An Unforgetable Message

Christmas is a funfilled time with lots of buying and selling. Gifting and regifting. A time when christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. My annual ritual and passion is to attend the mass on the 24th of December. As usual for the past few years I had forgotten that this particular mass was usually full to capacity with overflow to the basement of the church. On non festive days I usually always get a seat because the church though vibrant is usually not totally filled for my chosen mass. Anyway long story short I was late and I didn't want to join the overflow, but that looked like the only option. As I was about to herd off my kids downstairs who would approach me with a nod of his head but a young man. He said, "do you want my seat?" I said, "how many seats do you have?" He said "four". I said, "oh thanks", but as he stood up I saw him pick up his crutches. I said, "oh no, you can't, I can never do that". He said, "please have the seat I can stand". I said 'no' but with his two friends a young man and a lady he got up. I was ashamed that I was even going to grumble or whine about either standing or going to the overflow. Here was someone who obviously needed to seat and he gave up his seat to stand but that was not all. It was time to kneel for part of the mass, "The consecration", because there was no kneeler where I was I sat and bowed but who do I see kneeling on his good knee on the bare carpet but the same young man and his friends. I fell on my knees so did my son and my husband who had come in after the seat was given up. The gesture of that man and his message are unforgetable. Later as we left the church my son said mummy I felt so ashamed that that man gave up his seat and when he knelt down to pray I just had to kneel, I was seating before then. He had touched the whole family, my husband, my children and me. You know what, he preached no worded sermon, he judged no one. He only preached by example. So many times in life we refuse to give or help because we feel we do not have to give, but we always have something to give, we may be inconvenienced.I was baffled, he preached a great gospel to me. To give even when it is inconvenient like Christ did. Was it convenient for our master to live as a babe and in this human form? Was it convenient to die on the cross for people who did not even love, recognise or appreciate him? No it wasn't but he did it anyway for you and me. So the next time remember that you have something to give, it may not be convenient but a little sacrifice will not hurt and instead will bring a lot of grace in your own moment of need. Like St. Francis of ASSISI said, "Preach the gospel at all times -- If necessary, use words." That young man and his two friends preached a message so powerful that they touched my life and that of my family and they may not even be aware of it. God bless them. It was a pure, beautiful undiluted message from the Throne and preached without words but with profound action. May we be Christ in the world today. Merry Christmas and Godbless you as you read.

And the Ducks came to Stay

Long and hard my son pleaded Like it was all the world his Soul needed Please mom let the ducks come First he tried for the weekend then one He whined and he weedled He cried, prayed, siddled First to his dad and then to me "Just overnight" he said let it be We put up little challenges Little expectations and barrages He failed most, got some too In the end I said, "not the weekend boo" All I can say is we didn't rest or hear His prayers and God came to bear Just like we blunder through life Yet God's grace comes through strife The day shown bright it came so gay And then the nine little ducks came to stay We had fun, we worked a lot as one "And I learnt" my son said, "responsibility and fun" Sometimes we never get the whole picture Or see through the work in the structure We, parents think oh so much work

Children think so much fun, oh duck In all both are entwined in the experience None can be without the other such brillaince In all we grow together and have fun and bond Yet we still work, learn and heal our wound Yeah the ducks came to stay and we all loved