By Dr. Jacquelyn Simmons
During my earlier years, I decided to spend the Christmas Holidays with my parents, other family members and friends in our home in Denver, Colorado. Accompanied with me was my “then” little daughter. The train ride as usual was wonderful especially after boarding the “Colorado Eagle” in Saint Louis, Missouri.
My Mother’s sister, the late Arthulia Holland, “Aunt Skeet”, and family lived in Saint Louis, Missouri, which made our trip more comfortable. Sometimes, we taxied out to her home and fellowshipped with her husband “Bob,” and daughter Gwen, who was my age, and spent a day or two with them. After our departure from Saint Louis, we boarded the much-desired train, “The Colorado Eagle” and always arrived safely in Denver. My daughter loved to ride in the train’s “dome” where a lot of travelers loved to ride, also.
During this special time of our Christmas Holiday Celebration, I asked my mother’s assistance in playing “Santa Claus” with my young daughter. She looked at me with one of her mysterious looks and said, “Tena (one of my nicknames), stop lying to your daughter! There is NO Santa Claus! Tell her the truth!” I immediately became offensive and reminded her of all the times we had gone to bed on Christmas Eve awaiting the expected visit from Santa Claus. She reminded me that she and “Daddy” had NEVER promoted the ideas to us of a Santa Claus. She said, “Tell our child her gifts were bought by us with the money God gave us to purchase them!” During this time, my daughter had awakened and heard the “gist” of our conversation. I dried my tears and the ones afterwards. I never again tried to “fool” my daughter or any more of our children with the “Santa Claus Lie.”
My friends, tell our children the truth and that is: “GOD gave us the money to purchase their gifts and encourage them to tell their friends the same truth!” May GOD bless you and yours this Christmas and many, many more.
“REMEMBER! JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!”
Joy To the World by Isaac Watts
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Love you much!! Jacquelyn Simmons
P.S. To me, my greatest Christmas gift was a blue and white bicycle. It still grieves me that my sister, “Dena,” never received a bicycle. Should I purchase one for her this Christmas since she is almost 90 years old??? You can believe it or not! I am serious!!!
