Today I read a post made by a friend regarding the lack of Christmas Spirit on Facebook and the following story from a Christmas in my past came floating back.
It was Christmas 1984, my Mom, was complaining because I asked her to give me a ride to the nursing home to deliver cookies donated by our Brownie Troop. She had much to do, and resented this extra trip. She was always doing for us, and I guess she felt unappreciated. I made a comment about how she was helping some elderly people have home baked cookies, and a more joyful Christmas.
Feeling a little depressed, she commented back that she wished her Christmas wishes of new kitchen chairs, and new carpeting for the living room would be granted, but there just wasn't enough extra money to do this.
I sat down and wrote her a poem, about how it was much better to have our loving family all around the Christmas Dinner table sitting in broken chairs and having a wonderful meal to eat together than a Christmas alone without family.
A year later at Christmas time, I was helping her clean for the holidays, and while cleaning off the top of the kitchen cabinets, I found the poem. I read it and cried, and cried some more. Because you see, this was Christmas 1985, our first Christmas without our Dad at the Christmas Dinner table. He passed away of cancer of the lung the previous August.
Before Dad passed away he retired and bought Mom a new dining room set and carpeting for the living room. My sister Irene had bought Dad a lottery ticket get well card while he was in the hospital. He won $200.00 on the lottery and never got a chance to spend it. With the money Irene bought Mom a lounge chair, and a floor lamp.
I am positively sure Mom would have traded all those material things for one more Christmas with her husband of 44 years. He wasn't perfect, but we all loved him unconditionally, and he always worked, and handed over the paycheck to Mom every week. We always had all the things we really needed, like shelter, warmth, and food, and he provided them all for all of us.
I have often said, "Yes, Jesus brings us our gifts on Christmas, and Santa Claus and the wonder of childhood dreams are two of those gifts!" The best gift Jesus gave was himself, so we all could live by his example, learning to love ALL people unconditionally, and have everlasting life in PEACE!
My dad always hung the shining star on the highest bough.
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