This story comes from Proud Podcast Person John L. You might think it’s not a Christmas story, but I say it is. John is an old friend, with whom I disagree violently on politics, religion, and cherry pie. But he is a friend. There’s a Christmas story in just that fact when you think about it. Here’s his story:
> > >>>>> A little girl went
> > >>>>> to her bedroom and
> > >>>>>
pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place
> >
>>>>> in the closet.
> > >>>>>
>
> >>>>> She poured the
> > >>>>>
change out on the floor and counted it
> > >>>>>
carefully. Three times, even. The
> > >>>>> total had
to be exactly perfect. No chance here
> > >>>>> for
mistakes.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
Carefully placing
> > >>>>> the coins back in the jar
and twisting on the
> > >>>>> cap, she
> >
>>>>> slipped out the back door and
> >
>>>>> made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store
> >
>>>>> with the big red Indian Chief sign
> >
>>>>> above the door.
> > >>>>> She
waited patiently for
> > >>>>> the pharmacist to give
> > >>>>> her some attention, but he was too busy at this
> > >>>>> moment.
> >
>>>>> Tess twisted her feet to make a
> >
>>>>> scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her
> >
>>>>> throat with the most disgusting sound
> >
>>>>> she could muster. No good. Finally she took
> >
>>>>> a quarter from her jar and banged it on
> >
>>>>> the glass counter. That did it!
> >
>>>>>
> > >>>>> ‘And what do you want?’
the
> > >>>>> pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone
> > >>>>> of voice. I’m talking to my brother
>
> >>>>> from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,’
>
> >>>>> he said without waiting for a reply to
> >
>>>>> his question.
> > >>>>> ‘Well, I
want to talk
> > >>>>> to you about my brother,’ Tess
> > >>>>> answered back in the same annoyed tone.
> > >>>>> ‘He’s really, really sick….and I want
> > >>>>> to buy a miracle.’
> >
>>>>> ‘I beg your pardon?’
> > >>>>>
said the pharmacist.
> > >>>>> ‘His name is Andrew and
> > >>>>> he has something bad
> >
>>>>> growing inside his
> > >>>>> head
and my Daddy says only a miracle can save
> > >>>>> him
now. So how
> > >>>>> much does a miracle
cost?’
> > >>>>> ‘We don’t sell miracles
> >
>>>>> here, little girl.
> > >>>>> I’m
sorry but I
> > >>>>> can’t help you,’ the pharmacist
said, softening
> > >>>>> a little.
> >
>>>>>
> > >>>>> ‘Listen, I have the
> > >>>>> money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I
will
> > >>>>> get the rest. Just tell me how much it
> > >>>>> costs.’
> > >>>>> The
pharmacist’s brother was
> > >>>>> a well-dressed man.
He stooped down
> > >>>>> and asked the little girl,
‘What kind of
> > >>>>> a miracle does your brother
need?’
> > >>>>> ‘I don’t know,’ Tess
> >
>>>>> replied with her eyes welling up I
> >
>>>>> just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he
> >
>>>>> needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t
> >
>>>>> pay for it, so I want to use my money.’
> >
>>>>>
> > >>>>> ‘How much do you
> > >>>>> have?’ asked the man from Chicago.
>
> >>>>> ‘One dollar and
> > >>>>>
eleven cents,’ Tess answered barely
> > >>>>>
audible.
> > >>>>> ‘And it’s all the money
> >
>>>>> I have, but I can get some more
> >
>>>>> if I need to.’
> > >>>>> ‘Well,
what a
> > >>>>> coincidence,’ smiled the man. ‘A
> > >>>>> dollar and eleven cents—the exact price of
> > >>>>> a miracle for little brothers.’
> >
>>>>> He took her money in one
> > >>>>>
hand and with
> > >>>>> the other hand he grasped
> > >>>>> her mitten and said ‘Take me to where you
live.
> > >>>>> I want to see your brother and meet
> > >>>>> your parents. Let’s see if I have the miracle
> > >>>>> you need.’
> > >>>>>
That well-dressed man
> > >>>>> was Dr. Carlton
Armstrong, a surgeon,
> > >>>>> specializing in
neuro-surgery.
> > >>>>> The operation was completed
free of charge and
> > >>>>> it wasn’t long until
Andrew was home
> > >>>>> again and doing well.
>
> >>>>> Mom and Dad were
> > >>>>>
happily talking about the chain of
> > >>>>> events
that had led them to this place.
> > >>>>>
> >
>>>>> ‘That surgery,’ her Mom
> > >>>>>
whispered. ‘was a real miracle. I wonder
> > >>>>> how
much it would have cost?’
> > >>>>> Tess smiled. She
knew
> > >>>>> exactly how much a miracle cost…one
> > >>>>> dollar and eleven cents…plus the faith of a
> > >>>>> little child.
> >
>>>>>
> > >>>>> In our lives, we
> > >>>>> never know how many miracles we will
>
> >>>>> need.
> > >>>>> A miracle is
not the
> > >>>>> suspension of natural law, but the
operation of
> > >>>>> a higher law.
> >
>>>>>
> > >>>>> I know you’ll keep the
ball moving!
> > >>>>> Here it goes. Throw it back to
> > >>>>> someone who means something to you!
>
> >>>>> A ball is a circle, no
> >
>>>>> beginning, no end. It keeps us together
> >
>>>>> like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure
> >
>>>>> inside for you to see is the treasure
> >
>>>>> of friendship you’ve granted to me.
> >
>>>>> Today I pass the
> > >>>>>
friendship ball to you.
> > >>>>> Pass it on
>
> >>>>> to someone who is a friend to you.
> >
>>>>> MY OATH TO YOU…
> > >>>>> When
you are sad…I will
> > >>>>> dry your tears.
>
> >>>>> When you
> > >>>>> are
scared…I will comfort your fears.
> > >>>>> When you
are
> > >>>>> worried…I will give you hope.
>
> >>>>> When you are confused…I
> >
>>>>> will help you cope.
> > >>>>> And
when you are lost…and
> > >>>>> can’t see the light,
I
> > >>>>> shall be your
> >
>>>>> beacon…shining ever so bright.
> >
>>>>> This is my oath…I
> > >>>>>
pledge till the end.
> > >>>>> Why you may
ask?…Because
> > >>>>> you’re my friend.
> >
>>>>>
> > >>>>> Signed:
> >
>>>>> GOD
> > >>>>>
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