The True Gift of Christmas
It is so often through the holidays that I miss my parents the most. I suppose that is normal for most people, especially at Christmastime. This morning when I awoke I had memories, reminding me of acts of kindness, generosity, and sacrifice that my parents made which exemplified their Christian faith. I recall one weekend morning I was woken up by the sound of strangers in our kitchen and young children as well. My father had been on his way somewhere early that morning and saw two single mothers with children in tow beside their broken-down vehicle. He brought them back to our house since we lived in a very rural community and professional mechanical help was not close by. I didn’t get the impression that these visitors had much money; they were not unlike our family. As I laid, in my bed, pretending to be asleep, I could hear my father and mother whispering in the other room about the current situation. I heard my father and mother discuss what they could do to help them and my father said he would work on their vehicle. My mom made plans to take what little money we had left to buy some extra bread. She could at least offer them some cinnamon toast, coffee, and milk for breakfast. Yes, I remember money being stretched pretty tight that finding enough change just for some staples was common. And yet, they did not hesitate to share what they did have with two women and their children whom they didn’t even know and would probably never see again.
This is just one of the many things I saw my parents do when I was young. One of the hardest parts of grieving can be dealing with regret. . . Did I ever thank my parents enough for all the sacrifices they made for me? Did I give them enough love back to show appreciation for what they did for me?
These reminders of sacrifice truly correlate with our Heavenly Father sacrificing his only son in such a way by giving all of us the true gift of love and sacrifice – Jesus. No greater sacrifice, no greater love than this and it was given to us all whether we accept him as our savior or if we don’t. Whether we are thankful or unappreciative, and whether we try to demonstrate this in some small way to others that same love or do we only care about ourselves.
What a glorious time Christmas is!
As we enter into this new year as our nation struggles with injustice and is crippled without the original freedoms we all should still have under our constitution, and in our world that is lacking in peace and full of turmoil . . and as each individual battles heartbreak, regret, financial and spiritual deficiencies. . . We can still be loved, comforted and filled with joy by that one pure gift of Christmas that is given to all who accept it.
Merry Christmas to everyone! And may you find renewed hope in your faith and throughout the coming New Year!
