The True Meaning of Christmas (this is a wonderful story!)

[Guest guest]

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their

means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who

were

genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him

that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from

receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the

world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to

buy

me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that

night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so

we

could read in the Bible.

After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of

the

fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still

feeling

sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read

Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and

went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all

the

chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in

self-pity.

Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in

his beard. " Come on, Matt, " he said. " Bundle up good, it's cold out

tonight. " I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle

for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no

earthly

reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I

couldn't

think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like

this.

But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd

told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got

my

cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the

door

to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was

the

work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were

going

to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We

never

hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load.

Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up

beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I

was

on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the

woodshed. He got off and I followed. " I think we'll put on the high

sideboards, " he said. " Here, help me. " The high sideboards! It had been

a

bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but

whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high

sideboards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and

came

out with an armload of wood---the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down

from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting.

What

was he doing? Finally I said something. " Pa, " I asked, " what are you

doing? " You been by the Widow Jensen's lately? " he asked. The Widow

Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year

or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.

Sure, I'd been by, but so what? " Yeah, " I said, " Why? " " I rode by just

today, " Pa

said. " Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to

find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt. "

That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed

for

another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that

I

began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa

called

a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down

a

big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put

them

in the sled and wait.

When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder

and a smaller sack of something in his

left hand. " What's in the little

sack? " I asked. " Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had

gunny

sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this

morning.

I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas

without a little candy. "

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried

to

think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly

standards.

Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now

was

still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split

before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare

that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them

shoes and candy?

Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors

than us; it shouldn't have been our concern. We came in from the blind

side

of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then

we

took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door

opened

a crack and a timid voice said, " Who is it? " " Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my

son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit? "

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped

around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were

sitting

in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any

heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

" We brought you a few things, Ma'am, " Pa said and set down the sack of

flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had

the shoes in it.

She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time.

There

was a pair for her and one for each of the children---sturdy shoes, the

best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower

lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started

running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say

something, but it wouldn't come out.

" We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am, " Pa said. He turned to me and

said,

" Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size

and heat this place up. " I wasn't the same person when I went back out

to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I

hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too.

In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace

and

their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so

much

gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within

me

and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my soul. I had given at

Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much

difference.

I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids

started

giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen

looked

on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time.

She

finally turned to us. " God bless you, " she said. " I know the Lord has

sent

you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his

angels to spare us. "

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled

up

in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before,

but

after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I

was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started

remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and

many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed

when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get.

Then I

guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would

make

sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to

leave.Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They

clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed

their

Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, " The Mrs. wanted me to

invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The

turkey

will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get

cantankerous

if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about

eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here,

hasn't been little for quite a spell. " I was the youngest. My two

brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away. Widow

Jensen nodded and said, " Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say,

" 'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will. "

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't

even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said,

" Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a

little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for

you, but we didn't have quite enough.

Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by

to

make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now

we

could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do

just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the

woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I

had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those

children. I hope you understand. "

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very

well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on

my

list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look

on

Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, Whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a

block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy

I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than

a

rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS