20)"New Year's Eve" Takē Kanz

Takē Kanz is a (usually acoustic) singer-songwriter wandering around Poland with his guitar.  He loves recording and old Hollywood movies.  Check out more of his groovy music on Soundcloud.  

19)"A Lonely Leaf" Robert Best

A lonely leaf at last gives way

To join the vibrant forest floor.

Autumnal rage has had its day,

And quiet Winter knocks the door.

The days grow short and light recedes

Before the grasping winter night.

The harvest heat to cold concedes,

And Nature shivers in her plight.

The birds have fled to southern lands,

And wary bears have gone to ground.

A chilly pilgrim rubs their hands

Upon a journey homeward bound.

In howling wind and driving snows

The traveller must forge their path,

But in their hearts the home-fire glows

And guides them through the snow storm's wrath.

But hope is frail when darkness reigns,

When sap is freezing in the trees

And ice is coursing through your veins,

For then it seems all life will freeze.

And ghosts are born in winter time

And rise each year to grip our hearts.

An ever striking pantomime

Where memory replays its parts.

A few bring grief and others joy,

Of love, long gone or never found

Or waiting, whether girl or boy

In love we trust, our hopes abound.

And so the trials of darkest night

And bitter bite of deepest cold

Remind us how to seek the light,

And find our warmth within the fold.

In company our freedom lies

From bleak despair and lonely grief.

That's why the pilgrim always tries

To reach the door that hangs a wreath.

Beyond that door is festive cheer,

Where song and laughter fill the air.

So come and taste the food and beer

And curl up on a fireside chair.

The weary pilgrim finds their home

And through the storm their knocking's heard.

They now no longer need to roam

And “Joy” has got the final word.

Joy.



Robert Best is a Corellian starfighter trapped inside the body of a Terrestrial security guard outside Edinburgh. He handwrites most of his work to while away his long and lonely night shifts. However, if you wanted to hear more of his poetry or read his fantastical fiction you're going to have to wait for him to get off his backside to put it online.

18)"Kaltės Našta" Viktorija Rabikauskaitė

Song Translation: "The burden of guilt“

The burden of guilt, depressing, more and more difficult,

I do not see meaning in my ways.

The dust of road clings deeper,

I do not fight and I stumble again.

Chorus: And I know, that for this I must die!

Oh, GOD, how hard is to admit to myself!

I stumble before YOU on my knees,

Please, forgive me. I pray fervently.

How many times do You, God, knock on my heart?

And how many times have You offered Your love to me?

But I just trample over You rudely

Choosing sin.

Song written and performed in Lithuanian by Viktorija Rabikauskaitė. She lives in Vilnius, Lithuania and has been writing songs since she was fifteen. Viktorija enjoys writing songs for God, for His glory and honor.

17)Holiday Art by Kerri Shadid

Kerri Shadid makes visual art through marbling, like these ornaments.

Marbling involves letting water give paints a unique shape.

Christmas Cards

A Painting

Kerri also does a "poetry stand" where she writes poetry to order at various festivals
or recently as the "artist-in-residence" at the OKC Hilton.


Kerri Shadid is a poet and visual artist based in the Oklahoma City Metro area. She creates unique handmade gifts and art during the holidays and throughout the year, including customized poetry artwork, hand-marbled notecards, and decoupaged Christmas ornaments. For more information, contact her at ks@kerrishadid.com.

16)"Lord and Father of Mankind" Karolina Kieraitė

Crazy about long discussions, nature, poetry, and bikes, Karolina Kieraitė is a singer-songwriter, writer, photographer, and amateur philosopher.  She has a passion to share about God, his works, and character.   Hailing from Vilnius, Lithuania she currently studies psychology at LCC International University.  

15)"Angels We Have Heard On High" Matt Howard

Matt Howard is a Youth and Worship Leader at North Coast Church in Fallbrook, CA, where he lives with his wife.  He also is a pretty impressive sound engineer and enjoys woodworking.  Check out his music on Bandcamp.  

14)"O Noche Santa" Jorge Rodríguez

Jorge Rodríguez is an Opera Student at UNAM from Coyoacán, Mexico City.  He has an awesome beard.  He enjoys photography and reading, but his primary passion is for music .  He sings tenore lirico leggiero.  Follow his art and like his page on Facebook.  

