Delivered on Christmas

Dean McFalls

Description

Delivered on Christmas 2023: The Ultimate Edition, is a literary masterpiece. The work of a lifetime, this 430-page anthology of original poetry, narrative, artwork, and in-depth reflection spans half a century. With 21 episodes patterned after “The Night before Christmas”, McFalls leads you on riveting adventures ranging from fantasy and satire to profound meditations on Christmas and the human condition – despair and redemption, conversion, hope, and final victory. All this unfolds against real historical events: the World Wars, the Cold War, and War in the Ukraine, the three-year Pandemic, immigration, poverty, incarceration, death and dying, apparitions of Mary, prophetic warnings, and the End Times. All ages will find something to enjoy. See www.deanmcfalls.com

Sujets

• Poetry

Informations

• Publié par: Xlibris US
• Date de parution: 09 juin 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781543412796
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

“I encourage you to be on the lookout here
for every heaven-sent blessing
– and meanwhile to be counting the blessings
which have come into your life because of the
coming-into-our-history of the One we call Christ.”

Awarded the Pacific Review Star
for Books of Excellent Merit
I agreed with McFalls that the Christmas stories he told needed to be written beautifully, and he certainly delivered. The prose he wrote painted stunning pictures in my head of his life... Using vivid imagery…the author also utilizes humor … the verses are spot-on… [He] appeals to a wide range of audiences.
The way McFalls writes keeps you wanting more and more… I liked his writing so much, I’ve gone through and re-read some of the stories…
It’s a great book to get you into the Christmas spirit…give this book to friends and family members as a present. It’s sure to be a gift which they will enjoy, cherish and share with others. Sam McCullough, Pacific Book Review, 2017.

Welcome to the Adventure of a Lifetime!
Please read the introductory pages of this book
before entering into the Triumph of Innocence episodes.
For the Table of Contents and a Description of the
Themes and Styles of the Episodes, See pages 6 & 7.

Dear Reader! You’re holding an incredibly diverse and intensely relevant, multifaceted meditation on life’s most critical challenges. Spanning 56 years in its creation, this ground-breaking anthology leads you along a fascinating life-journey, weaving history, politics, world events and spiritual insight together with art, poetry, narrative, satire, and profound theological reflection.
Though often light-hearted and fanciful, Delivered on Christmas takes you into progressively deeper waters, where you’ll discover new mysteries and, far beneath the surface, priceless treasures. This 2023 edition has gift-wrapped the original, award-winning 2017 book with 230 more pages of original poetry, current events, commentary, and inspiration. This new edition lends even greater clarity – “20-23 vision” -- to the countless complexities and critical situations of our day.
Submitted for publishing always well in advance of Christmas, these new epic episodes (16, 17, 18, 19, & 20) have all proved to be ahead of their times -- in fact, prophetic and timeless. Check out the Table of Contents.
Thank you for opening your mind and heart to welcome this book. May God bless us all as we walk on together toward an uncertain and often intimidating future. Dean McFalls, June 4th, 2023, the Feast of Divine Mercy.
 
“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” 1
 
Delivered on Christmas
A Journey of Faith
2023 Revised, Expanded Edition
 
May the Savior delivered
in Bethlehem’s stable
deliver us all –
for Our God is able!
 
Dean H McFalls Summer 2023
 
Poetry, Artwork, and Narrative
 
 
Illustrations by Dean McFalls, based on his original drawings for Triumph of Innocence episodes from 1976 to 1985, as well as a 1990 Christmas card made for the Missionary of Charity Fathers in Tijuana, Mexico – plus other artwork from five decades of far-flung adventure.
 
Copyright © 2017 by Dean McFalls.
 
ISBN:
Hardcover
978-1-5434-2205-4
 
Softcover
978-1-5434-1278-9
 
eBook
978-1-5434-1279-6
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
Every effort has been made to give credit for photographs used and to obtain permission where possible.
 
Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All other Bible citations are used with permission, identified, and if necessary, footnoted.
 
