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Welcome to the Dorie's Stories {devotional} Blog!
I'm hoping you don't have curious children who might have peered over your shoulder while you were reading this blog and saw the disturbing title in bold letters! It may lead to an uncomfortable conversation involving the end of all their Christmas hopes and dreams.
Children say crazy things. Thus, the title of my blog this week. Santa is dead. You'll have to keep reading to find out the real story from the excerpt of my book, Hope Looks Good on You!
. . .
Chapter 18: Santa is Dead
Our son was inquisitive...and persistent. He asked a lot of questions. Sometimes this meant he got the answers he wanted in the form of an exasperated sigh and shocking phrases blurted out without much discretion.
By the time our second grader finished interrogating us, he drilled down to what he wanted: the truth. Santa was dead.
We envisioned years more of cookies positioned by the fireplace, but we did not picture the reality that our son would be a crusader for justice and lone star of veracity.
He dug deep until we broke and confessed that Saint Nick had died years ago, but that his legend lived on in the hearts and minds of children. Satisfied with his newfound wisdom, he moved on to other conquests involving cardboard construction; his curiosity quenched.
Then, it happened.
The next day as I walked closer to the classroom to pick up our son from school, I watched some of his young classmates filter out with red, wet faces and snorts and sniffles. Parents were escorting them in a sort of hug-walk.
What was going on? I hurried in.
Our son looked fine, backpack strapped on and ready to go. His teacher did not look fine. She glared a bit in my direction.
She pushed a piece of paper into my hands and said, “Thanks...and yes, it was your son.”
Confused, I looked down at the words on the letter addressed to every parent in her class. I caught the words “Santa” and “dead” and, suddenly, all became clear.
Years later, Christmas is still my favorite holiday...even in the absence of Santa.
I kind of like getting credit for the gifts I painstakingly research, bargain-hunt, procure, hide, wrap, and tag!
While looking over my Christmas list one year, I overheard my son talking to his friend on the phone and his words made me cringe.
He told his friend that he had wanted something for Christmas but that it was too expensive. Then he said, "Yeah, my parents might spend like $100 on me and that's if — I’ve been REALLY good."
Hearing my son say those words, “If I’ve been REALLY good” almost hurt my heart. Is that what he really believes? Does he think we are tallying up his failures and triumphs to come up with his net worth?
I didn't realize that he thought how many gifts we gave him for Christmas depended on his behavior. We never based his Christmas presents on that. We have always given him gifts because he is our son.
I love how God uses these moments in our lives to illustrate the things He wants to teach us. God is not keeping track of our mistakes and shortcomings and weighing them against our good moments on some kind of cosmic scale to determine the amount of love He will give to us!
Some of us might even picture God having long naughty and nice lists, but when we have a relationship with Him and He is our Father, He took the list of naughty things we have done and cast it as far as the East is from the West!
“For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the East is from the West.” Psalms 103:11-12 NLT
Know His love for you has no end and has nothing to do with the amount of good you have done or how much you have done wrong in your lifetime — even if you told a whole class of 2nd graders that Santa Claus was dead.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us
while we were still sinners.”
Romans 5:8 NLT
Reflect & Journal:
Have you ever thought God’s love for you was measured out based on your behavior? Rest knowing that He loves you in the middle of your shortcomings. Write a love note to your Heavenly Father for His unconditional love for you! . . .
I hope you enjoyed the devotional excerpt! Feel free to share it with someone you think would enjoy a devotional story involving the death of Santa and God's unconditional love for us!
Here’s the link to share:
With hope & joy, Dorie Mclemore
P.s. next time, I’m planning to post another brand new devotional story I wrote for my next (currently unnamed) book! Make sure you are subscribed to get the notification in your inbox! P.p.s. If you want a copy of the full devotional book, Hope Looks Good on You!, use the button below!
P.p.s. I have an amazing new opportunity I would love for you to be a part of...sponsoring my Hope devotional books to give to women in prisons, transitional housing, and group homes recovering from domestic abuse and sex trafficking through Unlocked Ministries! They need 600 books for 2022! See the link below to sponsor some devotional books: $7 for 1, $70 for 10, $100 for 15!
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