One Woman s View: Carry Christmas spirit into 2006 years ago
Contributing writer
During the Christmas season I came across two young boys (one that I read about and one that I know) who could teach us adults a lot about the Christmas spirit, the kind of spirit we should not reserve for December, but carry in our hearts throughout the year.
I read a book by Marjorie Holmes titled "At Christmas the Heart Goes Home." In one of the short Christmas essays she tells of her children eagerly anticipating snow for Christmas. They stood with their small faces pressed against the window watching an occasional snowflake fall and wishing for a real snow. While that is not a state of mind with which I can identify, I do remember feeling somewhat like that 60 years ago.
Finally the children's mother insisted it was their bedtime, dragged them from the window, got them into their pajamas, and tucked them in. Then the four-year-old could not resist one more peek. He got out of bed and ran to the window. Sure enough, this time the snow was falling heavily. "It's really snowing," he shouted. "Attaboy, God!"
Most adults have lost that joyful spontaneity. Some pious folks might even reprimand the boy for irreverence. Yet I think God was pleased. This child obviously carried his communion with God into all areas of his life.
Isn't that what St. Paul meant when he said, "Pray without ceasing?" It came naturally to him to burst into uninhibited praise upon seeing a blessing from the Lord. Some of us are likely to reserve prayer for a special "quiet time" each day and to pray with more dignity that enthusiasm. Our prayers may be mostly a long list of requests. If we do give thanks, it is in a reserved manner that seems to spring more from habit than deep feeling. I suppose it isn't necessary for us to borrow the little boy's language if it makes us uncomfortable, but I'm sure it would make God smile if more of us responded to His blessings with the equivalent of a heartfelt, "Attaboy, God!"
My other young teacher is a neighbor boy who had his eighth birthday in early December. He asked the children invited to his party not to bring him a gift. Instead they were to bring money which he used to get gifts for children on the angel tree. This choice was probably suggested by his parents, who are doing a great job of teaching him loving kindness and respect for others. However, he went along with the idea with enthusiasm. He and his younger sister went with their mother to shop for the presents and to deliver them to Tampa State Bank, which served as a drop-off point for angel tree gifts. This youngster is learning at an early age the truth of Christ's statement, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
These two boys exceeded most adults in two key components of the Christmas spirit, joyful gratitude and generosity. If we remember the true reason for celebrating Christmas, surely it will fill us with joy at God's great gift of His Son. Shouldn't that joy spill out of our mouths in ardent praise for this and all other blessings He pours into our lives? Attaboy, God! And shouldn't the magnitude of God's gift fill us with a desire to give to others. We can never match God's generosity, of course, but we can reflect it.
Can we catch a little of the spirit which made an eight-year-old pass up his birthday gifts so that he could help some other child have a happy Christmas?
I'm thankful for these two young examples of the true Christmas spirit. Let's all try to carry their qualities of generosity and joyous praise into the coming year.
