Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
12/20/2021
When did Christmas stop being Christmas?
I read an article by Audrey Carli that I would like to share with you.
Norma and Carl put on the tree lights and smiled at each other. “The kids will be up any minute!” said Norma. Carl nodded. “I only hope they like the presents! Hate sounding like Scrooge, honey. But it’ll take months to pay for these gifts. Does Christmas have to be so expensive? Does it really give happiness? ” Listen to you! Christmas morning and you’re…worrying! “Carl hugged his wife, and they went into the kitchen to make coffee. The bubbling percolator hadn’t stopped yet when Cindy appeared in the kitchen, wide-eyed. “Christmas? Okay if I wake up Sara and Donny? ”Sure!” the parents seemed to echo each other.
Tearing wrapping paper soon sounded. Oohs and aahs until…Cindy began to cry. “Where are the ice skates I wanted so badly?” “Did you ever mention wanting them?” said Norma. “I asked Santa in the store!” Norma and Carl exchanged glances. Santa had caused enough trouble. They had both hoped that Jesus would take first place – even though they knew gift-giving was necessary in today’s society. Donny’s face was gloom when he groped around for still another present. “I was sure I’d get a new baseball glove, Mom and Dad. You sure it’s not here somewhere?” Sara: “I’m happy! I got what I wanted!” The other two sullen-faced children made the parents say: “Christmas has to change!”
After Christmas, Carl bought Cindy some used skates from the hardware store. And she smiled and jumped up and down, clapping. “Why didn’t we just give her those skates and skip all the other junk?” Carl later told his wife. Norma had several books of green stamps she had saved. Those provided Donny’s baseball glove. His squeals and leaps revealed he’d have been contented with that for Christmas. Going to church the following Sunday, Norma and Carl held hands in the pew when they prayed together.” We’re putting Jesus into Christmas next time,” they agreed. All year the couple looked for ways to put Jesus into their Christmas – and to cut the “commercial rat race” as they termed it. By November, the children were told they could have one especially wanted item for Christmas. “So, think hard and be sure you make that one item want list!” said Norma. “Then you can make the list of what you’re going to do to put Jesus into Christmas.”
Before December 1, the family gathered to read their gift-and-give lists. The children had noticed others who were needy. Cindy wrote: Give the Jenkins a food basket. Ask Mrs. Walters if she wants to come over for cookies and punch. Sara wrote: Volunteer to sing in the children’s choir for Christmas. Go caroling to cheer others. Send Grandma and Grandpa James and Grandpa Miller special letters with our pictures. Donny wrote: Shovel snow to give Dad a rest. Rake leaves in the fall. Help Mom clean the kitchen. Stop teasing my sisters (The parents were asked to help with spelling.)
The parents shared their list: Visit the nursing home to cheer the lonely. Donate money to the missions and charity. Buy more gifts from charitable groups to help them and to surprise each other. Phone or visit more lonely people this year, choosing someone to cheer for every week. Walk together as a family once a week. Talk together as a family every day. Pray together daily. When Christmas arrived and the family shredded their gifts, each was contented with the one item on their list. “It was just what I wanted!” was the usual comment with a broad smile. A doll, baseball shoes, bedroom slippers, and a pair of gloves lined up beneath the trimmed pine tree reflecting pastel lights. The surprises lined up, too. The parents wrote love letters to each other and to their children. Cindy wrote a promise to go to bed without being asked twice. Sara promised to begin picking up her toys without being told. Norma had surprised her family with homemade oatmeal bread, their favorite. Carl offered his
earn from the sale of a tool he no longer needed, to his family out for pizza. I can never forget the happy look on that lady’s face in the nursing home,” said Sara. “She said she didn’t think anyone would visit her! And then we walked in!” Donny told how much stronger he felt now that he’s been shoveling. “I’m glad you don’t have to do the work all the time, Dad!” Cindy liked all the interesting stories about the woman’s childhood that Mrs. Walters told when she came over for cookies and punch.
Christmas day ended with a fresh fall of fluffy flakes, the family gathered around the tree. “I always wanted us to sing carols together,” said the mother. “Let’s sing ‘Silent Night’, okay?” They sang and gladness soaked into the parents. Later they said: “This Christmas was better.” Norma smiled. “This Christmas we were rescued from…tears and gloom and…greed,” she thought.
“Thanks, Lord!” she prayed.
Article by Audrey Carli
Merry Christmas everyone.
Oh Holy Night Mariah Carey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEJmP8T07JU
