This is a story that I made up on the spot for Autumn when I went to Memphis on December 15th.
Kids love to hear stories and when she asked me, I decided that it was fitting to make the story have a Christmas theme. I based it off the song I would be singing the following day for the Christmas recital.
Hope you enjoy this fresh Christmas story :)
Emily had always asked for the latest toy or the newest game when Christmas came around. This year she new that she wanted that "Littlest Pet Shop" set that her friend Grace had gotten, but something would soon change her mind.
Saturday was the Christmas concert at Emily's school and today Emily's 4th grade teacher approached her.
"Emily," her teacher began, "How would you like to sing a song for the Christmas concert? Here is a lovely song you can sing. I think you'll like it." And she gave Emily the words and accompaniment cd to a song called "Grown-up Christmas Wish".
When Emily read the words, something changed inside her heart and she put her whole self into learning this new song. When the night of the Christmas concert came Emily was not nervous one bit. She got up to the microphone with confidence and sang these words:
No more lives torn apart,
Wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
.
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
.
Emily had been awakened to the fact that there was need in the world and that her wishes for toys and goodies did not bring change to this world.
As Emily sang the song, no eye was dry in the auditorium. Her parents saw that something had changed on their little girl's face. More surprises awaited them at home this Christmas season.
That night when Emily was fast asleep her parents came in to get her letter to Santa. Every year she would put it in a special mail box that they told her would send it straight to Santa in the night. Her mother took out the letter and they sneaked out of her room. Ready to get her anything she wanted (as they were considerably wealthy) they opened the envelope addressed to the North Pole and were surprised at what it read. In Emily's nine-year-old handwriting was this list:
Deer Santa this year i want to ask you for things that will help peepol.
If its not to much, heer is my grown up chrismas wish.
2. wars wud never start
3. tim wud heal all harts
4. evryone wud hav a frind
5. rit wud all waz win
6. luv wud never end
Emily's parents looked at one another.
"What has gotten into her?" said her father.
"Money certainly can't buy any of that." His wife replied soberly,
"We'll just have to guess on what to get her." Christmas day came and Emily jumped out of bed as she always did on this day every year, but she was after something different this time. When she looked under the tree her smile faded. There wasn't any love or any answer to her wish at all. Just packages with toys and clothes. She couldn't understand why she hadn't gotten what she had asked for.
As time went by, Emily continued to change. Her father said she was just going through a phase and that it would soon end, but he didn't understand that it was just beginning. More and more she began to notice the suffering and sadness in the world. She'd see it on TV and when she went out in public: children crying, angry mothers, arguing couples, sad teenagers. So many lacking for love and care.
Much to the embarrassment of her parents Emily began to make a habit of smiling and talking to people in the grocery store or the bowling alley.
"I want to make people happy by treating them like my family." she said when her parents asked her why.
The next year when Christmas rolled around Emily wrote her wish list. To the dismay of her parents the only thing that had changed was her spelling. Emily only wanted what would heal the world.
At 11, her Christmas wish list still remained what is had been the last two years. Emily was still doing her part to change the world, but she felt alone and inadequate. What difference could she make anyway? And why had her wish not come true? She had been as good as she could be every day and Santa still hadn't given her wish a thought. Wasn't it a perfectly reasonable request?
Soon Emily got her answer. One day as she was walking her dog she went past a building she had seen many times but never noticed. People were going in and they all looked happy and nice so she went up to one particularly kind lady and asked where they were going.
"To church." said the woman with a smile and she invited Emily to join them.
Now Emily's parents had never believed in God and so she was never told about Him.
She came in and sat down and a story unfolded that opened her eyes! She heard that long ago someone had been hear with us. One who changed the world for the better and who had much wisdom for everyone. Emily decided the He was her type of person. Then the pastor said those words: that this person was going to return and end all the sadness and darkness of this earthly realm.
Joy and hope filled her whole being and her soul finally found its rest. Emily raised her hand (it was nearly the end of the sermon anyway) and called out:
"I want this Jesus to come! I want Him to save us! And I want to be like Him"
The pastor told her that she could! And he called her up and helped her pray to God for the first time.
After that day Emily never stopped loving her Lord and hastening the day when He would come. And because of her heart, by her 13th birthday Emily's parents also awaited the day and stood along side her in her new-found Salvation.
At 11, her Christmas wish list still remained what is had been the last two years. Emily was still doing her part to change the world, but she felt alone and inadequate. What difference could she make anyway? And why had her wish not come true? She had been as good as she could be every day and Santa still hadn't given her wish a thought. Wasn't it a perfectly reasonable request?
Soon Emily got her answer. One day as she was walking her dog she went past a building she had seen many times but never noticed. People were going in and they all looked happy and nice so she went up to one particularly kind lady and asked where they were going.
"To church." said the woman with a smile and she invited Emily to join them.
Now Emily's parents had never believed in God and so she was never told about Him.
She came in and sat down and a story unfolded that opened her eyes! She heard that long ago someone had been hear with us. One who changed the world for the better and who had much wisdom for everyone. Emily decided the He was her type of person. Then the pastor said those words: that this person was going to return and end all the sadness and darkness of this earthly realm.
Joy and hope filled her whole being and her soul finally found its rest. Emily raised her hand (it was nearly the end of the sermon anyway) and called out:
"I want this Jesus to come! I want Him to save us! And I want to be like Him"
The pastor told her that she could! And he called her up and helped her pray to God for the first time.
After that day Emily never stopped loving her Lord and hastening the day when He would come. And because of her heart, by her 13th birthday Emily's parents also awaited the day and stood along side her in her new-found Salvation.
Ending thought: This story also expresses something I feel often. When I think about just how much darkness there is in the world and how it cannot all be fixed, I feel help-less. I feel silly praying for all the hungry in the world or all the hurting, maybe because I don't have faith that it can all be healed. But then I remember that it all can and will soon when our Lord comes!
Come, Lord Jesus, Come!!!!
