It’s beginning to snow heavier now. Just a cold typical winter Christmas Eve in the Ozarks as our little family of three gather around to put up the tree that dad has cut down in the surrounding woods.
( Well really, he didn’t cut it down, he did his magic,)
Which is; to find a tall evergreen tree in the deep of the woods, take his trusty shotgun and aim up toward the top of the tree then Pow!! The top of the tree falls to the ground. That’s magic I’d say. You get a perfect medium size tree and the prettiest part of the tree.
He throws it up in the rusty old pickup and here he comes. dragging the magic tree into the back door of the small indiscrete house set high up over the Finley River.
Such a beautiful scene. Snow falls on the hillside, all the trees, and a running river sets below the small home.
We do not have much for this Christmas season, dad just changed jobs and we have to go two weeks before he will get his first paycheck.
Isn’t that the way it seems to always go? You are between a rock and a hard place, and at Christmas of all times!
Usually, we buy a Christmas tree but not this year, times are rough. No money for the extras but, hey, we do have our roof over our heads and mom has saved back money to at least buy ingredients to do some baking.
As a child 12 years old, I’ve been taught to be grateful for what I have. “We have a Christmas tree”, I love decorating the tree.
Dad then begins to make a stand by nailing a cross of two pieces of 2x4s and putting the trunk into the middle. Up it stands and away I go decorating the magic tree.
I love the lights and always a STAR on top, has to be a star. Bible scripture says that’s how they found Jesus lying in a manager. The magi followed the star as it was told to them by the angles.
The big lodge size fireplace is crackling, momma is baking cookies, and all will be ok, even this year.
Suddenly a knock on the door. It's 5:00 p.m. Dad says,” Who can that be out in a blizzard and way back in this desolate area we live in.?”
Dad opens the door and there stands a small-framed lady with a child in her arms. They were wrapped in coats but looked so desperate.
Dad says, “Come in here but where did you come from? “
The shaking quivering lady began to cry and said that their car had broken down on the highway and they were walking to find any lights, looking for a home with shelter.
Yep! She saw my decorated shining lights on the tree and came toward them. Might say she followed the STAR, Just saying………
This was not by accident that she came to our home.
She told us her sad life story, how her husband had abandoned them and she was trying to travel to find a new start. We knew she was at the right place.
My family all knows why we have Christmas. Jesus was born a virgin and came as God’s son to die for our sins. We are believers.
Dad read the Christmas story as he always did each Christmas Eve. But this time he also read to this lady and her small child.
Our family was able to tell her that because of Jesus this is why we celebrate Christmas. She saw that because of this great miracle, God says to all,” there are no strangers, there are no orphans, and there are no outcast, of God."
With Jesus as your Savior you are never alone, you are never a stranger, you are not an orphan, and you are not an outcast.
Best Christmas Eve I ever had. A lady with her child became a born-again believer in Jesus as her Savior.
Now that’s what Christmas is all about. And that’s why He makes no more orphans, no more strangers. No more outcasts.
If such a thing as Grace exists, then Grace was made for lives like this.
Christmas makes no more strangers, you are my brother, and you are my sister, no more orphans, no more outcasts, but hallelujah!! There are no orphans of God.
Now onto Easter!! What a celebration we as believers have on that occasion.
Jesus AROSE!! He has risen, He has RISEN indeed.
Sarah Tyler For the King and His Kingdom.
https://sarahtylerauthor.com and https://coffeewithjesus.info/