That Christmas, many years ago, was a particularly blessed Christmas season with more than enough to go around. That year I prayed for God to show me the magic of Christmas so that it would not be lost on all the material "things".

A series of events unfolded that could only be God working at His best.

First, somehow I had bought one too many of the small stuff, such as coloring book, crayons, small toys, candy etc. than I needed. I just thought to myself, wow Mary, you must be loosing it to miscount like that! Then came Christmas Eve when my grand-daughter opened her present ( a MUCH sought after doll of that year) to only find out that she had already gotten one. I told her not to worry that G'ma would take it back and get something else.

The next day, for SOME reason, (well WE know who sent us) we received a phone call from a VERY impoverished second cousin of my husband's. He said that he just felt he wanted to reconnect and invited us over. We happily went to their modest home to find a tiny Christmas tree and a meager amount of food that they INSISTED that we share with them. Their little daughter, around 4 years of age, showed us the little doll that she got from Santa. ( It probably cost only a couple of bucks and would break within days if not hours). She said she liked her dolly, but what she REALLY wanted was, you guessed it, the doll that I had at home. She had NOT got any other presents that year.

My husband and I looked at each other and we just KNEW what we HAD to do. We made up an excuse that we had to run home for something and would be right back. We hurried home giddy with excitement as we lovingly wrapped that special doll in special Santa paper, as well as all of those extra toys, trinkets, and candy that I had no idea WHY I had bought, all the while, thanking God for our Christmas miracle!!

When we got back, we laid out the pile of presents on their porch and told them as we went in that Santa must not have been able to get in their house last night because he had left a bunch of stuff on the porch....well she ran out of the front door so fast we barely saw her!!!!

It still brings tears to my eyes at the sight of that small child's Christmas joy and having her faith restored, if only for that year.

Years have passed and we lost contact with that family once again, but the awe and wonder of how God works through us still warms my heart to this day.

May you all find that special miracle this Christmas and may God's special love bestowed upon you!

That Christmas, many years ago, was a particularly blessed Christmas season with more than enough to go around. That year I prayed for God to show me the magic of Christmas so that it would not be lost on all the material "things".

A series of events unfolded that could only be God working at His best.

First, somehow I had bought one too many of the small stuff, such as coloring book, crayons, small toys, candy etc. than I needed. I just thought to myself, wow Mary, you must be loosing it to miscount like that! Then came Christmas Eve when my grand-daughter opened her present ( a MUCH sought after doll of that year) to only find out that she had already gotten one. I told her not to worry that G'ma would take it back and get something else.

The next day, for SOME reason, (well WE know who sent us) we received a phone call from a VERY impoverished second cousin of my husband's. He said that he just felt he wanted to reconnect and invited us over. We happily went to their modest home to find a tiny Christmas tree and a meager amount of food that they INSISTED that we share with them. Their little daughter, around 4 years of age, showed us the little doll that she got from Santa. ( It probably cost only a couple of bucks and would break within days if not hours). She said she liked her dolly, but what she REALLY wanted was, you guessed it, the doll that I had at home. She had NOT got any other presents that year.

My husband and I looked at each other and we just KNEW what we HAD to do. We made up an excuse that we had to run home for something and would be right back. We hurried home giddy with excitement as we lovingly wrapped that special doll in special Santa paper, as well as all of those extra toys, trinkets, and candy that I had no idea WHY I had bought, all the while, thanking God for our Christmas miracle!!

When we got back, we laid out the pile of presents on their porch and told them as we went in that Santa must not have been able to get in their house last night because he had left a bunch of stuff on the porch....well she ran out of the front door so fast we barely saw her!!!!

It still brings tears to my eyes at the sight of that small child's Christmas joy and having her faith restored, if only for that year.

Years have passed and we lost contact with that family once again, but the awe and wonder of how God works through us still warms my heart to this day.

May you all find that special miracle this Christmas and may God's special love bestowed upon you!

Beautiful memories
Start at that moment
Only once is the magic
Except when you share it.

RL 12/23/2009

Thank you for your tender moments.

Beautiful memories
Start at that moment
Only once is the magic
Except when you share it.

RL 12/23/2009

Thank you for your tender moments.

