“THE MISSING JESUS” a wonderful story of the Christmas spirit blessing two families when they needed it the most PLUS the greatest Christmas song I have ever heard!
The 8th story in our special series—DAYS OF MAGICAL and MIRACULOUS CHRISTMAS STORIES…one great story from now until Christmas! With a lovely Audio Podcast version narrated by Chinmayan!
This is our WEEKDAY edition of THE DAWNING LIGHT NEWS # 1235
Our FREE version of our “Daily Journal of Transformational Writing”
CHILD PEACE STORIES Section # 26
Inspiring READ ALOUD STORIES for children of all ages…
Selected, edited and published by Chinmayan…May your Christmas be bright, loving and full of kindness and miracles of every kind as these magical stories for you and your family and everyone on earth!
ANNOUNCING A SPECIAL SERIES OF “CHILD PEACE STORIES”TO CELEBRATE THE LOVING HEART OF THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
To celebrate this Christmas Holiday season,
we are launching a special series of magical and miraculous stories
That are perfect for READING ALOUD to children of all ages
With the publishing of 22 “Child Peace” stories, one for
Each day from now until Christmas Day.
I have been collecting these stories for a long time…
all from different authors, and different times…
All stories you probably have never heard of
But which are well written, powerfully heart opening and
Inspiring stories that will move you to tears….
These special stories about amazing acts of kindness,
Caring, compassion and Love have been carefully chosen
And edited by me to help you get into the Christmas spirit…
This series of mind blowingly good stories is our
Christmas Gift to our wonderful community of readers,
Subscribers and supporters and everyone who discovers them
Here in our newsletter and labor of Love “The Dawning Light”….
During these crazy and tormented times, and with all the
Fears and uncertainties about what our future will be like,
I feel it is vitally important to tap into the true meaning
And purpose of Christmas which to my mind and heart
Always is, always has been and always will be to open
Our hearts to share Love, Caring and compassion in
Daily life now and in all the days of change and challenge ahead!
A Wonderful story in our special series…DAYS OF MAGICAL and MIRACULOUS READ ALOUD CHRISTMAS STORIES for children of all ages…
The eighth story in our special series…
One great story everyday from now until Christmas Day!
All images in this story courtesy of Pixabay
THE MISSING JESUS
By Jean Gietzen
About a week before Christmas the family bought a new nativity scene.
When they unpacked it, they found two figures of the Baby Jesus.
“Someone must have packed this wrong,” the mother said, counting out the figures.
“We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a Baby Jesus because we have two.”
“You two run back down to the store and tell the manager that we have an extra Jesus. Tell him to put a sign on the remaining boxes saying that if a set is missing a Baby Jesus, call 7126. Put on your warm coats, it’s freezing cold out there.”
The manager of the store copied down mother’s message and the next time they were in the store there was the cardboard sign that read, “If you’re missing Baby Jesus, call 7126.”
All week long they waited for someone to call. Surely, they thought, someone was missing that important figurine.
Each time the phone rang mother would say, “I’ll bet that’s about Jesus,” but it never was.
Father tried to explain there are thousands of these scattered over the country and the figurine could be missing from a set in Florida or Texas or California.
Those packing mistakes happen all the time. He suggested just put the extra Jesus back in the box and forget about it.
“Put Baby Jesus back in the box! What a terrible thing to do,” said the children. “Surely someone will call,” mother said. “We’ll just keep the two of them together in the manger until someone calls.”
When no call had come by five o’clock on Christmas Eve, mother insisted that father “just run down to the store” to see if there were any sets left.
“You can see them right through the window, over on the counter,” she said. “If they are all gone, I’ll know someone is bound to call tonight.”
“Run down to the store?” father thundered. “It’s 15 degrees below zero out there!”
“Oh, Daddy, we’ll go with you,” Tommy and Mary began to put on their coats, Father gave a long sigh and headed for the front closet. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he muttered.
Tommy and Mary ran ahead as father reluctantly walked out in the cold. Mary got to the store first and pressed her nose up to the store window. “They’re all gone, Daddy,” She shouted. “Everyone set must be sold.”
“Hooray,” Tommy said. “The mystery will now be solved tonight!”
Father heard the news still a half block away and immediately turned on his heel and headed back home.
When they got back into the house they noticed that mother was gone and so was the extra Baby Jesus figurine.
“Someone must have called and she went out to deliver the figurine,” my father reasoned, pulling off his boots. “You kids get ready for bed while I wrap mother’s present.”
Image by Chinmayan of a special statue that came to us this Christmas!
Then the phone rang. Father yelled “answer the phone and tell them we found a home for Jesus.”
But it was mother calling with instructions for us to come to 205 Chestnut Street immediately, and bring three blankets, a box of cookies and some milk.
“Now what has she gotten us into?” my father groaned as we bundled up again.
“205 Chestnut. Why that’s across town. Wrap that milk up good in the blankets or it will turn to ice before we get there. Why can’t we all just get on with Christmas? It’s probably 20 below out there now. The wind is picking up. Of all the crazy things to do on a night like this.”
When they got to the house at 205 Chestnut Street it was the darkest one on the block.
Only one tiny light burned in the living room and, the moment we set foot on the porch steps, my mother opened the door and shouted, “They’re here, Oh thank God you got here, Ray! You kids take those blankets into the living room and wrap up the little ones on the couch. I’ll take the milk and cookies.”
“Would you mind telling me what is going on, Ethel?” my father asked. “We have just walked through below zero weather with the wind in our faces all the way.”
“Never mind all that now,” my mother interrupted. “There is no heat in this house and this young mother is so upset she doesn’t know what to do. Her husband walked out on her, and those poor little children will have a very bleak Christmas, so don’t you complain. I told her you could fix that oil furnace in a jiffy.”
My mother strode off to the kitchen to warm the milk while my brother and I wrapped up the five little children who were huddled together on the couch.
The children’s mother explained to my father that her husband had run off, taking bedding, clothing, and almost every piece of furniture, but she had been all right until the furnace broke down.
“I have been doing washing and ironing for people and cleaning the five and dime,” she said. “I saw your number every day there, on those boxes on the counter. When the furnace went out, that number kept going through my mind, 7162, 7162 that is what it said on the box.
If a person is missing Jesus, they should call 7162, 7162. That’s how I knew you were good Christian people, willing to help folks. I figured that maybe you would help me, too. So, I stopped at the grocery store tonight and I called your miss’s. I’m not missing Jesus, mister, because I sure love the Lord. But I am missing heat. I have no money to fix that furnace.”
“Okay, Okay!” said father. “You’ve come to the right place. Now let’s see. You’ve got a little oil burner over there in the dining room, shouldn’t be too hard to fix, probably just a clogged flue. I’ll look it over, see what it needs.”
Mother came into the living room carrying a plate of cookies and warm milk. As she set the cups down on the coffee table, I noticed the figure of Baby Jesus lying in the center of the table. It was the only sign of Christmas in the house.
The children stared wide-eyed with wonder at the plate of cookies my mother set before them.
Father finally got the oil burner working but said you need more oil. “I’ll make a few calls tonight and get some oil. Yes, sir, you came to the right place,” father grinned.
On the way home father did not complain about the cold weather and had barely set foot inside the door when he was on the phone.
“Ed, Hey, how are ya, Ed?” “Yes, Merry Christmas to you too. Say Ed, we have kind of an unusual situation here I know you’ve got that pickup truck. Do you still have some oil in that barrel on your truck? You do?”
By this time the rest of the family were pulling clothes out of their closets and toys off of their shelves. It was long after their bedtime when they were wrapping gifts.
The pickup came. On it were chairs, three lamps, blankets and gifts.
Even though it was 30 below, father let them fide along in the back of the truck.
No one ever did call about the missing figure in the nativity set, but as I grow older, I realize that it wasn’t a packing mistake at all. Jesus saves, that’s what HE DOES.
“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, Courage for the present, Hope for the future… It is a fervent wish that Every cup may overflow with Blessings, rich and eternal, And that every path may Lead to peace.”
—Agnes M. Pharo
THE MOST WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS CAROL I HAVE EVER HEARD!
This music video will bring tears of joy to your eyes and the love for the Lord will flood your heart…listen on headphones or turned up loud!
Almost 64 million views on You Tube!
THE BEST CHRISTMAS SONG I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!
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I could feel that. May you open and uplift many. I rather think you will. 🙏❤️
What a beautiful story! Thank you 🤞❤️