Merry Christmas to All Wednesday
Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>
We were the only family with children in the
restaurant. I sat
Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly
eating
and talking.
Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and pounded his fat
baby
hands on the highchair tray. His eyes were crinkled
in
laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin,
as he
wriggled and giggled with merriment.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment.
It was a
man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast
and
his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was
dirty and
his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were
too
short to be called a beard and his nose was so
varicose it
looked like a road map. We were too far from him to
smell,
but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and
flapped on
loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; Hi there, big boy. I
see ya,
buster," the man said to Erik.
My husband and I exchanged looks. Erik continued to
laugh.
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us
and then
at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance
with my
beautiful baby.
Our meal came and the man began shouting from across
the
room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey,
look, he knows peek-a-boo."
Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously
drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in
silence; all except for Erik, who was running through
his
repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn,
reciprocated with his cute comments.
We finally got through the meal and headed for the
door. My
husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him
in the
parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and
the door.
"Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me
or Erik,"
I prayed.
As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying
to
sidestep and avoid him. As I did, Erik leaned over my
arm,
reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up"
position.
Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself
from my
arms to the man's.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby
consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act
of total
trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon
the man's
ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw
tears hover
beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime,
pain, and
hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his
back. No
two beings loved so deeply for so short a time. I
stood
awestruck.
The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and
his eyes
opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm
commanding voice, "You take care of this baby."
Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that
contained a
stone. He pried Erik from his chest unwillingly,
longingly, as
though he were in pain.
I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you,
ma'am,
you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing
more than
a muttered thanks.
I felt it was God asking, "Are you willing to share
your son for
a moment when I shared Mine for all eternity? The
ragged
old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the
Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."
With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband
was
wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so
tightly, and
why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had
just
witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of
a tiny
child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child
who
saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I
was a
Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.
Have you ever asked the Lord to plant the seed of
unconditional love in your heart? It can grow into a
mighty
tree rooted in Jesus Christ who came to die so
everyone would
understand how much their Creator loved them and
others, no
matter what they wear as clothing or the baggage of
the
culture they grew up and live in.
Author Unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is Christmas
Every time a hand reaches out
To help another
That is Christmas
Every time someone puts anger aside
And strives for understanding
That is Christmas
Every time people forget their differences
And realize their love for each other
That is Christmas
May this Christmas bring us
Closer to the spirit of human understanding
Closer to the blessing of peace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara
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