Now that same night not very
far to the north, lived a little boy named
Jeremy. Now Jeremy was a good little boy, always doing what he was told, always with a smile. What Jeremy wanted most of all, was a kitten. He couldn't ask however, because his family was poor and with the harsh winter coming, things were going to be difficult. The harvest had been poor Daddy had said, there would barely be enough food for the family let alone the animals. Daddy said he didn't know what else to do as he went to town, several miles away, to try to find work to keep the family going. All this made Jeremy sad. His daddy worked so hard...and Mommy..she did the best she could. She made all their clothes (Jeremy had 2 sisters), tended the garden, and took care of the animals. Some nights her hands would bleed and Jeremy could hear her crying softly to herself. He didn't want to hear his Mommy cry. Being a little boy of 7, he just didn't know what to do. So he knew better than to ask for a kitten. That
night, as he knelt down by his bed to say his
prayers, he looked out the window He turned towards his bed, closed his eyes and whispered, "Dear God, my Mommy and Daddy work too much and too hard. They love you and tell you so every night, and every Sunday at Your House. Could we please have one winter that is not so hard?"
Jeremy didn't realize that his Mommy was
listening, with a tear in her eye. "Oh,
and God... if you see a kitten, would you see
if he'd like to stay here with me, please? I
promise that I
would love him and I would take very good
care of him. Thank You, Amen."
Now it just so happens that a jolly little man was walking on the road by the farm. He stopped and listened to a little boys prayer (he had excellent hearing). "I will take care of you Jeremy," he said, "I know your a good boy, and you have never asked for anything for yourself. I promise this year will be different." The man continued down the road, humming to himself. 'Oh my! Its only 3 nights till Christmas,' he thought to himself as he made his way, 'have to get busy, busy!' The man smiled. Now this man was no ordinary person, as you'll see. He made his way farther down the road, still humming, and vanished with the blink of an eye! Even his footprints had disappeared!!! |
and sighed. 