It's June - so obviously, it's time for a Christmas story! A few years ago, Anna (my little sister) wanted one thing: Ruthie, a doll from American Girl. She has 3 American dolls that were all hand-me-downs from me, and she had other dolls, so she didn't need a doll - but it was the one thing she really wanted for Christmas. Even though it was significantly more doable than what she had asked for the year before (she wrote a letter to Santa asking for world peace!), it was a big thing to ask. American girl dolls are almost $100, and that year had been a rough year for our family, both financially and emotionally. Though we would definitely get a couple of presents (clothes, a DVD or 2, and a stocking full of candy), no one was expecting a big ticket item as we often got in the past. Though still in elementary school, Anna totally understood this and had her sights set much lower (she was past believing in Santa, and Santa never brought the expensive items - that was reserved for Mom & Dad!). She would only bring up Ruthie if really prompted, and even then, she'd say "one day, it would be cool to have her, but not this year."
Now, Michael (the older of my two younger brothers) was in college and I was in grad school at the time. Since we each had a small amount of wiggle room in our budgets, we decided to make Anna's Christmas similar to the Christmases we had always had growing up: waking up on Jesus's birthday and seeing a tree that had tons of presents spilling out from underneath it. We would make sure she got all the main things on her list (this was the year of Headbands!) and each got her 5 presents, much more than we would have typically gotten. In talking to my mom, she said that she could swing it and get Ruthie for Anna, especially since we were taking some of the pressure off of her and the budget. Over a month before Christmas, we had the plan to make sure Anna got what she was dreaming of and truly deserved (she's one of the purest, most compassionate people I know - even then when she was so little!). The wait to tell her was excruciating!
Christmas morning came, and the Ruthie doll was wrapped and under the tree. Since I knew which box it was in, I made sure that it was the last gift Anna opened. When she opened it, she didn't scream and jump up and down with excitement - nope, instead of the typical reactions, she started bawling! Her tears were ones of shock and joy. In her wildest dreams, she hadn't thought she was going to get that doll that year. She sat there for at least 30 minutes holding Ruthie as close as she could to her body. Her smile the rest of the day could light up the whole sky. The impossible had happened! After such a crappy year of emotional downs and stressed out family members, she had something hopeful and beautiful to hold on to that was just right for her.
To me, this moment - this moment of shock, awe, wonder, beauty, and hope - was a miracle. It wasn't the kind of miracle that would catch media attention, one where someone is dying of stage four cancer and then is inexplicably cured, and it wasn't even like the ones we think of when we look at the Bible, with the parting of the Red Sea or Daniel not being eaten by lions or the centurion's daughter being brought back to life. Nope, this wasn't life-or-death... Or was it? Our family had been dying in a sense, and as the youngest, Anna was getting dragged through everything without getting even the tiniest bit of say within it. And she was taking it like a champ! But, even when we have the best attitudes and the best intentions, we still need something tangible sometimes to hold on to, something that gives us hope and helps us not to be consumed by our trials & tribulations. To me, a miracle is a surprise gift from God. It's not something that's deserved, it's not something that's earned, it's not something that can be expected. You can ask for it, but even though you trust in God, you can't assume it will happen - because miracles, as gifts from God, always work within His plan for our lives, not our own plan or timing. A miracle is something that reminds us of Gabriel's words to Mary, that nothing will be impossible for God. And sure, in the grand scheme of things, this was a very little surprise, one that was coordinated by my family for Anna - but that doesn't mean God wasn't using us in His plan for bringing her some of His joy. At that moment, she experienced God in a profound way, one that brought the sun back into her heart when disappointment had been looming on the horizon.
One last thought. When Anna opened her last present, my mom and I were paying close attention and got to experience that moment with her - I can still feel the tears rolling down my face as I watched her go from shock to joy to bewilderment to being overwhelmed. However, my brothers and dad missed the initial moment. I'm not blaming them by a long shot! We were at the end of the present-opening extravaganza and the TV had gone back on and they had their own new things to be looking at - but it doesn't change the fact that they didn't witness that first moment. I think this happens a lot of times with miracles - we miss them. Maybe we see them, but we don't recognize them for what they are. I promise, they're happening all the time! It could be a call from a friend in the hour you really need an ear to talk to, or it could be when you leave 2 minutes later than you were planning and don't get in the car accident that you would have if you had left on time. Do you thank God for the simple gift of your life and the lives around us? His joyful hope is all around us - all we have to do is look for it! And when you actively look but can't see it, ask a friend for help. They just might help you find your next surprise gift from God.
To me, this moment - this moment of shock, awe, wonder, beauty, and hope - was a miracle. It wasn't the kind of miracle that would catch media attention, one where someone is dying of stage four cancer and then is inexplicably cured, and it wasn't even like the ones we think of when we look at the Bible, with the parting of the Red Sea or Daniel not being eaten by lions or the centurion's daughter being brought back to life. Nope, this wasn't life-or-death... Or was it? Our family had been dying in a sense, and as the youngest, Anna was getting dragged through everything without getting even the tiniest bit of say within it. And she was taking it like a champ! But, even when we have the best attitudes and the best intentions, we still need something tangible sometimes to hold on to, something that gives us hope and helps us not to be consumed by our trials & tribulations. To me, a miracle is a surprise gift from God. It's not something that's deserved, it's not something that's earned, it's not something that can be expected. You can ask for it, but even though you trust in God, you can't assume it will happen - because miracles, as gifts from God, always work within His plan for our lives, not our own plan or timing. A miracle is something that reminds us of Gabriel's words to Mary, that nothing will be impossible for God. And sure, in the grand scheme of things, this was a very little surprise, one that was coordinated by my family for Anna - but that doesn't mean God wasn't using us in His plan for bringing her some of His joy. At that moment, she experienced God in a profound way, one that brought the sun back into her heart when disappointment had been looming on the horizon.
One last thought. When Anna opened her last present, my mom and I were paying close attention and got to experience that moment with her - I can still feel the tears rolling down my face as I watched her go from shock to joy to bewilderment to being overwhelmed. However, my brothers and dad missed the initial moment. I'm not blaming them by a long shot! We were at the end of the present-opening extravaganza and the TV had gone back on and they had their own new things to be looking at - but it doesn't change the fact that they didn't witness that first moment. I think this happens a lot of times with miracles - we miss them. Maybe we see them, but we don't recognize them for what they are. I promise, they're happening all the time! It could be a call from a friend in the hour you really need an ear to talk to, or it could be when you leave 2 minutes later than you were planning and don't get in the car accident that you would have if you had left on time. Do you thank God for the simple gift of your life and the lives around us? His joyful hope is all around us - all we have to do is look for it! And when you actively look but can't see it, ask a friend for help. They just might help you find your next surprise gift from God.
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