Merry Christmas 2025

 In ’25 we took the drive

And found new digs, to dance and jive,

From Northern Ill’ to Collinsville,

We journeyed southward just until

We saw new parts: St. Louie’s arch,

A bit removed from winter’s march.

We left behind Kewanee’s line,

’Twas thirty years we lived on Vine.

We pulled up stakes, released the brakes,

Went farther from the Greater Lakes.

Though bless’d we’ve been, to make new friends,

And find new vistas’ dividends,

We miss those folks, the gals and blokes,

And won’t forget their dreams and hopes.

But now we face by God’s good grace

An open book in this new place,

More oft to see our family;

Six men, six wives, and seventeen

Grandkids around (they all abound);

Betimes this turns to their playground:

They’ll take the road to our abode

And its four walls almost explode

As at this time, for auld lang’s syne,

Rejoicing e’er with joy sublime,

Especially when it’s Yule again,

For Christ is born, yea and amen,

To save us all, so deck the hall!

Rejoice, I say, yes, one and all!

Both young and gray, we’ll sing and say

That we are on the heav’nward way.

 

God rest ye merry, this Christmas 2025 and always – the Eckardts

 

Key to photo:

Burnie (back row, behind me), wife Amanda, to his left, Bevy  their 1^st at her left, Millie #2 below her, Mikey #3 between those two; Andy (back row, farthest left), wife Kristy, back row blue dress, Sarah their 1^st at Andy’s right, David #2 at Kristy’s right; Peter’s the groom, with his new bride Susie and his son Ezra; John (farthest left), wife Alissa directly to his left, Hazel #1 to her left, Ada #2 in front of John, Megan #3 in front of Alissa, Luke #4 to Megan’s left, Paul #5 in John’s arm; Joey (below pulpit), wife Emily to his left, Jane their 1^st below Joey, Elizabeth #2 in Emily’s arms, Mary #3 below Emily, Ben #4 in Joey’s arm; Michael below Jesus statue, Brittany his wife to his left, Bella their 1^st between them, Lucia #2 in Brittany’s arms.

Merry Christmas 2024

It’s time once again

As another year ends

To recount all the things we’ve been through.

 

In our families

There are plenty of these

We count blessings and memories too.

 

On a cold winter’s day

Carol’s dad passed away

And we mourned him as families do.

 

I retired last June

And the date came too soon

But as time marches on we must too.

 

Yet to write I still dare

And to preach here and there

As I find myself still able to.

 

And it’s pleasant, I’d say

Now that we’re found a way

To spend time with our family brood.

 

For this was the year

We were waiting to hear

Of new babies, one pink and one blue.

 

And the stork dropped them by

Just in time for this rhyme.

Seventeen of them now in our crew!

 

And in all things we know

That however life goes

There will always be grace peppered through

 

Because One Other born

In a Bethlehem barn

Has redeemed and made everything new.

 

Ah, so tiny His birth,

Who fills heaven and earth!

Wondrous mystery, wonderf’lly true!

 

So rejoice with us, friends

Knowing life never ends

For His people who sing, Happy Yule!

 

God rest ye merry, this Christmas 2024 and always! - Fritz and Carol Eckardt

The Grandpa Songs

 The Grandpa Songs

1. I Wanna Be a Friend of Yours

I Wanna Be a Friend of Yours

2. If the Word Keeps on Turnin'

If the World Keeps on Turnin'

3. I've Been Listenin' to a Secret

I've Been Listenin' to a Secret

Merry Christmas 2023

There once was an Illinois home

Which its children had left all alone

Except for the mom

And the pop, they had gone

To make families all of their own.

But at Christmas they always came back

All to gather and all to unpack

All the gifts they had bought

And had wrapped and had brought

'Neath the Christmas tree where they'd be stacked

Fifteen children will gather that morn

(That's how many who now have been born

To six sons and their wives),

Oh, how rich and alive

Will the house be that they will adorn!

Lately two were born just this same year,

And while no one has news we might hear

Of another, we know

there are bound to be more

Since the fam'lies keep growing, Oh dear!

Of the six fam'lies five are nearby

In the same state or just 'cross the line

And the one far away

Now draws near to the day

they will move near, next year, in springtime!

So together they all can enjoy

the great birth of that heavenly Boy

Who has take away

All our sin and dismay

For a new life no one can destroy.

God rest ye merry, this Christmas 2023 and always -- the Eckardts

(Pictured below: Burnie and Amanda's three: Mikey #6, Bevy #3, Millie #4; Andy and Kristy's two (with us): David #2 and Sarah #1; Peter's son Ezra #8; Johnny and Alissa's five: Paul #14, Hazel #5, Ada #7, Megan #9, Luke #11; Joey and Emily's three: Elizabeth #13, Mary #15, Jane #10; Michael and Brittany's daughter Bella #12

Merry Christmas 2017

Not much has happened here this year
That is, if you don’t count the cheer
Of children having children as we
Raise for each another beer.

If you would put aside six sons
And wives of four with their young ones
Then, sure, there’s nothing to report,
No reason for Post Office runs.




