The Christmas Prayer

A young mother prays for her children to have a wonderful Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

                                              

 

                It was the weekend after Thanksgiving. The weather was cool but not really cool. Megan Woods was on her way home. She had picked up a few things for Christmas at the Black Friday sales. Maybe things would be good this Christmas, she thought.  She had a good job and Aden, who had been out of work for a while, had finally landed a great job. They were getting out of the hole they had been in.

                Suddenly, Megan’s car began to sputter and a few minutes later died. She looked at the gas hand just before it died and she had half a tank of gas. What could be wrong, she thought. She turned the key and nothing happened. Sighing, she picked up her cell and phoned her husband. Aden picked up on the fifth ring.

                “Hello.”

                “Aden, you have to come out here and get me. The car won’t start. I’m on Honey Berry Drive. Please hurry.”

                “What happened to the car Megan?”

                “It just died.”

                “Did you put gas in it?”

                “Yes I did Aden. Just come out here please.”

                “Alright. I’m on my way as soon as I round up the kids.”

                “Okay bye.”

                Megan sighed again. The kids; Parker was nine and Danielle was just four. They had started their excitement about Christmas early. Even Parker was excited about wanting to see Santa this year.

                She hoped there wasn’t much wrong with the car. They wanted to have money to buy each child something big for Christmas. It wasn’t long before Aden and the children arrived. Both kids jumped out of the truck to hug their mother. Aden raised the hood of the car and tried to start it but with no luck. At last, after trying several times, he put down the hood and called a tow truck. When the tow truck came, he told Megan,

                “Take the truck and follow us.”

                Megan followed the tow truck into town. Aden came and got into the truck with them saying that the garage would call when they found out what was wrong and how much it would cost to fix it.

                It was the next morning before the garage called telling them it would cost five hundred dollars to fix the car.

 “How much do we have in our savings,” Megan asked.

                “I think it’s a little over five hundred dollars.”

                Megan sighed. “We’ll have to use it to fix the car.”

                By Wednesday of that week their savings was gone but the car was fixed.

                “I don’t know what we will do about Christmas,” Aden told her.

                “Me either, we may just have to give the kids what we have already. Have they told you what they want,” Megan asked.

                “I heard Parker say he wanted and i Pad for Christmas and I think Danielle wants a Barbie car.”

                “There’s no way we can afford that.”

                “Maybe if we laid them away.”

                “We’ll see.”

                On Friday, Megan came home from work in tears. “What’s wrong,” asked Aden.

                “I lost my job today Aden. They said they are downsizing and they let fifty of us go. What are we going to do Aden?”

                “It’s alright, we’ll make it. If the kids don’t get what they want for Christmas, they’ll be fine.”

                “Maybe when they go see Santa tomorrow they will ask for something else.”

Parker woke up early on Saturday. It wasn’t long before Danielle joined him. “Hey Parker, we goin’ to see Santa today.”

                “I know Danielle.”

                “What you askin’ for Parker?”

                “I’m asking for an i Pad. What about you?”

                “I want a Barbie car.”

                “I can’t wait till Christmas,” Parker said.

                “Me either.”

                Danielle kept asking every few minutes. “When we goin to see Santa?”

                Finally it was time and the four got into the car and Aden drove them to the store where Santa was. There was a long line waiting to see Santa. Megan stood in line with the children until finally it was their turn.

                Parker went first. Danielle was a little afraid. Parker sat on Santa’s lap.

“What is your name young man? Have you been a good boy this year,” Santa asked.

                Parker nodded. “My name is Parker and yes sir I have been good all year.”

                “Ho, ho, ho, what is it you would like for Christmas Parker?”

                “I want an i Pad please.”

                 “Anything else?”

                “Nope, that’s all. Just an i Pad. I thought with it costing so much you better just get me one thing this year.”

                “Alright. You are a good boy. Would you like your picture taken with Santa?”

                “Yes and could we get one with me and my sister?”

                “You may. What a polite young man.”

                “Thank you Santa. My sister is over there. Her name is Danielle,” Parker pointed to Danielle.

                “Okay, come on up here, little lady.”

                Danielle looked at Megan. “It’s okay honey. I’ll be right here. I promise.”

                Slowly Danielle made her way to Santa and Parker sat her upon Santa’s other knee.

                “You are a very pretty little girl Danielle is it?”

                Danielle nodded.

                “What is it you would like for Christmas?”

                “I want a Barbie Car. I’ve been a good girl. I even eat those green things Mommy puts on my plate.”

                “Ho, ho, ho,” Santa laughed. “Then you are a good girl. Are you ready for our picture?”

                Danielle nodded and the photographer snapped a couple of pictures. “Okay be good children until Christmas and Santa will bring you the Barbie car and the i Pad.”

                Megan’s heart dropped, but both her kids were happy. It was all they talked about on the way home and for the rest of the day. They kept telling their parents what they were going to do when they got their presents.

                The next day was Sunday. Megan had her hands full to get breakfast and the children dressed for church. At last everyone was ready and they were out the door.

