Christmas Day 3: “When I was a kid…………”

November 15, 2020November 15, 2020 Laura GraceLeave a comment

“Christmas when I was a kid.” Does anyone even care? (What it was like?). I think so, because honestly, I have read stories about the Christmas’s of others, and I totally enjoy them.

When I was a kid, Christmas was a magical time for me. Mom made a lot of different goodies, including, popcorn balls, fudge (2 different kinds) frosted cookies, pinwheel cookies, and sometimes we had peanut brittle laying around.

There were cousins, aunts and uncles who sent packages by mail (grandma’s too) and soon the tree was abounding with colorfully wrapped gifts. We all looked at the Sears Catalogue to dream of what Santa might bring…….

I didn’t teach my kids about Santa, because i remember the disappointment when he didn’t bring quite what I asked him for. I believed, so I thought maybe I was ‘naughty” is why it didn’t happen. I thought maybe he was trying to teach me a lesson, and that was why I got peanuts and oranges in my stocking (mostly) and didn’t know til years later that santa’s budget depended on Mom and Dad’s budget, at the time.

Therefore, based on that disappointment, I didn’t teach my children to believe in Santa Claus, I told them it was a nice story and a nice thought, but ultimately Jesus is the reason for the season.

When I grew up, which happened during the process of raising children, I decided Christmas Joy was something I wanted to emmulate. I learned to make the cookies, (and the fudge) as much as I do NOT like or enjoy kitchen duties. I soon found out what a servant heart it takes to pull of this Amazing Holiday. It’s a lot of work, to say the least……

Finding out just how much work it was, made me appreciate my Mom even more, and all she did for us at Christmas time. I had no idea! The shopping, the boxing, the mailing, the goodie-making, the budget-strategy! It took weeks to get it all done and must be started before Thanksgiving……..

The decorating, the Christmas cards, and putting pictures in all of them. (I did it all). In the end It would be over with and I’d say I DID IT! I really did it! Everyone got a gift, everyone got a card……..I made the goodies and did not burn them! Oh How I prayed over Christmas (every year) and rejoiced to get those boxes mailed out before the 15th……

Then came the thank you’s from Mom and friends and the delighted looks on children’s faces……

Now some bad stuff happened yes. I had some who did not appreciate, nor did they reciprocate (yes even with some of my family). My Dad always said “Bah Humbug” at Christmas, which made me very sad……

Christmas reminds me a little of the gospel (not that it can really compare with it) but it’s a reflection of it, in some small way. The lights, the giving, the generosity and the love……and like the gospel, it is not always appreciated or reciprocated….But its’ still important to SHINE!

I want to thank you Mom. Your love for us always shined through at Christmas time, especially. THANK YOU for all you did over the years to make it special! Thank you for the Christian example of serving and giving & loving. Forgive me for the times I didn’t seem as appreciative as i should have.

With love, your daughter,

Laura

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35

christians growing · christianthoughts · christmas · christmas encouragment · christmas miracles · christmas stories · christmas testimonial · christmas testimony · Christmas tidings of great Joy · Christmas time · christmasislove · Uncategorized

the Sacred Snowmen

December 14, 2018 Laura GraceLeave a comment

The year was 2003 and I was visiting my son (then a teenager). He had his first job but it was part time, and he didn’t make a lot of money. I saw these little snowmen on a sled (about 3 inches high) in this cool store in Detroit Lakes, MN.

I remember I exclaimed how cute they were, and that was a hard year for us as I had left his dad, he was alone without his mom….

He did this remarkable thing I have never forgotten…..

A package came…..(from him) at christmas..in it was the (gasp) snowmen and the little tobaggen. I have them (to this day) I can’t look at them without remember the love that shined out of Thomas ….(during a very dark time in his life)….

Now he’s a man…a minister, a leader..has a wife (and child) owns his own house. He’s a prayer warrior…more of a friend now than ‘a son” but he’ll always be my son even though he is primarily God’s son. And i have to think….If I being a mere human never forgot that extraordinary act of love….

How could we ever think God does not notice what his children do, for him?

Oh how his heart must smile, just thinking about us…..and the things we’ve done just to honor him……._Laura Grace

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Christmas Story #9 Angels on the Tree

December 22, 2017December 22, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

12 days 8.jpg

Christmas story #8 Angels on the Tree

I wanted angels on the tree,
and actually prayed for this, you see……..

A friend of mine loaned me hers ……
12 lighted angels…..stem to stern

So I’d just sit and look at them,
Both Looking forward, and “remembering when”
I thought of angels, anouncing his birth,
And I thought about, how much we are worth.

That Jesus would come,for little ol’ me
and help me have angels……upon my tree.

by Laura Grace

angel with sword.jpg — Angels We have Heard on High, Sweetly singing o’er the plains

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Christmas Story #7 “When I lost the rent” (A Christmas Miracle)

December 19, 2017December 19, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

12 days extra I was running hard as usual (It was Christmas time!). I wanted to send gifts to Mom and I had friends and family I was wanting to bless at Christmas, and of course, my children.

Maybe God in me- just wanted to turn what the enemy meant for evil out for Good (like in Romans 8) where it says “all things work for the good for those who love God (and are called to his purpose).

You see, I’d already learned that Christmas was some strange concoction of compromise, that there are pagan traditions “mixed in” and Santa is a saint plus a fun poem “brought to life” and yes, opportunists make the most of it, telling our kids they have to have all their dreams come true, in order to be happy (so they can sell a lot of Junk) and none of it is out of love in their heart, it’s greed for money! Yes, I know this.

My heart however, is focused on my children, who have all the wonder and joy Christmas can bring, and I just want to see their lit-up faces, and deep down I am just happy we have one day a year set aside for giving, and being a blessing, and an excuse to “Deck the Halls” and celebrate family, and life!

This is how I see Christmas. I CHOOSE to see it! How is it different from how God looks at us? He sees potential, he sees an opportunity, to make the most of, to show forth his glory.

Anyway, this Christmas, I lost the rent money. I was in a store (crowded) and had a hundred things on my mind, and left the rent somewhere, or it dropped out of my purse. When I went to mail it after I got home, I realized I’d lost it in the store, or in the parking lot, but either way, it was gone.

I went into a panic. I started repenting for Christmas shopping. I cried. I prayed. I was in fright! Images of telling my kids we are homeless flashed through my mind. How could I be so stupid?

I called a friend, and asked her to pray. I was crying. THANK GOD she believed in Grace, and not chewing my butt or saying something like “You shouldn’t have been Christmas shopping, that’s evil!”

I had already thought of those things. The devil is big on condemnation when we are already down.

She prayed “thank you God you love Laura, she is your child, you will take care of this.” And she said it with confidence. I thought Man “someday” I want to pray with confidence like that! And Faith God will provide! I had already called the store, they had not found anything.

Hours later, I get a phone call. “These people came in, they had found your money order on the floor hours ago” (she said) and just returned it.” She said, “I wonder if they tried to cash it, and couldn’t so they brought it back.” I thought “yep, probably so.” But if they meant to steal it, why did they finally return it? I may never know! Did God bug them, send an angel? All I know is for me THAT was a miracle!

You know it might have been the year of the view master! I have no idea. All I know is, my heart was full that year. The rent was paid. By the very Grace and power of God.

And this miracle caused me to love him More……….

And I prayed to be like my friend. And I believe I am (like my friend) Praying with Grace!

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corn 9:8