Okay...tonight a woman called and asked did we have a Christmas dinner for her family. She was staying in a suite with her Aunt (who was paying for it) and 5 children under the age of 8. (2,3,5,7,8). Someone had donated a dinner to a senior friend of mine through HUD and she asked me yesterday did I know anyone who might want it. Over the weekend, a group of people donated brand new toy trucks, coloring books, 3 disney dolls, stuffed animals, Candyland and other sm. child. board games. We werte going to wrap them but ran out of time. I called the woman and her bil was going to bring her around 7. My boss went and got the dinner, and while on the phone asked if she had any food. She told me she was starting work next week and had nothing. So we also put together a huge food box and waited. While cleaning up, they arrived. All the children were there, and the cutest little elves I've seen (mom was tiny herself). While waiting the supervisor of Welfare shows up with about 20 toys all wrapped..with ages and f/m on them. We had to get the presents out to the car so I told the children they had to stay in the dining room and eat their cookies because Santa had stopped by earlier and dropped off some presents for them there by mistake and they weren't allowed to see them until Christmas. They were all standing there, got very quiet, their eyes huge and nodded in solemn agreement. The 2 year old then wandered in from the pantry and they got all worried when they saw her after she was picked up in the kitchen and I assured them that she was sworn to a secret not to tell...and they were so releived. The mom, her name was Eve, was so grateful. As they were leaving they all wanted another cookie except the 8 year old. I asked her if she wanted a apple and she said yes. After getting her one the second 2 eldest piped up...they wanted one too. So we get 2 more apples. The baby..holds out her hands and says apple...with green sugar all over her fingers and face. We laughed and got her two, explaining one was for her sister(3 yo) who was already outside. She shook her head yes and all waved goodbye. That will become one of my most favorite Christmas memories, besides the spiritual message it's all about the babes.

Okay...tonight a woman called and asked did we have a Christmas dinner for her family. She was staying in a suite with her Aunt (who was paying for it) and 5 children under the age of 8. (2,3,5,7,8). Someone had donated a dinner to a senior friend of mine through HUD and she asked me yesterday did I know anyone who might want it. Over the weekend, a group of people donated brand new toy trucks, coloring books, 3 disney dolls, stuffed animals, Candyland and other sm. child. board games. We werte going to wrap them but ran out of time. I called the woman and her bil was going to bring her around 7. My boss went and got the dinner, and while on the phone asked if she had any food. She told me she was starting work next week and had nothing. So we also put together a huge food box and waited. While cleaning up, they arrived. All the children were there, and the cutest little elves I've seen (mom was tiny herself). While waiting the supervisor of Welfare shows up with about 20 toys all wrapped..with ages and f/m on them. We had to get the presents out to the car so I told the children they had to stay in the dining room and eat their cookies because Santa had stopped by earlier and dropped off some presents for them there by mistake and they weren't allowed to see them until Christmas. They were all standing there, got very quiet, their eyes huge and nodded in solemn agreement. The 2 year old then wandered in from the pantry and they got all worried when they saw her after she was picked up in the kitchen and I assured them that she was sworn to a secret not to tell...and they were so releived. The mom, her name was Eve, was so grateful. As they were leaving they all wanted another cookie except the 8 year old. I asked her if she wanted a apple and she said yes. After getting her one the second 2 eldest piped up...they wanted one too. So we get 2 more apples. The baby..holds out her hands and says apple...with green sugar all over her fingers and face. We laughed and got her two, explaining one was for her sister(3 yo) who was already outside. She shook her head yes and all waved goodbye. That will become one of my most favorite Christmas memories, besides the spiritual message it's all about the babes.

It was a year we struggled. The twins, Mary and Miles were 6. Mary had been back and forth to emergency, ongoing concerns since she was 13 months. I had given our name to an organization, hoping. So many people were hoping, too. We had given up a bit. Christmas Eve, we received a knock, and through our door came, carolers and a dozen Santa's. It was overwhelming and the children were wide eyed and awe struck. I don't remember everything, except, Mary glowed. You see, it was the last time she has enjoyed so much, except the precious moments she spends with her son. That night she started her symptoms again, heavier pain, more intense than ever. We had to take her 4 hours away. By the next day and hours in Emergency and endocrinology, a cyst was finally seen.
Surgery was a day later. Life smoothed out for a while. Still, for a moment, now, we remember that evening, the joy and a twinkle of forgetting pain.,