13)"Рождество" Joy Youth WSP

English Translation And About the Band Below...

О Группе:  Молодежная группа прославления церкви Радость (Joy Church) в г. Алматы, Казахстан.  Своей целью ребята считают благословение верующих их творчеством и служением, а также привносить большое влияние в мир музыки. Купи их последный диск От Ранней Зари доступен в iTunes, Google Play и Apple Music!

Song Lyrics:  

Christmas, given to us long ago
Hundreds of years from now, it will still be going on

And on the days that we needed love the most

The birth of God's son, Christmas came around

And in this divine hour

You hear the story

Of the birth of the Savior

What to compare with Him?

Tell the news to everyone.

We celebrate the King.

Joy Youth Worship is a worship team from Joy Church (Radost) in Almaty Kazakhstan.  All the members of the group spend a large portion of their time with the worship team.  Their purpose as they understand it is to bless Christians with their art and to make an impact in the world of music. Check out their latest album От Ранней Зари available now on iTunes or Google Play.  

12)"Emmanuel" Curtis Howard

Lyrics:

What can we do to save ourselves
There's no reprieve from this frozen hell
We sharpen our swords, we gather our men 
But how in this world can we slay our sin?

Emmanuel: Who's with us?

We begged for a king, you gave us our wish
We expected a warrior, who is this?
Pressed by the law, King Herod, and pride
We live in the dark, we need your light

Emmanuel: Who's with us?
Emmanuel: God with us

A baby is born
A star shows the way
The only Messiah is fast on His way
The ruler of all darkness will fall
Prepare your hearts for Emmanuel

Emmanuel: God With us

Curtis Howard is 19 year old worship leader in Dallas, TX. He's a big fan of guitar pedals and indie music, check out his guitar pedal blog @ pedals4theking.blogspot.com. He is currently attending The King's University in Southlake, and has set his heart on following God wherever He leads.

11)"migrant child" Kelvin Fowler

over a hundred miles they walked

refugees, foreigners

hungry, poor

suspicious, religious

tired, dirty, angry, hurting

they walked, they cried, they fled

one hundred miles, one hundred agonising miles

awoken in darkness

smelling fear

fled for their lives

fled for each other

fled for their child

fled

left behind

a madman, a tyrant

a home, toys, clothes, a cup

a dictatorship, death, destruction

left behind a life

death they fled

a lonely mother, lonely father

refugees walked

over one hundred miles

carrying their baby

their precious child

in their arms

a lonely refugee

Jesus

Kelvin Fowler is a Kiwi pastor, poet, writer, and artist who lives in Klaipėda, Lithuania. His exploits include numerous publications, poetry tours of the UK and Germany, and various adventures like those in his book Clueless in America. Check out more of Kelvin's work at supper.co.nz, including his latest book, Verses for the King.

10)"A Baby Was Born in Bethlehem" James Metelak

A Baby Was Born in Bethlehem

Cardboard pop.

Confetti.

Ribbons.

A baby was born today
A child was born in Bethlehem

His passport isn't recognized.

His home was bulldozed because his parents

Couldn't get a permit (systematic prejudice)

There was "no room at the inn"

Arabs didn't want him

Europe was afraid of him

Americans are arguing about who's the toughest on

Immigration

So he was born in a tent

In a refugee camp

They came bearing gifts and

Me, well,

I've got a bullet for you for Christmas

Mom and Dad aren't talking

And the presidents are telling us

Who can and can't be friends
Santa's naughty list

Depends on the news channel

You're watching

There's a bright light on the road to Damascus

A Mirage on the horizon

I was going to send you chocolate and oranges

But the sanctions just kicked in

Come New Year's we're praying

Our money will still be worth something

Dear mom and dad, we need your

Son to try to put back together the world

And one wonders how much difference there is

Between a jacket of C4 and a gun.

They came bearing gifts:

M-16s, AK-47s, Gas, Bombs

The drones are always watching

And the NSA's tracking your calls

The Saudi government wants your head

Cuz they don't like what your blog says

The tree is lined with barbed wire,

A flare on top,
Grenades hung from the branches,
A line of golden bullets wind around the bannister

And there's a Stinger launcher hung over the hearth.

