White Christmas

Actually, it has been a white several days after Christmas. Casey, our 22 year-old daughter, and I shoveled six inches of snow around 12:00 noon on Wednesday, December 26, then another 3" at around 4:00 p.m.

 

Two stories come out of the snowstorm.

 

Our snowblower has been in the shop for close to a month. Having used the machine less than a dozen times, this is the second time that it has been in the shop for extended periods. It has a gas leak that no one seems to be able to repair, but it is not safe to use. It just so happens that the fellow who was attempting to repair the snowblower owns a truck with a plow. Because he has my snowblower in his shop, and because he felt badly for his failure to repair it, he came over and plowed a part of our driveway.

 

While dealing with the initial snowfall, Casey and I were assisted by a man who was traveling the neighborhood with his industrial-sized snowblower. He had done several neighboring sidewalks. On seeing us shoveling, he came over and asked if he might save us a little time. Casey and I were several hours into the labor, so we were thankful for the help. I never learned his name and have no way to repay his kindness, except to pass it on to others.

 

I saw others helping neighbors and strangers. Every act of assistance was simply an additional Christmas gift, honoring the spirit of the season. While there was no mention of Jesus in the course of either act of kindness that I personally witnessed during the snowstorm, the generosity and compassion demonstrated were directly in line with the reason for which Jesus had been born.

 

I am reminded also of the woman in New York City who paid $200 to purchase and obviously stolen dog from a fellow whom she suspected to be a criminal. She then took the dog to a vet, who used the embedded chip to return the dog to the owner from which it had been stolen. That was $200 well spent!

 

There are a million such stories.

 

Maybe it is time that we begin to focus on them, instead of telling the tales of theft and violence that seem so prevalent. Perhaps, if we told of kindness and generosity, the telling would foster further acts of compassion. Maybe that is precisely the way to celebrate Christmas, practicing random acts of kindness and telling stories about the acts of others. Maybe that is a good way to progress toward God's kingdom on earth.

 

See You Sunday!