A Christmas Letter

This is a story of how God hears prayers and feels our sorrow, and how He also shows He cares in ways we never, ever would dream of.

I was having a really hard time this week and I spent a lot of the week crying. There were things going on at work that made me feel bad, and each day when I came home I was hopeful for a letter from my son Shane. It has been over three weeks since his last letter and Kelly and I really want to know that he is doing okay. I told God that all I wanted for Christmas was another letter from my son.

Well, after a really stressful day at work on Tuesday, I came home and checked the mailbox and when there was no letter again I broke down and actually sobbed. To top everything off there was a major snow storm predicted for Christmas Eve and Day. That certainly didn't help my mood. I just wanted and needed to be with my family, and the thought of spending Christmas at home without Shane or them made me even more sad.

On Wednesday, Kelly and I were both able to leave work at Noon so we could get on the road up to Hayward, WI before the storm hit. When I got home that day I got the mail and as I thumbed through it I saw an envelope with one of Shane's friend's name on the return address. I was thinking Nick sent us a Christmas card. Nick is one of Shane's best friends that he met playing football for Anoka High School, and they hung out together all summer. They were pretty much inseparable. Nick is such a nice kid and right now he is going to college up in Bemidji.

I opened the letter when I got in the house and after reading it I was crying again. It was the nicest letter I have gotten in a long time! Here is this 19 year old kid telling us that Shane is his best friend and that we did a great job as his parents. He also said if we need anything while Shane's gone to just let him know (he'd even shovel our driveway!). Nick will never know how much his letter meant to me. It came on the right day at the right time. Now tell me that God wasn't involved in this!!! I feel God was telling me that Shane can't write to us right now because of his training and used Nick to write my Christmas letter!

I know my letter from Shane will come soon, but I'll always cherish the one I received on Wednesday. My God saw my tears and He cares!

God's Blessings to you in 2010.

Sheilda