A Broken Shovel And An Old Used Purse.... FOR CHRISTMAS???

Our two children are “long grown”. Our son, Brandon, turned thirty-four last month and our daughter, Kristy, will be thirty-seven in February. But if you were to ask either one to tell you about their favorite Christmas when they were growing up, they would both tell you about the very same Christmas… and strangely enough, that was the year that Brandon received a broken shovel and Kristy received an old purse from the Salvation Army store! Maybe I should explain.

That particular year was extremely difficult for us financially. I don’t remember why, because Mike and I have never been frivolous with our money. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, money was very tight that year and we were really struggling to make ends meet.

Sometimes it seemed that God would wait until the last possible moment to take care of a necessity, but during that time, just as always, He provided for our needs. We never missed a meal and we were usually able to pay the bills on time. But, we certainly never had any extra money!

As it got closer and closer to the holidays, I began to fret a bit. We were just not sure how we were going to provide Christmas for our children that year. I knew God would continue to provide for our “needs”… but I was not sure whether He considered Christmas presents for our children a real “need”.

Anyway, that year, Kristy was nearly twelve years old and Brandon had just turned nine. They were both old enough to understand that, sometimes, life is not always what we want it to be and we don’t always get what we want. They already understood that things were “tight” and we just did not have any extra money. So, when we explained the situation to them and told them that Christmas was going to be pretty meager, they took it with grace and acceptance. (You see, from the time that they had been old enough to understand, we had emphasized that, although it was fun to get presents at Christmas, the celebration is really all about Jesus Christ and His birth. Nevertheless, of course, kids ARE kids, and a preachers’ or missionaries’ children are no different from yours!)

We told them that we were all going to give each other a different type of gift that year. Each of us was going to think of something special that we could do as a gift for someone (like wash the dishes, rake leaves or make the bed for the other person for a week. etc.). They were to make a coupon or coupons, put them in a decorated envelope and put it under the tree. On the other hand, if they wanted, they could write out a promise (like “I promise you will never have to tell me to clean my room, or take out the trash, etc. because I will make sure it’s always done on time.”). They were told to think about it, pray about it and try to “give a gift” that the other person would really like.

Now, Kristy and Brandon understood this idea perfectly because we had given “birthday gifts” to Jesus in the same way. When they were very young, we helped them to think of something, wrote it for them, etc. When we had opened all our gifts and all that remained under the tree were our envelopes, it was a visual reminder that, even though we had given each other gifts, we were to remember that it was really Jesus’ special day and not ours. As they got older, we gave them the option of sharing what they had given Jesus or, if they had rather, they could just keep it between them and the Lord. (In addition, when they were small, I also made a birthday cake and we would light the candles and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.)

Nevertheless, even though we were going to do the same thing for each other this particular year, Mike and I wanted them to have something “fun” that they could open. In order for that to happen we had to be creative! We began praying and doing a lot of thinking. It was my job to come up with something for Kristy and Mike was to think of something for Brandon.

One day, as I walked down the toy aisle at the drug store, I saw a “life size” baby doll. It was a beautiful doll with the sweetest face, a soft cloth body and rubber legs, arms and head. In addition, it was only about $5.00! Well, as I paid for that doll at the counter, I just prayed that I would not be insulting my nearly twelve-year-old daughter by giving her a baby doll for Christmas. (Back then, children were not so afraid to be children!)

As I showed the doll to Mike, I explained to him that I had some scrap material and planned to make a little doll pillow and quilt. Also, since it was about the size of a real newborn, I was going to look for second hand baby clothes at the Salvation Army Store. He thought that was a good idea and said he would go with me. He hoped to find something for Brandon… or, at the very least, get some ideas for a gift.

Every Monday at the Salvation Army, everything was half price. I was so excited as I picked out little dresses, sleepers, booties, socks and a bonnet for that little doll and, if I remember correctly, the price was no more than a quarter for each item! Then, as I excitedly went to look for Mike with my “treasures”, I saw a blue “diaper bag” in which to put all the clothes. It was really just an old purse that had seen better days that was hanging on a rack with some other old purses … but it looked like a diaper bag to me!

When I found Mike, he was equally excited, for he had found an “Indiana Jones” hat and a bullwhip! Indiana Jones was all the rage at that time and every little boy’s hero. After paying probably less than $5.00 for everything, we went home. We were excited to know that, although it was not much, we had something “fun” to put under the tree for our children!

While I secretly began working on the doll’s pillow and quilt, Mike was working on his own project in the shed. Occasionally, I could hear the whine of some machine coming from that direction. Moreover, we were not the only ones being secretive. At times, I could hear the kids talking together, low and mysterious, behind closed doors.

