Chapter 10

 

Rachel opened the door and turned with a loving glance and said “I love you Nora, you are my best friend.” She closed the door and jumped into in the snow without a worry. She now knew and felt that nothing in this world was more important than knowing that the plan is true just as her mother had told her and that now, the true meaning of Christmas was forever in her heart. She could finally understand why Christmas was a good time for her mother to pass on. She was allowed to enter heaven in the presence of her Savior, when all those on earth were commemorating his coming to fulfill the plan, she was enjoying the goodness of that fulfillment.

As she hurried down the lane and through the field she felt an exhilarated feeling. She paused just before the porch step and turned around as she couldn’t help notice how beautiful the pure white snow was shimmering like thousands of little diamond-like sparkles from the iridescent rays of sunlight filtering through the semitransparent clouds. Nearly falling, as she was still in a mesmerized trans and trying to take a hurried step up the porch she caught herself on one of the pillars, and stamped her feet to knock away the snow. She opened the back door and noticed her dad arranging the presents under the tree. Seeing him home ignited a burst of excitement. She didn’t care now if she woke up Ben, so with no inhibition she ran to her dad and embraced him with a big squeeze gleefully exclaiming, “Daddy, I am so glad you made it home, this is the most miraculous Christmas; I love you.”

“Well darling, I am glad to be home too! It was quite an ordeal. However, you haven’t even seen your presents yet,” her dad exclaimed.

Rachel got a little serious and responded, “The miracle of Christmas isn’t about gifts you can hold; it is about the gift of love that God gave us in his son making the plan available to us and knowing that it is true!”

Rachel’s dad paused and spun her around squeezing her in his famous bear hug. He then gently pushed her back a little so he could gaze into her beautiful hazel eyes now filled with tears. It was then being surprised at her precocious insight, that he saw Rachel in a whole different perspective.

“Rachel is everything all right?” He questioned, “I mean you seem a little different from yesterday.”

She just hugged him again and tearfully said, “Everything is wonderful. You’re home. And it’s Christmas morning. Everything is great!”

Pondering her statement about the miracle of Christmas her dad responded, “Yes, I reckon that truly is the miracle of Christmas. You’ll have to tell me more about it,” he said very softly nodding his head.

Rachel noticed a little glimmer in his eyes as he gave her one more squeeze.

Just then Ben wandered into the kitchen yawning and rubbing his eyes. “What is all the noise about?” he asked.

“Merry Christmas” Rachel and her dad both exclaimed at the same time.

Ben stumbled over to hug his dad, not being fully awake. His dad picked him up and threw him into the air.

“WHOA!” Ben hollered. “When did you get home?”

“Just barely walked in,” his dad answered.

“Where ya been?” Ben queried.

“Well, it all started last night when the storm hit and the commuter train was delayed for hours on account of the ice on the tracks and the power being out at the depot. So by the time I made it to the commuter station it was past midnight. With bald tires and deep snow on the road the old Ford couldn’t get any traction. So I walked into the village and no one was to be found. Being cold I looked for anyplace open that would be warm. The only place I could find was the motel lobby. So, I stayed there most of the night until early in the morning when I noticed Tom driving up to the garage with his tow truck. I went over and explained my dilemma and he offered to pull me home as it was on his way home as well. So we chained up the Ford and here I am after a cold ride being towed behind Tom’s truck.”

While Ben asked questions about his dad’s all night episode, Rachel began preparing the traditional Christmas breakfast. She spread butter over the whole bottom of the pan that had been warming and then poured in some batter she had just mixed-up. As soon as the batter hit the melted butter it made a sizzle catching Ben’s attention and he became excited as he walked over to the stove to inspect the progress. He knew what she was making, because every Christmas morning it was the same, Swedish pancakes. They had become his favorite for breakfast. Not only because they tasted so good, but it also meant that it was Christmas morning.

“We have real maple syrup from Vermont to boot” Rachel blurted out.

“Great!” said her dad in a joyous voice. “I haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday’s lunch, and right now those smell extra good.” Her dad looked at Ben and with a wink of an eye remarked, “After we get to dine on this sumptuous breakfast we’ll see what is under the tree. What do you think of that, sport?”

Ben quickly peeked around the corner to look at the tree and responded with a “WOW, OK!”

Rachel flipped the pancake to its other side and put the kettle on the stove top to make hot chocolate.

“In just a few minutes the pancakes and hot chocolate will be ready. Ben, can you please set the table for us” she said jubilantly.

Rachel placed the pancakes on the table and poured hot chocolate into the mugs that Ben had set on the table. They all sat down and Rachel offered a touching blessing on the food for thanksgiving and gratitude.

After they all enjoyed their delicious breakfast her dad exclaimed “All right, who is ready for their presents?”

Of course Ben jumped up and down anxiously shouting, “I am. I am”.

“Well then, let’s go see what is under the tree,” their dad continued.

