| General Fiction posted December 6, 2021 |
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The ultimate gift ...
The exchange
by Wendy G
~ Christmas ~ Fiction Story Contest Winner
Grandpa lived alone.
He declined all invitations for Christmas – he was simply too tired.
Christmas drew closer; each member of his family was busy with preparations.
Then the news came: Grandpa was ill in hospital, and not doing well.
They phoned Maria, who lived in another state.
"Please come. He is 93 after all, and this time it looks very serious."
Usually flight reservations were made weeks ahead for Christmas travel. Finally she found a flight for the next morning, Christmas Eve, and the only available seat was hers.
Maria prayed three things: that she would arrive in time to see her father, that she could have some quiet time alone with him, and that she would be able to pray with him.
The plane was full of cheerful holiday makers. She quietly looked out of the window, reflecting on her father and his difficult life. The 80 minute flight seemed to take forever. Finally they disembarked, and her sister met her. They drove straight to the hospital, an hour away. Would they be in time?
Yes, first prayer answered – and he was happy to see them. The room soon filled with anxious siblings and relatives, all offering final farewells, trying nevertheless to be cheerful.
Nurses bustled in and out, their uniforms decorated with festive Christmas baubles.
"One visitor at a time," suggested his nurse.
The afternoon was passing swiftly. Finally Maria saw her opportunity for a quiet interlude, and spent precious time with her father. Second prayer answered.
Her father was not a church-goer, but a few years ago had asked God for forgiveness. During the war he had killed men, in the name of his country and for its freedom. But he had lived with the guilt of having taken lives. He had always thought God would reject him, but was relieved to hear that God was merciful and forgiving.
Did he have assurance and peace however?
"Would you like me to pray with you?" Maria tentatively asked.
"I don't really know how to pray," he answered.
"I will pray - just squeeze my hand if you agree," she answered.
"Dear heavenly Father, I bring to you my earthly father. I ask that you will have mercy on him, that he will know your forgiveness and peace. May he know that Jesus paid the price for him to be welcomed into Your kingdom. Please take him to be with You, and I pray that you will take him very gently on this, his final journey …."
Her father squeezed her hand.
As evening drew near, he asked them all to go. He thanked them and assured them of his love. He was obviously very tired. Reluctantly they left.
The sisters drove home in silence. As they entered the house, brightly decorated for Christmas, the phone rang. The hospital.
"I'm so sorry – your father passed away a few minutes ago. He died in the arms of his nurse as she was helping him.
' "Are you my angel?" ' he asked her. "Those were his last words."
He was confusing her with the One who had promised to come back and take him to his heavenly home.
"He died peacefully and gently," she continued.
Third prayer answered.
He had a beautiful Christmas, with the joy of being loved by all his family, and the blessing of going to his new heavenly home, more wonderful than the human heart can imagine.
It was a strange and solemn Christmas for his family. Happy that Grandpa was safely home, remembering that there was joy in heaven over each new arrival. Yet grieving his loss deeply.
Joyful that the Saviour of the world was being celebrated.
But the tinsel, the jolly Santas everywhere, gaudy trees and Christmas decorations seemed so irrelevant and hollow somehow.
Something enormous had occurred this Christmas, and it would never be forgotten. Maria felt peace. God had answered her three prayers. She would see her father again. She would remember him each Christmas, and celebrate his arrival in heaven. Along with Jesus coming to earth from Heaven.
"Yes," Maria mused again on her flight home a few days later, "Christmas was still a time of celebration. All Heaven rejoiced and celebrated the arrival of my father from earth – and all Earth rejoiced and celebrated the arrival of God's Son from Heaven!"
Beautiful exchange.
Grandpa lived alone.
He declined all invitations for Christmas – he was simply too tired.
Christmas drew closer; each member of his family was busy with preparations.
Then the news came: Grandpa was ill in hospital, and not doing well.
They phoned Maria, who lived in another state.
"Please come. He is 93 after all, and this time it looks very serious."
