Treasure Your Memories

Luke 2:19 (NIV)

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

It's that time of year when children will be crawling up on Santa's lap, asking for their dreams of toys, dolls, games, computers, etc. Santa's all over the country will be listening. But there is one Santa who is not like most.

There was a candlelight walk with Log cabins from the 1800's.  A Civil War Soldier, would take groups of people back to the 1800's era and show them how Christmas was celebrated then. Santa is always there, and many listen as children tell Santa what they want him to bring on Christmas Eve.

This is a story of how a little boy touched the heart of Santa in a way no other child had. And Santa touched the heart of the listening public in a way no other Santa has.

The little boy was about seven-years-old. He climbed on Santa's lap, looked at him, then said, "I know you can't bring me what I really, really want Santa." Santa told him to go on and tell him what he wanted.

"I want my paw paw to come back, he died and lives in heaven." With tears in his eyes, the little broken hearted boy hung his head down. Santa's heart begun to hurt for the child. Santa then said, "When your paw paw was here, did he take you fishing?" The little boy nodded yes. Santa asked, "When your paw paw was here, did he fix toys and things that were broken?" Another nod of the head. Santa said, "When your paw paw was here with you, did you and he do a lot of things together?" The little boy nodded yes. Santa asked, "Did your paw paw tell you he loved you many times?" The little boy's tears slid down his cheeks as he whispered yes.

Santa's white gloved finger softly touched the little boy's heart and then he begun... ...... "Your paw paw didn't die, he lives RIGHT HERE. You will always have your paw paw with you." The little boy lifted his head up and a smile was seen through those little tears.

They say there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd that night. Sniffles were heard all over the room, as Kleenex and handkerchiefs were brought out.

Santa said he will never forget that child. He said he felt so badly for that little boy whose paw paw was his world. And yet, with the touch of a magical glove......Dear Santa brought a smile to a little one's face just days before Christmas.

Like Mary, let’s treasure all the memories God has given us.

Dear Lord, we thank You for our loved ones and the memories that we have. We pray that we would take the time to make memories with those You put in our life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.