Thanks to my dear friend who sent me this story. It reminded me, that often the holidays get so busy that we forget the true meaning of Christmas. This story was a perfect reminder for me, and hopefully for you too! Good night dear friends!
The "W" in Christmas
Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful
experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations -- extensive card writing,
endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.Yet still, I found myself
exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course,
the true meaning of Christmas.
My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting
season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his
school's "Winter Pageant."
I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the
production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She
assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All
parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately,
Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress
rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat
down.
Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their
seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class,
accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one
by one, rose to perform their song.
Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the
holiday as Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial
entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good
cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken
aback by its bold title. Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in
fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front
row-center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the
song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the
letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up
his portion had presented the complete message,"Christmas Love."
The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a
small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down --
totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W." The audience of 1st through 6th
graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were
laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W."
Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued
until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came
over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we
were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos,
there was a purpose for our festivities.
For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:
"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"
And, I believe, He still is. Amazed in His presence...Humbled by His love.
May each of you have a Merry Christmas as you reflect on His Amazing
Love for us...
"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree." ~Roy L. Smith
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." ~Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby
"May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love."
~Author Unknown
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