This story is a bit long, but it will warm your heart. Get the tissues....you'll need them!
![]() | About a week before Christmas the family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | "Someone must have packed this wrong," the mother said, counting out the figures. "We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a Baby Jesus because we have 2." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | "You two run back down to the store and tell the manager that we have an extra Jesus. Tell him to put a sign on the remaining boxes saying that if a set is missing a Baby Jesus, call 7126."Put on your warm coats, it's freezing cold out there." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | The manager of the store copied down mother's message and the next time they were in the store they saw the cardboard sign that read, "If you're missing Baby Jesus, call 7126." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | All week long they waited for someone to call. Surely, they thought, someone was missing that important figurine. Each time the phone rang mother would say, "I'll bet that's about Jesus,"but it never was. Father tried to explain there are thousands of these scattered over the country and the figurine could be missing from a set in Florida or Texas or California. Those packing mistakes happen all the time. He suggested just put the extra Jesus back in the box and forget about it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | "Put Baby Jesus back in the box! What a terrible thing to do said the children." "Surely someone will call," mother said. "We'll just keep the two of them together in the manger until someone calls." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | When no call had come by 5:00 on Christmas Eve, mother insisted that father "just run down to the store" to see if there were any sets left. "You can see them right through the window, over on the counter," she said. "If they are all gone, I'll know someone is bound to call tonight." "Run down to the store?" father thundered. "It's 15 below zero out there!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | "Oh, Daddy, we'll go with you," Tommy and Mary began to put on their coats. Father gave a long sigh and headed for the front closet. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tommy and Mary ran ahead as father reluctantly walked
out in the cold. Mary got to the store first and
pressed her nose up to the store window. "They're all
gone, Daddy," she shouted. "Every set must be sold."
![]()
"Hooray, Tommy said "The mystery will now be solved
tonight!" | ![]()
Father heard the news still a half block away and
immediately turned on his heel and headed back home.
| ![]()
When they got back into the house they noticed that
mother was gone and so was the extra Baby Jesus
figurine. "Someone must have called and she went out
to deliver the figurine," my father reasoned, pulling
off his boots. "You kids get ready for bed while I
wrap mother's present." | ![]()
Then the phone rang. Father yelled "answer the phone
and tell'em we found a home for Jesus." But it was
mother calling with instructions for us to come to 205
Chestnut Street immediately, and bring three blankets,
a box of cookies and some milk.. | ![]()
"Now what has she gotten us into?" my father groaned
as we bundled up again. "205 Chestnut. Why thats
across town. Wrap that milk up good in the blankets
or it will turn to ice before we get there. Why can't
we all just get on with Christmas? It's probably 20
below out there now. And the wind is picking up. Of
all the crazy things to do on a night like this." | ![]()
When they got to the house at 205 Chestnut Street it
was the darkest one on the block. Only one tiny
light burned in the living room and, the moment we set
foot on the porch steps, my mother opened the door and
shouted, "They're here, Oh thank God you got here,
Ray! You kids take those blankets into the livingroom
and wrap up the little ones on the couch. I'll take
the milk and cookies." | ![]()
"Would you mind telling me what is going on, Ethel?"
my father asked. "We have just walked through below
zero weather with the wind in our faces all the way." | ![]()
"Never mind all that now," my mother interrupted.
"There is no heat in this house and this young mother
is so upset she doesn't know what to do. Her husband
walked out on her and those poor little children will
have a very bleak Christmas, so don't you complain. I
told her you could fix that oil furnace in a jiffy. | ![]()
My mother strode off to the kitchen to warm the milk
while my brother and I wrapped up the five little
children who were huddled together on the couch. The
children's mother explained to my father that her
husband had run off, taking bedding,clothing, and
almost every piece of furniture, but she had been
doing all right until the furnace broke down. | ![]()
"I been doin' washin' and ironin' for people and
cleanin' the five and dime," she said. "I saw your
number every day there, on those boxes on the counter.
When the furnace went out, that number kept going'
through my mind. 7162 7162 | ![]()
"Said on the box that if a person was missin' Jesus,
they should call you. That's how I knew you were
good Christian people,willin' to help folks. I
figured that maybe you would help me, too. So I
stopped at the grocery store tonight and I called your
missus. I'm not missin' Jesus, mister, because I sure
love the Lord. But I am missin' heat. I have no
money to fix that furnace. | ![]()
Okay, Okay said father. Youv'e come to the right
place. Now lets see. You've got a little oil burner
over there in the dining room. Shouldn't be too hard
to fix. Probably just a clogged flue. I'll look it
over, see what it needs." | ![]()
Mother came into the living room carrying a plate of
cookies and warm milk. As she set the cups down on
the coffee table, I noticed the figure of Baby Jesus
lying in the center of the table. It was the only
sign of Christmas in the house. The children stared
wide-eyed with wonder at the plate of cookies my
mother set before them. | ![]()
Father finally got the oil burner working but said
you need more oil. I'll make a few calls tonight and
get some oil. Yes sir, you came to the right place,
father grinned. | ![]()
On the way home father did not complain about the
cold weather and had barely set foot inside the door
when he was on the phone. | ![]()
Ed, hey, how are ya, Ed?" "Yes, Merry Christmas to
you, too. Say Ed, we have kind of an unusual situation
here I know you've got that pick-up truck. Do you
still have some oil in that barrel on your truck? You
do? | ![]()
By this time the rest of the family were pulling
clothes out of their closets and toys off of their
shelves. It was long after their bedtime when they
were wrapping gifts. The pickup came. On it were
chairs, three lamps, blankets and gifts. Even though
it was 30 below, father let them ride along in the
back of the truck. | ![]()
No one ever did call about the missing figure in the
nativity set, but as I grow older I realize that it
wasn't a packing mistake at all. Jesus saves, that's
what He does.
| |
Sent To: BabyRoseBuds
Note from BabyRoseBuds...
From: Dena
January 13th 2000
let us all keep the spirit of giving all through the year