Tuesday, December 18, 2007

A Lovely E- mail with a Sweet Story

I found this wonderful little story in my E-mail from Sandy and Glo this morning!! Mary suggested I use it as a post and that is just what I did! I hope you enjoy this as much I did!

Adventure With Grandma

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on theday my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years,&nb sp;and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go." "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous, cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days.

"Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's. I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.

For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out,when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-twoclass. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat.

I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough, and he didn't have a coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, andhe would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas. settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) and she wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on the present--Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darknes for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the tag tucked inside: $19.95. He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.

16 comments:

Julie said...

haven't got to stop by the last few days. I got that email too. Loved it!! I got another one i posted today. Stop by and see.:)

Unknown said...

Hi There!
That was an awesome email/post. I love the story and meaning! Great!
Blessings!

Karen H. said...

Good Afternoon Grams,
You got any Kleenex's? That just brought tears and cold chills down my spine. That is an awesome and touching story. It truly is the meaning of Christmas. I am just speechless. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I enjoyed reading it. Take care my friend and have a great Tuesday. May God Bless You and Yours.

Love & Hugs,
Karen H.

Carletta said...

It seems there are a lot of teary eyed stories this week. Yours was no exception and it was beautiful. Looking at your profile picture - I just know you could be that Grandma in the story - a kind and gentle soul!

Love Bears All Things said...

That is a good story. I've heard it before. I'm glad I found you, too. I am so blessed by the people God has brought into my life since I began blogging. I stand amazed at His mighty works. I got a card from Mary last week. J said "who do you know in Canada?" I told him, "Honey, I have friends all over the world now."
Mama Bear

Glo said...

I think this was a great post. I love the story. I think it tell everyone it's about the givin and not the gettin.

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

I loved this post!! i thought it was so appropriate and reminds me so much of something that my grandmother would have done with me!! Such a good story. Did you notice at the bottom that the coat actually cost...$19.95 and remember grandma only gave her granddaughter $10.00? What a story. Thanks for posting it.

Sandy

Connie Barris said...

This just made me cry big ol' crocodile tears..

I love it... thank you

Merry Christmas..

love you Grams

Connie

Denise said...

Wonderful story, thanks for posting it.

Nan said...

OMG, what a touching story. Pass Karen's Kleenex box to me please.
Nan

Mary said...

Grams,

I'm so glad you posted it. When you sent it to me, I was really touched. What a wonderful grandmother to teach this lesson to her grandson.

Love and blessings,
Mary

Hope said...

Hi Gram,
Such a sweet story. I'm sniffing here too! That last line is short but very meaningful:
He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.
May we all have Christmas in our hearts this season.
Thanks for sharing that.
Hugs,
Hope

Hootin Anni said...

Beautiful!!!!!!

Melanie said...

Awww Grams- you made me cry. How beautiful!

Cindy said...

That's a beautiful story and I put a link to it on my blog, so I hope all my readers stop by here to read it too.

Carole Burant said...

Oh Carolyn, what a beautiful heart warming story...it brought tears to my eyes, and it made me want to go out and buy a coat for another Bobby Decker:-)Thank you so much for sharing this with us. There truly IS a Santa Claus in every one of us! xoxo