Pattern of Love - Another Christmas Story

Picture taken for BibleVideos.lds.org.  The expectant Elizabeth and Mary enjoying the market place. 

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.  And she spake out loud with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.  Luke1:41-42
 Sing a Christmas song:   He Sent His Son

Pattern of Love

I didn't question Timmy, age nine, or his seven-year-old brother, Billy, about the brown wrapping paper they passed back and forth between them as we visited each store.

Every year at Christmastime, our Service Club takes the children from poor families in our town on a personally conducted shopping tour.  I was assigned Timmy and billy, whose father was out of work.  After giving them the allotted $4.00 each, we began our trip.  At different stores I made suggestions, but always their answer was a solemn shake of the head, no.  Finally I asked, "Where would you suggest we look?"  


"Could we go to a shoe store, Sir?" asked Timmy.  "We'd like a pair of shoes for our daddy so he can go to work."

In the shoe store, the clerk asked what the boys wanted.  Out came the brown paper.  "We want a pair of work shoes to fit this foot," they said.  


Billy explained that it was a pattern of their daddy's foot.  They had drawn it while he was asleep in a chair.

The clerk held the paper against a measuring stick, then walked away.  Soon he came with an open box, "Will these do?"  he asked.  


Timmy and billy handled the shoes with great eagerness.  "How much do they cost?"  asked Billy.  


Then Timmy saw the price on the box.  "They're $16.95," he said in dismay.  "We only have $8.00."

I looked at the clerk and he cleared his throat.  "That's the regular price," he said, "but they're on sale for $3.98, today only."  


Then with shoes happily in hand, the boys bought gifts for their mother and two little sisters.  Not once did they think of themselves.

The day after Christmas, the boys' father stopped me on the street.  The new shoes were on his feet; gratitude was in his eyes.  "I just thank Jesus for people who care, " he said.  


"And I thank Jesus for your two sons," I replied.  "They really taught me more about Christmas in one evening that I had learned in a lifetime."

     -Jack Smith, as told to Raymond Knowles, A Night in Bethlehem

Christmas Giving Returned in Full (A True Story)

 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  Luke 2:4-5
 Sing a Christmas carol at this link (with music)  Once in Royal David's City

Picture provided from Bible Videos produced by The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints on LDS.org

Christmas Giving Returned in Full (A True Story)
-Glenna Cottom Sanderson-

I can hear her now, the cleaning woman with her West Virginia, hill country dialect, as she told it to us.  Poor woman, she seemed born to hardship.  She had raised her nine brother and sisters from the time she was orphaned at 12, and much of what little she could earn disappeared into the bottomless pit of her husband's alcoholism.  She looked 60; we were shocked to learn that she was only 34.  But she had such jolly brown eyes and a resilient disposition that she seemed part of our family after a few times working at our home on Saturdays.

Her daughter, Gertie, was seven years old by Christmas time, when she was in the first grade.  In the school hallway was a big box for Christmas donations of canned food or used toys.  Gertie's teacher made an eloquent plea in behalf of the poor children who had no toys at all.  Gertie brought her doll, Mary, to school, checked back a tear as she stroked the faded print dress and said goodbye, then placed her in the big box.

On Christmas Even, the cleaning woman sat at the rough, oilcloth-covered table in her bleak kitchen, her face in her hands.  Gertie, with empty arms, was gazing out into the cold blackness when the knock came.  They hardly saw the two men who left so quickly after they set down their burden and shouted, "Merry Christmas!"

The woman and the little girl stared at the basket.  It was heaped so high there must have been two bushels of food and Christmas goodies.  And there, on the very top, in a wondrous new pink dress, sat . . . the doll, Mary.

Xmas (that bad word) and the Stranger

Who so loved the world that he gave his own life . . . Doctrine and Covenants 34:3  Follow the music and sing at this link:  God Loved Us So He Sent His Son

Christmas shopping at the mall in England

Me with our English family with dear old Santa on our Christmas shopping day - 2010

The Stranger

At Christmas time, there was a man who looked so out of place,

as people rushed about him at a hurried sort of pace.

He stared at all the Christmas lights, the tinsel everywhere,

the shopping center Santa Clause, with children gathered near.

The mall was packed with shoppers who were going to and fro,

some with smiles and some with frowns and some too tired to go.

