My sister sent me a Christmas card as usual, but this time she wrote a comment that struck me. "Hey, doesn't this look like something Grandma B. would have sent?" Sure enough the angelic print trimmed in gold resembled the old fashioned Christmas cards our grandmother sent us when she was living.
Lately it has really hit me--the pain of loss many, many folks experience at the holiday season--the loss of loved ones who are no longer with us for various reasons. This year I realized that I have no mother, no father, no grandmothers, and no grandfathers to celebrate the season with. No uncles and no aunts.
Instead of dwelling on the loss, I decided to recall favorite memories, like the one my sister shared with me. I have the old--I mean really old--Christmas songs that my mother would sing to us when we were children like 'Here Comes Suzy Snowflake' and 'Hurrah for Captain Santa Claus'. The words and melody just crop up in me and I begin to sing them no matter where I am or what I am doing. And I have old ornaments and holiday decor. There's the corroding silver ball ornament with my name and birthdate that my Mom painted onto it with red nail polish the first Christmas after I was born. I still remember that my husband's mother gave us the golden-haired angel with the flowing crimson gown.
Our Heavenly Father has a way to redeem all loss. Some losses are redeemed in this earthly lifetime. I was witness to such a thing recently.
I have a sweet neighbor who lost her husband and her long-haired dachshund this past year. My daughter Rachel and I visited her a couple of weeks ago. Knowing how lonely she must feel I asked, "Have you been thinking about getting another dog?"
She smiled and said she had put a few calls into places looking for a small dog but that it was difficult to find one that was not a puppy. She didn't have the strength to train a puppy. "Somehow I think this dog will just come to me," she admitted with a shy grin.
Later that week, Rachel went out to the mailbox and spied a small white dog trotting down the street. The poor thing looked wretched with its matted coat wet from the day's rainfall. "Here, puppy," Rachel coaxed. But the dog scurried away in fear.
Two days later another neighbor called me and told me how she had trapped a small runaway dog and was going to take it to the groomer and the vet. On her way home from the vet, Gloria came by to see me. In her arms was the cutest little dog I have ever seen with red and green plaid bows tied to her ears.
As if reading my mind, Gloria asked, "So who wants her?"
"My daughter Rachel just reminded me that this little dog would be perfect for our neighbor acrossed the street!" I exclaimed and gave her a few details. Gloria's mind was made up when I repeated my neighbor's comment, "And she believes this dog will simply come to her!"
Tears sprung to my eyes as I watched Gloria ring the doorbell to my neighbor's door. "Oh, Mighty Father! How good You are that You would do such a thing to bless this dear woman at this holiday season!"
I decided to wait a couple of days before poking my nose in and seeing how they were doing. "Thank you so much," she said when I called, "And thank Rachel too for thinking of me! I've named the dog Holly." She shared more of Holly's story with me. I was so happy for her...and for Holly!
May yours be a Christmas of Holy Redemption!