Usually flight reservations were made weeks ahead for Christmas travel. Finally she found a flight for the next morning, Christmas Eve, and the only available seat was hers.
Maria prayed three things: that she would arrive in time to see her father, that she could have some quiet time alone with him, and that she would be able to pray with him.
The plane was full of cheerful holiday makers. She quietly looked out of the window, reflecting on her father and his difficult life. The 80 minute flight seemed to take forever. Finally they disembarked, and her sister met her. They drove straight to the hospital, an hour away. Would they be in time?
Yes, first prayer answered – and he was happy to see them. The room soon filled with anxious siblings and relatives, all offering final farewells, trying nevertheless to be cheerful.
Nurses bustled in and out, their uniforms decorated with festive Christmas baubles.
"One visitor at a time," suggested his nurse.
The afternoon was passing swiftly. Finally Maria saw her opportunity for a quiet interlude, and spent precious time with her father. Second prayer answered.
Her father was not a church-goer, but a few years ago had asked God for forgiveness. During the war he had killed men, in the name of his country and for its freedom. But he had lived with the guilt of having taken lives. He had always thought God would reject him, but was relieved to hear that God was merciful and forgiving.
Did he have assurance and peace however?
"Would you like me to pray with you?" Maria tentatively asked.
"I don't really know how to pray," he answered.
"I will pray - just squeeze my hand if you agree," she answered.
"Dear heavenly Father, I bring to you my earthly father. I ask that you will have mercy on him, that he will know your forgiveness and peace. May he know that Jesus paid the price for him to be welcomed into Your kingdom. Please take him to be with You, and I pray that you will take him very gently on this, his final journey …."
Her father squeezed her hand.
As evening drew near, he asked them all to go. He thanked them and assured them of his love. He was obviously very tired. Reluctantly they left.
The sisters drove home in silence. As they entered the house, brightly decorated for Christmas, the phone rang. The hospital.
"I'm so sorry – your father passed away a few minutes ago. He died in the arms of his nurse as she was helping him.
' "Are you my angel?" ' he asked her. "Those were his last words."
He was confusing her with the One who had promised to come back and take him to his heavenly home.
"He died peacefully and gently," she continued.
Third prayer answered.
He had a beautiful Christmas, with the joy of being loved by all his family, and the blessing of going to his new heavenly home, more wonderful than the human heart can imagine.
It was a strange and solemn Christmas for his family. Happy that Grandpa was safely home, remembering that there was joy in heaven over each new arrival. Yet grieving his loss deeply.
Joyful that the Saviour of the world was being celebrated.
But the tinsel, the jolly Santas everywhere, gaudy trees and Christmas decorations seemed so irrelevant and hollow somehow.
Something enormous had occurred this Christmas, and it would never be forgotten. Maria felt peace. God had answered her three prayers. She would see her father again. She would remember him each Christmas, and celebrate his arrival in heaven. Along with Jesus coming to earth from Heaven.
"Yes," Maria mused again on her flight home a few days later, "Christmas was still a time of celebration. All Heaven rejoiced and celebrated the arrival of my father from earth – and all Earth rejoiced and celebrated the arrival of God's Son from Heaven!"
Beautiful exchange.
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Writing Prompt *Read All Rules* Write a FICTIONAL story that involves a Human family. The word length is a minimum of 500 words with 800 words maximum. The time frame may be as Christmas Day approaches or the actual day of Christmas. NO VULGAR WORDS, PROFANITY, OR SEXUAL WORDS/DESCRIPTIONS OF SEX ALLOWED. NO WARNINGS FOR LANGUAGE, SEX, OR VIOLENCE ALLOWED. Do not have any music that automatically plays when story begins. You may use 1 picture that has no words, animation, or music, one color font with one color background, dedication line (optional) which doesn't count in word length, and author notes that may include 1 video (may have vocal sound/music). |
~ Christmas ~ Fiction Story Contest Winner |
 Recognized |
#27 December 2021 |
720 words.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 
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