They rested on the benches or they hurried on their way

to fight the crowd for purchases to carry home that day.

The music from the stereo was playing loud and clear

of Santa Claus, and snowmen, and funny-nosed reindeer.

He heard the people talk about the good times on the way,

of parties, fun and food galore, and gifts exchanged that day.

"I'd like to know what's going on,"  the man was heard to say.

"There seems to be some sort of celebration on the way.

And would you tell me who this is, all dressed in red and white,

and why are children asking him about a special night?"

The answer came in disbelief.  "I can't believe my ears!

I can't believe you do not know that Christmas time is here -

the time when Santa comes around with gifts for girls and boys.

When they're asleep on Christmas Eve, he leaves them books and toys.

The man you see in red and white is Santa Claus so sly.

The children love his joyful laugh and twinkle in his eye.

His gift-packed sleigh is pulled along by very small reindeer,

as he flies quickly through the air, while darting here and there.

The children learn of Santa Claus while they are still quite small.

When Christmas comes, he is the most important one of all!"

The stranger hung his head in shame, he closed a nail-pierced hand.

His body shook in disbelief; he did not understand.

A shadow crossed his stricken face, his voice was low but clear,

"After all these years, they still don't know."

And Jesus shed a tear.

The Christmas Orange

" . . . Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these . . . ye have done it unto me."  Matthew 25:40
Sing a Christmas Carol at this link:  Once Within a Lowly Stable

The Christmas Orange

Whenever we get too caught up in the receiving and purchasing of "presents" during this Christmas season, it is always good to retell this old Danish tale of the Christmas Orange.

Once there was a little girl who came to live in an orphanage.  Each Christmas morning, a beautiful Christmas tree would appear in the huge downstairs hall.  Also, on Christmas morning, in addition to their usual plain breakfast, each child would be given their one and only Christmas gift - a single small orange. 

Now the headmaster of the orphanage was a very stern man and he thought Christmas to be a bother, so on Christmas Even when he caught the little girl creeping down the stairs to get a peek at the Christmas tree, he sharply declared that she would not receive her Christmas orange because she had disobeyed the rules.  The little girl ran back to her room broken-hearted and crying at her terrible fate.

The next morning as the children were going down to their breakfast, the little girl stayed in bed.  She couldn't bear the thought of watching as the other children received their gift when there would be none for her.

Later, as the children came back upstairs, the little girl was surprised to be handed a napkin.  As she carefully opened it, there to her amazement was an orange all peeled and sectioned.  "How could this be?" she asked.

It was then she learned that each child had taken one section from his or her orange and had given it to her so that she, too, could have a Christmas orange.

What an example of the true meaning of Christmas was displayed by those orphans on that Christmas morning.  Each time we eat a sweet, juicy orange, think of this story.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if the world as a whole could display that same kind of Christ-like love, not only at Christmas, but all year through?

A Brother Like That

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  1 John 2:10
Click here to sing this Christmas Carol:   It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

 I am going to begin sharing some of my favorite Christmas stories, poems, and thoughts.  This one today is one that always makes me cry and it is called:  

A Brother Like That   

A young man named Paul received a new automobile for Christmas from his brother.  On

Christmas Eve, when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the

shiny new car, admiring it. 

“Is this your car, mister?”  he asked.  Paul nodded, “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.”

 The boy looked astounded.  “You mean he just gave it to you, and it didn’t cost you nothing?  Gosh, I wish . . .”

 He hesitated and Paul knew what he was going to wish.  He was going to wish he had a brother like that, but what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.  “I wish I could be a brother like that,” the boy said.

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment.  “Would you like to ride in my car?”  he asked.  “Oh, yes, I’d love that!”  exclaimed the boy.

After a short ride, the urchin turned and with eyes aglow said, “Would you mind driving past my house, mister?”

Paul smiled a little.  He thought he knew what the lad wanted.  He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile, but Paul was wrong again.

“Will you stop right where those steps are?”  the boy asked.

He ran up the steps.  Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he wasn’t coming fast.  He was carrying his crippled little brother.  He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.

“There she is, buddy, just like I told you upstairs.  His brother gave it to him for Christmas, and it didn’t cost him a cent, and someday I’m gonna give you one just like it; then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been telling you about.”

Paul got out and lifted the little lad to the front seat of his car.  The shining eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a happy holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”