There’s nothing like a good last-minute adventure, especially one on Christmas Eve. This happened to me many years when my daughter Sara was still small.
It started on December 23rd when we went to a cousin’s house for an early Christmas gathering. I so enjoyed being with my family and watching Sara open her gifts. That is until she opened the one with a doll. Now, this wasn’t just any old doll. It was the exact same doll I had gotten for her. Not only that, it had been wrapped and sitting under our tree for a couple of weeks. I guess you can say I don’t like waiting until the last minute. Unfortunately, there was only one thing to do; take the doll back and exchange it for something else.
Before Sara woke up the next morning, I had unwrapped the doll and found the receipt. Tim was more than happy to be the one to stay with her while I went to Walmart. I dreaded it since it was Christmas Eve and I was worried about everything being picked over. Would the stuff she liked be all gone? Or would the only toys left be out of my price range?
When the lady at the counter asked what was wrong with the doll, I whined, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” Then I told her my woeful tale. She just smiled and gave me my money back. I grabbed a buggy and headed for the toy section. As I walked around in it, I realized all the other toy shoppers were men. Seriously. I was the only female. To make it worse, each man wore an expression of desperation and panic on his face.
“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when yet think not.” Luke 12:40 (KJVhat )
Obviously, waiting until the last minute can cause all kinds of problems. At first, I felt sympathy for the men. Then I realized they all knew Christmas was coming and when. Unlike Thanksgiving, that date never changes. Another big event to be ready for is the Second Coming. You can’t wait until the last minute to get ready for it. Unlike Christmas, you never know when it will happen. You ready?
To be honest, I don’t remember what I bought Sara that Christmas Eve morning, but she enjoyed it. Now, if you are ever in a bind to gift me something, there is one thing that always works: CHOCOLATE!!
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.