Good Morning,
The house is pretty cold right now. The fire in the hearth is taking it's time to warm up the den. But my hot mug of Door County Christmas Coffee is helping to warm up this body of mine.
It's the day before Christmas and this house will be full of hustle for a few hours, preparing the last of the dishes for tonight and some for tomorrow. I can't help but to let my mind wander back in the memory vault and it stopped on the Christmas Eve that made my Dad cry.
Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"
I wrote earlier this month how my folks fell on hard times when I was in the first and second grade and it lasted a few years. The one Christmas that I am recalling now as my eyes leak on to my shirt was one with the biggest blessing. Medical bills, and slow work really had my parents down. They knew that they would have to tell my sister and me that we just couldn't afford presents and except for a lot of venison and fish in the freezer things were looking not so hot. I used to listen to them talk while they thought I was sleeping. And it was a pretty scary thing.
The Saturday before Christmas ( Christmas Eve) my parents were up early cooking venison sausages and mom was making some type of potato dish. They were doing their best to keep Christmas somewhat normal. I was still in my pajamas when the doorbell rang. It was one of those unusually cold December days. I went to answer the door and there was a group of men standing there and what seemed to be a giant to me, asked me if my Dad was home. My mind went numb as I thought they were bill collectors coming to take our house. I told him my Dad wasn't home and slammed the door in his face. My dad asked me who it was and by the time I could answer, the dang doorbell rang again. Thinking my dad reached a point of foolishness in his life that was mind boggling and fearing for the worst I saw him open the door and say hi with enthusiasm. Dad had lost his mind and as scrawny as I was back then I was ready for a fight. I knew where to kick and take even a giant out with a well placed shot to the groin. Maybe dad had gone nuts, but not me! Then he invited them all in. The giant came in and the rest of the men went back to a panel truck. They returned to the back door and the giant opened it. They started walking in with boxes of food. Ham, potatoes, frozen meat, and canned goods. There were at least six boxes of edibles. Then out of nowhere some ladies walked into our small kitchen with boxes of wrapped Christmas presents for our family, mostly for my sister and me. I stood there and watched my Dad sit down on a chair and I saw his eyes leaking heavily. Mine are right now. Then the giant and the rest of the folks said to my dad, "Semper Fi Marine." Dad was a veteran of a foreign war and was a member of a VFW post. He attended meetings and it was a place of social events too. They had been told about our situation and they came to help us out.
Well, it was something I will never forget and right after my dad passed away and I was closing up his place for the winter, a car rolled into his driveway and a young couple got out and started toward me. They asked who I was and I told them. They came by to say thank you and tell me a little story about how they had hit tough times and my dad heard about it. He lived on a private lake and they told me how he gave them permission to use his small boat and fish for their suppers now and then. They also told me about how he had been helping them with some groceries. I thanked them for telling me about this and as the young man walked away, I saw the Marine Corp symbol on the back of His jacket in bold letters, it said "Semper Fi".
So tonight we will have a crock pot of sausages to share with family. They probably don't even know why this is a tradition. And as long as I am able I will have sausages to remind me of my mother cooking sausages on the Christmas Eve that almost wasn't.
The lesson here it to share. Set the example of kindness and never forget when that kindness has been extended to you.
I am sitting here right now and the only lights that are on are the ones on our Christmas tree. As I promised earlier in December to post photos all month of how my wife Rene decorates for the holidays. I have been waiting and saving this day to show off our tree.
God bless and Merry Christmas.
Marty
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