"MY CHRISTMAS SECRET"

By C. Wayne Lammers

An ominous fog rolled in over my little mountain this morning, just at the break of dawn, and, reminding me of the rapid approach of Christmas, touched my heart with a message I have been meaning to share with you for some time now. Maybe it was the cold wind blowing the last of the dying leaves and creating a cacophony of melodious crackling, a rattling like the dry bones of something long since, or soon to be gone, that made me realize the need to bear my soul to you while I still can, and confess a lie about myself that I can no longer stand for you to believe.

I know that if you have seen my small and modest home you must think of me as poor. If you have glimpsed my old pick-up truck, all dressed out for the winter in a new coat of primer while I have been driving slowly, ever so slowly down a country road, you might think that I have a hard life, and that just wouldn't be right. And if you have seen me proudly wearing my old green coat you might think of me as being in need of assistance, and that I can no longer live with.

The truth is that I am the absolute richest man I know of, and that is the secret that I will share with you shortly. Not even King Solomon could match my wealth at the apex of his magnificence. I have kept this secret for far too long. Especially from you.

And now I would like to tell you of some of my possessions. Not to brag or boast, or to make you feel bad if you have something less, but because of my great esteem for you and because, at this special time of year, I would like to share these things with you so that you too, may have them to hold and treasure throughout the coming year, and indeed, for the rest of the time God has allocated for you to spend here. These things I give to you, along with all my love, while I am still yet here to see you enjoy them, before I happily go to rejoin my Creator.

First of all I give you the joy of friendship, for without friends this would be a lonely life to live. A life without fulfillment or caring, devoid of the gift of sharing. And I make a solemn promise to you this day, that I will always be your friend.

I give you the smell of a good red oak fire accented by fresh coffee perking to the beat of the song in your heart, as you start another day, another step in the adventure of your life.

I give you the sunrise to always remind you of another day to continue your hopes and an opportunity to work toward your dreams, for without dreams there would be no use to carry on, no reward for the trials that will surely come and will make you stronger. After all, what kind of story would you have, what legacy would you leave if I wrote, "Once upon a time, you lived happily, ever after?" Adversity is only another opportunity to mold us into better, more caring and understanding people and thereby bring us closer to the understanding and love of The Almighty.

I give you the sunset to remind you of all that has been. These rememberences we hold in our hearts must never be forgotten, for they truly make us who we are and what we are. They give us reason to strive for a better tomorrow with a full understanding of how things can be, if only we are capable of perusing the possible, and of living within today.

And finally, I give you all the time between the sunrise and sunset and charge you to fill it with love and striving each day, so that we all may share in a better tomorrow.

I give you the clear sight and understanding to see things as they are, and to see how they could be, and the courage to change what you can. I especially give you the wisdom to know the difference and to accept the things that can not be changed.

I give you peace, and the ability of understanding toward your fellow man, along with ears to hear his cries, and a gentle hand to touch his fevered brow. And to this, I add the elixir of compassion that will keep forever pliable the soft places in your heart, so that you may never accept the needless suffering of any living thing upon this good earth.

I give you the wisdom of the ages, the ability to know that which is truly important in this world, and the knowledge to know, for what it is, trivial things that can never, must never, matter in the final scheme of life.

I give you an inquisitive mind and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, to know and gain a better understanding of the world around you, and thereby gain a greater appreciation of the wonders of His handiwork.

But, most of all, I give you love. That essential commodity without which we would be no different than the animals, and without which all the other gifts would be in vain.

You see, I truly posses all of these things, to some extent, and I labor daily to increase my wealth by acquiring more of them. But all these things are not the true reason I am the richest man in the world. That has to do with my secret, and what I wanted to tell you.

I am the richest man in the world because . . . . . . just because . . . . . you are my friend.