Belief Through the Eyes of a Child
It was Christmas time 1976 when my father was cutting a tree down earlier that week to have money for Christmas when he had fallen out of the tree and broke his leg. My Mother had not told us how bad it was, or that we had no money for the bills that were due. Christmas was upon us five kids and we had not seen any Christmas presents and food was down to a few cans of pork & beans. My brother & sisters and I were watching “A Christmas Carol” that eve and as the show played on TV, my siblings one by one, were going to bed. As I finished watching the show I heard my Mother crying in her room. She was telling someone that she had no money to pay bills, that dad’s leg was broken and the lights would be shut off after Christmas.
I knew there was no Christmas dinner, no presents, and soon no lights. I did not knock on her door. I went to my room. I said “God I am told you are real and I should believe in you.” I asked God to have a present under the tree for my sister who was mentally challenged. She would not understand why there were no presents on Christmas day. On Christmas morning, my mentally challenged sister was singing “Joy to the World”. I had ran downstairs to find her in front of the tree with no presents. Sad, I joined her in singing to make her feel good. After finishing the song I went to do some house work. I heard a knock on the door. I thought “Who is knocking on our door on Christmas day?”
I went to the door with not having anything and I opened the door and then hollered for my mom. I ran out onto the porch littered with Christmas gifts, a big box of food, a letter, and a big envelope. The letter said “Dear Mary, We heard what happened to your husband and what was happening to you and the kids. So we wanted to tell you & Bob thank-you for what you have done and then said “no charge”. I had went back in the house very happy and had said “God, I asked for 1 gift for my mentally challenged sister. You have given us that and took care of everything that was wrong.” At that point in my life God was truly real and I accepted Christ in my life and I have found ways to show Christ to people in their lives. From that day forward into my adult life I knew that the true meaning of gifts at Christmas is Christ — the only gift worth receiving.