Christmas story (fiction)

(written for kids)

Becky and her little brother Adam sat on the floor as they watched their mother cleaning up the house. It was close to Christmas and Becky's heart thrilled at the thought. Soon school would be over. New books, new classes to look forward to but for now, it was getting a lot cooler in the mornings and Becky was excited as she realized, it was December!

The 1st of December was a very special day as the calendars turned and Becky knew she couldn't wait for the days to go on. Now that it was December, it could only mean one thing - Christmas and it was such a special feeling.

As Becky watched her little brother Adam play, she made up her mind. She would teach Adam, about Christmas, she would show him the meaning of Christmas and tell him just why this was the most magical time in the world, for everyone and how wonderful it was that it happened year after year, December after December.

Suddenly, she realized, she needed to know the true meaning of Christmas if she was to teach her little brother someday. She stopped, she thought and realized - she did not know how to explain it to him except to say that it's the most beautiful time of the year for most everybody.

She put on her coat and started walking.

She asked her mom, she asked her dad, she asked her cousin, she asked her neighbor, she asked her friends next door, she even asked the post man that she met on her way.

Here are the answers she got - "Christmas is a time for Carols Becky, to sing about the Birth of the Lord Jesus." "Christmas is a time for giving Becky, a time to help others and share the spirit of giving and love." "Christmas is a time for - Santa Claus!! Boy can't we wait!" "Christmas is a time for Christmas cake Becky, didn't you know?" "You don't get to have Christmas pudding any other time!" "Christmas is a time for Christmas cards Becky, we send them to people we don't even talk to much during the year, just to show them we care."

Becky knew that something wasn't right. She knew that Christmas was much more than that but she just didn't seem to understand, she wasn't happy with what she heard. She knew that giving was for all seasons, kindness was to be a part of life everyday, not just a sudden change of heart in December?

Becky looked at little Adam and suddenly felt sad.

She sat down in the step and cried.

She loved her little brother but she didn't know to teach him about Christmas.She felt sadder when she realized that she herself, didn't really know why Christmas meant so much.

Becky's grandmother saw her sad and asked her what was wrong. As Becky explained with tears in her eyes, her grandmother whispered gently. "If you don't know, ask the Lord Jesus Becky, He will help you to understand, he is the best person to go to, close your eyes in prayer and just ask him."

Becky did just that. She prayed "Lord Jesus, all the people around me are so happy God, but they too I think, don't know why. Please teach me why so that I can teach Adam and he will learn from me. Tell me Lord Jesus. What is Christmas, why do I love December, why is the 1st of December so special?"

Suddenly an angel appeared in front of her and said "Little Becky, don't cry, I am here to show you what Christmas really is. It's not just the Christmas tree that fills the house with its Christmassy smell Becky, it's not just the presents that you do give with a loving heart Becky, it's deep down in your heart. When you needed help and you were sad and feeling down, you called on the Lord Jesus, did you know Becky that that was possible because He loves you so much that He's right there for you, alive? Listening, hearing you? Longing to give
you peace in your heart every single day, holding your hand, wanting to come into you heart and be your friend?"

"Christmas is the time man realizes that God Himself came down to earth to be born into this world, to go through everything he did just so he could die for you and show you how much he did for you on that cross so that you could have forgiveness from sin and be a Becky that belongs to God?"

Becky knew that there was something deeper in Christmas and she knew that it's - all - about Jesus and what she would do, with him. Not what mom did, not what dad did, not what her friends did, not even what little Adam did but what she did and she decided, this Christmas, she would never again get lost in the things that just made people happy but choose to know for herself, what it would mean to give her heart to the Christ that the carols sang about. The Lord who was spoken about in every Christmas Card.

Becky knew that she could do this if she just closed her eyes and made that decision, to follow Him.

5 years later, it was a very different Becky whose every single day, was lived for her God who loved her very, very much.

Adam was bigger and Becky's life made him see for himself that there was something deeper in Christmas, there was a God to be found and he decided, he would do that just like Becky did, on the 1st of December.

Becky explained and Adam understood. Jesus was, his Emmanuel and he truly was their king. Christmas was never the same for them.

It's the 1st of December today. Would you make that same decision? However old you are, however many Christmases you have gone through, would you let this Christmas be different? Like Becky, look into your heart, seek God for the answer and make a decision to know for yourself what Christmas means to you.

Don't let these Decembers or your Christmas pass you by without realizing for yourself, that there is something very, very special, about Christmas.

© Slow Chills