Unless you are my mother, you probably watch and actually
like the movie A Christmas Story. It’s
become iconic. Little Ralphie Parker is
obsessed with owning a Red Rider BB Gun, but everyone keeps telling him that he
will shoot his eye out. He is on a mission
to tell Santa what he wants. The look of
awe and wonder on his face when he snaps out of his daze and remembers what to
tell Santa and climbs back up the slide to share his news is priceless. That look of awe and wonderment on a child’s
face is what Christmas is all about.
For a long time, I had lost that. Christmas had become a painful memory of what
I didn’t have, not what I did have. The
story of Christ’s birth was something I had heard a million times, and even the
baby Jesus in the manger was a painful reminder of the child I didn’t have. The only thing I looked forward to was seeing
my family. Other than that, Christmas
had lost the amazement of my childhood.
I stopped decorating and putting up a tree. There was no reason to decorate, and it
became a huge burden and mess I had to clean up any way. There were no laughter and giggles in my house
as presents were opened. There were no
traditions of telling the story of Christ’s birth. There was no visiting Santa or wrapping
presents in the middle of the night. It
was just Richard, me, and Ziggy.
My how times have changed! But even though life is different
for me, there are still many others out there in this world who struggle with
the holidays. It may be for completely
different reasons, but the holidays are hard for people who are missing loved
ones who have passed away, they are hard for people who have no family, they
are hard for people who desperately want children, they are hard for people who
are estranged from their family. Please
keep those people in mind as well. My
heart will always ache for the brokenhearted, because I have been there.
I can safely say that I have gotten my Christmas groove
back. Having a child in your home completely
changes Christmas. It was definitely fun the first two times when Madison was
an infant and then again when she was one, but this year, at age two, Christmas
has taken on a whole new meaning. I get to see it through the eyes of a child.
The Christmas story is no longer a story I’ve heard a million times. I get to retell it to this precious child and
watch her face light up as she tells me about Mary, “Juspis”, and the
Jesus-Loves-Me baby. Seeing the awe and
wonder on her face when she tells me that it’s Jesus’ birthday and hearing her
talk about Santa stir up long, hidden memories and emotions inside of me.
She is so excited this year.
She loves the decorations and helped me put up the tree and decorate
it. She loves to sit in front of the
tree and look at it. She will ask me if
we can just sit and watch the tree. The thrill I get in giving her presents and
watching her open them is immeasurable. We
sing Christmas songs and play with her plastic nativity scene. She has put in an order for a yellow car from
Santa, even though the past two weeks she has changed it to pink. I’ve assured her that Santa has already
gotten her a yellow car that he searched long and hard for. Every Christmas gift she opens gives her pure
delight. Madison also loves to give
gifts to others. She was thrilled when I
asked her to hand her daddy his present and when she brought her Nana her gift
as well. She has brought so much joy to our home.
I have learned a valuable lesson through Madison. Matthew
18:2-6 states that “Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among
them. Then he said, ‘I tell you that
truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will
never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child
like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into
sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck
and be drowned in the depths of the sea.’”
Madison readily accepts the miraculous story of Christ’s
birth. There are no questions or
doubts. She readily accepts the story of
Santa, never wondering how he and the reindeer can fly or how he fits down the chimney. She believes it with all of her heart. That’s what Christ meant when he said we
should become like a little child. We
should accept Him and the miraculous story of his birth, death, and
resurrection with the childlike faith that I see in Madison. If we can’t do that, we will never make it to
heaven.
He says it again in Mark 10:13-16: “Let the children come to
me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these
children. I tell you the truth, anyone
who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
Lord, I pray that the story of your birth never again becomes
a story I’ve heard a million times. I am
thankful that you sent me a child to renew my spirit and wonderment. I pray
that I approach life through the eyes of a child.
The greatest gift I’ve ever been given was when Christ died
on the cross for me, and the second greatest gift I’ve ever been given is the
precious daughter He gave me. Life is
full of joy now. I am focused on the
blessings more than ever. This day and
every day I am reminded of His words in Psalm 113:9: “He gives the childless
woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!”
Merry Christmas from the Pierces!