On my birthday- eve I received a gift with a promise. The gift itself was plain and nothing to be desired. It came with a bag of rich brown soil, a green pot and some instructions. For the doubting heart, it might have been considered a thing of naught and quickly discarded. But because I had great faith in the giver, I hoped that following the directions would bring a beautiful reward.
. So faithfully I read and heeded the directions. I placed the bulb in the soil and added the water. I carefully placed it where it would receive sunlight and and warmth. Then I waited and watched .
I was excited to see the bulb produce a green shoot that grew several inches in just one week. My faith in the gift grew just as the green shoot had grown.
The next week I suffered a moment of doubt. Oh, the shoot grew rapidly it was true. But there was no blossom, no thing of beauty as I had hoped. Still, I continued nurturing and caring for the growing plant. This I did because I had faith in the giver of the gift.
Just about three weeks from the day I received the gift, the reward came. Beautiful bright blossoms. Just three weeks of heeding the word and nurturing my faith and the beautiful gift arrived.
I trusted the giver (my Mother) and had faith in the Word (the instructions). Though it required some effort on my part, the reward was truly a gift.
As the world celebrates the glorious gift of the Savior of mankind. Let us remember to have Faith in the Giver, to heed the Word, to nurture our growing Faith- and the Gift we most certainly will receive will be more Glorious than we could even imagine.
Merry Christmas to all of you,
my dear family and friends
