1956

We are gathered again around our Christmas Tree;
Children-grandchildren & mother and me.
Health-happiness and fancy free;
Tho we have no bundle for our family tree.

We fished for a year in a foreign land;
Prodigals - Mother and me.
But we are not responsible for the shortage at hand;
of bundles for the family tree.

By A.Z. Matthews, December 24, 1956

(Read the Prodigal Father -Parable By Becky --Book of II Matthews)

This was a short parody of the "Prodigal Son" parable in Luke 15. This parody was about a preacher that left his family, and when he returned home was looking for the riches of his sons to be bestowed upon him.

The reference to living in a "Foreign Land" refers to this year when A. Z. lived and ministered in Flippin, Arkansas at the First Christian Church of Flippin.
This was the inspiration of the Parody "The Prodigal Father" written and read for the Christmas Program by Rebecca E. Matthews, there is not a known copy of it existing.