Obama, Putin, and Hollande are laying an arsenal

Before the bassinet

Assad's bombing the village in hopes the baby won't grow up

And Rouhani and Saud and Erdogan are supporting their pet

Freedom-Fighterish Mobs

Asses bray violence,

Sheep baa-ing nationalism and fear,

Border fences and anti-Islamic sentiments

Angels sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic

There are not enough graves in the world

To hold the hate
And there's not enough water in the oceans

To drown the fear

My eyes are open and the answers are easy

And easily impossible

Goodwill to men,

Jesus, there will be no crown of thorns or cross,

No whip-streaked back for you

You're not gonna make it that far

The baby lies in ribbons on the ground

Rearrange the body's wreckage to spell out

Peace on Earth








James Metelak is a poet, singer-songwriter, photographer, and the primary editor of Headpiece.   Check out his book, The Great Word G-d, his latest album, photos, or a little bit of everything at his website.  He currently lives and works in an orphanage in Central Asia.  If you like this poem, look for his upcoming book, Reasons for Cutting the Power to a Large Section of America, coming 2016.   

9)"His Covering" Audrey Miller

This is titled "His Covering"

It was inspired by Revelation 3:18

"I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

This verse made me think of how when Jesus came he was naked. He did not come with glory or power or even clothes on his back. This was the image that came to my mind, that of a king taking off his royal mantle so that he could cover a cold, sickly beggar. Jesus divested himself of his kingship, like taking off a mantle so he could clothe us. He came to us when we were far worse than any beggar could be to cleanse, clothe and heal. How great is our God!

Audrey Miller is a Studio Art graduate of CSU Chico and one of the most joyful people I have ever met. She is currently a homemaker near Beale AFB in California. Check out her portfolio at Deviantart:

http://10time.deviantart.com/gallery/

8)"Suite Baby Jesus" Carl Nellis

***

Dear Jesus,

Is it better to put

Crap in the bible, or

Put bible verses on crap?

I can't decide, so I tried

Both.

Please let me know

Through my ROI.

Year-end is the

Best!

*** 

Dear Jesus,

I hope there are enough anxious

People to buy my book. If there aren't

Please scare a few more. THANKS.

***

Dear J,

Since I got

Away with this before I'm just

going to do it again. Glad

You approve!

***

Dear Jesus,

I didn't have enough

Plastic babies

In my house, so

I ordered

A few more.

They all have

Your eyes!
xo

*** 

Dear Jesus,

I really want

To be generous

This year, so,

God, I need to talk

With you about

Being emotionally

Manipulative

At the table.

God, I need to talk

About turning

People Into projects,

And vice

Versa.

God, I need to talk

About my slim

Leather wallet. That's

Where the problem

Lies.

***

Jesus, don’t stay in

that one. Come up to the

penthouse suite, baby,

we need to toast Q4.

I’ll give you a pour

of my Lagavulin 18

(the undertones are

incredible, it will blow

your dome!) and we

can look down on

the city lights. My

kind of Merry Christmas.

***

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Please help me

Not to think about

The dirty warehouses

Where all this stuff

Was getting dusty

For like six months

Before I bought

It. I mean, insects

And rodents. Gross.

And plus, someone

Might have gotten

Germs on it or something

(who would work

While they are sick? Like

Why would you even

Do that? It's so disrespectful

To customers!).

If there's, like, some

Sweat on it, please

wipe it off before

He opens it. I just

Want to give

a convenient present

and like, the best

Way was a one-click

Order. So what the wages

Of ease is unrest

Out of sight. Just

Keep it that way

Okay? Anyway,

Happy Birthday!

***

Carl Nellis is a steadfast friend, an excellent writer, and a beardly literary editor based in Beverly, MA.  Having finished graduate studies at Boston College, he enjoys tea, music, frisbee, and all things Scottish.  His profound and beautiful poems can be found at: http://laughingoverthesea.blogspot.com/ .  Look for his book "Lesser Wheels" coming 2016.  