One evening, Mike asked me to come out to the shed. He was finally going to show me what he had been making for our son. When we were sure that the children had not seen us sneaking out to the shed, he quietly closed the door and held up a spear that any native Indian would have been proud to own! Among his gardening tools, he had found an old shovel that was no longer of any use because the head had rusted and broken. Mike had ground the head down into a dull point. Somewhere he had found some scraps of leather and, using long strips of it, he had wrapped part of the handle as a handhold. Close to the spear’s head, he had then added some leather fringe and a feather. I remember watching him as he stood there before me, holding that spear. He had the same excited and hopeful grin that I had seen so many times on Brandon’s face when he would come running to show me something he had done of which he was especially proud. They were so much alike. I never said anything or showed it, but I remember feeling so close to tears and then, just as now, I am not sure if it was because I knew that Brandon was going to love his spear, or if it was because the look on Mike’s face reminded me so much of our son.

On Christmas Eve, as was our custom, we lovingly placed these small tokens of love under the tree for our children. As we did so, I noticed all the envelopes that we had thoughtfully written, decorated and placed under the tree. In addition, l was surprised to see that Mike and I also had a couple of small gifts from each of the children. Wherever did they get the money to get us a gift?

Christmas morning we awoke and, as was our custom, we took our Bibles and read about the very first Christmas and the very first Christmas “Gift” to man. Then, following another of our Christmas family traditions, I sang “Born to Die”, a song that never fails to humble me and bring me to tears as I sing of the amazing love that God has for sinful, ungrateful mankind. After our time of reflecting on the greatest Gift given to man, it was time for family gifts.

I wish I could say that I remember what was in each of the envelopes, but I cannot. What I do remember, is that I was nervous. As they opened their used and homemade gifts, I was searching each of the children’s faces for any sign of disappointment or dismay. Thankfully, I saw nary a shadow! They were just as thrilled and appreciative as if we had spent hundreds of dollars on them!

Then, acting almost shy with us, they took the small gifts they had carefully wrapped and placed under the tree and handed them to Mike and me to open. I think the priceless treasures that we found inside took us both by surprise. I call them “priceless treasures” not because of the monetary value, but because each of them had taken some little something of their own, something they cherished, wrapped them and given them to their Dad and I as a gift to us. Even today, that small act of selflessness on the part of two children, two children who had just received an "old used purse and a broken shovel" for Christmas, touches my heart as few things do.

There were other Christmases, before and after this particular one, where we were able to get them what had been on their “wish list”, years when we had spent probably more than we should have. I doubt that either one of them could name even one gift from those Christmases. I know that I cannot. So why is it that this particular Christmas is remembered above all others?

I have pondered that question many times through the years and I have come to this conclusion. I believe that on that Christmas, we came close to emulating the very first Christmas. I believe it is because, we did not just give something as a gift, we gave of ourselves... and we each “sacrificed” something for the other. And why would we do that? That I can answer in one word: “LOVE”!

Isn’t that what prompted the “first Christmas” nearly 2,000 years ago?

“For God SO LOVED the world, that He GAVE His only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ~John 3:16

God Almighty limited and “imprisoned” Himself, first in the womb of a virgin and later, in a human body made of flesh, blood and bone. Why would He leave the realms of Heaven and subject Himself to these limitations along with the heartaches and pain of being a human being? Because He wanted to restore the relationship between God and man and the only way that could be accomplished, would be for Him to live a sinless life, allow Himself to be taken, nailed to a cross and killed, thus paying the price for MY sins… and for yours!

Why? Why would He go to such lengths? Once again, I can answer in one word: You guessed it! “LOVE”!

THAT, my friend, was the ONLY reason He came to earth... the ONLY reason He was born... the ONLY reason He died; Because He loves us with an EVERLASTING love! (Jeremiah 31:3)

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

No matter what anyone, any “religion", or any government may say… if CHRIST had not been born there would be no CHRISTmas! But, HE WAS BORN! He was born because He loves us! He was BORN… TO DIE!


The last line of the song by the same title, that song that I sing at Christmas, says:

“Jesus, baby Jesus, with a tear of love in your eye,

Oh, Jesus, dear Jesus, for me you were born to die!”

And, my friend, He died for YOU, too!

He truly IS the reason for the season… and may we NEVER forget it!

Here is our "little girl" today with
that old blue purse that I bought
at the Salvation Army Store
24 years ago.

In July of this year, while going through some things in storage, Mike found that old "purse/diaper bag" that Kristy received on that long ago Christmas.  All of those little clothes that I had so carefully chosen were still inside.  Even though, we knew that she had kept the doll, we did not realize that she had also kept the "diaper bag".  A couple of months later, in September, we were able to visit Kristy and her family.  As we were bringing our suitcases into the house, her daddy told her that he had something for her... and then handed handed her that old blue bag.  As you can see, she was thrilled! She has since shared, not only the bag and the clothes with her own three daughters, but also the story of that very special Christmas.