A Christmas Story by Mick Rich

Merry Christmas to All

Five days from now, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Nothing you, I, or we can do can take from or add to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Herod the Great thought being a King was sufficient to vanquish our Savior, Jesus Christ. Despite being the most powerful in the region, he could not extinguish the flame of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Atheists may believe they can take from the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, by celebrating Atheism in December. But they have set a course based on the Birth of Christ.

Shopping centers and department stores may believe that when they say, "Happy Holidays," they are not acknowledging the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But they are surrounded by the adoration of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We may try, but no matter how close we get to a perfect Christmas light display, Christmas tree, or Christmas dinner. It cannot approach the perfect birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

No matter how perfect a gift we give to our loved ones. They pale in comparison to the gift we received with the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Over thirty years ago, I received the greatest gift for Christmas.

Up until that time, I tried to create a perfect Christmas. I hung the lights on the tree out front and the house that showed brightly. I found the perfect tree and ensured it was decorated just right. I searched for the perfect gifts for my loved ones and sought my ideal present under the tree.

Then it happened. Two weeks before Christmas, I was informed by our client that the Christmas shutdown period would begin Friday at noon and end at midnight on Christmas Eve instead of the whole Christmas break. We now had three days to perform the ten days of work on the pump station. Instead of preparing for Christmas, I was preparing for the Christmas shutdown. I worked sixteen-hour days Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (Christmas Eve). I made it home for a later dinner, tucked in the kids, and did what I could for Christmas morning. As Marion prepared for bed, I kissed good night and returned to the job to ensure the sluice gates we installed were holding after turning the pumps back on. The sluice gates held back the water, and I drove back home.

Christmas morning, I explained to Marion and our children that I had no presents for them (however, Marion bought our children presents). I waited too long to buy them presents, and the stores were closed before and after I quit work that last weekend. Our children ripped off the wrappings of their presents and played with their toys. Marion handed me a present, and I responded that I didn't have any presents because I had none for her. She insisted that it is not about deserving or exchanging.

That Christmas, I learned it is about giving without expectation of receiving, humbly accepting gifts without the ability to reciprocate, and solely celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families.