                At church as the first song played, two young teenagers passed the offering plate. Megan knew she had two tens and one more pay check coming to her. So she placed one of the tens in the plate. After preaching Reverend Lewis told them about the Mays family whose house had burned down and the family had lost everything. The last song played and the offering plate came around for the second time. This time was to help the Mays family. Megan had every intention of not putting anything in the plate. But when it came to her it hardly had twenty five dollars. So she took out her last ten and placed it in the plate. After all, she still had one more pay check.

                The next Friday was the last day of school for Parker. At least Megan didn’t have to pay a babysitter for Danielle.

“Mom when are we going to get a Christmas tree?” Parker asked after dinner on Friday.

                “I’ll have to talk to your father.”

                That night when they went to bed Megan told Aden. “We can’t go buy a tree now. What are we going to do?”

                “Why don’t we go out to Dad’s farm? We can have fun walking around the farm and we wouldn’t even have to pay.”

                “That’s a wonderful idea, Aden.”

                So the next morning they all climbed into the truck and drove over to Grandpa’s farm. Aden’s dad had cows, horses, pigs, chickens, goats and anything else you could think of. He sold the milk and eggs. On the back side of the farm were a bunch of trees. Aden only hoped one of them would be a good Christmas tree.

                Grandpa was happy to see them and Marie, Grandpa’s house keeper had milk and cookies for the children and coffee and cake for Megan, Aden, herself and Grandpa. Ever since Grandma had been dead, Marie was a big help to Grandpa.

Grandpa walked with them to try to find a tree. Every time they found a tree, either Parker or Danielle didn’t like it for one reason or another. Then Danielle yelled.

                “Here I found a tree,” by the time everyone was there Danielle was jumping up and down. The tree she found was only about two feet tall.

                “Danielle, honey,” Aden said, “This tree is just a little thing like you are. We want a big tree. One that is beautiful.”

                “I know Daddy. This tree is beautiful to me. It can be mine ‘cause it’s little like me.”

                “We’ll see okay,” Aden said.

                “Okay, Daddy.”

                A few minutes later Parker came running over.

 “I found one. I love it. It’s over there,” he pointed and everyone followed him to the tree he had found. It was a beautiful tree. One of the prettiest trees Megan had ever seen. It was perfect.

                Even Grandpa thought it was the perfect tree. So Aden cut it down and he and Grandpa and Parker carried the tree. As they passed the little tree Danielle had found she said,

“Daddy, can’t I please have my tree. I’ll keep it in my room.  It’s little like me. I can take care of it.” Her voice was close to tears and her bottom lip quivered.

 Aden couldn’t resist his daughter. “Grandpa do you have a shovel?”

                “I believe I do Aden. I’ll go get it.”

Aden kneeled down level with Danielle. “We are going to dig up your little tree and plant it in the yard for you so you can decorate it like you want to. That way, the two of you can grow up together. Sound good?”

                “Oh, yes Daddy. I would like that a lot,” she threw her arms around Aden and hugged him. “I will carry my little tree.”

                Soon they were returning home with the two trees. That evening Aden planted Danielle’s tree in the yard promising her to help decorate it tomorrow.

                Then after dinner, he and the rest of the family decorated the big tree. Once they were finished, Aden turned on the lights and the tree turned into something even more beautiful than it was before.

                The next day at church Megan prayed for help for the Mays family adding, “And if you could send a little our way for the kids as well. Amen.”

                Only one more week and one day before Christmas and neither Aden nor Megan could see any way of getting their children what they wanted for Christmas.

“What are we going to do Aden,” Megan cried that Saturday night.

                “We’ll get by.”

                “I know, but what if Santa can’t get the gifts the children want for Christmas.”

                “It’ll be alright, Megan.”

                “You don’t understand,” Megan sobbed. “You are so hard hearted.”

                “No I’m not Megan. Come here.” Aden couldn’t stand to see his wife upset. “The Lord will get us through. You believe that, don’t you?”
                Megan nodded and wiped her tears away. It would be okay. She was being childish.

                The next day at church, Megan slipped away and prayed by herself, “Dear Lord, please help the Mays family find a new home. And bless everyone here at church because we are all family. Your family. Please bless my family also and if you would help Aden or I be able to get the two things our children want for Christmas. I don’t ask for anything for myself, just for my children, so they will have a wonderful Christmas. Amen.” Megan felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

                But as Christmas Eve night came, they still had not seen any way to get the Barbie car or the i Pad. The children went to bed early after leaving milk and cookies for Santa. Megan went to bed with a heavy heart.

                The next morning Megan was up early, before the kids even. As she headed toward the kitchen she walked by the door leading into the living room then turned and came back. Placing a hand over her mouth she ran back to the bedroom and shook her husband.

 “Aden wake up. Aden, how did you do it?”

                “What,” Aden asked sleepily. “Do what?”

                “Come here,” Megan all but pulled Aden into the living room.

                “What the…” Aden’s voice trailed off and he looked at Megan. “How did you do that?”

                “I didn’t Aden. I thought you did.”
                “No I didn’t.”

                “Then who did,” they asked at the same time.

                “I did,” they heard a voice say.

                “Who are you and where are you,” Aden asked.

                Together Aden and Megan watched as a shadow seemed to float in through the window and before their eyes take the shape of a person, at least it looked like a person, with wide white wings that just seemed to appear.

                “Who are you,” Megan asked again.

                “Just call me the answer to a Christmas prayer.”