Name: Susie
A Christmas Eve Story
There is a lady in my church who was probably one of the most brilliant and interesting people I've ever met. I say "was," because, although she probably still is, you wouldn't know it if you met her today. She was taken hostage quite a few years ago by Parkinson's disease. She is now in a wheelchair, and although she often still attends church, it is frustrating to her. People want to visit with her, but she can't think of the simplest words with which to join in conversation. They say that her brain would be fine, except for the effects of the medication she must take, to control some of the physical symptoms. Her intelligence, her sharpness, her physical energy and activity, these seemed to be her essence. People who've met her recently wouldn't know that. By the way, quite a few of the stories I've written here came out of an autobiography group that she started, after having written her own.
Yesterday, the church newsletter came, and I was SO delighted to see that she had written something for it. And even more delighted when I read it. I truly can't discern whether it is so moving to me because Miss Mary wrote it, or because of the story. And if you don't know Miss Mary, or don't believe the story, I don't know if it will do a thing for you. I'm sharing it anyway.
God Looked Down
God looked down on His people, and He did not like what He saw. "I made them to love me and be my friends, but they don't even know me. They are lost and confused. I sent Moses and the Law, but they cannot keep the Law. I sent them the prophets, but they did not listen to them. I'm going down there myself."
The angel who stands by God's right hand was aghast. "You can't do that!" God silenced him with a look, for the angel knew perfectly well that God could do anything. "But it isn't fitting for the Lord of all creation to descend on people!"
"When you love someone and they are in trouble, you go to them. That is fitting for me," said God.
When the angel saw that it was indeed the intention of God's heart to go, he bowed his head, then raised it and said, "Well, then, we must make arrangements. Will you descend on a stairway of stars? And we must have a golden chariot to carry you in glory through the streets of the city. And a legion of angels to keep back the people. And Gabriel with his trumpet and a band of choristers to announce your coming."
God laughed. "No, no stairway of stars and no golden chariot. And certainly no angels to keep back the people. I will go to them as one of them. I will live with my people."
And so the great news spread through the halls of heaven. The cherubim ran and shouted, and the seraphim sang, but the tall angel did not shout and he did not sing.
"Don't go," he said. "They will kill you."
"I know," said God. And He went.
*****
To my friends in blogworld, this Christmas, may you have the gift of knowing that you are loved. You are SOOOOOO loved. Like Miss Mary says.
posted by Susie | 8:14 AM
17 heads are better than one . . .
Mary Christmas to you too Susie! Hope you, Jif, LG and VB(but adorable)D have a great one!
Merry Christmas, Susie ... this was a lovely parable, and puts me in a perfect Christmas Eve mood ...
What a beautiful story. Wishing you and yours a very blessed Christmas!
It's moving because of the story. And probably more so for you because you know Miss Mary.
Merry Christmas, Susie & family!
Merry Christmas, Fairchildren!
Thank you, Susie, for living even a part of your life on the 'net, where those of us who would never be touched by it otherwise, can be.
Merry Christmas, Susie, to you and your family. Eclectic's right. Our little blogworld would be a bit less bright if you weren't here in it. Blassings on your household.
Susie - I'm so glad you're here.
Thank you God, for Susie. You did good with her.
Merry Christmas, Susie. I hope you and your loved ones have a lovely holiday!
WOW!
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Susie. Hugs!
Merry Christmas Susie.
*hug* I love you! Thanks for being one the best parts of the internet!
Merry Christmas from me and mine to you and yours, Dear Susie.
dc
What a beautiful description of the Christmas Story. Thank you for sharing the Love with all of us.
Merry Christmas to you, and Jiff, and LG, and even to Biscuit, even if he is VB. Jesus loved the bad ones. :)
First, Susie, that is a wonderful story and truly does represent what happenned to Jesus when he ministered to crowds similiar to Americans about Love and Looking out for your fellow man in a climate of pagan and money worship.
However, I will also give you my rendition of a story I read on 2 different sites. The Drudgereport claims that a Judge allowed a Hispanic bartender from NYC to legally change his name to Jesus Christ. Later another publication reported that some woman in Soho bar was overheard to slur, half-cocked, and falling off her chair:
"Jesus Chriiiiiiiiiist...willya getme another G-damn beer already..."
Merry X-mas and a Happy New Year...Love the blog!
Dr. H.O. Potamus
That is a wonderful story, Susie. It needs to be share far and wide.
In a congregation I pastored for 11 years, I had a man who, like Mary White, was held hostage by Parkinson’s disease. I pastored him as he went from being a retired civil engineer and the “expert” the congregation depended on when things went wrong in the church building to his last days in a nursing home. The sadness that his decline brought to me and many others was reflected in the words of his wife, a saintly woman named Mary, who said at his funeral: “To me George will always be the courageous army officer I met in 1943. That courage remained with him through all the years and was just a vibrant at the moment of his death as when he fought Nazis fifty years ago.”
My very first visit and I was fortunate to stumble across this beautiful story. Thank you.
I really like this story.
I hope you enjoyed your Christmas.
Susie, I don't know miss Mary but I got chills on my head from this one even tho I kinda knew where the story was going. Ooohh that was good.
Post a Comment
<< Home