT THE HORSE AND DONKEY IN THE STABLE, WITH SOME DRY CORN TO EAT 

THE OUTLAW SAID, “I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU FOUND US, YOU WERE DIRECTED SOMEHOW

BUT I KNOW IF YOU HADN’T, I’D BE WARMING UP WITH THE DEVIL BY NOW

THAT WIND IS STILL HOWLING LIKE A MAD WOMAN’S SCREAM

AND YOUR CABIN’S AS WARM AS ANY I’VE EVER SEEN” 

AFTER SOME HOT MUTTON STEW, THE OUTLAW SETTLED IN FOR THE NIGHT

WHILE THE HERDER SAT AT THE TABLE, READING HIS BIBLE, BY THE LANTERNS WARM LIGHT

“YOU KNOW”, SAID THE OUTLAW, “I NEVER DID READ FROM THE BIBLE

IT NEVER SEEMED IMPORTANT NO HOW

BUT BEING IT IS CHRISTMAS EVE IT WOULD SURE PLEASE ME

IF YOU’D READ FROM IT NOW”

 THE HERDER SMILED AT THE OUTLAW AND TURNED TO A VERSE

HE SAID, “LET ME READ FROM ST. LUKE, ABOUT OUR DEAR SAVIORS BIRTH”

AS THE HERDER READ SCRIPTURES AND THE STORM HOWLED OUTSIDE

THE OUTLAW REFLECTED ON HIS SINFUL PAST, AND HIS COW THIEVING RIDES 

HE REMEMBERED PAST CHRISTMAS EVES, JUST DRUNKEN PARTIES ALL NIGHT

BUT THIS CHRISTMAS EVE, WELL IT JUST SEEMED TO FEEL RIGHT

THIS HERDER WHO’D SAVED HIM SEEMED SO HUMBLE AND PLAIN

HOW HE’D FOUND HIM IN THIS BLIZZARD, HE COULDN’T EXPLAIN
 

 

HE SAID TO THE HERDER, “LIVING WAY OUT HERE, I BET YOU’VE NEVER HAD NOTHING NICE

YOU JUST NAME IT AND IT IS YOURS, FOR SAVING MY LIFE”

THE HERDER’S EYES SPARKLED AS HE GAVE THE COWBOY A LOOK

“YOU CAN REPAY ME MY FRIEND, BY READING THIS BOOK” 

THE OUTLAW SAID, “IT’S A DEAL, AS SOON AS I CAN FIND ONE”

THE HERDER RESPONDED, “YOU MAY HAVE THIS ONE, WHEN MY MISSION IS DONE”

HE THEN CONTINUED TO READ FROM THE BIBLE ONCE MORE

AND THE OUTLAW DOZED OFF AND SLEPT, LIKE NEVER BEFORE 

THE NEXT MORNING THE OUTLAW AWAKENED AND SENSED SOMETHING WAS WRONG

THE STORM, THE HERDER AND THE DONKEY WERE GONE

THERE WAS NO ROOF ON THE CABIN, JUST FOUR CRUMBLING WALLS WITH NO DOOR

NO STEW, NO FIRE AND HIS HORSE STOOD NEXT TO HIM, ON THE CABINS DIRT FLOOR 

THERE WAS NO SNOW ANYWHERE, THE GROUND WASN’T DAMP

IN FACT HE FIGURED THIS PLACE TO BE A MIGHTY FINE CHRISTMAS CAMP

BUT WHAT OF THAT BLIZZARD, HAD HE DREAMED UP THIS FABLE

THEN HE SAW A LEATHER BOUND BIBLE, ON AN OLD WOODEN TABLE 

HE TOOK THE BOOK IN HIS HANDS AND STARTED READING THE PAGES

HE HADN’T FELT THIS KIND OF JOY IN WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN AGES

HE STAYED RIGHT THERE AT THIS CAMP UNTIL HE’D FINISHED THE BOOK

THEN HE KNELT DOWN IN PRAYER AND GAVE THE HEAVENS A LOOK 

PLEASE LORD FORGIVE ME FOR THE BAD THINGS I’VE DONE

AND THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR WONDERFUL SON

I READ YOUR BOOK, LIKE THAT SHEEPHERDER ASKED

NOW I PROMISE TO YOU, MY SINS ARE ALL IN THE PAST 

HE SAID, THANK YOU O LORD, FOR ALL THAT IS RIGHT

AND ESPECIALLY FOR THAT DREAM THAT I HAD LAST NIGHT

THAT SHEEPHERDER YOU SENT, WELL HE MADE ME BELIEVE

AND I WAS TRULY CONVERTED, ON THIS CHRISTMAS EVE  

I want to bear  my testimony that everyone can be forgiven of there sin. That Christ came to this earth to make it possible for us all though  the atonement  to repent.  We as people living here in today world needs to take this chance and do so. We can change are life and make the best of this life we have here on earth with what little time we have left here. so be like the outlaw and change your life before you get to the point were it is to late.