God Will Provide: A Christmas Story

In case you don't read my other blog, I'm doing this thing with some other bloggers where we post Christmassy things on the twelve days before Christmas. As a part of that, I'm posting a story on here that's four parts long. Enjoy the first part of "God will Provide" on this, the third day of Christmas!

Part One: In Which You Meet Mr. & Mrs. Rosset

            It was a still, quiet morning. Snow covered the ground in a thick blanket of sparkling white ice crystals. The sun had just risen, hailing a new dawn on another beautiful day. But not all was as peaceful as this scene.

 

            Amaria Rosset took a deep breath of the crisp, clear air and then let it out slowly watching her oxygen freeze into a cloud before getting carried away by the wind.

 

            “Oh God,” she whispered fervently, “it is days like these that make me suddenly realize what a precious gift each day is.”

 

            She had been standing in the driveway of the new house she and her husband had just bought for the last half-hour, waiting somewhat anxiously for her husband to return from his work. He had been called by his boss as four in the morning and asked to come to the office for an unknown reason. Amaria had good reason to be a little worried.

 

            “Oh please have it be a good thing,” she prayed for the hundredth time, rubbing her arms for warmth.

 

            The windows behind her were still dark, which meant that her three children were still sound asleep and therefore still blissfully unaware of what was going on just outside their windows.

 

            Finally, Amaria saw her husband’s truck drive up the road and then turn into their driveway. She watched for any signs that would tell her how things had gone.

 

            Darien Rosset, Amaria’s thirty-six-year-old husband, got out slowly, looking five years older than he had when he had woken up that morning. He closed the door with a deep sigh which his wife heard from ten feet away.

           

            “What happened?” she asked, though afraid to know the answer.

 

            Darien shook his head. “I’ll tell you inside.” He ran a hand through his light brown hair. “I need some coffee.”

 

            “I made some up about ten minutes ago…it should be ready now. I can get you a mug.”

 

            “Thanks.”

 

            The couple walked into their home together. Amaria poured out two mugs of coffee and added cream and sugar the way she knew her husband would like it. She sat down across from him after giving him his mug.

 

            Darien took a sip of the steaming liquid. “That tastes wonderful,” he said, smiling at his wife. “Just the way I like it.”

 

            “Stop stalling,” Amaria replied sternly. “Tell me what happened.”

 

            “I got fired,” Darien answered matter-of-factly. “My boss decided that they didn’t need me any more along with five others who did the same line of work as me. We were all fired this morning.”

 

            Amaria’s coffee mug stopped half-way to her lips in silent shock. Then, after processing the information for a minute, her eyes filled with tears. “Oh honey…” she moaned. “What are we going to do?”

 

            Darien sighed. “That’s what I’ve been wondering myself.”

 

            “We—” Amaria began crying in earnest and her shoulders were soon shaking with uncontrollable sobs. “We w-won’t be able to-to have C-Christmas!” she wailed. “And it’s the f-first Christmas in th-this house!”

 

            Darien went over and sat next to her on the other couch, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Oh hush…” he soothed. “We’ll still be able to have Christmas just as we have every year.”

 

            “B-but with no money, how c-can we buy the children p-presents?”

 

            “You know as well as I do that Christmas doesn’t have to have presents to make it a celebration.”

 

            “The kids though!” she sobbed. “They’ll be so disappointed!”

 

            “I’ll think they’ll survive without presents from us this one year,” Darien answered. “After all, they’ll still be getting gifts from relatives.”

 

            Amaria wiped her eyes and forced herself to stop crying. “I guess that’s true,” she admitted. “I was just hoping to have a nice celebration for the first time since we moved so far from our old home.” Bitter thoughts formed in her mind and spewed out before she thought to stop herself. “Why did God let this happen? I asked Him to have it be good news and it wasn’t! Didn’t He hear my prayers? Couldn’t He have at least waited until after our Christmas? And right after just buying a new house! Why?”

 

            Amaria caught herself and buried her face in her hands. “I’m sorry Darien…I didn’t mean to say those things. I know that God knows what’s best for our family. But sometimes…” She trailed off and sighed. “I wish I could have as much faith as you do in this circumstance.”

 

            Darien chuckled. “Actually, while walking out of that office, I fired all those same questions at God.”

 

            His wife smiled through her tears. “Did you get answers?”

 

            “Well, sort of. When my anger melted a little, I had enough sense to ask Him to show me His will. After ending that prayer, He gave me peace that He had all my cares and worries on His shoulders and that I didn’t need to bother with them anymore.”

 

            “I need that peace,” Amaria said, leaning into her husband’s comforting arms.

 

            “‘Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you,’” Darien quoted.

 

            “First Peter 5:7,” Amaria finished.

 

            Her husband nodded. “It came to mind during the drive home as I was wrestling with all my emotions.”

 

            “I think I get the point,” Amaria’s face cracked a smile. “We need to trust Him with this situation.”

 

            “And He will provide for all our needs.”

 

            “Even Christmas presents for the children?” Amaria asked with raised eyebrows.

 

            Darien laughed softly. “Be honest: is that a need?”

 

            “I guess not…but it would take a load off my mind.” She looked up at her husband and then hugged him tightly. “I love you honey. No matter what hardships we have to go through…you always manage to bring a smile to me face.”

 

            “Love you too,” Darien answered. “Do you think we should wake up the kids and give them the bad news?”

 

            “We could let them wake up on their own…a little more sleep wouldn’t do them any harm.”

 

            “But, if we let them wake up on their own, it may take them until lunchtime to actually come down for breakfast.” Darien smiled wryly. “Besides, I don’t get much time with you all to myself.”

 

            “I think they could sleep a little longer,” Amaria agreed. “It’s only seven-thirty after all.”