Ben excitedly opened the package his dad handed him. It was a fine whittling knife. There was also a large box wrapped in plain paper that Ben got to opened next. It was a set of school clothes which Ben was grateful for but, didn’t react as joyfully as when he opened the first and the last gift which was a special slingshot flipper. It was Rachel’s turn next as her dad pointed to a hanger on the wall where there was a new Sunday dress hanging with fancy shoes right below and a bonnet to match.

“Thanks dad, they are really beautiful. I can’t wait to wear them to church this Sunday.” Rachel said with genuine gratitude. Walking over to the new dress Rachel curiously questioned in her mind how her dad could have possibly foreseen the miraculous change that happened in her heart just this morning. There seems to be a strong coincidence with her dad giving her a Sunday go to meeting dress, where she hadn’t gone for some time and her newly found desire that she received, just minutes ago from Nora explaining the plan.

“A beautiful dress for a beautiful daughter,” her dad exclaimed. “Wait right here” her dad said as he went into his bedroom. He came out with something held behind his back as he came in front of Rachel and said, “After thinking about what you said about Christmas, I think you should have these” as he brought her mother’s scriptures out from behind him and handed them to her.

Rachel was taken back, and she was feeling a rush of that same warm feeling all over again. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of her mother and how much her scriptures had meant to her. She took the scriptures and held them tightly saying, “I will treasure these forever. Thank you Daddy these are so precious and I want to know them like Mommy did. I know now why they were so important to her. They are true!” she said in a quiet whisper.

Her dad pressed his lips together in a small smile and said in a quiet reverent voice, “For the last couple of weeks I have had your mom on my mind. It has pressed upon me like a warm sensation. I could sense her presence and sometimes it felt like I could reach out and touch her it was so strong. All I could think about was what would she wanted me to do and the scriptures she had laid out for me to study kept coming to mind. I had never really read the scriptures with any purpose in mind for myself. So, I bought my own scriptures. I didn’t want to change anything in your mom’s scriptures because they were hers, and I wanted to make my own markings and notes. So each time I had to go to the city I would study those specific scriptures on your mom’s outline. Reading and studying them was different than I thought it would be. I just used to believe the preachers and such what they had to say, and it seemed good enough. Although now, because of your mom I wanted to find out for myself with my own reading and asking God to help me understand. It’s like she isn’t going to let me rest until I give it a real effort, and the funny thing is – I want to. Anyhow, church and such have been on my mind and yesterday while I was shopping for you and Ben after my meeting, the feeling of your mom was extra strong and I just had the impression to buy you a church dress. I was planning to buy school clothes, but it just didn’t feel right. When I saw this dress, well it seemed to stand out from amongst the rest. So I asked the lady to help me find the right size, which she was right helpful and also showed me the bonnet and shoes which looked real good together. As soon as I bought them I could almost hear your mom saying like she did every time she had to help me decide something, “Now that’s the right choice.” It seems that your mother is still watching over us.”

He dad paused and picked up the basket under the tree.

“ Now what about this basket?” he asked.

“I asked Nora to come over for dinner, and I want to wait until she is here to open it so she can explain its contents. I think you may find what she has to say very interesting.” Rachel remarked.

Christmas had much more meaning now. It turned out to be marvelous in spite of all of her worries, and she couldn’t help but think how her mother had said so many times, “Love creates miracles.” She had never considered that the most important miracles happen on the inside. She now understood that it was the same love her mother gave them all that was driving her to help those around her and do the things she wanted to do for them. How her service had changed from drudgery to desire. It was just as our Savior did for us, because of his love and the love of the Father. It made all the sense to her as she echoed in her mind again how the scriptures said, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son” and the possible miracle of Eternal Life is given to all because of this love by our Father in heaven. It truly is a miracle when we can know that Christmas, with its promise of hope is true.

After quiet reflection she considered what would have happened if she had not thought of Nora and taken her the apples? Love just might be the most powerful force there is she reasoned.       

After breakfast Rachel recounted the worrying and anxiety along with the miraculous events that had happened over the course of that Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and especially what happened with Nora; only she left out the special part concerning the apple because she wanted Nora to explain the apple to her dad and Ben the same way it was explained to her when she comes over for dinner.

Later on, they had a lovely Christmas meal with Nora. When the dinner was over Rachel fetched the basket from under the tree and asked Nora to explain the apple with its meaning and the tradition that she and Francillo had of cutting the apple each Christmas morning. She graciously accepted and recounted all that she had said to Rachel. After which they all had some apple pie which was extra special following her comments.

Rachel’s dad and even Ben were especially touched about the tradition of cutting of the apple and its symbolic meaning and how the miraculous message came about when Rachel took the apples to Nora.

From then on Rachel, her dad and Ben agreed to make cutting an apple on Christmas morning a tradition, bringing to remembrance the true meaning and miracle of Christmas.