Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Greatest Gift at Christmas

I sent this in to a magazine last year. It was never published, but I just found it in an old email and wanted to share... "My Favorite Christmas Gift."

Just like so many of you, I have many memorable Christmases from my childhood. Like the year I found the doll under the tree that I'd been begging my parents for. Or the Christmas that I made my family members scrapbooks and enjoyed the smiles and tears on Christmas morning. I don't think that any Christmas memory can hold a candle to 2006 though. My husband and I weren't really in the "Christmas mood", more concerned with monetary things, such as painting and repairing our first home and trying to find a way to afford everything. At the end of November, a phone call changed our lives. Our Christmas present that year would be a little girl. She was due in just a few short weeks and her mother heard about us and felt like WE were her daughter's parents. Things became a blur as we rushed to get her room ready and make preparations to go to her once she was born. Everything in our lives went on the back burner and occasionally we'd look at each other and say, "we're going to be PARENTS!"

We weren't taking much time to celebrate Christmas, but in my heart I think I had a glimpse of how Mary must have felt so long ago. Entering my life was the most precious gift that anyone can receive and our Father in Heaven was entrusting her into our care. When I first held my little girl, I felt like I held the world. And because of the great gift (of our Savior) given by our Heavenly Father to His Children, I am able to experience motherhood. To me that is the greatest gift given at Christmas.

No comments: