Christian Articles Archive
The Extra Electric Train
A Christmas Memory
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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Though money didn't flow as freely as the rain that winter,
my parents worked with joyful anticipation to give my brother
and me a Christmas present we would never forget. They scrimped
for months and then spent more than they could probably afford
for a Marx electric train.
Then the day before Christmas, a cousin stationed at a nearby
military base pulled into the driveway. Opening the trunk of
his car he lifted out a large heavy box. My brother and I could
hardly wait to see what it was. On Christmas morning we opened
it first. Eagerly we unwrapped an expensive new electric train
set. Wow! You had to pull us down off the ceiling. A Lionel
train, too! Then we opened the presents from our parents--another
electric train. Ho hum. And not nearly as extravagant as the
one from our cousin. Guess whose we played with most?
Mom and Dad were hurt. The outlay for an unmarried Air Force
lieutenant was nothing compared to the sacrifice my parents had
made. But all we saw was the glamour of an expensive train.
We counted our parents' gift as merely a nice accessory.
Our heavenly Father spends many a disappointing Christmas. Amidst
the glittering ornaments and flashing Christmas lights, the hurry
and hustle of shopping and wrapping and family get-togethers,
parties and presents, trees and turkeys--who really cares about
His gift? What gets more attention from us: our Father's gift
of life in Jesus Christ or the quickly-wrapped department store
gifts from our cousins?
Thank you, Father, for Jesus. Thank you for the abundant life
that we, His disciples, can enjoy now. Thank you for sending
us a most expensive gift--your own life. Thank you!
Click here to read other Christmas stories and articles
Copyright © 1985-2012, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor
joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.
Lamb of God
