This story is one that I’ve shared with my family each Christmas as we pray over our Christmas dinner and each time it comes alive in my memory.
The time of the story is 1937 and the place is Ralls, Texas. Times were hard for us and we kind of followed the cotton harvest. Yes, I know we were young and should have been in school but things didn’t always work that way for us. I remember the community put on a Christmas party for all the kids and dad took us. I don’t remember if we received a toy but we did get a “Christmas Sack” which was appreciated very much as this was to be our Christmas.
At the time we lived in a one room cabin at a tourist court as it was called at that time. It was kind of crowded with five kids, four boys and one girl, ages 11 to 2 years. As stated above we were pulling cotton but the fields were pretty thin and there was very little money. Just enough to pay the rent and food. That Christmas Eve mom and dad told us we would not have Christmas dinner as we had in years past and that since the weather was fair, cold but no moisture, we would have to work Christmas Day.
That would be the first and only Christmas we ever had to work and not have a big dinner with the kinfolks. Looking back over my lifetime of 80 years, that was the bleakest and saddest Christmas morning we ever had. It is also a time I can look back on and feel to this day the “Hand of God” caring for us. We got up early, dressed and ate the usual breakfast of biscuits and gravy. While we ate, Mama fried potatoes, baked cornbread and placed them along with the beans left from the night before in a basket and off we went to pull cotton. I still remember it was bitterly cold but we worked as long as we had light. We then all got in the car, dad collected the money we had coming and we headed home. Cold, hungry and sad it seemed as if the sun would never shine for us. Mama, bless her heart, kept trying to cheer us up said, “I’ll fix something.”
We drove up in front of the small cabin, got out and went in. For those who don’t know, there was no light switch, just a single bulb in the ceiling with a pull chain to turn it on. While waiting for dad to turn the light on, Mama remarked “somebody’s been in here/” When the light came on, us kids knew it was “Santa Claus” but Mama said “Thank you Jesus”! Because, before us the cabin was filled food, new clothes and presents like we had never seen. On the table there was a “feast” of turkey, ham, pies, cakes, candy and fruit. It was truly “A Miracle Christmas.”
We never knew who ìheard the word of Godî and chose to bless us with their generosity. The “Miracle” is still vivid in my mind today and brings joy to my heart as I retell the story to my family of four generations before we offer thanks to God for his blessings on Christmas Day.
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This story is one that I’ve shared with my family each Christmas as we pray over our Christmas dinner and each time it comes alive in my memory.
The time of the story is 1937 and the place is Ralls, Texas. Times were hard for us and we kind of followed the cotton harvest. Yes, I know we were young and should have been in school but things didn’t always work that way for us. I remember the community put on a Christmas party for all the kids and dad took us. I don’t remember if we received a toy but we did get a “Christmas Sack” which was appreciated very much as this was to be our Christmas.
At the time we lived in a one room cabin at a tourist court as it was called at that time. It was kind of crowded with five kids, four boys and one girl, ages 11 to 2 years. As stated above we were pulling cotton but the fields were pretty thin and there was very little money. Just enough to pay the rent and food. That Christmas Eve mom and dad told us we would not have Christmas dinner as we had in years past and that since the weather was fair, cold but no moisture, we would have to work Christmas Day.
That would be the first and only Christmas we ever had to work and not have a big dinner with the kinfolks. Looking back over my lifetime of 80 years, that was the bleakest and saddest Christmas morning we ever had. It is also a time I can look back on and feel to this day the “Hand of God” caring for us. We got up early, dressed and ate the usual breakfast of biscuits and gravy. While we ate, Mama fried potatoes, baked cornbread and placed them along with the beans left from the night before in a basket and off we went to pull cotton. I still remember it was bitterly cold but we worked as long as we had light. We then all got in the car, dad collected the money we had coming and we headed home. Cold, hungry and sad it seemed as if the sun would never shine for us. Mama, bless her heart, kept trying to cheer us up said, “I’ll fix something.”
We drove up in front of the small cabin, got out and went in. For those who don’t know, there was no light switch, just a single bulb in the ceiling with a pull chain to turn it on. While waiting for dad to turn the light on, Mama remarked “somebody’s been in here/” When the light came on, us kids knew it was “Santa Claus” but Mama said “Thank you Jesus”! Because, before us the cabin was filled food, new clothes and presents like we had never seen. On the table there was a “feast” of turkey, ham, pies, cakes, candy and fruit. It was truly “A Miracle Christmas.”
We never knew who ìheard the word of Godî and chose to bless us with their generosity. The “Miracle” is still vivid in my mind today and brings joy to my heart as I retell the story to my family of four generations before we offer thanks to God for his blessings on Christmas Day.
