GOOD OLD SAINT NICK

GOOD OLD SAINT NICHOLAS

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

  Though I’m long past being a great fan of Santa, it had been an interesting evening. There was the old man completing a day as a volunteer Santa Claus distributing clothes, candy, and gifts to needy children. He energetically joined the 60+ elementary school age children in excited activity. As he helped keep the lid on their youthful exuberance, he united with their boisterous singing of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

  The long day showed in his costume, now rumpled and soiled, with white gloves no longer a sparkling testimony to the virtues of Clorox, with many cups of fortifying coffee obvious on his breath.

  Sitting on gray metal folding chair as impromptu throne, petite elf at elbow holding hard candy ready, the children began to line up, all of them at once jostling in serpentine curving!  Accustomed to the old guy’s presence, their conversation to him and each other was a deluge of words, with normal group pecking-order in evidence; occasionally voiced “Ha! You little baby, you still believe in Santa Claus?!” I did however take notice that all of the naysayer older kids were maneuvering to be first in line to gain something from whom they no longer believed in.

  Listening in, I noted that to some, Good Old Saint Nick was someone to tell troubles, a trusted sympathetic listener that encouraged without reserve. Glancing up at me, Mr. Claus shared a knowing look with twinkling eye and quick nod of his overheated flushed face.

  Beyond candy soon crunched in jaw and carpet (much to the joyless ire of the property committee), was greater gift imparted that cold evening? I think so. For the children, keen attention that should be common to followers of Jesus (Mt.19:13-15), with conviction to spend more time seeking “that good part, which shall not be taken away” (Lk.10:38-42) for which I continue to endeavor.  

  Lord, calm our heart, hone our spiritual hearing, clear our eye, let not the clamor of holiday hokeyness cloud vision of Your holiness ours in presenting Your great gift of loving redemption.  EBB4 (12/24/08)