Rev. date: 07/21/2023
 
 
 
 
 
Xlibris
844-714-8691
www.Xlibris.com
752773
 
Delivered on Christmas 2023: The Beginning
’Twas the night before Christmas
            when you opened this book:
    “Why not?” you had thought… “I’ll take a quick look…
Maybe I’ll find something special for me –
    like a gift hidden carefully under the tree.”
After all, with Corona, our world’s rearranged –
    there’s so little that COVID-19 hasn’t changed!
But two things we have, still, are lifelines, and hope
    that God will be there, at the end of our rope!
With all that we’ve lost, and the loved ones departed,
    we trust God won’t leave us storm-tossed, 2
            broken-hearted.
For Christmas is New Life, and Grace from Above,
    and the Child Jesus Christ –
            Heaven’s presence of Love.
So welcome, dear reader, to this book of surprises --
    this collection of poems about people in crisis.
Whether lighthearted, serious, or deep as the sea,
    these stories are gifts for you, with love, from me.
Dean H McFalls, July 2020


Dean McFalls’ journey began in Seattle, where he and four siblings were raised in the Congregational Church, UCC. During graduate studies in theology, Dean joined the Catholic Church. He has served over the years in elementary and high school education, in the missions, in international initiatives for justice and peace, as a writer, and for eighteen years as a Roman Catholic priest. He married in 2015, is raising a heaven-sent son, and lives in Stockton, California. This is his first book; coming next is a five-part series called Dear Gabriel – a Father’s Legacy.
 
How You’ll Benefit by Owning and Reading this Book
Reading: Delivered invites you to dive in and immerse yourself in its world of magic, wisdom, inspiration, and illumination. You’ll discover a wide variety of literary forms. And you’ll be challenged and enriched.
Writing Verse and Poetry: I’ve packed this anthology with many kinds of verse and poetry, and encourage you to try as well. Nothing I share is beyond your abilities. This book will support your poetic inclinations. Likewise, if I did the illustrations for this book, you can try drawing, too.
Understanding Signs of the Times: We’re living in an ever-changing world. Unfortunately, many of these changes are threatening the future wellbeing – even existence – of humanity. Reading this book, you’ll grow in your ability to observe, discern, and choose wisely the path you must take. This means fine-tuning your ability to hear the voice of God.
Spiritual Growth: The more you invest yourself in this book, the more you’ll open yourself up to the action of the Holy Spirit. My life-context and point of view are undeniably Catholic. At the same time, I write to a broader “audience”, and invite all people of goodwill to approach what’s here with an open mind. We have all been created in the Image of God and have a mission.
Education with an occasional belly-laugh: Our youth are too often ignorant about critical events around the world and the foundational principles on which our life of faith and our great nation have been built. This book makes learning enjoyable and, yes, often entertaining.
Table of Contents and Episode Themes – 2023 Edition
Praise for Delivered on Christmas: Four Reviews
The Central Theme: Incarnation (“and the Word was made Flesh…”)
Why “Delivered on Christmas ”? Why the book’s Cover Design?
Author’s 2017 Preface : Background, Point of View, and Purpose
In Gratitude to Dr. Seuss and a Description of the Meter we’ve used
Haikus vs. Limericks at Christmastime : The Medium is the Message
Childrens’ Morning and Bedtime Prayer s (Life-Application Poetry)
Children’s Poems for Advent & Christmas Eve (Fun with a Message)
America’s Original Classic: “The Night Before Christmas” (Dec. 1822)
Author’s Episode 1. “An Unwelcome Visitor” (Fantasy: December 1985)
Themes: Home invasion, Gender, Classic Monsters, Reconciliation, Allegory.
 
The Santa Cycle: An Introduction (with author’s first episode from 1967)
Themes: Does Santa exist? Santa’s role in Christmas. 56-year-old Santa poem.
Episode 2. “The Beloved” (Brief, Fantasy, Romance: December 1976)
Themes: Marriage & Fidelity, Santa, Witchcraft, Unconditional Love, Humor.
3. “The Warning” (Brief, Fantasy, Morality Tale: December 1977)
Themes: Sin & Repentance, Judgment & Mercy, Hell, Conversion, Humor.
4. “The Solution” (Mystery with a Message: December 1978)
Themes: Alien Life, Labor & Unionization, Technology, Fantasy, Idealism.
5. “The Three Gifts” (True-to-life Fantasy, Testimony: December 1979)
Themes: Poverty, Loss, Single Parenting, Depression, Charity, Restoration.
6. “The Sermon” (In-Depth Visionary Spirituality: December 1980)
A seminarian struggles to deliver. Providence delivers a powerful message.
7. “Peace on Earth” (Epic, Historical Fantasy: December 1982)
Santa’s mission is nearly destroyed during the Cold War; Reasons for Hope.
8. “On Holy Ground” (Epic, Historical D