7)"Abundance" by Stephen Carradini

You lived in abundance

That we cannot yet know,
But came to our lack
And taught us to overflow

You came as we do, as a child
yet you were not rich
in the way of material things.
And now, as we try to overflow
as you did--trying to live
and see and love and wonder
as you wondered, on this earth--

we stare into the uncertainties
of war, displacement, racism,
greed, power, hatred, and violence.
It doesn't look abundant, and it hurts.
If you lived to bring abundance
why did you leave us to deal with want?

Yet you did more than visit our lack
you put it on, becoming human
so that you know how it feels
and we would know you know how it feels;
you hurt, and ached, and smiled
you want peace like we do,
you want the justice we want
and you long for the same abundance
as God and as man,
longing more than we can long ourselves
to bring the earth to right
to set abundance in the hearts of men forever
We long with impatience and sorrow,
but you so long ago promised that you
would not abandon us, and proved it
by becoming

a child and God, overflowing our categories--
As children of God, overflowing our understanding:
You who are abundant became want for us.

Stephen Carradini is an Oklahoman residing in North Carolina who reports on music at Independent Clauses,  publishes poems at Gospelized, and keeps trying to record music as The Midnight Sons. 

6)"I Wonder as I Wander" Kyleigh Dunn

Passionate about music, the love of Christ, new cuisines, and exploring the great outdoors, Kyleigh strives to share her experiences, putting her thoughts, dreams, and imaginings onto paper as she has lived abroad and traveled the world. She currently resides in Japan with her husband and daughter. Check her Blog: www.drumofadifferentbeat.wordpress.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/AThousandDailyDeaths/  Or check out her book The Christian Musician on Amazon.

5)"A Child Was Born" by Josué David Suazo Coloma

Click to see better

Josué David Suazo is a Guatemalan architect, professor, guitarist and artist.  He has been a member of several bands such as Link and Doce, and The Classical Guitar Orchestra in Guatemala City.  His latest album, Music of the Heart, will be available in January on Itunes and Amazon.  He enjoys combining his many passions, foremost of which is music.  He is also a fan of cookies and milk. 

4)"Heavenly Host EP" Katie Joy Nellis and the Keystone YAs

Kathryn Nellis is a painter, musician, and creative genius.  She studied at Gordon College and in Orvieto, Italy, and currently works as a self-employed artist in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Listen to her music:  https://sistersstoriesandsongs.bandcamp.com/ 
Website: http://katiejoynellisart.com/

FB: Katie Joy Nellis Art

The Keystone YAs are a Young Adult Group from Keystone Church in Paradise, PA. 

3)"Let Earth Receive Her King" Adriana Polanco

Adriana Polanco is a freelance Graphic Design Artist living in Guatemala, Guatemala with her amazing husband Mr. Suazo. She's also talented translator working for Life of Hope Ministries, has impeccable taste in music, and prays big prayers. 

2)On Callings by JL Jacobs

I look out
my Grandmother’s window
first hoary white
icing
meadows
past Sand-bar Crossing.

This Her view. Northward.

From here
She beheld
the uppermost reaches
of the Atchafalaya.

Must have reminded her
of her be-loved
Fooshe La Fay.

From a stately
old (home)
that still haunts
and holds out
in the hollow

to this humble
cottage …
to this humble cottage.

When She lived there,
when the Fourche La Fave,
White & Mississippi
flooded:

They became one.

JL Jacobs is an Oklahoma poet, the author of a handful of books including The Leaves in Her Shoes and Streets as Elsewhere.

1)"Слава, Слава Аллелуя" Воробьёвы

О нас:  В нашей семье 18 детей! Все, кроме самых маленьких играют на музыкальных инструментах. Мы пишем и поем песни прославляющие Иисуса Христа, Который творит чудеса в нашей жизни!

About the Borobyev Family:  In our family there are 18 kids, and everyone except the littlest play different musical instruments.  We write and sing songs praising Jesus Christ, who moves in our lives in miraculous ways!  

English Translation of the Lyrics: Today on earth we celebrate The Holy Birth of Christ Angels rejoice in the heavens Praising the miracle maker Glory Glory Hallelujah Here for our salvation Christ is born! Now and forevermore I live with the Lord And from the fires of Hell I am safe. Wherever I have gone He's always with me The best and truest friend Showing the straight path He is the way the truth and the life