Vicki's First Christmas
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle A
Life was anything but easy for Vicki. She had experienced more than her share of problems, being raised in a home where she never experienced love. She herself was a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. Her life had been hard. She looked a lot older than her 27 years. Through her struggles Vicki and her husband tried their best to raise their two young children.
They did not have much to call their own -- as far as earthly possessions. They lived in a small apartment which was furnished with old, discarded furniture. The sofa was covered with an old blanket to hide the burn holes. Nothing could hide the smell.
Vicki's journey to wholeness was assisted by her landlady, Ruth. Ruth did all she could to help Vicki and her family. She told them not to worry when their rent was several days late. "Pay me when you can," this kind older woman told them. One day Ruth told Vicki that she should attend church. She explained that her children would not only enjoy Sunday School but would benefit from it. Ruth was a Sunday School teacher and told Vicki that her children could go with her each week, which they did for several months.
Before too long Vicki started attending worship. It was a new experience for her. She was filled with questions each week which kept the pastor on his toes. It was obvious that Vicki wanted to learn. She never had the opportunity to attend Sunday School as a child. She desperately wanted to put her old life behind her. Ruth would talk with her during the week and Vicki would call the pastor with her questions.
As the Christmas season approached the children were given parts in the annual Sunday School Christmas program. Her daughter was an angel, dressed in a white sheet with a gold pipe cleaner halo carefully hovering above her head. Her son was a shepherd, who stood with the other shepherds in the background with Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus in the forefront. The night of the program Vicki brought her husband to church for the first time. The program went off without a hitch. Mary and Joseph entered on cue, as did the shepherds and angels.
The next week was Christmas Eve. Vicki wanted more than anything to attend. She sat almost spellbound as the choir sang beautifully. In candlelight the pastor read the Christmas story from Luke's gospel. The sermon was about God's love's for all people which came down to earth at Christmas. The service concluded with an invitation to go to the altar to pray. Before the pastor even finished Vicki was kneeling at the altar. There were tears streaming down her cheeks; her eyes were aglow. Something wonderful had happened to her that night. She experienced for the first time God's unconditional love. It was during the service that she realized the depth of God's love for her and everyone.
A week later she attempted to describe as best she could what had happened to her. "I never really understood Christmas before," she said. "It was always just a day, a holiday, a day to get gifts." Now she said she understood the real meaning of Christmas. Even the Christmas carols she loved to sing since she was a little girl took on new meaning.
God loves the world so much that God sent Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.
They did not have much to call their own -- as far as earthly possessions. They lived in a small apartment which was furnished with old, discarded furniture. The sofa was covered with an old blanket to hide the burn holes. Nothing could hide the smell.
Vicki's journey to wholeness was assisted by her landlady, Ruth. Ruth did all she could to help Vicki and her family. She told them not to worry when their rent was several days late. "Pay me when you can," this kind older woman told them. One day Ruth told Vicki that she should attend church. She explained that her children would not only enjoy Sunday School but would benefit from it. Ruth was a Sunday School teacher and told Vicki that her children could go with her each week, which they did for several months.
Before too long Vicki started attending worship. It was a new experience for her. She was filled with questions each week which kept the pastor on his toes. It was obvious that Vicki wanted to learn. She never had the opportunity to attend Sunday School as a child. She desperately wanted to put her old life behind her. Ruth would talk with her during the week and Vicki would call the pastor with her questions.
As the Christmas season approached the children were given parts in the annual Sunday School Christmas program. Her daughter was an angel, dressed in a white sheet with a gold pipe cleaner halo carefully hovering above her head. Her son was a shepherd, who stood with the other shepherds in the background with Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus in the forefront. The night of the program Vicki brought her husband to church for the first time. The program went off without a hitch. Mary and Joseph entered on cue, as did the shepherds and angels.
The next week was Christmas Eve. Vicki wanted more than anything to attend. She sat almost spellbound as the choir sang beautifully. In candlelight the pastor read the Christmas story from Luke's gospel. The sermon was about God's love's for all people which came down to earth at Christmas. The service concluded with an invitation to go to the altar to pray. Before the pastor even finished Vicki was kneeling at the altar. There were tears streaming down her cheeks; her eyes were aglow. Something wonderful had happened to her that night. She experienced for the first time God's unconditional love. It was during the service that she realized the depth of God's love for her and everyone.
A week later she attempted to describe as best she could what had happened to her. "I never really understood Christmas before," she said. "It was always just a day, a holiday, a day to get gifts." Now she said she understood the real meaning of Christmas. Even the Christmas carols she loved to sing since she was a little girl took on new meaning.
God loves the world so much that God sent Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.
