Devotional for December 5

Some twenty years ago, Christmas came in a difficult season for me, as my husband’s worsening illness doomed the dreams I had cherished for our family. I knew I had to do my best to make Christmas extra-special for the boys that year. This would be the year, I decided, that each boy got his heart’s desire: a guinea pig for Gregory and a drum set for Christopher.

I had previously resisted giving in to these two longings. My mother had been adamantly opposed to pets, so my sister and I never had one; I just didn’t think of myself as a “pet person.” My husband was opposed to pets, too, pointing out their tendency to die and break children’s hearts. I couldn’t imagine having a dog, a cat, or even a guinea pig. And drum sets? Well, they are not the instrument of choice for many families for obvious reasons! Besides, we wanted Christopher to devote his practice time to the piano.

But this was going to be the Christmas where dreams would come true. So there on Christmas morning was the drum set, and the empty guinea pig cage with a promise that an occupant could be selected by Gregory. Poor little Mitten-the-guinea-pig did only live with us one short year before dying, but he prepared me to welcome Snickers-the-cat and then Tanky-the-dog. Christopher ended up playing drums in the Fairview High School jazz band and did not sacrifice his piano practice as we had feared.

Most of all, though, by letting each boy have the gift of his dreams that year I gave my blessing to them to dream what they wanted to dream, love what they wanted to love, and be who they wanted to be. That was the real gift.

I also gave myself permission to believe that joy and love could shine forth even in the darkest winters of our lives. 

That’s the promise of Christmas. Anne Lamott quotes a friend who says, “It gets darker and darker, and then Jesus is born.” Even in the bleak midwinter, the skies can open and the angels can sing. Even in the bleak midwinter, a Savior can be born. 

— Claudia Mills