If you likewise would miss the five
The grandkids! Oh, so much alive:
Sarah, David, Bevy, Millie,
Hazel too, all full of drive,



Then one could say there’s no news here,
Unless you count our Mikey dear
Who, born just at the start of spring,
Undimmed our hearts and made them clear.

’Twas Burnie and Amanda who
Awaited and then welcomed too
This newborn number six grandchild
As thanks were given, as was due.

He’s crawling now, about to walk
While sisters squeal in glee and stalk
Him pretty much where’er he goes.
And listen! He’s about to talk!

But else, the year was dull, in all,
If you don’t count two days in fall
When in September came a pair
A day apart—O what a ball!

Our Ada came the twenty-eighth,
And next day Ezra too—same weight!
Though born of different parents, these
Twin cousins, cause to celebrate!

(To John, Alissa came the one,
To Pete and Allison the son,
Who make the total eight in all
Grandchildren, now that’s quite a run!)

And since they’re on the Eastern coast
We traveled there so we could toast
In person these two sweeties, these
Two babes who tempt our hearts to boast.


But we dare not; for we know well
The grace of God these children spell
And more so does another Child
Whose birth we yearly wish to tell

Who saved us all from Satan’s pow’r
As carolers declare this hour—
They move along from house to house
To warm our hearts with Christmas show’r.

So join them, friends, and let’s be glad
For this year, even were it sad,
Still holds a reason to rejoice:
Eternal Good drives out the bad!

Let all the earth rejoice today
For there is much good news to say:
That makes all fam’ly news seem small
Our Savior brings us life for aye!

God rest ye merry, this Christmas 2017 and always – the scattered Eckardt family (Fritz, Carol, Burnie, Amanda, Bevy, Millie, Mikey, Andy, Kristy, Sarah, David, Peter, Allison, Ezra, Johnny, Alissa, Hazel, Ada, Joey, Michael)

Merry Christmas 2016

Since the fam’lies

have all gone their ways

Except for the folks whose hair grays;

I declare with delight

That because of this plight

I am free from reports of those days

What I offer instead I have made us

Is a colorful map I have laid up

Where you match up the town

To which each has now flown

And from which

they occasionally raid us.

But beyond this map there is another

Showing where God became

our dear Brother

And was Bethlehem-born

on a mid-winter’s morn

To a lovely and low virgin mother.

There’s no arrow that points that direction

Nor a star any more for reflection

But a heavenly word

That proclaims him as Lord

And still offers eternal election.

God rest ye merry, this Christmas 2016 and always 
– the scattered Eckardt family

(in Moline, Ill., Oregon, Ill., Alexandria, Va., Warrensburg, Mo., 
Terre Haute, Ind., Pittsfield, Ill., and back home in Kewanee, Ill.)

Merry Christmas 2015

I take to writing poetry

When Christmastime is near

Lest perchance 

my words should be

More cumbersome to hear.

So this is how I choose to write

To tell you of events,

Of days of sadness and delight,

And of accomplishments.

In January’s 

birthday bash

Our David turned to five,

And Sarah, seven, 

so I asked,

Could these be more alive?

And Millie was 

a half year old

By February’s snow

A month before 

her sister Bevy’s

Happy birthday two.

Our March son found 

a different niche—

A better job for Joe,

And Burnie also 

made a switch

That’s two sons’ new mojo.

And April 

doth our hearts enthrall

Because of Easter Day

For Christ is ris’n 

and gives us all

New life to sing and say Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

   

We gathered in the month of May

At last the hour was here

For Peter’s ordination day

That filled our hearts with cheer.

And June was also glorified

For Peter, you’ll agree,

When Allison became his bride

And joined our fam’ly tree.

And in July we traveled up

To north Wisconsin’s wood

While fishing, swimming filled our cup

With memories of good.

In August, Grandma passed away;

We sorrowed and we wept,

But know that there shall come a day

Christ’s promise will be kept.

September brought 

a baby girl

T’Alissa and to John:

Our Hazel is a little pearl,

A joy to dote upon.

Expectant mother Allison

Then lost her little child:

October’s days did sadly run,

And we were there meanwhile.

We still gave thanks, November, though,

As Christian people do,

For in all things we always know

That God is good, ’tis true.

December brings to E I U

The end for Michael, grad,

So next, the days of hoping that                                                                        

He’ll find work to be had.

So now’s the time 
for Christmas lights   

To brighten all our days

And bring an end to all our nights

And yours as well, we pray.

God rest you merry, this Christmas 2015 and always. + Burnell (Fritz) and Carol Eckardt

Pictures, in order:

1 Holy Family; 2 Sarah, David (children of Andy and Kristy); 3 Bevy, Amanda, Burnie, Millie; 4 Michael (youngest), Peter (3rd), Burnie (oldest), Johnny (4th), Joey (5th), Andy (2nd); 5 Kristy (Andy), Allison (Peter), Carol (Fritz), Alissa (Johnny), Amanda (Burnie); 6 Fritz, Peter, Carol; 7 Peter, Allison; 8 Nancy B Eckardt (1921-2015);  9 Johnny, Alissa, Hazel 10 Wise men and star