An Amazing Christmas

Christmas conjures up thoughts of mistletoe, parties, snow, presents, Santa Claus, and oh yeah—Jesus. It is an idyllic time where we strive for “peace on earth, good will to men.” We want to see the turnaround in the lives of people at this time of year similar to what happened with Ebenezer Scrooge in Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. We want life to work the way it does in Carol or in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life.

But of course most of the time, our lives are more like A Christmas Story (remember the little kid with Red Ranger Rifle with the compass in the stock) or perhaps more tragically like Nightmare before Christmas.

As a single young man, several years ago I found myself in search for the right episode or condition for Christmas Holidays. I began to plan it out so that everything would work just to my satisfaction. I arranged parties, scheduled dates to Christmas plays, went to see all the holiday movies at the Alabama Theatre, and on and on. And in many ways I succeeded. Those are wonderful memories. I highly encourage everyone to make the most of this season and get everything you can out of it.

But there was a certain emptiness which inevitably came upon every year. Here’s why: all of my activities involved only myself and how I could smooth over the loneliness and pain in my heart.

One year when I was about 25, I went through a breakup (one of many) with a girlfriend. I began to mope around the office and whine to my co­workers about this person when a woman I worked with challenged me to do something. Patsy suggested that I borrow a Santa suit that she had and go to the Children’s Hospital on Christmas Day. I wanted to argue but I felt rather exposed as to how selfish I was being so I agreed. Patsy arranged it with the hospital and on Christmas morning I got up early and put on the Santa suit – complete with pillow and beard - jumped in my little red Miata (yes I put the top down) and I drove to Children’s Hospital to see the kids there.

Please understand that they send home everyone they can at Christmas, so they are left with the sickest of the sick on Christmas day. Some of those children would not live to see another Christmas. One child in particular was the only one in the psychiatric ward. I asked about his condition and all the attendant would tell me is “he’s extremely violent and his parents abandoned him.” I sat with him for a while and prayed with him and talked with him. He was not mean or nasty to me. He just needed a friend. Every other per­son or child I met that day treated me like a king. They would hold onto me and ask me to pray for them. They asked me when I got in from the North Pole. There were so many parents who would light up when they saw that someone was willing to come on this day of all days to see their child.

I cannot remember every detail of that day because most of the day my eyes were filled with tears. But I can tell you this: I was changed man.

I did this several other times in other hospitals and over time it became more difficult to get in so I finally had to stop. It was always fun, however, to watch the reaction of people as they were on their way to grandma’s house for Christmas. People took pictures and waved and kids would shout “thanks Santa!” as I drove in the Miata.

It was truly an amazing Christmas.

As you think about this season, I cannot relieve your pain or make this time idyllic. I cannot take you out of your element and transport you into another time and place. God did not promise that either. God said to Isaiah that Immanuel would come. Immanuel means “God with us.” Jesus dressed up like us and visited those of us who were sick and reminded us that God indeed cares and loves and hurts for you as he did when he gave his son on the cross.

In fact, with that in mind, every Christmas is an amazing Christmas.office at 228-1014.